Use case · Business cards
QR codes for business cards
A business card is 85 × 55 mm and most of it is not available. Here is how much space a working code actually needs, and what to put in it.
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A QR code on a business card should be at least 20 mm square with a clear four-module quiet zone, printed matte, and encoding either a vCard for instant contact saving or a short link to your profile. Below 20 mm, module size drops under the practical scanning floor.
The 20 mm floor
A vCard with name, title, company, mobile, email and website lands around 180 bytes — a version 9 code, 53 × 53 modules. At 20 mm wide with the quiet zone, each module is about 0.33 mm, which is already marginal. At 25 mm it is 0.41 mm, which is reliable.
| Code width | Module size at v9 | Verdict |
|---|---|---|
| 15 mm | 0.25 mm | Fails often |
| 20 mm | 0.33 mm | Marginal — trim the vCard fields |
| 25 mm | 0.41 mm | Reliable |
| 30 mm | 0.49 mm | Comfortable, but dominates the card |
Two ways to buy margin: cut vCard fields to shrink the version, or encode a short link to an online card instead. A 22-character URL is a version 2 code at 25 × 25 — modules nearly twice the size in the same 20 mm.
Placement: bottom right of the reverse side, with the quiet zone respected. Never bleed a code to the card edge, and never place it across a fold or a rounded corner.
What the code should contain
| vCard | Short link | |
|---|---|---|
| Saves contact instantly | Yes | Only after a tap |
| Works offline | Yes | No |
| Updatable after printing | No | Yes, change the page |
| Code density | Higher — bigger print needed | Low |
| Can include a photo or portfolio | No | Yes |
| Tracking | None | Yes, on your own domain |
vCard for roles where the details are stable and the moment matters — trades, sales, conference floors. A link for roles where the details change or the profile is the point — consultants, designers, anyone whose portfolio does the selling.
Specifications for the printer
- Send vector. An SVG, with the finished width in millimetres stated in the job notes.
- Matte finish. Soft-touch and matte laminates are fine. Gloss and spot UV over the code cause reflection failures.
- 100% black, not rich black. Four-colour blacks can misregister on cheap presses, softening every module edge.
- Mind the stock. Uncoated and textured card spread ink; add 10–15% to the code size.
- Not on a dark card. Inverted codes fail on older scanners. If the card is black, put the code in a light panel.
- Proof before the run. Print one card at final size and scan it with two phones.
Frequently asked
How small can a QR code be on a business card?
Should the code hold a vCard or a link?
Where should the code go on the card?
Can I put the code on a black card?
Last reviewed 24 August 2026 · Checked by the QR Code Builder team