What are the advantages of NFC vs QR Code?
Most of the population today are familiar with QR codes since they are used regularly, they are particularly visible due to their design. They are relatively simple to scan and particularly inexpensive to set up. The pandemic has also put them back in the spotlight lately.
They are very useful and used for low risk applications, but are not secure enough and can easily be copied or even shared. QR codes are therefore not a reliable solution for applications where security and the fight against counterfeiting come into play.
QR codes also have these other disadvantages that you absolutely need good light to be able to be scanned, that the contrast in printing is just as important. Another disadvantage is that you absolutely have to open an application to be able to scan it (the camera or another dedicated app). The QRs are easily damaged by simple marking, bending or scratches which make them impossible to read.
Near Field Communication, or NFC, is a communication protocol based on RFID (Radio Frequency Identification). Designed to transmit small sequences of information (usually a URL) to a Smartphone. NFC tags or NFC chips (from the English name NFC tags) do not require any internal energy source, no batteries, no electrical connections. NFC tags are autonomous. They are self-powered by the energy radiation of the Smartphone that approaches them. They usually come in the form of a self-adhesive label or a credit card sized badge. Although their appearance is not very impressive, their power comes from their simplicity. Ultra simple to use and just as easy to deploy. They can be used where other technologies cannot.
What you should remember:
– NFC tags are passive but ultra-powerful
– They transmit information wirelessly, therefore, without contact.
– They have an emission radius of the order of 2 cm
– They do not require batteries
– Secure NFC tags cannot be copied or cloned
– Their content can be updated through secure platforms
– Compatible with most Android Smartphones and Iphones under iOS 13 (from Iphone 7), without application. It is native in all these devices.
Although NFC technology is relatively recent, already almost 20 years old, it was quickly adopted by the entire Smartphone industry because of its many undeniable advantages. Users often find NFC technology preferable over QR codes, with NFC-enabled products becoming highly sought after.