How to put a QR code on a business card or flyer

By Nasir Uddin Shamim · Founder, PrintxPDF

Updated 2026-08-25 · 7 min read

Short answer: Encode a vCard for contact details or a short URL for a landing page, size the code at 20 to 25 mm, keep 5 mm of clear space around it and away from the trim edge, and supply vector artwork at 300 DPI with the modules in 100% black. Proof one card before ordering.

A QR code on a card is a small design problem with many ways to go wrong: too small, too close to the edge, printed over a photograph, or pointing at a homepage nobody wanted. Here is the whole job, from what to encode to what to send the printer.

Decide what the code should do

There are three sensible payloads for a card, and picking the wrong one is the costliest mistake here because it stays invisible until the cards arrive.

Payload	What happens when scanned	Best for	Cost
vCard 3.0	Phone offers to create a contact with every field pre-filled	Anyone who wants to be saved to a phone book on the spot	Dense code, 200-400 characters. Needs 25 mm or more.
MECARD	Same, but a more compact syntax	Tight layouts where a vCard will not fit	Slightly weaker support on iOS than vCard.
Short URL	Opens a page you control	Portfolios, booking links, anything you may want to change later	Sparse code, scans from further away. Needs the page to stay live.

Three payloads for a business card, compared.

A vCard is frozen the moment it is printed. A URL is editable forever but dies if you let the domain lapse. For most people the answer is a vCard on the card and a URL on the flyer, because flyers are reprinted and cards are kept for years.

The vCard format

A vCard is plain text with one field per line. Version 3.0 has the widest scanner support; version 4.0 is newer but some phone readers still handle it poorly.

BEGIN:VCARD
VERSION:3.0
N:Rahman;Ayesha;;;
FN:Ayesha Rahman
ORG:Northwind Studio
TITLE:Creative Director
TEL;TYPE=CELL:+8801711000000
EMAIL:ayesha@example.com
URL:https://example.com
END:VCARD

N is the structured name: family, given, middle, prefix, suffix, separated by semicolons.
FN is the display name and is the only name field some readers show. Always include both.
Use the full international phone format with a country code, or the number will not dial from abroad.
Every extra field makes the code denser. Address blocks and photos in particular can double the module count, so leave them out unless you need them.

Note: The QR code generator has a vcard tab that builds this for you from name, organisation, phone, email and website, and shows the raw payload underneath so you can check it before downloading.

Size, placement and margins

Business cards are read at roughly 20 cm, so the 10:1 rule puts the minimum at 20 mm. A vCard payload is dense, so 22 to 25 mm is the practical range. On an 85 x 55 mm card, a 25 mm code takes a meaningful bite out of the layout, which is why the back of the card is usually the right home for it.

Piece	Trim size	Bleed	Safe margin	QR size	Reserve in layout
Business card (international)	85 x 55 mm	3 mm all round	3-5 mm	20-25 mm	35 mm square
Business card (US)	3.5 x 2 in (88.9 x 50.8 mm)	0.125 in	0.125-0.2 in	0.8-1 in	1.4 in square
A6 flyer / postcard	105 x 148 mm	3 mm	5 mm	30-40 mm	50 mm square
A5 flyer	148 x 210 mm	3 mm	5 mm	35-45 mm	55 mm square
A4 leaflet / poster	210 x 297 mm	3 mm	8-10 mm	40-60 mm	70 mm square

Card and flyer dimensions with the space a QR code needs.

Watch out: The reserve column is the code plus its four-module quiet zone plus a safety gap from the trim. Never place a QR code inside the bleed area or within 5 mm of the trim edge: guillotine tolerance on a commercial press is 1 to 2 mm per cut, and a shaved quiet zone is an unscannable code across the whole run.

Preparing the artwork

Generate the code as SVG Open the generator, pick the vcard or url tab, fill it in, drag the quiet zone slider to 4, and download SVG.
Place it, do not paste a screenshot Import the SVG into InDesign, Illustrator, Affinity or Canva. A screenshot of the preview is a low-resolution raster and will print soft.
Set the modules to 100% K One black plate cannot misregister against itself. Four-colour rich black can shift by a fraction of a millimetre on press and blur every module edge.
Give it white, not paper texture The light modules and the quiet zone should be a plain light field. A photograph, a gradient or a heavy paper texture underneath reduces local contrast.
Add a two-word label People do not scan unlabelled codes. "Save my contact" or "Book a call" measurably raises scan rates over a bare square.
Export the print PDF at 300 DPI Include bleed and crop marks if the printer asks for them, and embed all fonts.
Proof one card at final size Print a single card on the closest paper you have, cut it to size, and scan it with an old phone from 20 cm. Only then place the order.

Build a vCard or URL QR code and download it as SVG, PNG or a print-ready PDF.

Mistakes that kill scans on printed cards

Too small. Anything under 20 mm on a card is a gamble. Under 15 mm it is a decoration.
No quiet zone. Text or a rule running right up to the modules stops the scanner locating the symbol.
Placed over a photo. Dark parts of the image merge with the dark modules.
Inverted for style. White modules on a dark brand colour looks great and fails on older hardware scanners.
Gloss lamination. A spot-lit glossy card throws a highlight across the code. Ask for matte, or a matte patch over the code area.
Spot UV or foil over the code. Both destroy contrast. Keep effects outside the quiet zone.
Linking to the homepage. Send people to the page the card promises. A generic landing page wastes the scan.
A free short link that expires. If the shortener shuts down, every card you handed out is dead. Redirect through your own domain.
Never proofed. Scanning the file on your monitor proves nothing about ink on card stock.

Tip: On a flyer, put the code in the lower right of the front panel. That is where a right-handed reader holds the sheet, and it keeps the code clear of the fold on a folded leaflet.

If you are assembling the print pack yourself, combine the front and back artwork into one PDF before sending, and check it against the shop’s upload limit with compress. The underlying scan rules are all in making a QR code that scans off paper.

Frequently asked questions

What size should a QR code be on a business card?

Twenty to twenty-five millimetres, roughly 0.8 to 1 inch. Cards are scanned from about 20 cm, and the 10:1 rule sets 20 mm as the floor. A vCard payload is dense, so lean towards 25 mm if the layout allows.

Should a business card QR code hold a vCard or a link?

A vCard if you want people to save your details instantly and never change them. A link if the destination may change or you want to track scans. vCards are frozen once printed; links can be redirected forever, provided you own the domain.

How far from the edge of the card should the QR code sit?

At least 5 mm from the trim edge, on top of the four-module quiet zone the code already needs. Commercial guillotines have 1 to 2 mm of tolerance per cut, and any trimming into the quiet zone breaks the whole print run.

Can I print a QR code in my brand colour?

The modules should stay dark and desaturated against a near-white background. A deep navy or charcoal usually works; mid-tone brand colours, inverted codes, red modules and gradients do not. Keep the brand colour for the frame, label and card background.

Why does my QR code work in the design file but not on the printed card?

Almost always a raster image that was scaled up, gloss lamination throwing glare, or the quiet zone lost at the trim. Place vector SVG, ask for matte finish over the code, and keep 5 mm of clear space from the edge.