The technology, explained

How NFC business cards work

One tap and your full details are on their phone. Here is exactly what happens, which phones it works with, and what we do once you have ordered.

The whole process

Three steps. That’s all.

There is no app to install, no account for them to create, and nothing to type. The entire exchange takes about four seconds.

How it works

Three steps, in detail

Tap the Card

Hold your metal NFC card near any smartphone. No app to download. No Bluetooth. Just tap — and it works instantly.

Mini Website Opens

Your personal mini website appears on their screen with your name, photo, phone, email, social links and services.

Contact Saved

One tap and all your details are saved directly into their phone contacts. No typing. No paper. No forgotten cards.

Plain English

So what actually is NFC?

NFC stands for Near Field Communication. It is the same technology your phone already uses to pay for a coffee — a tiny chip that wakes up when it comes within a couple of centimetres of a reader, and passes over a small piece of information.

There is no battery in the card. The chip is powered by the phone itself for the split second it is needed, which is why an NFC card never needs charging and never wears out.

The information our chip passes over is simply your web address. That is the clever part: because the card sends a link rather than fixed text, you can change everything behind it whenever you like and the card in your wallet keeps working.

Belt and braces

The QR code is your backup

Almost every phone made in the last decade has NFC. But not quite every one — and occasionally someone has it switched off, or is holding an older handset.

That is why every Artorian card is engraved with a QR code as well. If the tap does not work, they point the camera at your card instead and land in exactly the same place.

Two technologies, one card, no awkward moment.

Never caught out

At a glance

The whole thing on one page

Compatibility

Which phones does it work with?

Short answer: effectively all of them.

Device

Tap (NFC)

Scan (QR)

Notes

iPhone XS and newer

Yes

Always-on background reading. Just hold the card near the top of the phone.

iPhone 7, 8, X

Yes

Reads from the lock screen or via the NFC widget in Control Centre.

Android with NFC

Yes

NFC on by default on most handsets; check Settings if nothing happens.

Android without NFC

Yes

The engraved QR code does exactly the same job.

iPhone 6s and older

Yes

NFC is limited to Apple Pay on these models — use the QR code.

Tablets and laptops

Varies

Yes

Your mini website opens in any browser, on any device.

Neither you nor the person you are sharing with needs to install an app at any point.

After you order

What happens next

Nothing is engraved until you have seen it and said yes.

1. We talk

You send us your details, your logo and any brand colours. If you are not sure what should go on the card, we will tell you what works.

2. You see a proof

We design the card and build your mini website, then send both over for approval. Changes at this stage cost nothing.

3. We engrave

Your approved design is laser-marked into the metal and the NFC chip is encoded to your web address.

4. It ships

Next-day delivery is available in the UK, and we ship worldwide. Your mini website goes live the same day.

Still wondering

Common questions

Does the card need charging or a battery?

No. The chip draws the tiny amount of power it needs from the phone during the tap itself. There is nothing inside to charge, run flat or replace.

Will it stop working after a while?

The chip has no moving parts and is sealed inside the metal, so it does not wear out with use. As long as your mini website is hosted, the card keeps doing its job.

Can I have more than one card on the same mini website?

Yes. Many clients order a second card as a spare, or for a wallet and a desk. They can all point at the same mini website — just tell us when you order.

Does it work abroad?

Yes. NFC is a global standard and your mini website is on the open internet, so the card behaves exactly the same at a trade show in Dubai as it does in London.

Is it safe? Can someone write to my card?

The chip is locked after encoding, so the link cannot be overwritten by another device. And because the card only ever sends out a public web address, there is nothing sensitive stored on it to begin with.

Ready when you are

Ready to stop reprinting business cards?

One engraved metal card, your own mini website, and every introduction saved properly.