Smart business cards share your details in one of two ways: an NFC chip the phone reads with a tap, or a QR code the camera scans. Both open the same kind of online profile. The difference is in how quickly and reliably they do it.
How each one works
- NFC: a chip inside the card hands a web address to the phone when the two are a few centimetres apart. The phone shows a notification, and one tap opens your profile.
- QR code: a printed pattern that the phone's camera reads. The person opens the camera, points it at the code and taps the link that appears.
Speed and ease
NFC is faster in person. The other person doesn't need to open an app: they hold their phone near the card and tap the notification that appears. A QR code takes a few more steps, but it works at a distance, on a screen, in an email signature or on a printed poster, where NFC can't.
Compatibility
QR codes can be read by almost any smartphone camera. NFC is built into most modern phones, including iPhone XS and newer and most Android phones (with NFC switched on), but some cases, older models or settings can block it.
The answer: use both
The best smart business cards carry an NFC chip on the inside and a QR code on the back. In person, the tap is the fastest way to share your details. When a phone can't read the chip, or you want to share from a distance, the QR code does the same job. You never have to think about which one the other person's phone supports.
Every Tapqora card works both ways, and both open the same live profile, which you can update at any time from your dashboard.
Smart NFC business cards with a QR code on every card.
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