Business Card QR Code

A business card has room for a headline, not a career. One scan hands over the full picture.

A QR code on a business card solves a simple problem: paper is small and your details are not. Point the code at a contact page, a vCard file, a portfolio, a booking link or your LinkedIn profile, and the person you just met can save everything accurately in a couple of seconds instead of typing an email off a 3.5-inch card.

Decide what the scan should accomplish before you design the card. 'Save my contact' (a vCard or contact page), 'see my work' (portfolio) and 'book a meeting' (calendar) are three different jobs and three different destinations. Pick one. If you genuinely need several, use a short link on your own domain that leads to a small landing page with those options - you can then change it later without reprinting 500 cards.

Physical constraints matter more here than anywhere else. Cards get printed small, handled, and sometimes put under a glass desk. Keep the code at least 2 cm square, keep a clear quiet zone of about four modules, use dark-on-light contrast, and avoid placing it near a fold, a rounded corner or a textured spot-UV finish. Always print one proof and scan it with a real phone before the full run.

Generating…

How to add a QR code to a business card

  1. Choose a single job for the code: save contact, view portfolio, or book a meeting.
  2. Publish the destination at a short, permanent URL and paste it into the generator above.
  3. Keep the design high contrast and leave a clear empty margin around the symbol.
  4. Export SVG - it prints razor sharp at small sizes - and place it away from folds and edges.
  5. Print one proof, scan it with a real phone under normal light, and only then order the full batch.

vCard or a web page?

A vCard (.vcf) lets someone save your name, number and email straight into their contacts, which is the most direct 'save my details' experience. A web page is more flexible: it can show a photo, links, a portfolio and a booking button, and it works in any browser. If you want both, use a page that offers a download-contact button.

Whichever you choose, host it somewhere you control. A free link shortener or a temporary file host can disappear, and unlike a website you cannot quietly fix 500 printed cards.

Print specifications that survive the real world

Minimum about 2 x 2 cm including the quiet zone, dark modules on a white or very light background, and no gradient or photo behind the code. Matte or uncoated stock scans better than high-gloss. Avoid reversing the code out to light-on-dark: many camera decoders assume the standard polarity and will fail.

Frequently asked questions

What should the QR code on a business card link to?

One clear destination: a vCard to save your details, a contact/portfolio page, or a booking link. If you need several options, use a short landing page on your own domain.

How small can I print it?

Around 2 cm square including the empty margin is a practical floor for a card scanned at arm's length. Anything smaller becomes unreliable on real phones.

Can I change where it points after printing?

Only if the code points at a URL you control and can redirect. A static code stores its destination permanently, so plan the URL before the print run.

Will a coloured or logo QR code still scan on a card?

Usually, if contrast stays strong and the logo covers less than about a quarter of the code. Test a printed proof - card stock and gloss change the result compared with a screen.

Make the back of your card do more

Free, unlimited, no sign-up, and nothing you type ever leaves your browser.

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