NFC tags and QR codes are both ways to store data, and they’re often used for the same purposes. However, each one has its own strengths and weaknesses. You’ll need to consider how you want to use it in your business before deciding which one is right for you. In this post we will look at the comparison between NFC Tags & QR Code so that we can understand which is better option for businesses in different scenarios.
What are QR Codes
QR Codes are a type of barcode that can be used to encode data. They are used for mobile payments and tracking inventory, as well as marketing and advertising. A QR code is made up of two-dimensional squares arranged in a grid pattern and can contain up to 3,000 characters.
QR codes were invented by Denso Wave in 1994, but weren’t widely available until 2002 when they were first used on products at a Toyota expo in Japan. It wasn’t until 2004 that the technology became popular outside Japan when it was used by KFC to promote the opening of its restaurants in China.
NFC tags are small chips that can be encoded with data and programmed to perform a variety of tasks.
They are used in many applications such as advertising, retail, and access control.
For instance: NFC tags are used to store different types of information like URL links, contact details and more on them. They can also be used as promotional tools or business cards when they display relevant information about your business or services offered by it directly on your mobile device screen when you hold it near them (within 4 cm).
What's the difference between QR codes and NFC?
There are seven key differences between QR codes and NFC tags, which we’ll outline below:
- Investment cost. While both technologies are relatively affordable, NFC tags can cost a bit more than QR codes. This is because they’re bigger and heavier than most traditional barcodes, meaning they cost more to produce en masse. However, the price difference isn’t all that significant—so if you’re on a tight budget or don’t need to print thousands of items at once, go for an NFC tag!
- Production. As mentioned above, QR codes can be produced by anyone at any time. While there are also apps for making your own NFC tags, physically creating them yourself can be quite prohibitive because the microchips and aerials are not easy that easy to procure as of this writing. While each tag has its own individual ID number, these numbers are shared across all tags produced by the same company. This means that if you hire a provider to produce a batch of NFC tags, you will have access to unlimited copies of each ID number.
- Interaction. There are many ways to share information on the internet, one of which is through QR codes. With the help of a mobile device, a QR code can launch an app, direct you to a website or send you an email. NFC tags work similarly and can do the same thing. However, NFC tags are more convenient than QR codes because all you need to do is tap your smartphone on it. Also, NFC tags require no camera and no app to be used.
- Availability. Even though QR Codes have been around for a long time, many people still don’t know what they are or how to use them. With NFC (Near Field Communications) tags on the other hand, it’s easier for people to figure out what they are used for and how to use them because more people already have smartphones with NFC capabilities. NFC Tags come in different shapes so you can make them into something that looks like a business card, an identification badge or even a keychain.
- Customization. QR codes offer more freedom than NFC tags, but NFC tags are far easier to implement. While QR codes can be customized in a variety of ways, they must meet certain standards to ensure that the information encoded into them can be read by a scanner. For example, the colors used must be dark enough to be read. This means that the designer or user isn’t able to choose any color they want but instead are limited in their choice.NFC (Near Field Communication) tags offer complete freedom when it comes to design. You also have the option to completely hide the tag, which is helpful if you want to maximize your poster ads and promote your product or company brand more visibly.
- Security. While QR codes have the advantage of being easily scanned, their security is compromised. There are numerous vulnerabilities in the technology, allowing information to be intercepted and used for malicious purposes. NFC tags, on the other hand, can be encrypted and can only be read once within a few centimeters—which is not an easy range for hackers to intercept information. While it’s true that NFC tags can be scanned by anyone with a smartphone, this is not much of an issue since criminals cannot use them for malicious purposes.In short: choose NFC tags if security is your main concern.
In order to decide which one is right for you, it’s important to understand the key differences between NFC tags and QR Codes.
- Which one is more popular?
NFC tags are gaining popularity as they become more accessible, but QR codes remain the most popular choice for marketing purposes.
- Which one is more secure?
QR codes have been around longer than NFC tags and have a much larger user base because of this; therefore, there are many more security concerns associated with them compared to NFC technology. On top of that, you need an app in order to read your code with an NFC device (so you’re only as secure as your phone). With a QR Code scanner app on its own device or on another device like a smartphone or tablet computer (without the need for internet access), anyone can access information contained within these barcodes regardless of whether or not they know what they’re looking at.
So, if you’re looking for a way to make your content more interactive, either QR codes or NFC tag are good options. Both of them can be used in different contexts and it’s up to you which one suits your needs better. However, there are some differences between the two approaches which we will now highlight so that you know what kind of work goes into creating an NFC Tag or QR Code before deciding on which type would best suit your needs as an audience member or business owner.
Speed: NFC is faster than QR codes because it allows you to send data from your phone or tablet directly. With QR codes, your device needs to scan an image and then send that information back so it can be processed by other devices.
