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NFC vs QR Code for Business: Which Should You Use?

(updated )

Columns labelled Tap and Scan, each with a dark card and a phone showing Welcome, an Open button and a Services band.

NFC or QR code? Both link something physical to something digital, and both work through a smartphone. They start the job in different ways, and that decides where each one fits. Here’s the difference in plain terms.

The short answer

Use a QR code when people need to see it and scan it from a distance, or when it sits on printed material. Use NFC when people can hold their phone close to a tap point. If you are not sure which suits your customers, offer both. One prompt, such as “Tap or scan to view”, covers both.

What each one is

NFC stands for near-field communication. It is a short-range wireless technology. A phone held a few centimetres from an NFC tag reads the information stored in it and offers to open it. It is the same kind of technology as a tap-to-pay card.

A QR code is a square pattern that a phone camera reads. The person points the camera at the code and sees a link to open.

Both can open the same web page. The difference is how the person starts.

QR code vs NFC: where each works well

Situation NFC QR code Both
A card or object handed over in person Works well: one tap Works as a fallback A good choice
A poster, sign or shop window The person has to get close Works well if it is large enough A good choice
A flyer, brochure or other print Needs a tag built into the print Works well A good choice
A small object with no room for a visible code Works well Hard to fit A good choice
Customers with older phones An older phone may not read it Any phone with a camera app can try A good choice
You are not sure A good choice

NFC or QR code: what to check before you choose

  • Who are your customers, and what phones do they use?
  • Where will people see the prompt, and how close will they be?
  • Is there room for a visible code?
  • What will the page do once it opens?

Phone support

Phones differ, so check before you commit. iPhones began reading NFC tags without an app with the iPhone XS, XS Max and XR (Apple Developer). The Wave Cards website says iPhone XS and newer read a tap, and that most Android phones with NFC do too once they turn NFC on (Wave Cards). On an iPhone, a QR code is read by opening the Camera app and tapping the link that appears (Apple Support).

Why offering both makes things easier

Two routes to the same page give people a choice. They also cover phones, settings and surroundings that you cannot control. Write one clear instruction, and make sure both routes lead to the same page.

Test it on real phones

Test with the materials you will use, in the place people will use them. Try an iPhone and an Android phone, with a case on and off, in your usual lighting. Check the whole journey, from noticing the prompt to finishing the task.

The page matters more than the method

Whichever you choose, the page it opens carries most of the value. It should load without a wait, say what it is on the first screen and offer one clear next step. Our article on what happens after the scan covers this in more detail.

Common mistakes when choosing

  • Choosing by the technology rather than the situation. Start with where people will be and what they’ll be holding, then pick the method.
  • Testing on one phone. Phones differ in what they read and how. Try a few.
  • Different pages for each route. If the tap and the scan lead to different pages, people get different experiences from the same card.
  • No instruction. Neither NFC nor a QR code explains itself. A short line such as “Tap or scan to view” does the work.

An example, in outline

This is an illustration, and not a case study. Picture a stallholder at a market who wants people to find their website. A QR code on the sign works from a short distance, so someone walking past can scan it. A card handed over in conversation can carry an NFC tag, so the person taps their phone against it. Both lead to the same page, and the stallholder doesn't have to guess which kind of phone the customer is carrying.

Questions people ask

Does NFC need an app?

Not on recent phones. According to Apple's developer notes, iPhones began reading NFC tags without an app with the iPhone XS, XS Max and XR (Apple Developer).

Can one card have both NFC and a QR code?

Yes. Wave Cards, our own product, uses both an NFC tap and a QR code to open a digital profile.

Which is better for print?

A QR code, because it can be printed anywhere. An NFC tag has to be built into the print, as the table above shows.

Which is better for a card handed over in person?

NFC works well, since the person taps their phone against the card. A QR code is still useful as a fallback.

Should I offer both?

If you're not sure what phones your customers carry, offering both covers more situations. One prompt, such as "Tap or scan to view", is enough for both.

See both in one product

Wave Cards, our own product, uses both an NFC tap and a QR code to open a digital profile. You can read about it on our Wave Cards page. The Wave Cards help centre explains how it works in detail: How do Wave Cards work? (NFC, QR & Wave Digital).

If you are planning NFC or QR codes and need a web page to match, talk to us.

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