NFC tags: what they are and how businesses use them

What is an NFC tag?

NFC stands for Near Field Communication – wireless communication over a very short distance, typically under 4 cm. An NFC tag is a chip and a small antenna. It has no battery: the phone powers the chip through its electromagnetic field when it comes close.

The tag can sit in a sticker, a card, a key ring or a stand. The content is usually a link (a URL), but it can also be text, a phone number or contact details.

NTAG213, NTAG215 or NTAG216 – which chip should you choose?

• NTAG213: 144 bytes of memory. Plenty for a link – the most common choice for reviews, menus and marketing.
• NTAG215: 504 bytes. For slightly longer content, such as a contact card with several fields.
• NTAG216: 888 bytes. For the longest data, such as a digital business card with many details.

If the tag only needs to open a link, NTAG213 is enough. What matters most is that the link can change without replacing the tag – which is why many solutions, including easyrate's, point to a page you control rather than straight to the final address.

Which phones can read NFC tags?

Almost all recent smartphones. iPhone XS and newer read NFC tags automatically when the screen is on – no app needed. On Android, NFC has to be switched on in settings, which it is by default on most phones.

Because some customers have NFC switched off or an older phone, a customer-facing NFC tag should always have a QR code next to it as a fallback.

How businesses use NFC tags

1. 1

   Google reviews at the counter

   The customer holds their phone to a stand and lands straight on the review page. It removes the step where most people drop off: finding the business on Google.

2. 2

   Menus and ordering

   A tag on the table opens the menu or the ordering page – no scanning or typing.

3. 3

   Digital business cards

   An NFC card shares contact details, website and social profiles with one tap.

4. 4

   Social media and offers

   One tag can send people to Instagram, an offer or a sign-up – and the link can change when the campaign does.

Are NFC tags safe?

An NFC tag can only send the content stored on it – it cannot read anything from the phone. The phone shows the link before anything opens. The real risk is someone overwriting the tag or sticking a fake one on top. Tags for public use should therefore be write-protected (locked), and the link should go to an address you control.