NFC Google review cards: an honest UK guide

RepBeacon does not sell NFC cards. This is an independent guide to help you decide whether they are worth buying, and how to set one up with your own free Google review link.

What is an NFC Google review card?

An NFC review card is a plastic card – usually the size of a bank card – with a tiny chip inside. The chip stores a web address. When a customer holds their phone near the card, the phone reads the address and opens it, just like tapping to pay. If the address is your Google review link, the customer lands straight on your review form without typing or searching.

Most cards also print a QR code on the front, so people whose phones do not read NFC can scan instead. The same chip is also sold in table stands, stickers and wall plaques.

Do they work on all phones?

Most modern smartphones can read NFC tags without an app. On iPhones, background tag reading works on iPhone XS and later; older models may need the NFC reader opened from Control Centre. On Android, NFC must be switched on in settings, and some budget phones do not have it. Phone cases, especially thick or metal ones, can block the signal. That is why a QR code on the same card is essential – treat NFC as a convenience, not the only route.

What do they cost in the UK?

As of October 2026, single NFC review cards from UK sellers are typically advertised from under £10 each, with bulk discounts, and stands or plaques cost more. Prices vary widely, so compare what is included: programming, a printed QR code, your branding and whether you can reprogram the card yourself.

Before you buy: five questions

1. Who controls the link? Some cards point to the seller’s own redirect page, which then forwards to Google. If the seller closes or starts charging a subscription, your card can stop working. Prefer a card programmed directly with your own Google review link, or one you can reprogram.
2. Is there a monthly fee? A one-off card should not need a subscription. If it does, find out what happens when you stop paying.
3. Is the chip lockable? An unlocked chip can be rewritten by anyone with a phone app – including a prankster at your counter. Ask whether it is locked after programming, and whether you get the unlock password.
4. Does it include a QR code? It should, for phones without NFC.
5. Does the wording stay neutral? Avoid designs that say “Leave us 5 stars”. Google’s policy discourages anything that pressures customers into a positive rating.

How to set one up with your own link

1. Get your direct Google review link. Our free review link generator builds it from your Google Place ID, or copy the “Ask for reviews” link in your Google Business Profile.
2. Test the link on your phone, both logged in and logged out of Google.
3. If your card is blank or reprogrammable, install a free NFC writing app such as NXP TagWriter or NFC Tools, choose “write URL”, paste your link and hold the phone to the card.
4. Lock the tag if the app and chip support it, and keep a note of any password.
5. Tap the card with two or three different phones to make sure it opens your review form.

Where NFC cards make sense

• Busy counters – coffee shops, salons, barbers – where staff can hand the card over at payment.
• Tradespeople who finish a job face to face and can say “If you’re happy, just tap this on your phone”.
• Events and markets, where people are already holding their phones.

They make less sense when you rarely see customers in person – online orders, deliveries, remote services – or when your staff will not actually offer the card. A card left in a drawer collects no reviews.

Keep asking fairly

Offer the card to every customer, not only the ones who seem happy. Selectively soliciting positive reviews is against Google’s policy, and the UK’s rules on fake and misleading reviews have become stricter. Never offer a discount or gift in exchange for tapping.

Cheaper alternatives

If you are not sure NFC is worth it, start with a free printed QR code. Our review stand and sticker template creates a print-ready table tent, counter sign or sticker in a minute. For customers you do not meet at a counter, a short text after the job reaches far more people – write one with our SMS generator.

Where RepBeacon fits

NFC cards and QR codes help customers who are already standing in front of you. RepBeacon covers everyone else by sending your direct review link by text or email after each job, with one reminder, and collecting new reviews in one dashboard. Try it free for 15 days – no payment card required.