How Do NFC Business Cards Work?

An NFC business card has a tiny chip inside. When someone holds their phone near it, the phone reads a web address from the chip and opens your profile — no app, no pairing, no typing. The whole thing takes about a second.

What NFC actually is

NFC stands for Near-Field Communication, the same short-range technology your phone uses for contactless payment. The chip is passive: it has no battery and does nothing until a phone comes within a couple of centimetres and powers it for that instant.

What the chip stores

The key idea: the chip does not store your phone number or email. It stores a short web address that points to your online profile. That is what makes the card updatable for life — you change the profile, and the same address shows the new details. The object carries an address, never the data.

What happens when someone taps

Compatibility, honestly

iPhone XR and newer read a tap automatically. Most Android phones from the last few years do too — NFC may need to be enabled once in settings. Older phones fall back to the QR code every card also carries.

Ready to set yours up? Learn how to make a digital business card, or see the range.

The TapAdd way: pick your object — the Prime metal or PVC card, the Flex silicone band, the Pulse phone sticker, the Clip keyring or the Totem counter stand — and one tap opens your TapAdd profile, updatable for life.

Questions about NFC cards

Does an NFC card need a battery?

No. The chip is passive and draws the tiny power it needs from the phone that taps it. Nothing to charge, nothing to break.

Does it work without internet?

The tap works offline, but opening the profile needs a connection, like any web page.