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QR code for business cards

Fill in your details and download a QR code that saves you straight into the phone's contacts. The details are stored in the code itself, so it works without internet, without an app, and without any company keeping a page online for you.

Business card QR code generator

What should the code open?
Contact details
Colors, size and logo

Higher levels survive damage and logos but make the code denser.

Your image stays on your device. Adding a logo switches error correction to High.

Example QR code

Example. Fill in the form to make yours.

Static code. Free forever. It never expires.

How to put a QR code on your business card

  1. Enter only what matters

    Name, mobile, email and website are usually enough. Fewer fields make a smaller, easier code.

  2. Download SVG for the printer

    SVG stays sharp at any size and drops straight into most design tools and print shop templates.

  3. Print a proof and scan it

    Print one card at real size and scan it with an iPhone and an Android phone before ordering the full box.

What happens when someone scans it

The phone camera reads the code and shows a contact card with your name and details. One tap saves it. No app, no internet connection and no account are needed, because the contact details are inside the code in the standard vCard format that every iPhone and Android phone understands. The vCard QR code page explains the format in more detail.

Contact card, website or digital card?

There are three common choices, and they are not equal:

  • A contact card (vCard) code, like the one this page makes. Saves your details directly. Works offline and forever. The trade-off: if your phone number changes, you reprint the cards, which you would do anyway.
  • A link to your website or profile. Good if the page shows more than a card can, like a portfolio or a LinkedIn profile. It keeps working as long as the page does.
  • A hosted “digital business card” from a QR company. The code opens a profile page on their site. It can be edited, but it depends on that company and usually on a subscription. If either ends, every card you handed out leads nowhere. Read static vs dynamic QR codes before choosing this.

For most people, a contact card code with your website included in it is the best of both.

Keep it lean

Every field you add makes the code denser. Our generator’s own numbers: a card with name, phone, email, company and website is 53 squares across. Add a street address and a note, and it grows past 60, which needs a bigger print. Good practice:

  • Use your mobile number, not three numbers.
  • Leave out the street address unless clients visit you.
  • Add your website rather than a long note.
  • Check the name fields: first and last name in the right boxes so it sorts correctly in contacts.
  • Size: 2 to 2.5 cm (0.8 to 1 in) for a lean card, up to 3 cm for a full one.
  • White border: at least 4 squares of empty space around the code. Do not let it touch the card’s edge, text or bleed area.
  • Colour: black or a dark brand colour on white or a light colour. Avoid metallic foil and spot gloss over the code; they reflect light into the camera.
  • Finish: matte or uncoated paper scans more reliably than high gloss.
  • File: SVG, placed at 100% without stretching. The SVG guide explains why.

The QR code size guide explains the maths behind these sizes.

Add your logo or colours

Open “Colors, size and logo” to change the code colour or add a small logo in the centre. Error correction switches to High automatically so it still scans, but the code gets slightly denser, so print it a little bigger. The logo guide has the details.

A checklist before you order

  1. Scan a printed proof with two different phones and save the contact.
  2. Check that the name, number and email look right in the phone’s contacts.
  3. Make sure the code is at least 2 cm wide and has a clear white border.
  4. Keep the SVG file safe for the next print run.

Questions people ask

What size should the QR code be on a business card?

About 2 to 2.5 cm (0.8 to 1 in) square for a short contact card, and up to 3 cm if you include a full address and job title. A standard card is 8.5 by 5.5 cm (3.5 by 2 in), so the back of the card has plenty of room.

Should the code save my contact or open my website?

Saving the contact is what most people want after a meeting: one tap and you are in their phone. Link to a website or portfolio instead if it shows much more than your contact details. You can do both: put the website in the contact card.

Front or back of the card?

The back is usually best. It keeps the front clean and gives the code space for a white border. Add a short line like 'Scan to save my contact'.

Will my business card QR code ever stop working?

No. This is a static code, so your details are in the printed squares. It does not depend on our site or any subscription. It only goes out of date if your details change.

Which file format should I send to the printer?

SVG, or a PDF made from it in your design tool. Avoid screenshots and small JPGs, which blur at print size.

How do I add it in an online design tool?

Download the SVG, then upload it to your design as an image. Place it on a white area, keep it square, and do not crop the white border.