What goes in the vCard
Name, job title, company, one phone number, one email, and the website. That's enough. Every extra field adds squares to the pattern, and the code has to fit on a card, so leave out the fax and the second address. The generator writes a standard vCard 3.0 that iPhone and Android both read natively.
Format the phone with the country code (+1 702 555 0142) so it dials from anywhere, and use the email you actually answer.
Fitting it on the card
A vCard code is denser than a link code, so give it room: 0.9 in (2.2 cm) is the practical minimum on a standard 3.5 × 2 in (89 × 51 mm) card, and 1 in (2.5 cm) scans first time. Put it on the back on its own, with a white margin around it and the line "Scan to save my contact". Don't print it over a photo, in gold foil, or reversed out of a dark card; those look good and don't scan.
Ask the printer for the SVG. On matte stock the code is crisp; on gloss, tilt-test the proof under a lamp.
- Front: name and role, typeset. Back: the vCard code, alone, with its caption.
- Email signature: the same code as a small image, or just the link.
- Conference badge or name tag: the vCard at 1 in (2.5 cm); people scan each other at events.
- Store counter or reception: a larger vCard code for the owner or the sales contact.
vCard or a link?
vCard: works with no internet, saves straight to contacts, can't be edited after printing. Link (dynamic): opens a page, needs a connection, can be edited and counted. If the details on the card are stable for a year, print the vCard. If they aren't, or you want to know who scanned, print a dynamic code to a contact page. For the wider question of what else a card can link to (portfolio, booking page, LinkedIn), see Business cards with QR code, what to link and where.
How big to print it
Rule of thumb: the code should be at least one tenth of the distance it is scanned from. These are the sizes that work in practice for this job.
| Where | Scan distance | Minimum width |
|---|---|---|
| Business card back | 8-12 in (20-30 cm) | 0.9 in (2.2 cm) |
| Name badge | 12 in (30 cm) | 1 in (2.5 cm) |
| Email signature (on screen) | 16-24 in (40-60 cm) | 1.2 in (3 cm) |
| Reception sign | 20-32 in (50-80 cm) | 2 in (5 cm) |
Why make it dynamic
A vCard code holds the details inside the pattern, which is exactly why it works offline and why it can't be changed once printed. If you move jobs or change numbers often, use a dynamic code that opens a small contact page (with a "save contact" button) instead: the card in someone's drawer keeps working after your details change, and you get a count of how many people actually saved you. Many people print the vCard on the front and keep a dynamic code for the portfolio on the back.
Dynamic codes are part of Premium, $4 a month. Static vs dynamic, explained.
Step by step
- 1
Fill in your details
Name, title, company, phone with country code, email, website. Keep it to those.
- 2
Check the preview
Scan it with your own phone: the contact card should pop up with everything in the right field.
- 3
Download SVG for the printer
1 in (2.5 cm) on the back of the card, white margin, "Scan to save my contact" under it.
- 4
Changing jobs often?
Make a dynamic code to a contact page instead, and edit the page whenever you move.
Questions people ask
- What is a vCard QR code?
- A QR code that contains a contact card (name, phone, email, company, website) in the standard vCard format. Phone cameras read it and offer Add to contacts without any app.
- Does a business card QR code need internet?
- A vCard code doesn't; everything is in the pattern. A dynamic code that opens a contact page does need a connection, but can be edited after printing.
- Can I update my details after printing?
- Not on a vCard code; the details are in the print. Use a dynamic code to a contact page if your details change often.
- How small can the code be on a business card?
- About 0.9 in (2.2 cm) for a vCard with the six basic fields; 1 in (2.5 cm) to be safe. Fewer fields make a simpler code that can go slightly smaller.
- Can I add my photo or logo?
- A logo in the middle works on Premium (keep it under a fifth of the code's width). Contact photos aren't included in the code; they'd make it far too dense.
- Which type of QR code should go on a business card?
- A vCard if you want people to save you as a contact and your details are stable; a dynamic link code if you want the card to open a portfolio, booking page or LinkedIn profile you can change later. Many people do both: vCard on the back, a small link code on the front. Avoid plain-text codes; they show a wall of text instead of a contact card.
- QR code or NFC on a business card?
- A QR code costs nothing to print and works with every phone camera from arm's length. NFC needs a chip in the card (about $1 to $3 each), only works when the phone touches the card, and can't be seen, so people don't know it is there. If you want both, print the code and add the chip; the QR is the one everyone can use.
- How much does a business card QR code cost?
- Nothing here. The vCard code is free to make and download, and a free account keeps the download unmarked; Premium ($4 a month) adds the editable link code for the front. Printing the card costs what your printer charges; the code adds nothing.
Make the code now, change the link later
Free to make and print. Premium ($4/mo) keeps it editable and counts every scan.