NFC vs QR for review cards: which actually works at the counter?

Every week someone asks: "should I use an NFC tag or a QR code for our review card?"

The honest answer is both work, but for different reasons. Here's the breakdown we wish we'd had when we started.

What each one actually is

• QR code — a printed pattern. The customer opens their phone camera, points it at the code, taps the link that pops up. Works on every phone made since around 2017 without setup.
• NFC tag — a small chip embedded in a sticker or card. The customer taps their phone against it. The phone reads the embedded URL and prompts to open it.

Both end at the same place — your review page. The difference is how the customer gets there.

The honest comparison

	QR	NFC
Hardware cost	$0 — just print	~$0.40–$2 per tag
Phone support	Universal (iOS + Android, 2017+)	iOS 14+, modern Android
Customer steps	Open camera → point → tap link	Tap phone → tap link
Distance	Up to ~30cm	Must touch
Failure mode	Bad lighting, dirty lens	Phone case too thick, NFC off
Looks like	A visible square code	An invisible chip
Re-printing	Free (just reprint)	Each tag is one-shot

What we see in real businesses

A few patterns from the operators we work with:

Scan rate

Pure QR cards typically get higher scan rates in cafés, restaurants, and salons — places where the customer is already holding their phone to pay or browse a menu. The camera is one tap away.

NFC wins in auto shops, dental offices, and dentists — places where the customer is at the counter for less than a minute and a physical tap feels faster than fumbling with the camera.

Failure modes

QR fails when:

• The code is too small (smaller than ~2cm × 2cm)
• The lighting is bad (back-lit counters are the worst offender)
• The code is behind glass or a reflective surface

NFC fails when:

• The customer has a thick phone case (popsockets, wallet cases)
• iPhone background NFC is off (rare but happens)
• The tag is on a metal surface without a ferrite shield

Cost per scan

QR is essentially free after printing. NFC tags run $0.40–$2 each. For a single counter card, NFC is cheap. For 50 table tents in a restaurant, the cost adds up.

What we actually recommend

Start with QR. Always. It's free, it works everywhere, and it gives you data on whether scan rate is even a problem.

Add NFC if your customers are tapping to pay anyway (POS terminals with NFC train the muscle memory), or if you want a counter "moment" that feels premium.

Don't bother with NFC if your business has high foot traffic across many touchpoints (50+ table tents) — the per-tag cost compounds fast.

What LocalReviewDesk does

Every account gets a QR card by default — generated automatically when you sign up, printable from the dashboard. NFC support is on our list for v1.x; tags will be programmable to your existing review page URL, so you can add them without changing the URL or losing data continuity.

If you're still deciding, our suggestion is the boring one: print the QR card, put it on the counter, see what scan rate you get. NFC is an upgrade, not a starting point.

If you want the setup steps end-to-end, see how to set up a QR review card in 10 minutes.