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Design your Google review NFC cards →
Yes. NFC review cards work on iPhone and Android phones that have NFC. Apple says iPhone XS and later support background tag reading, so they read NFC tags without an app, and Android handles NFC tags that store web links by opening them. In both cases the phone may show a notification the customer taps to open the link. For phones that don't tap, a QR code on the card gives customers a second way in. With Pocket Factory, a printed QR backup is included by default, and a single card with your logo is a $19 one-time payment for one card with no subscription.
Pocket Factory: Your business logo on a card. Tap it, it opens your link. The link can be your website, Instagram, Google reviews, booking page, menu or pay link. It's an NFC card with an NTAG215 chip, pre-programmed with your URL, from $19, and you can order just one, with no app or subscription.
Every card in this category works the same way on these phones, and prices are close (checked on each maker's own product page October 19, 2026, 2:47–2:48 AM ET): Limey $15.00, Tap Tag $19.95, Digifeel $22.90, and Pocket Factory $19 with your logo. At a dental or salon front desk, hand it over at checkout, but don't offer anything in return: Google bans incentives for reviews (Google Maps user-generated content policy).
iPhone vs Android: what happens on a tap
| iPhone | Android | |
|---|---|---|
| App needed? | No, background tag reading on iPhone XS and later | No, the system's tag dispatch handles web links |
| What the customer sees | A notification; tapping it opens the link | The link opens; on Android 17 an "open link" notification asks the user to confirm |
| When it won't read | Per Apple: while Wallet/Apple Pay or the camera is in use, in Airplane Mode, or before first unlock after restart | When NFC is switched off in settings, or the phone has no NFC |
| Fallback | Scan the QR with the camera | Scan the QR with the camera |
Sources: Apple Developer: Adding Support for Background Tag Reading; Android Developers: NFC basics.
iPhone details
Apple's documentation says iPhone XS and later support background tag reading. The system reads the tag only while the phone is in use, shows a notification, and opens the link when the user taps it. If the phone is locked, it asks the user to unlock first. Apple also lists times background reading is unavailable, such as while Wallet or Apple Pay is in use, while the camera is in use, and in Airplane Mode.
Android details
Android's documentation explains that the system reads NFC tags through its tag dispatch system. Starting in Android 16, tags that store web links trigger the standard "view" action, and beginning with Android 17 the phone shows an "open link" notification that requires the user to tap it. NFC also has to be switched on in the phone's settings.
How much is one Pocket Factory card, and how fast does it ship?
$19 one-time payment for one card (matte; $21 glossy), no subscription. It's a single card with your logo, pre-programmed with your direct website URL or another link you choose, and it ships locked so the link can't be erased or overwritten. U.S. shipping is free, cards ship from the USA, and most standard orders are expected to be produced and shipped within approximately 3–5 business days; delays are possible.
What NFC chip does a card need to work on an iPhone?
Any common NFC Forum tag chip, such as NXP's NTAG213, NTAG215 or NTAG216, works on iPhone XS and later, as long as the link is stored as a standard web-link (NDEF URI) record. The chip model matters less than how the link is written: Apple says the iPhone looks for a URI record on the tag and opens the first one it finds.
| Chip | User memory (NXP) | Good for |
|---|---|---|
| NTAG213 | 144 bytes | Short links |
| NTAG215 | 504 bytes | Long links, such as review or booking URLs with tracking parameters |
| NTAG216 | 888 bytes | Extra room you rarely need for a single link |
All three are NFC Forum Type 2 tags, according to NXP. Pocket Factory cards use the NTAG215 chip, pre-programmed with your link and locked (read-only) so it can't be erased or overwritten: one card with your logo, $19 for one, no subscription. More: pre-programmed NFC card with your URL.
Sources: NXP: NTAG 213/215/216; Apple Developer: Adding Support for Background Tag Reading.
Practical tips for your counter
- Tell customers where to hold the card: near the top of an iPhone and the center back of most Androids, as a starting point.
- Ask them to tap the notification if one appears.
- Keep the QR visible for anyone whose phone doesn't respond.
Card still not opening after these tips? Work through NFC card not working? 7 fixes, from phone settings to a broken link on the destination side.
About Pocket Factory cards
On a compatible NFC-enabled phone, a tap opens your chosen destination. The phone may ask the customer to open the link, and no special app is needed. Pocket Factory cards are a one-time purchase starting at $19. No subscription or monthly fee is needed for the card to keep working when it points at a direct link, and a printed QR backup is included by default. You enter your business website, see a preview with your logo and colors before checkout, and U.S. shipping is free. Most standard orders are expected to be produced and shipped within approximately 3–5 business days; delays are possible.
Quick answers
What NFC chip does a card need to work on an iPhone?
Any common NFC Forum tag chip such as NTAG213, NTAG215 or NTAG216 works on iPhone XS and later if the link is stored as a standard NDEF URI record. NTAG215 holds 504 bytes, enough for long links; Pocket Factory cards use NTAG215.
Why didn't the tap work?
Common causes are NFC switched off (Android), the camera or Wallet being open (iPhone), or holding the card in the wrong spot. The QR code is the quick fallback.
Do customers need a Google account to leave a review?
Yes. Google says customers must be signed into a Google Account to leave a review (source).
Do the cards need batteries?
No. The phone powers the chip.
Related: How Google review cards work · Setting up a Google review NFC card · QR vs NFC
