NFC or QR code: which business card works better
Updated 14 October 2026
For most people a QR code on your phone is the better choice. The camera on iPhone and most Android phones reads one, it works from across a table, and it costs nothing. An NFC card is a little quicker when it works, a tap instead of pointing a camera, but the other phone needs NFC switched on and you have to buy the card.
Both do the same job in the end. They open a link to your digital business card, and the other person saves you from there.
Side by side
| Question | QR code on your phone | NFC card or tag | Paper card |
|---|---|---|---|
| How it opens | They point their camera at your screen | They hold their phone against the card | They type your details in |
| Which phones | iPhone and most Android phones, through the camera | Phones with NFC switched on | Any |
| Distance | Arm’s length, or across a table | A few centimetres | Hand it over |
| Cost | Free with your digital card | You buy the card or tag | Printing, then reprinting |
| When your details change | Edit your card. The code still works | Edit your card. The tag still works | Print new cards |
| Stops forwarding | Yes, with a live code that changes every 30 seconds | No. A tag holds one fixed link | No |
When NFC makes sense
NFC suits a fixed spot: a sticker on a counter, a stand at a market, the back of your phone case. People tap without you doing anything.
A QR code suits meeting people one at a time. You hold it up from where you’re standing, it works with phones that have NFC turned off, and on your screen it can change every 30 seconds, which a printed code or a tag can’t.
Using both with Metcard
Metcard doesn’t sell NFC cards. If you want one, write your card’s link (metcard.app/your-name) to any NFC card, tag or sticker with an NFC writing app. A tap then opens your card the same way the link does.
One catch. A tag can only hold a fixed link, so it can’t use the live code. If your card is set to Live code only, a tap opens the locked page. Keep the card open to anyone with the link if you hand out tags, and use the QR code in show mode for everything else.
Questions
Do iPhones read NFC business cards?
Yes. iPhone XS and newer read NFC tags without an extra app.
Do QR codes need an app?
No. The camera app on iPhone and most Android phones opens a QR code and shows the link to tap.
Is an NFC business card more secure than a QR code?
Not by itself. A tag holds one fixed link, and anyone who taps it, or is sent that link, can open the card. A live code that changes every 30 seconds is what stops a card being forwarded.
Can I print my Metcard QR code?
You can print the code for your card’s link, for a sign or a flyer. A printed code is fixed, so it opens your card only while the card is open to anyone with the link. The live code works on your screen only.
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