QR codes for business cards

Updated 5 October 2026

A QR code on a business card saves the other person typing your details into their phone. It needs to be small, sharp and readable on whatever card stock you choose.

Contact card or link?

You have two good options, and both work as free static codes.

A contact card (vCard)

The code contains your name, phone, email, company and web address. When someone scans it, their phone offers to save you as a new contact. It works without any internet connection, and nothing sits between you and them.

The trade-off is size. Every extra field adds to the pattern. Keep it to the details people will actually use: name, mobile, email, company and website. Leave out your full postal address and job history.

A link

The code contains a web address, such as your website's contact page or a professional profile. The pattern is simpler, so the code can be smaller, and the page can show more than a contact card. Choose a page you control and expect to keep.

Static or editable?

For most business cards, static is right. If your phone number or job changes, the printed details on the card are out of date as well, and you'll reprint anyway. A static code costs nothing and can't be switched off by anyone.

An editable code makes sense if the code links to something that may move while the card stays correct, such as a portfolio, a booking page or a current offer.

Size

• A UK business card is 85 × 55 mm, so space is tight.
• Web link: at least 2 cm wide.
• Contact card: 2.5 to 3 cm wide, because the pattern is denser.
• Leave a clear margin around the code at least as wide as four of its small squares. Don't let text or the card's edge crowd it.
• Putting the code on the back gives you room without cluttering the front.

Printing tips

• Send your printer the SVG or PDF, not a small PNG. Vector files stay sharp at any size.
• Print the code in solid black on a white or pale background for the crispest edges.
• Keep foil, embossing, spot gloss and letterpress away from the code. They look lovely, but shine and texture confuse scanners.
• Heavily textured or uncoated stock can blur small squares. Order a proof first.
• Skip the centre logo at this size. It forces the code to be bigger to stay readable.

Test before you order 500

• Print one card at actual size on your office printer and scan it with two different phones.
• If it's a contact card, check the saved contact looks right: name in the right order, number with the country code.
• Scan the printer's proof again before approving the full run.