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.

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 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 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 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, 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, 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 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 before the designer locks the layout, and verify the finished artwork decodes 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.