NFC review stand vs QR code: which works better for Google reviews?

Four ways to ask for a Google review

An NFC review stand or card has a small chip inside. The customer holds an unlocked phone near it and a link opens in the browser, usually your Google review form. There is no app and no battery: the phone powers the chip for the moment of the tap.

A QR code sticker or card is a printed square that the customer scans with the phone camera before tapping the link that appears. A printed "review us" sign has no link at all, so the customer has to search for your business, find the reviews and start writing, and each extra step is a chance to put the phone away.

Many NFC review stands now carry a printed QR code as well: TAPro Cards, TapFive and Review Highway on Amazon.ca all advertise NFC plus QR, and so does every Oh Tap! unit. The real choice is often less about NFC or QR and more about who sets it up and whether the link can change.

Oh Tap! sells NFC stands, tiles, cards and stickers, so this guide comes from a seller. We have tried to say plainly where a cheaper option does the job.

Which phones read NFC, and which read QR codes

Apple says iPhone XS and later can read NFC tags in the background, so the customer only unlocks the phone and holds it near the stand. Nearly every Android phone from the last seven years has NFC too, although some owners switch it off in settings.

Any phone with a camera can scan a QR code, which makes it the safest fallback. The trade-off is speed: the customer opens the camera, lines up the code and taps the link, and glare, distance or a worn sticker can get in the way.

Neither needs an app. Both need data or Wi-Fi on the customer's phone to load the review page.

What each option costs in Canada

A QR code costs nothing to make. Creating a Google Business Profile is free, and Google gives you a review link and a downloadable QR code under Read reviews, then Get more reviews (the QR code needs a computer browser). You pay only to print it.

One-time NFC review cards and stands are sold on Amazon.ca and by Canadian and US sellers, usually with no monthly fee. As one example, on 31 October 2026 TAPro Cards listed review cards at US$25 to US$29 and stands at US$31 to US$34 on sale, against regular prices of US$39 to US$50.

Oh Tap! stands, tiles and cards are $20 CAD each at launch pricing (regular $59 for a stand, $39 for a tile or card). The Free plan is $0 and includes one free Smart Sticker per business with $4.99 shipping; Pro is $9 CAD a month per location. There are no per-tap fees.

What happens when you want to change the link

This is the question most buyers skip. A card or stand written directly with your Google review link will always open that link. To point it somewhere else later, such as a menu, a booking page or a new review link after a move, you rewrite the chip with an NFC app, which only works if the seller did not lock it, or you buy a new one.

Some sellers send the tap through their own web address and let you change it in an online dashboard. That is more flexible, but the card then depends on that seller's service staying online. The same is true of Oh Tap! units.

QR codes work the same way. A plain code holds the link itself and has to be reprinted to change it. A code that points to a redirect service can be changed, but some of those services charge a monthly fee.

Oh Tap! units open your Oh Tap! page, and we change where they point for you: once a year on the Free plan and as often as you like on Pro, without touching the unit on your counter.

Which one suits your business

There is no single right answer. These are sensible starting points:

• checkOne counter where people pay, such as a café, salon or shop: an NFC stand that also carries a QR code.
• checkTable service: QR codes or NFC tiles on the tables, plus a stand at the till or host stand.
• checkTrades and mobile services: an NFC review card that staff can hand over or hold out at the end of the job.
• checkA tight budget: Google's free QR code printed on a counter card or receipt. It works on any camera phone and costs only the printing.
• checkA link that will change, or several locations: something you can re-point, either through a seller's dashboard or with a managed service such as Oh Tap!