Guide
NFC vs QR Code for Google Reviews: Which Should Your Business Use?
Walk into any café in Delhi NCR or a salon in Mumbai and you will probably see a printed QR code asking for a Google review. More and more counters now have a small NFC card instead, which customers tap with their phone. Both do the same job: they open your Google review page without the customer having to search for your business. The difference is in how quickly and reliably they get there.
This guide compares the two honestly, so you can choose the right one, or use both together.
Google Review NFC Card – Tap for Google Reviews
₹599
Customers tap their phone and your Google review page opens. Programmed with your link before dispatch.
View the NFC review cardHow each one works
A QR code is a printed pattern that stores your review link. The customer opens the camera, points it at the code, waits for it to focus, and taps the link that pops up.
An NFC card has a tiny chip inside that stores the same link. The customer holds an unlocked phone a few centimetres from the card and the link opens on its own. There is no camera to open and nothing to line up.
Speed and effort for the customer
In practice, NFC is faster. A tap takes a second, while scanning a QR code depends on light, distance and how steady the customer's hand is. Glare on a laminated code under shop lighting, or a code printed too small, can make people give up.
Every extra second matters, because the customer's patience is short. The easier the first step, the more people reach the review form.
Phone compatibility
QR codes work on almost every smartphone with a camera, because modern iPhone and Android camera apps scan them without any extra app.
NFC works on most recent iPhones and on Android phones that include an NFC chip. Some budget Android models do not have NFC, and on Android the feature sometimes needs switching on in settings. That is why a combined approach works well: an NFC card that also carries a QR code covers nearly every customer.
Durability and appearance
Paper QR codes fade, get wet and peel, especially near kitchens and wash basins, and they need reprinting. An NFC card is a solid object that sits on the counter, looks deliberate and does not depend on print quality.
There is also a trust angle. Customers in India are used to scanning QR codes for UPI payments, and some are wary of scanning unknown codes. A branded card that clearly says “Review us on Google” and only opens your review page is easy to understand.
Cost
A QR code is almost free to create: you can print one from your review link in minutes. An NFC card costs more upfront but is bought once and reused for every customer, and you do not have to keep reprinting worn stickers.
Which should you choose?
Whatever you choose, the rules are the same. Ask every customer, never offer rewards for reviews, and let people write on their own phones. Google's policies prohibit incentivised and selectively requested reviews.
- Choose a QR code if you need something today at no cost, or for printed bills, menus and flyers where a card cannot go.
- Choose an NFC card for the counter or reception desk, where speed and a professional look matter most.
- Use both for the widest reach: an NFC card with a QR code on it, plus your review link on bills and WhatsApp messages.
Ready to collect more reviews? Get the NOTMADE Google Review NFC Card, programmed with your own review link.