Static vCard vs. hosted contact pages
Some services put your details on a hosted profile page and give you a code that links there. That page can be ad-supported, disappear when a subscription ends, or change design without your consent. A static vCard code instead embeds the contact card in the QR itself using the vCard 3.0 standard, which iPhone and Android both import directly into Contacts. There is no page to go offline.
Keep it lean
Every field you add makes the code denser. A card with name, phone, email, company and website is comfortable to scan at business-card size. Adding a long street address and a job title is fine too, but skip notes and long descriptions. If the preview starts to look busy, print it larger or use error correction level Low or Medium.
- Write phone numbers in international format, such as +44 20 7946 0000, so they dial correctly abroad.
- Use a work email you plan to keep. Printed cards last longer than you expect.
- Test by scanning with a phone and checking every field lands in the right place.
When to choose dynamic instead
If you change jobs often or print thousands of cards, a dynamic code pointing at a page you control (for example your own site's contact page) lets you update details without reprinting. For most people, a static vCard is the simpler and more durable choice.