The Covid-19 pandemic pushed companies over the technology tipping point, transforming businesses forever.
According to a recent McKinsey report, the pandemic sped up the adoption of digital technologies by at least three to four years – and many of the changes it prompted could be here for the long haul.
Digitalization happened fast. Among the things we pivoted away from is the traditional, paper-based business cards.
Due to the continued rise in the number of people using smartphones and the limitations of paper-based business cards, digital or electronic business cards are now replacing paper-based business cards.
In a 2021 study by Globe newswire, the digital business card market is expected to hit US$242.3 million by 2027 (at a CAGR of 11.2%). North America leads in the adoption growth.
What’s a Business Card and How Do they Work?
A business card (also referred to as a virtual business card or an electronic business card) is an online profile containing all your digital contact information.
They let you share who you are, what you do, and all the relevant contact information wherever you go.
You can create the card online using a digital business card app. The app allows you to save and store virtual business cards on all your digital devices – smartwatches, smartphones, tablets, and laptops that you can quickly share with your contacts on the go.
Digital business cards also come with a lot of customization options. But the kicker is that you can share the card as a clickable link and a multimedia card. You can also direct the people you’re sharing the cards with to give you a call, follow you on social media, or bookmark your site.
How to Design a Free Digital Business Card?
Designing a digital business card is quick and easy. You don’t need any graphic design skills or prior experience.
You can create the cards in less than two minutes. Plus, there are many platforms for creating them.
One classic example is Blinq. You can download the app on your Android or iOS device and follow the instructions provided to create the card.
So, what’s accelerating the growth, and why digital business cards?
Why Digital Business Cards?
Paper-based business cards have an elegant charm to them, but digitalized ones have many advantages you might want to take advantage of.
That said, here are seven reasons to switch:
Easy to Share
With traditional business cards, handing your card to someone meant fishing it out from your card carrier or breast pocket and giving it to the person.
That meant you always had to have your card with you whenever you left the house.
While handing out a card is quick and easy, there’s a fair chance the person could misplace the card or place it in another stack of cards and probably forget about it.
These cards were useless because the next time that person wants to contact you, the first instinct would be to Google your contact information.
Entered digital business cards.
These cards are easy to share between smartphones. And the best part, the contacts you share will be automatically added to the contact’s address book. That way, you’re guaranteed the person will always have your contact details with them.
You can Track Client Engagement
With a print-based business card, you couldn’t tell if the client threw the card, saved it somewhere, or engaged with it until they called you.
However, a digital business card allows you to track whether or not the client engaged with it. And should the client fail to take action, you can always retarget them on Facebook and Google.
Digital Business Cards Are Eco-friendly
Paper-based business cards are a detriment to the environment. Every year, more than 7 million trees are cut to make the cards.
The shift toward digital business cards is helping companies conduct their businesses more sustainably and responsibly.
Remote Work is Pushing the Need for Digital Business Card Sharing
As more and more people continue to embrace remote work, more client-facing professionals see the need to start sharing their contact information digitally. It’s also why more people are pushed to adopt virtual business cards.
Due to the increased demand for virtual business cards, companies are actively looking for robust and reliable digital business card solutions.
A simple Google search will reveal thousands of business card solutions you can use.
However, not all these solutions are reliable or capable of delivering the solution you want, which is why we curated a top 10 list of the best virtual card provider solutions in the market.
The 10 Best Digital Business Card Solutions in the Market
Are you looking for a virtual card maker? You have an endless list of options to sample out.
But why strain when you can work with a trimmed list of only ten solutions:
#1. Knowee
Knowee has one of the sleekest interfaces you’ll ever come across anywhere. It shouldn’t take long to figure out the platform was designed with enterprises in mind. They’re also heavily endowed with features.
Key Features
- Intuitive: It shouldn’t take you more than a few minutes to design an electronic business card
- Lots of branding and customization tools
- Practical analytics with timeframe filters
- Their enterprise plan is suited for all sizes of teams
Drawbacks
- To access decent security, you must upgrade to a higher-paid plan
- Bulk creation and auto-generation can only be accessed at the costly enterprise plan
Pricing
Their free plan offers limited features, and their paid plan depends on the number of business cards you create (starting at US$2/month).
#2. Haystack
Haystack is all about helping you make that striking first impression. They also offer a free trial that lets you access the tool’s incredible features and functionalities.
The company is laser-focused on helping you market your business. They want your business to be known, which is apparent with their design capabilities, analytics, and integrations.
Key Features
- They offer unique branding features you can take advantage of
- They also provide valuable insights, such as the number of referrals your card receives
- Has APIs for integrating with hundreds of apps, including HubSpot and Zapier
- Showcases the links you can use to drive traffic to key online destinations
Drawbacks
- Relatively costly compared to the other options on the list
- You’ll be charged US$3 per month for every extra user
Pricing
- Their “Individual” plan is free and has all the basic card-making features you’ll ever need
- Data integrations and tracking starts at US$7.95 per month for their Business plan
#3. Designhill
Designhill is highly rated for its ability to help you to create a professional-looking virtual business card within minutes.
You’ll be provided with all the tools you need to generate ideas, create your card design, and customize it however you like.
Plus, you can share the design with your friends and family for feedback.
Key Features
- User-friendly interface: You can design your card within minutes with no prior graphic design experience
- Add custom URLs: You can purchase a domain name and link it with your vcard. You can also add galleries, videos, and other digital media.
- Print-ready business cards for your needs
- You can download high-quality cards in vector
- Unlimited card design ideas
- Quick card sharing on multiple social media channels
- Create cards in bulk
- Full copyright ownership
Drawbacks
- You can’t download the signature you’ve created without purchasing a package
- No free plan
Pricing
- Personal Plan: Allows you to only create one digital card @ US$23.99 per card
- Startup: Allows you to create up to 10 digital cards @20.99 per card
- Lite: Allows you to create up to 3 digital cards @21.99 per card
- Professional: Allows you to create up to 5 digital cards @21.49 per card
#4. Blinq
Blinq has one of the easiest contact-sharing features you’ll ever come across. It’s also one of the most highly-rated business card solutions out there.
Plus, it’s designed to let you add all the contact details you need to complete your business card before sharing it with anyone.
Key Features
- Multiple channel sharing
- NFC-based virtual business card creation
- Hundreds of API integrations with other apps
- Comprehensive customization options
Drawback
- Advanced customization options are only available on their paid plans
- Their security measures don’t guarantee anything
Pricing
- They offer a free tier with all the basic electronic card-making features.
- Their premium and Business plans all cost US$2.99 per month.
#5. Beaconstac
Beaconstac is one of the best virtual business card solutions. It’s among the few solutions that also lets you create a dynamic QR code for your business cards.
The solution offers everything you’ll need to create an electronic business card, tweaking them to your liking and preference.
Their cards are secure and easy to create. They also offer more features, including bulk creation, robust analytics, an easy-to-use interface, and multi-app integrations.
The Key Features:
- An intuitive and easy-to-use UI
- Integration with Google Analytics
- Bulk card creation
- Zero learning curve – you don’t need any graphic design skills. Provided you know how to click and drag, you should be able to create a digital business card in minutes.
- An API that supports over 4000 app integrations, like Workato, Zapier, and Integromat
- Top-notch security (SOC 2 Type-2 Compliance)
- Exceptional capabilities for designing a page
Drawbacks
- They only offer QR Code-based virtual business cards
Pricing
Their pricing starts at US$5 per month. This option has no API integration.
To unlock APIs, you must unlock their pro plan, which goes for US$49/month.
#6. QR Code Generator Pro
QR Code Generator Pro isn’t just a QR Code Platform. It’s also a digital business card maker.
The platform allows you to create a virtual version of your paper-based business card. And yes, you can link it with a QR code.
Key Features
- Intuitive dashboard
- Integrates with Google Analytics
- It lets you track engagement
- You can use it to create a QR Code for your physical, paper-based business cards
Drawbacks
- Not enough security features
- The created Vcard is entirely QR-based, with No NFCs
Pricing
- Their pricing plan starts at US$6.99 per month
- API requests and bulk creation unlock at their advanced plan, priced at US$15.99 per month.
All their plans are billed annually
#7. Dibiz
Dibiz’s dashboard has all the features necessary to create a professional virtual business card.
You can also customize your card’s appearance to make it unique to your brand.
What’s more? You can monitor your card’s performance through Dibiz statistics.
Key Features
- You can add a diverse range of media content, such as image galleries, custom URLs, videos, etc.
- You can share the virtual business cards on multiple social media networks
- You can create tailored contact forms
- Provides in-depth tracking and insightful analysis
Drawbacks
-
- It doesn’t come with essential API integrations
- Lacks adequate security measures
- Not the most intuitive dashboard
- Fundamental insights only unlock on the premium plan
Pricing
Their free plan has all the basic functionalities of a virtual business card builder.
However, their premium plan (which goes for US$60 per year) unlocks more features.
#8. HiHello
HiHello is another popular option for a virtual business card maker. They’re recognized for their user-friendly interface.
Their electronic business card creation dashboard is intuitive and quick to work with. The platform also delivers excellent design capabilities and lots of customization features you can use.
Suffice it to say that the platform has all the features you need to create a professional-looking business card that you can share with your clients and the people you meet via email, QR Code, and text message.
Key Features
- Clean design, both on the web and mobile app
- Easy sharing on multiple channels
- You can mask your phone number for privacy
- Professional templates to choose from
Drawbacks
- The program only provides basic insights unless you integrate it with GA
- You can only unlock data tracking at higher plans
- Bulk creation is only available at the highest plan
Pricing
- Their free plan lets you create up to 4 business cards
- Their basic plan, which allows you to create an unlimited number of business cards, goes at US$3 per month
#9. SwitchIt
SwitchIt is here to help you switch from physical, paper-based business cards to digital ones. It lets you design professionally done business cards that you can share with your clients.
It also allows you to track your clients’ engagement. The platform boasts one of the easiest dashboards to use. But don’t get it twisted; it has all the tools and features you need to create beautiful virtual business cards.
Key Features
- Business card scanner
- App-initiated text messaging and phone calls
- Comprehensive branding elements and page design
- Efficient business card distribution across various channels
- SMART contact manager
Drawbacks
- API integrations and analytics are only available at the highest-tired plan
Pricing
- Their free plan has all the basic functionalities and features you’ll need to create a professional electronic business card.
- Their premium plan starts at US$6.99 per month.
#10. QRd.by
Closing the list is none other than one of the best digital business card solutions from QRd. The card maker makes it easy to create a professional-looking business card that you can share with your clients and acquaintances via multiple channels.
What makes this business card solution different from all the other solutions on the list is that it allows you to create a dedicated landing page for your business card.
Key Features
- Create updateable mobile-friendly business cards
- Full GDPR and CCPA Compliance
- Use analytics (available on their free plan)
- You can create as many virtual business cards as you wish
Drawbacks
- The program requires you to generate a landing page before generating the Vcard. This process makes the whole thing complex.
Pricing
- QRd provides a free plan, which limits you to only one landing page. Their paid plan starts at US$5/ per month for five landing pages.
10 Things to Consider When Choosing the Best Electronic Business Card Solution
A simple Google search for the best digital business card solution will generate hundreds of solutions.
However, not every business card builder is worth your time and effort. While there are a few good ones, most are as trashy as the solution can get.
So, how do you determine if a business card solution is worth your time and effort?
Here’s how:
Usability
How intuitive or easy is the card builder you’re about to sign up for? Is the interface clean? Does it have a steep learning curve or a tiresome learning process?
These are some of the questions you should answer when choosing a business card solution.
A user-friendly solution goes beyond the looks. It looks at the structure and flow. It also directly impacts your experience as a user. Before investing your hard-earned cash on any platform, make sure it offers a free trial. That way, you can experiment with its features and determine their viability before putting your wallet out.
Page Design:
A card-building platform might be user-friendly and easy to work with, but does it create stunning designs for your virtual business cards? How comprehensive are its features and functionalities?
Some cloud-based vCard have limited design options and details you can explore.
You want to choose a platform that goes beyond the basics. You want to experiment with more features and functionalities.
Tracking and Analytics
One of the reasons for creating a digital business card is to appear more professional and authoritative. Ultimately, you want to impress and attract the clients you share the cards with.
You want the solution to create the cards, help you track their engagement, and provide you with a detailed report. Otherwise, there’s no way to determine if your efforts are paying off.
A good digital card solution will offer comprehensive tracking, letting you capture data on metrics such as views, audience location, shares, and so on. Some even allow you to integrate with Google Analytics for more actionable insights.
Security
Security is of the essence. The last thing you want is the cards to get into the wrong hands.
Remember, your business card has some of the most sensitive information about you. They have your name, business number, email, and other personal information that someone may use against you.
Plus, there’s the issue of leaking clients’ information.
To ensure top security, you must ensure the virtual card provider is SOC-2 Type 2 Compliant.
So far, very few card makers provide this level of security. While you might struggle to find a card provider that snugly fits the bill, there are a few non-negotiable you certainly do not want to compromise: data encryption, GDPR compliance, and SSO authentication.
Value for Money
No one likes overspending. And costlier doesn’t always mean high quality.
The idea is to ensure your platform offers value for money.
While some platforms target users with low-cost plans, that doesn’t mean they’re the best option.
Low subscription costs may have their share of drawbacks, such as inadequate security and limited functionalities.
The idea is to choose an e-business card provider with all the features and functionalities you need, and after you’ve single out a few options that’s when you want to use price to settle on one.
Ease of Sharing
E-business cards are meant to be shared.
You want to choose a platform that allows you to share your card on multiple channels.
The platform must allow you to grab an e-card link that you can share via email, social media platforms, text, or QR Code.
You want to ensure you can embed the QR code on your physical business card, website, or physical store.
It’s even better when the solution can generate NFCs for short-range card sharing.
Bulk Creation
Bulk creation is important if you’re a large organization with many client-facing employees.
That means you’ll have to produce a card for every team member.
The bulk-creation feature can be a huge time-saver in such a situation. Instead of creating the cards one by one, you can just enter your members names and other details, and the tool will generate all the cards for you.
Integrations
You want your card solution to integrate with the other tools you use.
The last thing you want is for the solution to ask you to purchase the integration.
A good e-business card builder should have API integrations right off the gate. The APIs should be for every key marketing and productivity tool, such as Zapier, Slack, and Google Analytics.
The tool must automate the API integrations.
