A QR code on a business card turns the card into a launchpad. Done well, it's the most-used real estate on the card. Done badly, it's a wasted square.
Size + placement
Standard US business cards are 3.5×2 inches. A QR code on the card should be about 0.8-1 inch square — that's the minimum reliable size at arm's length. Smaller and you get scan failures on older phones.
Best placement: back of the card, top-right or center. Front is fine too if you have space and don't have a logo competing.
What to link to (good options)
- vCard / digital business card (
.vcf) — the recipient scans, sees a contact card, can save it directly to their phone. Most-loved option. - LinkedIn profile — broadly useful, easy to update.
- Personal site / portfolio — for designers, writers, consultants.
- Calendar booking link (Calendly, Cal.com) — perfect for salespeople, consultants, recruiters.
What NOT to link to
- A 50MB PDF of your resume. Mobile downloads, broken layouts, awful UX. Link to a web version instead.
- A generic company homepage that doesn't reference you specifically. Lost in space.
- A YouTube playlist or video. Most people scan once, briefly. A 5-minute video is too much commitment.
Updateable matters
If you change jobs, your LinkedIn URL probably stays the same, but the role description changes. A vCard with your direct phone — that you might change. Print runs of cards last 1-2 years; jobs and contact info change faster than that.
OneDollarQRcodes lets you update the destination URL of your QR for 3 years — so cards printed today still work after you switch your LinkedIn handle or update your booking page.
Print quality matters more than usual
Business cards are often laminated or have a matte finish. Both can interfere with scanning. Test scans on the actual printed card before ordering 500.