# QR codes on business cards

> A business card QR code should be at least 2 cm square. That feels large on an 85 × 55 mm card, which is why so many are printed at 1 cm — a size where a vCard payload's modules fall below what a phone resolves at reading distance.

Source: https://useqr.app/qr-codes-on/business-cards · Last reviewed 2026-08-21 · UseQR is free forever, MIT licensed, no signup.

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| Typical scan distance | **20–30 cm** |
|---|---|
| Minimum code width | **2–2.5 cm** |
| Error correction | **M** |

## Why 2 cm and not 1 cm

A full vCard is 300–400 bytes — version 11 to 13, so 61–69 modules across. At 1 cm that is a
0.15 mm module: below the printable limit for most presses and below what a phone camera
resolves at 25 cm.

Two ways out:

1. **Shrink the payload.** [MeCard](/mecard-qr-code) encodes the same essentials ~40%
   smaller, dropping several versions. Or point at a hosted contact page with a short URL —
   `example.com/ada` is 15 bytes, a version-2 code, and readable at 1.2 cm.
2. **Give the code the space.** 2 cm on the back of the card, with the four-module quiet
   zone respected.

## Finish

Spot UV and gloss lamination over a QR code are a known failure under office lighting. Matt
or soft-touch laminate is safe. Foil is not — metallic ink has no reliable luminance
contrast.

## What it should do

A vCard adds a contact. A link to a page you control lets you update your details, add a
calendar link, and see that the card is being used. The link is usually the better choice —
and produces a far smaller code.

## Try it

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