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A printed QR code business card is the cheapest way to send people to a link: they scan it with their camera. A QR + NFC card does the same and also opens the link with a tap, on a sturdier plastic card. Choose printed QR for high-volume giveaways; choose QR + NFC for a smaller number of cards you show, hand to good prospects, or keep at a counter.
This guide is only about the card itself: paper with a QR code versus a plastic card with a chip and a QR code. It covers cost per card, durability, and print and design choices.
Printed QR card vs QR + NFC card at a glance
| Compared Oct 28, 2026 | Printed QR business card | QR + NFC business card |
|---|---|---|
| How it opens your link | Camera scan | Tap or camera scan |
| Material | Paper or card stock | PVC plastic card with an NFC chip inside |
| Cost per card | Low; falls with larger print runs | Higher; one card costs more than one paper card |
| Best quantity | Hundreds, handed out freely | A few to a few dozen |
| Wear | Bends, stains, gets thrown out | Holds up in a wallet or on a counter |
| Power | None | No battery or charging is needed |
| If the link breaks | Reprint | Order new cards (Pocket Factory cards ship locked to one link) |
Cost per card: how to compare fairly
Paper QR cards win on unit price, especially in large runs. A combo card costs more per card but you need fewer, because it is shown, tapped and kept rather than handed out by the stack. Work out how many cards you really give away in a month, then compare the total, not the per-card price alone.
Pocket Factory prices, read live from the store on Oct 28, 2026 (white matte / white glossy): 1 card $19 / $21; 2 cards $29 / $33; 5 cards $59 / $69; 10 cards $109 / $129; 25 cards $229 / $279. Black cards: 1 card $21 / $23; 25 cards $279 / $329.
Print and design considerations
- Size and contrast: keep the QR code at least about 2 cm square, dark on light, with a quiet zone around it.
- Finish: very glossy coatings can glare under shop lights; matte scans more easily.
- Say what happens: add a short line such as "Scan for my portfolio" or "Tap or scan to book".
- Static vs redirect codes: a printed static code points straight to your link; a redirect code depends on the service that hosts it. Know which one you are printing.
- Test before the full run: print one proof and scan it with two or three phones.
When the printed QR card is the better pick
- Trade shows, mailers and door hangers where hundreds of cards go out.
- Tight budgets where most recipients will scan anyway.
- Information that changes often, where frequent reprints are expected.
When a QR + NFC card is the better pick
- A card you show at the counter, on a job site or at the chair.
- Fewer, more valuable hand-offs where a sturdy personalized card looks better.
- Customers who would rather tap than open the camera.
Pocket Factory makes the combo type: personalized with your logo, pre-programmed with your link, and a printed QR backup is included by default. Cards ship from the USA and ship in 3–5 business days.
FAQ
Is a printed QR code business card enough?
Often, yes. If you hand out many cards and most people will scan, a printed QR card is the low-cost choice. A QR + NFC card adds a tap option and is sturdier, so it suits cards you show and keep rather than give away by the hundred.
How big should the QR code be on a business card?
Print it at least about 2 cm (0.8 in) square, in dark ink on a light background, with a clear margin around it. Test one printed proof with two or three phones before ordering the full run.
Does a QR + NFC card still have a QR code?
Pocket Factory cards do: a printed QR backup is included by default, so phones that do not tap can scan. The NFC tap works on iPhone XS or newer and NFC Android, with the QR backup.
Ready for a tap-and-scan card? See the personalized website NFC card or the Google review NFC card.
