Are paper business cards obsolete? An honest answer and a practical changeover plan
By Online Business Cards Editorial Team | Published | Updated | Explainers
Paper business cards are not obsolete, but they no longer have to do everything. Here is an honest answer, and a four-week plan for switching to digital without binning the cards you have.
Paper business cards are not dead, whatever some headlines say. Plenty of people still like something to hold, and in some meetings a printed card is expected. What has changed is that a paper card no longer has to carry everything. A digital card can hold your full, up-to-date details, and paper becomes a small, optional way into it.
The question most people actually have is practical: how do I switch without throwing away a box of cards I have already paid for, or leaving old details out in the world? This plan answers that in four short steps.
So, are paper business cards obsolete?
Not entirely. Their job has changed.
- Where paper has fallen behind: it cannot be updated, it holds only a few lines, it is easily lost, and it does nothing on a video call or in an email.
- Where paper still helps: some people simply like something to hold, some sectors still expect a card at a first meeting, and a card can be handed to someone without a smartphone.
So the realistic answer is that paper is no longer the main way to share your details, but it can still be a useful way into them, especially with a QR code that opens your digital card. Our guide to the benefits of digital business cards covers where paper still helps in more detail.
Before you start: take stock
Spend ten minutes finding out where you are:
- How many paper cards do you have left? Count roughly, including boxes in the car or at the office.
- Are the details on them still right? Phone number, email, job title, address, website.
- Where else do your details appear? Email signature, LinkedIn, your website, social media bios, invoices, signs, a van.
That list is your changeover checklist.
Week 1: set up your digital card
Do this first, so that everything else can point to it.
- Choose a plan and order your card. After you order, our platform partner sets up your profile and emails you separately with your details.
- Add your essentials first: name, role, business, phone, email and a clear photo or logo. Our checklist of what to put on a digital business card helps you decide what else to include.
- Check it on your own phone, then send it to a friend and ask them to save you as a contact. If something looks wrong, fix it now.
Our step-by-step guide to creating a digital business card covers this stage in more detail.
Week 2: point everything at your card
Now update the places your details appear, starting with the ones people use most:
Where | What to do
Email signature | Add a short "View my card" link
LinkedIn | Add your card link to your contact info or featured section
Website | Add your card link to the contact page
Social bios | Use your card link if you only get one link
Invoices and quotes | Add your card link next to your contact details
Our guides to email signatures and LinkedIn explain each one step by step.
Week 3: use up your paper cards sensibly
If your paper cards are still accurate, keep using them. Printing has already happened, so throwing good cards away does not save anything. Hand them out as usual, and tell people your full details are on your digital card.
If some details on your paper cards are out of date, you have a choice:
- Small change, such as a job title: keep using them for now, and send the people you meet your card link afterwards.
- Important change, such as a phone number: stop using them. A card that sends people to a dead number does more harm than having no card.
When you recycle old cards, check how they were made. Plain paper and card can usually go in paper recycling, but cards with a plastic coating, foil or a lot of glitter may not be accepted. Your local council's recycling guidance will tell you what it takes.
Week 4: decide what your next print run looks like
When you next need paper, print less and print differently:
- Add your QR code, so every paper card leads to your digital one. Our guide to putting a QR code on printed cards includes a proof checklist.
- Keep the front simple: name, what you do, and one way to contact you. The rest can live on your digital card.
- Order a smaller quantity. Our guide to working out how many cards you need has a simple way to estimate it.
Some people find they no longer need paper at all. Others keep a small supply for particular situations. Both are fine.
When paper still makes sense
A changeover is not an all-or-nothing decision. Paper can still be the better choice when:
- the person you are meeting does not use a smartphone, or prefers not to scan codes
- a card is part of the etiquette, as in some formal business meetings
- you want to leave something behind, such as with a quote left at a customer's home
- there is no signal, and you want people to have your number straight away
A short paper card with a QR code covers all of these, and keeps your full details up to date online. Our honest comparison of the benefits of digital business cards goes through where each format is stronger.
Telling people you have switched
You do not need an announcement. A few natural moments are enough:
- When you meet someone new, offer your QR code first and paper if they prefer.
- When you send a follow-up email, your signature link does the work.
- When an important detail changes, message your regular contacts with your card link so they can update their saved details.
Which plan you need
Brand Presence (£45, one-off) is enough for most people switching from paper: your details, social links, documents, gallery, templates and analytics. If you also want to collect enquiries, take bookings or scan the paper cards other people give you into saved contacts, the Business Plan (£90, one-off) adds those tools. Compare them on our plans, or see the QR code business card.
Read next: Digital business card ROI for professionals and The future of contactless networking. You can also browse all our guides.
For how we got here, read our short history of the business card, from visiting cards to QR codes.
Frequently asked questions
Are paper business cards obsolete?
Not entirely. Paper cannot be updated and does nothing online, so it is no longer the main way to share details, but some people still expect or prefer a printed card. Many now keep a small number with a QR code that opens their digital card.
Should I throw away my old paper business cards?
Only if the details on them are wrong in a way that matters, such as an old phone number. If they are still accurate, use them up and point people to your digital card for the full details.
Do I need to stop using paper cards completely?
No. Many people keep a small number of paper cards with a QR code on them, for situations where paper is expected or more convenient.
What should I update first when I switch?
Your email signature and LinkedIn profile, because that is where most people look for your details after meeting you. Then your website, social bios and invoices.
How long does the changeover take?
The setting up can be done in an afternoon. Using up existing paper stock and updating every place your details appear is easier spread over a few weeks.