NFC business cards in the UK: how they work, and whether you need one
A plain explanation of NFC business cards for UK businesses: what happens when you tap, which phones read them, what they cost, and when a QR code does the job just as well.
By Wesley Sing, Founder of Newbi5 min read
An NFC business card looks like an ordinary card. Tap it against the back of someone's phone and your details open on their screen: no app, no typing, nothing left in a coat pocket. It is a memorable way to swap details in person, and also an easy one to oversell, so here is a plain explanation.
What happens when you tap
Inside the card is a tiny chip and an antenna. It has no battery. When it comes within a few centimetres of a phone, the phone's NFC reader powers the chip for a moment and reads what is stored on it, which is almost always one link. The phone opens the link, and the link opens your digital business card.
That has three consequences:
- The card does not hold your details, only a link to them. Change your number on your digital card and the next tap shows the new one. You never reprint.
- It cannot read the other person's phone. It hands over a link and takes nothing back. It has nothing to do with contactless payments, even though both use the same kind of radio.
- It is only as good as the page behind it. A beautiful metal card that opens a thin, out-of-date page is a letdown.
Which phones can read it
Most smartphones sold in recent years can read an NFC card.
- iPhones from the iPhone XS onwards read NFC cards in the background: hold the top of the phone near the card while it is unlocked.
- Android phones use the same NFC chip as Google Pay, so it is usually switched on already.
Even so, an NFC card should never be your only way to share. A phone case can get in the way, and some people simply do not know where to tap. A QR code printed on the back means the card works for everyone.
What they cost
Prices checked on each seller's own page on 29 October 2026. The card is a once-off purchase.
| Seller | PVC card | Wood or bamboo | Metal |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kinect | £31.99 (sale; normally £39.99) | £31.99 to £39.99 (sale; normally £49.99) | £79.20 (sale; normally £99) |
| V1CE | From £60, with no monthly fee for its standard software | Not listed on the pricing page | Not listed on the pricing page |
| Newbi | R550 | R740 | R1,120 |
Newbi's cards are priced in rand for every buyer, so your bank converts the price and may add a foreign transaction fee. Delivery to the UK is R105.
The card is only half the cost. The page behind it is the part you keep paying for, so compare the yearly cost of the profile as well as the card. Some sellers charge once and others monthly, and a cheap card tied to an expensive profile, or the reverse, can cost more than it looks.
Do you actually need one?
No. A QR code on your phone or a link in a message does everything the card does, for free. What the card adds is the moment: you hand over nothing, you just tap. It earns its cost if you meet people face to face often:
- Trades and home services meeting clients at the door.
- Estate agents, brokers, recruiters and consultants who introduce themselves many times a week.
- Anyone at events, trade shows and networking breakfasts, where you want to be remembered among fifty other people.
If most of your introductions happen by email, LinkedIn or video call, skip it and spend the money elsewhere.
What to check before you buy
- Does it keep working if you change plans, or stop paying? The card only holds a link, so ask what that link shows if your subscription ends.
- Can you change where it points? If the chip holds a permanent link that the provider redirects, you can edit everything behind it without rewriting the card.
- Is there a QR code on the back, for phones that cannot tap?
- What does the page behind it do? A page that can take a booking, show your prices or collect a lead does more for you than a contact list.
Where Newbi fits
Every Newbi NFC card holds a permanent link to your card, so you can change everything on your page, and even its address, and every card you have handed out still works. Newbi NFC cards work on every plan and are ordered from your dashboard. The page behind the card can carry your WhatsApp, a booking calendar, your prices and a form for leads, and on Pro and above it can be added to Apple Wallet and Google Wallet.
You can try Newbi's Pro plan free for 14 days.
Quick answers
Do NFC business cards work with iPhones? Yes, from the iPhone XS onwards, without any app.
Is an NFC business card safe? Yes. It only shares a link, and cannot read or take anything from the phone that taps it.
Do I still need paper business cards? Some people still like to hand over paper, especially in more traditional industries. Print a QR code on the back so your paper card leads to the same, always up-to-date page.