# QR code size for a business card

> On an 85 × 55 mm card, make the code at least 1.6–2 cm for a short URL and 2.5–3 cm for a vCard. Cards are read in the hand at 15–25 cm, so distance is forgiving; module density is not: a 300-byte vCard needs version 13, which is 69 modules per side.

Source: https://useqr.app/docs/print/qr-code-size-for-a-business-card · Last reviewed 2026-08-21 · UseQR is free forever, no signup.

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## The scanning context

A business card is the friendliest print surface there is: the reader controls the
distance. Nobody scans a card lying on a table from 40 cm. They pick it up and bring it
to the phone.

| Context | Distance | Minimum code width |
|---|---|---|
| Card brought to the phone | 15 cm | 1.5 cm |
| Card held naturally in hand | 20 cm | 2 cm |
| Card handed across, read immediately | 25 cm | 2.5 cm |

Design for 20 cm. On a standard 85 × 55 mm card, a 2 cm code plus its
[quiet zone](/glossary/quiet-zone) occupies roughly a 2.6 cm square, comfortably one end
of the back face.

## Size by payload: density is the real fight

Distance is forgiving on a card; module count is not. At error correction M, with a
0.4 mm module floor for coated card stock:

| Content | Version | Modules | Hard minimum | Comfortable |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Short URL (≤ 26 chars) | 2 | 25 | 1.0 cm | 1.6 cm |
| URL with UTM tags (~80 chars) | 5 | 37 | 1.5 cm | 2.0 cm |
| Lean vCard (~180 bytes) | 9 | 53 | 2.1 cm | 2.5 cm |
| Full vCard (~300 bytes) | 13 | 69 | 2.8 cm | 3.5 cm |

A 3.5 cm code owns most of a card face. That is the honest cost of embedding a complete
contact record, and it is why the density decision matters more than any layout decision.

## vCard or URL?

A [vCard code](/vcard-qr-code) works offline and drops straight into contacts, genuinely
useful at events with poor signal. But keep it lean: name, one phone, one email, one URL.
Every optional field (postal address, titles, notes) inflates the version, and long
vCards are also where
[import glitches](/docs/troubleshooting/vcard-qr-code-imports-wrong) concentrate. If you
need more than the lean set, encode a URL to a contact page instead and let the web page
carry the detail.

Generating the code client-side matters here too: a vCard is personal data, and UseQR
builds it [in your browser](/docs/security/client-side-vs-server-side-qr-generation), so
the details never touch a server.

## Error correction and finish

EC M is right for cards. Reserve EC H for a
[logo in the centre](/docs/design/qr-code-with-logo-best-practices), and note it costs
versions, a lean vCard at EC H jumps past version 11. Ask for matt lamination over the
code; gloss and soft-touch finishes both cost contrast under point lighting, as the
[pre-press checklist](/docs/print/qr-code-print-checklist) covers.

## The failure mode: the full vCard at 1.5 cm

The classic broken card: a complete vCard squeezed into a 1.5 cm corner. At version 13
that is 15 mm ÷ 69 = **0.22 mm per module**, below every print floor that exists. It
scans from a bright screen at arm's length and fails on the physical card. Run the real
payload through the [size calculator](/size-calculator) before the designer locks the
layout, and [verify the finished artwork decodes](/validate) at final size.

## FAQ

### What size should a QR code be on a business card?
At least 1.6–2 cm for a short URL, and 2.5–3 cm if it encodes a vCard. Cards are scanned in the hand at 15–25 cm, so the constraint is module density rather than distance.

### Can a QR code be too small on a business card?
Yes. Below about 1.6 cm, a URL code loses its print margin, and a vCard code becomes physically unprintable: a 300-byte vCard needs 69 modules per side, which at 1.5 cm puts each module under 0.22 mm.

### Should a business card QR code be a vCard or a link?
A lean vCard if instant, offline contact-saving is the goal; a URL if you want to share more than basic fields. Full vCards with addresses and notes produce dense codes that need 3 cm or more of card space.

### Where should the QR code go on a business card?
On the back, with four modules of clear space on every side and at least 8 mm from the trim. Keep the front for the name: the code needs size more than it needs prominence.

## Try it

- https://useqr.app/vcard
- https://useqr.app/url
- https://useqr.app/size-calculator
- https://useqr.app/validate