# QR code vs NFC

> A QR code is printed and costs nothing per item; NFC needs a chip in every object and costs cents to dollars each. NFC is faster and needs no camera, but only works at a couple of centimetres and not on every phone. For most public-facing uses, QR wins on cost and reach.

Source: https://useqr.app/docs/basics/qr-code-vs-nfc · Last reviewed 2026-08-21 · UseQR is free forever, MIT licensed, no signup.

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## The comparison

| | QR code | NFC |
|---|---|---|
| Cost per item | Zero — it is printing | 5c–$2 per tag |
| Range | Anything a camera can resolve | 1–4 cm |
| Works from a distance | Yes | No |
| Device support | Any camera phone | Most modern phones; iPhone background reading since iOS 14 |
| Works through glass | Yes | Poorly |
| Works on metal | With care | Needs a ferrite-backed tag |
| Rewritable | No | Yes |
| Visible to the user | Yes | No |
| Survives being photocopied | Yes | No |

## Where NFC genuinely wins

- **Tap-to-pay and transit**, where speed matters and the hardware exists.
- **Access control**, where a visible code would be a security problem.
- **Rewritable asset tags** in a controlled environment.
- **Product authentication** with cryptographic NFC chips, which a printed code cannot match.
- **Where the interaction should be invisible** — a poster you tap rather than photograph.

## Where QR wins

- **Anything printed at volume.** A million codes cost the same as a million pieces of ink.
- **Any distance beyond a few centimetres.** A poster across a room, a code on a screen, a
  billboard in a lift lobby.
- **Any surface** — paper, fabric, metal, a TV screen, a projected slide.
- **Universal reach.** Every camera phone, including older devices.
- **When the user needs to see there is something to scan.** An NFC tag is invisible; people
  do not tap posters speculatively.

## Using both

The strongest pattern for high-value physical objects is both: an NFC tag for a tap
interaction and a printed QR code as the visible fallback. Museums, premium packaging and
smart posters commonly do this, and the QR code carries most of the actual traffic because
people can see it.

## FAQ

### Is NFC more secure than a QR code?
NFC chips with cryptographic authentication can prove a tag is genuine, which a printed code cannot. A plain NFC tag storing a URL is no more secure than a QR code — both can be cloned or replaced.

### Do all phones support NFC?
Most modern phones do, and iPhones have supported background tag reading since iOS 14. But older and cheaper devices may not, whereas any phone with a camera can read a QR code.

### Which is cheaper?
QR codes, by orders of magnitude at volume. Printing a code costs nothing extra; an NFC tag costs from a few cents to a couple of dollars per item.

### Can I use both on the same product?
Yes, and for high-value items it is the strongest pattern — NFC for a tap, a printed QR code as the visible fallback that most people will actually use.

## Try it

- https://useqr.app/url
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