vCard vs URL vs plain text: which QR type should you use?

The QR type decides what happens the instant someone scans your card. Picking the right one is the difference between “saved to my phone” and “now what?”

vCard — the default for a business card

A vCard QR encodes your contact details directly. On a scan, the phone offers to create a new contact with your name, title, company, phone, email and website pre-filled. It works offline, never expires, and needs no website. For a card whose job is to get you into someone’s phone, this is almost always the right choice.

URL — when the card is a doorway

A URL QR sends the scanner to a web page: your portfolio, a booking link, a link-in-bio page, or an online version of your card. Choose this when the next step is “look at something” rather than “save my number.” The trade-off: the destination has to stay live, and the experience depends on that page.

Phone & email — one specific action

A phone QR opens the dialler with your number ready to call; an email QR opens a blank message addressed to you. These are great for single-purpose cards — a plumber who wants calls, a support desk that wants emails — but they do less than a vCard, which contains both.

Wi-Fi & plain text — niche but handy

A Wi-Fi QR joins a network without typing a password (useful for cafes, studios and events). Plain text simply shows words on screen — a tagline, a code, an address. Neither is a typical business-card choice, but both are there when you need them.

Quick rule of thumb

• Want to be saved as a contact? vCard.
• Want them to visit something? URL.
• Want one action (call or email)? Phone or email.
• Sharing a network or a short message? Wi-Fi or plain text.

FAQ

Which QR type is best for a business card?

vCard, in most cases. It saves your full details as a phone contact in one tap and works without any website or internet connection.

Does a vCard QR expire?

No. It encodes your details directly into the code, so there’s nothing to host and nothing to expire. Reprint only when your details change.

Can one QR code do several things at once?

A single code holds one payload. A vCard is the closest to “everything,” since it bundles name, phone, email and website into one contact.