NFC business cards: how they work, compatibility and price

NFC stands for Near Field Communication. It's the technology behind contactless payment: two devices exchange a little data when brought within a few centimetres of each other.

An NFC business card looks like a regular card, often credit-card sized, with a chip and an antenna embedded in it. The chip has no battery: the phone's field powers it for the time it takes to read. There's nothing to charge, and it can be read as many times as you like.

• You hold out the card. The other person brings the top of their iPhone, or the back of their Android phone, close to it, with the phone unlocked.
• The phone reads the address stored on the chip, and shows a notification or opens the page directly.
• The page shows your details, links and buttons: call, message, directions.
• A button saves your contact card to their address book, in vCard format, with nothing to retype.

It all takes two or three seconds. And since the card only holds an address, what the page shows can change at any time, without touching the card.

• iPhone: reads it without an app since the iPhone XR and iOS 13. On older models, the QR code takes over.
• Android: the vast majority of recent models have NFC. It needs to be turned on, which is the default setting on most phones.
• Without NFC: a QR code printed on the card opens the same page with the camera. That's the first thing to check: a card without a QR code leaves some people out.

People often imagine their details are stored on the card. In reality, the chip only holds a web address, like a link. Your details are on the page, hosted online. Two consequences:

• You can change everything: number, job title, photo, links. Cards already handed out show the new version.
• The card reveals nothing by itself: it's read from a few centimetres and only holds an address. What's on the page is up to you.

• Never out of date: a new number or a new company means no reprint.
• Saved, not stashed: the contact goes into the phone's address book instead of a drawer.
• More than contact details: links, social media, directions, a PDF brochure, even a Google review flow.
• Measurable: depending on the service, you know how many times the card was read and what people clicked on.
• Just one card: you keep yours and show it at every meeting, instead of handing out whole boxes.

• The other person has to bring their phone close, and some don't know the gesture yet. A QR code and one sentence (« just tap your phone here ») cover most cases.
• The page needs an internet connection to display.
• The page is a service: with most providers, it's covered by a subscription. Find out what happens if you stop.

Prices range from a few euros to several tens of euros per card, depending on the material (PVC, metal, wood) and the printing, often plus a subscription for the page.

At Abracarda, the card in the simple offer costs €39, bought once, and the page €9.90 per month or €99 per year, statistics and reviews module included. Cards with your name, your logo or in volume are quoted on request. The first 14 days are free, no card required.

Before ordering, ask the provider these five questions:

• Does the card carry a QR code, for phones without NFC?
• Can I edit my page myself, at any time, without re-encoding the card?
• Does the save contact button include all my links?
• Where is my data hosted, and my contacts' data?
• What happens to the card if I stop the subscription, and can I reuse it?

To compare with a plain QR code, read our guide NFC or QR code.