If you want people in your space to open a menu, a guest guide or an event agenda on their phone, you have two common options: an NFC tag they tap, or a QR code they scan. Both do the same basic job. They take a person from a physical place to a web page in a second or two, without an app. The difference is in how that first moment feels, and where each one works best.
What is NFC?
NFC (near field communication) is a short-range wireless technology built into most modern smartphones. An NFC tag is a small chip with an antenna, usually inside a sticker, plate or stand. When someone holds their phone within a few centimetres of the tag, the phone reads a web link stored on it and offers to open it.
On recent iPhones (iPhone XS and later), tag reading works in the background, so people just hold the top of the phone near the tag with the screen on. On Android, most phones support NFC, though on some models it can be switched off in settings.
What is a QR code?
A QR code is a printed square pattern that stores a web link. People open their camera, point it at the code and tap the link that appears. Almost every smartphone camera can read QR codes without an extra app.
How do they compare?
| NFC tap | QR scan | |
|---|---|---|
| What the person does | Holds the phone near the tag | Opens the camera and points it at the code |
| Distance | A few centimetres | From close up to a short distance, depending on print size |
| Phones | Most modern iPhone and Android phones with NFC | Almost any smartphone with a camera |
| Lighting and angle | Not affected | Needs enough light and a clear view of the code |
| Best for | Tables, rooms, counters, badges: anywhere people are within reach | Posters, signs and places people see from a distance |
Where does NFC work best?
NFC suits places where people are already close to a surface: a restaurant table, a hotel room, a reception desk or an event badge. A tap is a small, natural action, and there is no camera to open or code to line up. That makes it a good fit for the moments when someone has a quick question, like the Wi-Fi password or tonight's specials.
Where does a QR code work best?
QR codes suit places people see but cannot reach, such as a poster, a window or a sign across a room. They also act as a fallback for anyone whose phone does not support NFC, or who has NFC switched off.
Why not use both?
You do not have to choose. A touchpoint can carry an NFC tag and a printed QR code that open the same page. People who tap get the quickest route, and everyone else can scan. That is how TAPP works: each TAPP page can be opened by tapping a TAPP touchpoint or by scanning a QR code with the phone's camera.
Keep the page behind the tag current
The tag or code is only the doorway. What matters to your customers is the page it opens. If the link points to a page you can edit, you can change a menu, update opening times or swap an offer without reprinting anything or replacing the tag. With TAPP, you update your content from your account and the change is live for everyone who taps or scans.
Quick checklist
- Put touchpoints where people naturally pause: tables, rooms, counters and badges.
- Show people where to tap. A short line such as "Hold the top of your phone here" helps.
- Add a QR code alongside the tag for phones that do not tap.
- Make sure the page loads quickly and answers the most common questions first.
- Keep the content up to date, so the tap is always worth it.