QR code business cards: how they work and what makes a good one
By Online Business Cards Editorial Team | Published | Updated | Sharing your card
A QR code business card is only as good as the page the code opens and the service behind it. What to check before you rely on one, and how to make every scan work.
A QR code business card is a square code that, when someone points their phone camera at it, opens your contact details. The code itself is simple. What decides whether it is any good is what the code opens, who looks after that page, and whether the code still works in a year's time.
This guide explains how QR code business cards work, the two main types, the reasons some codes stop working, and a short checklist for choosing one.
How a QR code business card works
A QR code stores a small amount of text. On a business card, that text is usually a web address. When someone scans it, their phone shows the address and they tap to open it. iPhones have read QR codes in the built-in Camera app since iOS 11, and most recent Android phones do the same through the camera or Google Lens, so the other person does not need to install anything.
You can show the code in several ways:
- on your phone screen, when you are standing next to someone
- from your phone's wallet, so it is quick to find
- on a slide at the end of a talk
- on things you already print, such as a flyer, a shop window or the last page of a proposal
Our guide to QR code size and placement covers how big the code needs to be in each of these places.
Two types: a code that holds your details, or a code that opens a page
A contact code (vCard)
Some generators put your name, phone number and email inside the code itself, in a format called vCard. Scanning it offers to save you as a contact straight away.
The drawbacks are practical. The more text you put in, the denser the code becomes, and dense codes are harder to scan, especially when printed small or shown on a dim screen. And because the details are inside the code, the code is out of date the moment your number or job title changes.
A link to a profile
The other approach is for the code to hold one short web address that opens your profile page. The page can carry far more than a contact file: your photo, social links, services, documents and a button to save you to contacts.
Because the code only holds the address, it stays small and easy to scan. When you change something on the profile, people who scan the same code see the change, as long as the address stays the same. That is how the cards we sell work.
Why some QR codes stop working
A QR code never wears out, but the page it points to can disappear. The usual reasons:
- The service closes the link. Some QR generators give you a short redirect link that they control. If you stop paying, or the service closes, the redirect can stop working, and every code you have shared goes nowhere.
- The page moves. If the address in the code changes, old codes break.
- It was a test code. Free trial codes are sometimes deactivated when the trial ends.
Before you rely on a code, ask what happens to it if you stop using the service, and who owns the page it opens. Our list of 12 questions to ask a digital business card provider covers this in more detail.
What makes a scan reliable
Most failed scans come from a few avoidable problems:
- Contrast. A dark code on a light background scans best. Light codes on dark backgrounds, and pale colours, cause trouble on some phones.
- Margin. Leave clear space around the code. The QR standard calls for a blank border four squares wide; crowding text or graphics up to the edge makes scans fail.
- No stretching. Keep the code square and do not crop it.
- Logos, used lightly. QR codes include spare data so they can still be read when part of the code is damaged, which is why a small logo in the centre often works. Keep it small and test it.
- Screen brightness. When showing the code on your phone, turn the brightness up.
- Testing. Scan the final version with at least two different phones, including an older one, before you share it widely.
A checklist for choosing a QR code business card
- Does the code open a profile you can edit? You want to update your details without replacing the code.
- Is the page built for phones? Most people will open it on a mobile.
- Is there a save-to-contacts button? Scanning should end with you in their address book.
- Can you share the same profile in other ways? A link for messages and email signatures, not only the code.
- Can you see whether it is being opened? Simple view counts help you judge where the code is working.
- What does it cost, and is it a one-off payment or a subscription? Check what happens to the code if you stop paying.
- Who builds and hosts the profile? You should know who to contact if something breaks.
How our QR code business card works
Each card we sell is a digital profile built and hosted by our platform partner. It has its own link and QR code, which you can show from your phone, keep in your wallet, put in your email signature or add to your existing printed materials. You edit the profile in the profile editor, so the same code keeps opening your latest details.
There are two one-off plans. Brand Presence (£45) covers your details, social links, gallery, documents, templates and view analytics. The Business Plan (£90) adds business tools such as bookings, enquiries, reviews, contact leads and a CRM. See the QR code business card page for what is included.
Code that holds your details, or code that opens a page?
Code holds your details | Code opens your card
Can you change the details later? | No, you must reprint | Yes, edit the card
Size of the code | Larger and busier | Small and simple
Can it show photos, prices or bookings? | No | Yes
Works without the internet | Yes | Needs a signal to load
Read next: Six ways to share a digital business card, and when each one works best and How to add your digital business card to your email signature. You can also browse all our guides.
For the difference between a code that points at a fixed link and one you can change later, see static or dynamic QR codes.
Frequently asked questions
Do people need an app to scan a QR code business card?
No. iPhones read QR codes in the Camera app, and most recent Android phones read them through the camera or Google Lens. The profile opens in the phone's web browser.
Will my QR code stop working if I change my details?
Not if the code points to your profile's address and that address stays the same. You update the profile, and the same code opens the new version.
Can I put my logo in the middle of the code?
Often, yes, because QR codes can still be read when a small part is covered. Keep the logo small, leave the corners clear and test the final code on more than one phone.
Is a QR code the same as a vCard?
No. A vCard code holds your details inside the code and cannot change. A link code opens a profile that you can keep up to date, and the code stays small and easy to scan.
Can I print my QR code on flyers and signs too?
Yes. The same code can go on business cards, flyers, van signs and counter stands. Make it larger the further away people will stand, and test a printed sample first.