The difference between a vCard and a MeCard QR code is the text format inside the code. vCard is a formal IETF standard that can hold your job title, company, several phone numbers and even a photo. MeCard is a shorter format NTT DoCoMo made for phones in Japan; it covers name, phone, email, address and a URL, and makes a smaller, simpler code.
What a MeCard QR code is
A MeCard QR code stores a contact as one short line of text that starts with MECARD: and ends with two semicolons. According to Wikipedia’s MeCard entry, NTT DoCoMo used it in Japan in QR code format for mobile phones.
Here is Wikipedia’s example payload:
MECARD:N:Doe,John;TEL:13035551212;EMAIL:john.doe@example.com;;Each field is a tag, a colon, then the value, with a semicolon between fields. The tags are ADR, BDAY, EMAIL, N, NICKNAME, NOTE, SOUND, TEL, TEL-AV and URL.
MeCard has no formal standard. There is no RFC or ISO document for it, and by 2016 the DoCoMo page that defined it returned 404. It also has no tag for company, job title or photo.
What a vCard QR code is
A vCard QR code holds a contact in the vCard format, the same text format your phone uses when it exports a contact as a .vcf file. vCard is defined by RFC 6350, an IETF standards-track document from August 2011.
The RFC lists far more fields than MeCard: formatted name (FN), structured name (N), nickname, photo, birthday, address, phone, email, title, role, logo, organization (ORG), note and URL. It also allows multiple telephone numbers, each on its own line.
Here is one, trimmed from the ZXing barcode wiki:
BEGIN:VCARD
VERSION:3.0
N:Owen;Sean;;;
FN:Sean Owen
TITLE:Software Engineer
EMAIL;TYPE=INTERNET;TYPE=WORK;TYPE=PREF:srowen@google.com
URL;TYPE=Homepage:https://example.com
END:VCARDThe current spec version is 4.0, but many generators still write 3.0. Our explainer on what a vCard file is has the background.
vCard vs MeCard QR code: the differences that matter
The vCard vs MeCard QR code choice comes down to how much contact detail you need against how dense a code you can print. This table covers the points that change the decision.
| vCard | MeCard | |
|---|---|---|
| Who defines it | IETF, RFC 6350 | NTT DoCoMo; no current spec |
| Company and job title | Yes (ORG, TITLE) | No tag |
| More than one phone number | Yes | One TEL in the documented example |
| Photo or logo | Yes in the spec | No |
| Text length | Longer | Very few characters |
| Character set | UTF-8 | UTF-8 |
| Reader support | Many apps understand it | Most smartphone QR readers |
ZXing calls vCard a bit verbose for 2D barcodes because their capacity is limited. More text means more modules, and a denser code is harder to scan from a small printed card.
Both read fine on modern phones. Google’s ML Kit barcode scanner automatically parses contact information in QR codes. For MeCard, ZXing says readers should open a new address book entry and prompt you to add the contact.
Which format should you pick?
Pick vCard for a business card QR code unless the code has to be tiny. Business contacts want your company and title, and MeCard has no field for either.
- vCard fits business cards, email signatures and anywhere your title or company matters.
- MeCard suits a personal contact, like a name badge at a casual event, where a small code matters more than detail.
- If your details change often, use neither. The next section explains why.
If you go with vCard, our guide to making a vCard QR code walks through the fields worth including.
The third option: a link that serves a .vcf
A QR code can also hold a short link to a digital business card that hands out a .vcf file, instead of storing the contact itself. The code stays simple, because it only holds a URL.
This is how QRCard works. Your QR code points to https://qrcard.in/c/yourname. When someone scans it, the card opens in their browser with no app, and tapping Save Contact gives them a standards-compliant .vcf that opens in the iPhone or Android Contacts app. Change your number in the dashboard and the same code shows the new one.
For anything printed, use the link. A vCard or MeCard baked into a QR code is frozen the moment you print it.
The catch: a link needs a data connection to open, while a vCard or MeCard code works fully offline. If you hand out cards in a basement venue with no signal, an embedded vCard is the safer bet. Our guide on sharing a business card with no signal covers that case.
Common mistakes with contact QR codes
Most contact QR code problems come from cramming in too much text or skipping a test scan.
- Stuffing a MeCard NOTE with your title. It saves, but in the notes field, not the company field.
- Adding every field to a vCard. Each extra line makes the code denser. Name, phone, email, company, title and a URL are usually enough.
- Not testing on both platforms. Scan with an iPhone and an Android phone before you print. If a contact won’t save on Android, see saving a contact from a QR code on Android.
FAQ
Is MeCard or vCard better for a business card QR code?
vCard, in most cases. MeCard has no tag for your company or job title, which are the two things a business contact usually needs. MeCard only wins when the code must stay very small.
Do iPhones and Android phones read MeCard QR codes?
Most QR readers handle MeCard, according to Wikipedia’s entry on the format. Test your own code on both an iPhone and an Android phone before you print it, since reader apps differ.
Why is my vCard QR code so dense?
vCard text is longer than MeCard for the same contact, so the code needs more modules. The ZXing project calls vCard a bit verbose for 2D barcodes. Fewer fields, or a short link instead of the full contact, makes the code simpler.
Can a MeCard QR code include my job title and company?
Not with a standard tag. The MeCard tag list has no ORG or TITLE field. You could squeeze it into NOTE, but it won’t land in the company field of the contact.
Is there a third option besides vCard and MeCard?
Yes. The QR code can hold a short link to a digital business card that offers a Save Contact button. The code stays simple and you can change your details without reprinting.