How the two work
NFC stands for near field communication. The card contains a small chip without a battery. When someone holds their phone a few centimetres from it, the phone reads a stored address and opens it in the browser. It is the same technology as contactless payment. iPhones from the XS onwards read these chips without an app, as do Android phones with NFC switched on.
A QR code is a printed pattern containing the same address. The customer opens the camera, points it at the code and taps the link that appears.
The differences in everyday use
Speed
NFC takes one movement. The QR code takes three: open the camera, aim, tap the link. That sounds minor, but at the counter it decides whether someone does it in passing or puts it off.
Devices
Practically every smartphone with a camera reads QR codes. NFC works with current devices; on some Android phones it is switched off in the settings. Older devices cannot do it at all.
Placement
A QR code can be printed anywhere: on invoices, flyers, shop windows, packaging. NFC needs the chip and only works where the customer can touch the card.
Cost
Google provides a QR code for your review page free of charge in the Business Profile. NFC cards are available individually from around €15 or as part of a service.
Effect on the customer
A designed card on the counter stands out and invites people. A QR code on a slip of paper easily gets lost among other notices. On the other hand, everyone knows what it is.
When each solution fits
- NFC fits when customers pass a fixed spot on your premises: till, counter, reception, styling station.
- A QR code fits when you do not see customers in person or hand out printed material: deliveries, invoices by post, packaging.
- Both together fit almost always. That is why the Spotstar card has the NFC chip on the front and a QR code on the back.
What neither can do
NFC and QR codes only shorten the path to a review. Asking is still up to you, and what happens with the reviews afterwards remains your job: reading, replying, drawing conclusions. The comparison plain NFC card or Spotstar shows what a service takes on beyond that. More ways to get reviews are in the guide How to get more Google reviews.
Common questions
- Do customers need an app for NFC or QR codes?
- No. Current smartphones read both out of the box. To leave a review the customer needs a Google account.
- Does NFC work with every phone?
- With almost all current devices. iPhones read NFC chips without an app from the XS onwards. On Android, NFC has to be switched on. For everything else, a QR code is the fallback.
- Can I create a QR code for Google reviews for free?
- Yes. Google offers a review link and a matching QR code in the Business Profile. You can download and print it.