Best digital business cards | Your 2023 tech guide

What is a tool? A tool is something that, one, makes things easier and, two, amplifies your natural abilities. This is true whether we’re talking about a hammer, a bike, or, in this case, a digital business card…And the right digital business card is as important a tool to entrepreneurs and sales professionals as the right bike is to a cyclist or the right hammer is to a carpenter—it’s a choice with compounding returns, one that influences the success or failure of every networking interaction and potential in-person sale you do or don’t make.

This in-depth guide will help you choose the best digital business card for 2023.

Why digital business cards matter

If your industry is in any way backed by in-person networking, digital business cards can help in the following ways:

Instant contact exchange
Better organized, more effective selling
Easy paper-business-card scanning
Actionable lead and location-based notes
Optimized contact-organization
Automated follow-ups

Comparing digital business cards | Pros and cons

Blinq

Blinq is a digital business card platform that offers solutions like QR Codes, Apple Watch integrations, Smartphone widgets, and NFC business cards.

Blinq pros

Fast QR-code based contact exchange
Options to create multiple digital business card “profiles”
Personalized hardware

Blinq cons

No customizable link and lack of color customization.
Limited integrations and CRM synch
Limited device options

Dot

Dot offers NFC-based digital business cards and a free app that makes it possible to manage your card information and share it with others. The Dot Card platform also integrates with your social media accounts so you can share more than just your contact info.

Dot pros

Inexpensive
QR code scanning
NFC-based tap-to-share

Dot cons

Lacks customization options when compared to other NFC Business Cards
No analytics or platform to track who is visiting or viewing your profile page
Dot’s free option is “very basic”

Flowtag

Flowtag is a QR-code-based digital business card with options for contact and social media sharing.

Flowtag pros

QR-code based sharing
Social media integrations
NFC-based tap-to-share options

Flowtag cons

Limited features compared to other digital business cards
No app for easy profile customizations
No analytics or lead tracking

HiHello

HiHello is considered one of the more user-friendly digital business card apps. You can share your business card in multiple ways, including the URL, sending an email, using a QR code, or through text.

HiHello pros

Eco-Friendly
Affordable
Variety of ways to share

HiHello cons

No physical device options
“A bit tedious to create” [your digital business card profile].
Limited analytics tracking like digital business card views, clicks

Linq

Linq is a digital business card designed to give users a fast and easy way to share their contact info with potential customers.

Linq pros

Custom pages
Social media integrated
In-app meeting scheduling

Linq cons

User interface is not intuitive as other digital business cards
App has a steeper learning curve than other digital business cards
Lack of profile customization options

Mobilo

Mobilo is a physical business card with NFC and QR code support. Mobilo also offers metal and sustainably sourced Birch or Sapele wood cards.

Mobilo pros

Cool custom devices
Easily customizable
Automatic CRM synch

Mobilo cons

Fully web-based, no app
Limited analytics like profile views, clicks, etc.
Limited integrations

Popl

Popl is a digital business card and digital business card platform that helps organizations create, manage, and distribute digital business cards for their employees and personal use. Popl digital business cards allow instant sharing with the tap of an NFC-powered Popl device or by sending a custom URL or QR code.

Popl digital business cards are high-speed and come in various intelligent devices, from wristbands and keychains to business displays, back-of-phone devices, and more.

Popl Teams is a compelling management platform that helps sales and networking teams capture more leads using autofill forms that automatically sync with popular CRMs like Salesforce, HubSpot, Zoho, and more.

Popl pros

Instant contact exchange
Automatic CRM updates
Easy paper business card scanning
Many ways to connect (tap, scan, text email)
Variety of device options (card, back-of-phone devices, wristbands, keychains, etc.)
Calendar integrated for quick appointment booking
Fully and easily customizable
Integrates with the most popular apps

Best digital business card | 2023 winner

Popl is 2023’s #1 digital business card. If you’re an entrepreneur or sales professional looking for the best possible networking tool for yourself or your team, check out Popl and Popl Teams.

What is a digital business card?

A digital business card is an online (electronic/digital/virtual) version of a traditional paper business card that can be exchanged and stored electronically, often through a mobile device or computer. They can include a person’s name, job title, contact information, and social media links. They can be shared through email, text message, or QR code and include interactive features such as videos and links to a person’s website or portfolio.

What’s the difference between QR Codes Cards and NFC Business Cards?

QR codes and NFC (near-field communication) are both technologies that can be used to create digital business cards.

Free QR code generator for brands and businesses.

QR codes are two-dimensional barcodes scanned using a smartphone camera and a QR code reader app. They can store various information, including text, URLs, and contact information. QR codes can be printed on paper, displayed on a screen, and scanned to access the stored data.

On the other hand, NFC business cards use NFC technology, allowing wireless communication between devices nearby. An NFC-enabled device, such as a smartphone, can be tapped or held close to an NFC chip embedded in a business card to transfer information. NFC business cards are typically more expensive than QR code cards.

What’s NFC?

NFC (Near Field Communication) is a wireless communication technology that allows two devices to communicate when they are nearby, usually less than 4 cm apart. It is based on radio frequency identification (RFID) technology.

An NFC-enabled device, such as a smartphone, can be tapped or held close to an NFC chip embedded in a card, sticker, or other device to transfer information. This process is called “tapping” or “tapping to connect”.

What’s a QR code?

A QR code (Quick Response code) is a two-dimensional barcode that can be scanned using a smartphone camera and a QR code reader app. It was initially designed for the automotive industry in Japan, but now it is widely used in many other fields. They can store various information, including text, URLs, and contact information. QR codes can be printed on paper, business cards, billboards, or displayed on a screen and scanned to access the stored data.

A QR code comprises black and white squares arranged in a specific pattern. The encoded information is stored in the patterns and can be read by a QR code reader or scanner, which decodes the data and displays it on the screen.