QR code for business cards: a practical guide

vCard or link: which QR code belongs on your card?

There are two common options. A vCard code carries your contact details, so scanning it offers to save you as a new contact. A link code opens a web page, such as your website, portfolio or LinkedIn profile.

The goal of a business card is to be remembered and contacted later. A vCard puts you in the other person's contacts, which is where they look when they need you. Put the website inside the vCard, and you get both.

Which fields to include in a business card QR code

• First and last name, spelled exactly as you want them to appear in contacts.
• Job title and company.
• Mobile number in international format, such as +966 50 123 4567.
• Work email.
• Website.
• Office address, if clients visit you, such as a clinic or a showroom.

Keep it focused. On a static vCard, every extra field makes the pattern denser and harder to scan at small sizes. Skip a fax number, a second email, or a long note about your services.

Arabic names on a vCard

vCards support Unicode, so Arabic names, titles and addresses are saved correctly on modern phones. QRaft encodes your details in Unicode, so you can write your name as محمد العتيبي, or in English, or both.

Choose the language most of your contacts use. If you work with both Arabic and English speakers, put your name in one language in the name field and the other version in the job title or company line. Either way, scan the code on an iPhone and an Android phone and open the saved contact to check that the letters appear correctly.

Static or dynamic business card QR code?

A static vCard stores your details inside the pattern. It works forever, but if you change your number or title, every printed card is outdated.

A dynamic vCard stores a short link instead. Your details live online and you can edit them anytime, so a box of 500 cards stays correct after a promotion or a new phone number. Scanning a dynamic vCard opens a clean mobile page with your details and buttons to call, email or open the address in maps. You also see how many people scanned your card, and from which countries and devices — useful after a trade show.

Create a business card QR code

Size and placement on an 85 × 55 mm card

A standard business card is about 85 × 55 mm, so space is tight. Aim for a code at least 2 × 2 cm. A size of 2.5 cm scans more comfortably, especially in dim light at events.

• Put the code on the back of the card, so the front stays clean.
• Leave a clear margin around the code, about the width of 2 of its small squares.
• Keep it away from the card's edge, where cutting can trim it.
• Avoid printing it over textured paper, foil or a busy background.
• Send the printer the SVG file. It's a vector, so it stays sharp at any size.

Design a QR code that matches your card

Use your brand colors, keep the code darker than the background, and add your logo in the middle if there's room. QRaft clears the space behind the logo and shows a live scannability score, so you'll see a warning if the contrast is too low or the logo too big. A frame with a short line such as "Scan to save my contact" tells people what they'll get.

Test before you print

1. Print one card at real size on an office printer.
2. Scan it with an iPhone and an Android phone, from about 20–30 cm away.
3. Save the contact and check every field: name, number, email and Arabic letters.
4. Tap the phone number and the website to make sure they work.
5. Only then send the SVG file to the printer.

Questions