FastCardGen

Digital business card apps compared

There are two kinds of digital business card: a hosted profile you rent from an app, and a standard contact (vCard) you own. Here's how the popular options compare, and when each one is the better pick.

  • Nothing uploaded
  • No sign-up, no subscription
  • Scan → saved to contacts
  • .vcf · QR · PNG · PDF
100% in your browser
Profile photoOptional. Shown on the card and saved inside the .vcf, so it appears in your contact's phone.
Address
Social profiles

A handle (@jane) or a full link both work. They're added to the contact file and your card link.

Tagline / note

Shown on your card link and the back of the printed card, saved as the contact's note.

Design

Brand color
Pro

Fewer fields = a less dense code that scans faster from a printed card. The .vcf file always has everything.

Pro
Your details are kept in this browser only, so you can come back and edit.
Sample — type your details
    Save contact

    Scanning this QR adds you to the phone's contacts (iPhone and Android camera apps).

    Card image & print

    Print PDF: 3.5 × 2 in with 1/8 in bleed, front and back. Sheet: 10 cards per page, fits standard perforated card stock.

    Your card link

    A web page with your card and a “Save contact” button. Your details are inside the link itself (after the #) and are never stored on our server. Open it

    Email signature

    Email programs only show images hosted online, so paste a link to an image (e.g. your LinkedIn photo or website logo).

    Paste into Gmail (Settings → Signature), Outlook (Settings → Signatures) or Apple Mail. The “Save my contact” link opens your card link.

    The two models

    Hosted profile apps (HiHello, Blinq, Popl, Linq and others) keep your card on their servers. You get an account, an app, analytics and the ability to change your card after you've shared it — usually with a free plan and a monthly subscription for the useful extras.

    Standard contact files (what FastCardGen makes) put your details into a vCard: a QR code, a .vcf file and a link that carry the contact themselves. Nothing to log into and nothing that stops working, but no analytics and no remote editing.

    Side by side

    FastCardGenHosted card apps (HiHello, Blinq, Popl…)Dynamic QR generatorsLink-in-bio (Linktree…)
    Account neededNoYesYesYes
    PriceFree; optional one-time Pro ($4.99 / $9.99)Free plan; paid plans roughly $6–10 per month per personShort trial, then a yearly or monthly planFree plan; paid plans monthly
    Scan saves the contact directlyYes (vCard QR)Usually opens a profile page with a save buttonOpens a hosted pageNo — opens a link page
    Works if you stop payingYes, foreverFree features keep working; paid extras stopCodes made in a trial are deactivatedFree page keeps working
    Edit after sharingNo — share a new link or codeYesYes (while subscribed)Yes
    AnalyticsNoYesYesYes
    Your dataStays in your browserStored by the providerStored by the providerStored by the provider
    Print-ready cardYes: PDF with bleed, 10-up sheet (Pro)Some sell printed or NFC cardsQR image onlyNo
    Team cards from a CSVYes, in the browser (Pro for more than 3)Yes, on team plans, per user per monthBulk on higher plansNo

    Which one should you pick?

    • You want to know who viewed your card, capture leads at events, or update everyone's card centrally: a hosted app is worth its subscription.
    • You want a card that just works, costs nothing, and never asks you to log in: a standard vCard QR, .vcf and card link — that's what this site makes.
    • You're printing QR codes on paper: avoid trial-based dynamic codes; a static vCard QR keeps working after printing.
    • You mostly share on social media: a link-in-bio page or a card link both work; the card link adds a real Save contact button.

    Detailed comparisons

    HiHello, Blinq, Popl, Linq, Linktree, Mobilo, Canva, QRCode Monkey, V1CE, Wave Connect, Uniqode, QR Code Generator PRO, Tapni and Adobe Express are trademarks of their owners. FastCardGen is not affiliated with them. Competitor plans and prices are as listed on their websites and in public reviews in November 2026 and change often — check their pricing page before you decide.

    Frequently asked questions

    What is the best free digital business card?

    It depends on what you need. If you want a card with no account, no subscription and a QR code that saves your contact directly, a vCard-based card like FastCardGen is the simplest. If you need analytics or lead capture, a hosted app's free plan is a good start.

    Do digital business card apps charge monthly?

    Most hosted apps have a free plan and charge roughly $6–10 per month per person for premium features, with team plans billed per user. FastCardGen's Pro is a one-time pass instead.

    What happens to my card if I cancel an app subscription?

    It depends on the provider: usually your free card keeps working but premium features stop. Printed dynamic QR codes from trial-based QR generators can stop working. A vCard QR code never depends on a subscription.

    Can I switch from an app to FastCardGen?

    Yes. Type your details here (or export your contact from the app as a .vcf and copy the fields), then share your new QR code or card link.

    Contact files follow vCard 3.0 (RFC 2426); QR codes follow ISO/IEC 18004. Checked 2026-11-07.

    FastCardGen Pro

    Premium templates, any brand color, your logo, print-ready PDF and team batches of up to 500 people. One-time payment — no subscription, no account.

    24-hour pass

    $4.99

    Every Pro feature for 24 hours, starting when you first use the key. Enough to design, print and batch a whole team.

    Lifetime pass

    $9.99

    Pay once, keep Pro: premium templates, any brand color, logo, print PDF and team batches. New templates included.

    Secure payment by Stripe. Your key is shown right after payment and emailed to you. Everything you make keeps working forever, with or without Pro. Refunds

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