SYNDEYANFC business cards: how they work and how to choose one.
An NFC business card shares your details with a single tap on someone's phone. No paper, no typing, no app on their side. Here is what to know before you buy one.
How an NFC business card works
Inside the card is a small chip and antenna that store a link. When someone holds their phone near the card, the phone reads the chip and opens the link, which is your profile, in its browser. The chip needs no battery: the phone powers it during the tap.
Most cards also carry a QR code or can show one from an app, as a backup for phones with NFC turned off.
Which phones can read them?
- iPhone: iPhone XS and newer read NFC cards automatically when the phone is unlocked. Hold the card near the top of the phone.
- Android: most Android phones read them as long as NFC is turned on in settings. The reader is usually in the middle of the back.
Bamboo, plastic or metal?
Bamboo and wood feel warm and natural and read easily with a quick tap. Metal cards are heavier and make a strong impression, but metal interferes with the signal, so they read best held flat against the phone for a moment. Plastic (PVC) is the cheapest and reads well but feels like a gift card.
Bamboo suits people who want something warm and natural; black steel suits people who want weight and presence. Many couples order one of each.
What to look for before you buy
- Can you change what it points to? A card you can move to another profile, or erase and reassign, lasts longer than one tied to a single link.
- What happens after the tap? Can the other person send their details back, and does anything help you remember them later?
- Subscription requirements. Some cards stop working fully without a paid plan.
- For companies: can a card be wiped and given to a new hire when someone leaves?
Syndeya cards
Syndeya cards come in bamboo ($99) and black steel ($149), laser-engraved with the Syndeya mark, in a gift box, with US shipping included. Each card ships blank. When it arrives, tap it to your phone in the free Syndeya app and it becomes yours, with no codes to type. You can move it to another of your profiles or erase it any time.
The person you meet doesn't need the app: your profile opens in their browser and they can send their details back. The next morning, Syndeya reminds you who they were and what you talked about.
Companies can add cards for their team at $69 bamboo or $99 black steel per person, and reissue them to new hires. Syndeya for Teams.
Questions
How do NFC business cards work?
A chip in the card stores a link. When a phone is held near it, the phone reads the chip and opens your profile in its browser. The card needs no battery or charging.
Do NFC business cards work with iPhone?
Yes. iPhone XS and newer read NFC cards automatically when the phone is unlocked. Hold the card near the top of the phone.
Do metal NFC cards work?
Yes, but metal weakens the signal, so a metal card reads best held flat against the phone for a moment. Bamboo and plastic cards read with a quicker tap.
Does the person I tap need an app?
Not with a Syndeya card. Your profile opens in their phone's browser, and they can save your details or send theirs back.
Can I reuse or reassign an NFC card?
Many cards can be rewritten. A Syndeya card can be moved to another of your profiles or erased any time, and companies can reissue cards to new hires.
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