13.56 MHz NFC

NFC Tag Metal RFID Cards

NFC tag metal NFC cards are the clearest route to a card any modern smartphone can tap. The three common chips differ mainly by user memory — 144-byte NFC tag holds 144 bytes, 504-byte NFC tag 504 bytes, 888-byte NFC tag 888 bytes — which in practice decides how long the encoded URL, vCard, or record can be. A short campaign URL fits comfortably in 144-byte NFC tag; a full vCard usually wants 888-byte NFC tag.

NFC Tag route brief

Frequency	13.56 MHz NFC
Best use	Public phone-tap experiences: business cards, profiles, menus, loyalty, product authentication, and event pages.
Chip route	144-byte NFC tag (144 B), 504-byte NFC tag (504 B), or 888-byte NFC tag (888 B) selected by memory need and data plan.
Phone behavior	The clearest route for broad smartphone tap behavior when the card opens a public URL or record.
Encoding	NDEF URL, short URL, profile, vCard, campaign URL, optional QR fallback, and a write-lock decision.
Approval check	Confirm tap zone, record length, redirect behavior, and phone performance in the final metal build.

Visual references

Brushed metal NFC card tapping a smartphone

Champagne-gold metal NFC card beside a smartphone

Gunmetal metal RFID card at a secure reader

Copper metal RFID credential on a contactless reader

Brushed metal RFID card on an LF reader test bench

Gunmetal metal credential in front of UHF gate antennas

Metal RFID card encoding and QA workstation

Pick the chip by the record, not the price list.

A redirect URL you control needs little memory and keeps the destination editable after delivery; a locked vCard burns the data into the card permanently. Decide the record, the write-lock state, and who owns the redirect before encoding — changing your mind after five hundred cards ship is an expensive way to learn the difference.

Approve a working sample in the real environment.

Confirm tap zone, record length, redirect behavior, and phone performance in the final metal build.

Best uses

Public phone-tap experiences: business cards, profiles, menus, loyalty, product authentication, and event pages.
Metal card programs that can validate a finished encoded sample on the target reader
Projects that need print, serial, QR, packaging, and data handling reconciled in one approved brief

Frequently asked questions

Which NFC tag chip should a metal NFC card use?

By record size: 144-byte NFC tag (144 bytes) covers short and redirect URLs, 504-byte NFC tag (504 bytes) covers longer records, and 888-byte NFC tag (888 bytes) covers full vCards and richer NDEF data. The tap experience is identical — memory is the real difference.

Can the encoded URL be changed after delivery?

Yes, if the record points to a URL or managed redirect you control — the card then never needs re-encoding. A locked vCard or fixed record, by contrast, is permanent, which is why the write-lock decision is made before production.

Do NFC tag metal cards tap iPhones and Android phones?

Yes, when the shielded metal construction is engineered and then tested on the agreed phone targets. The tap zone and read behaviour are approved on the finished sample, not assumed from the chip datasheet.

Specification

Format	CR80 85.6 x 54 mm by default; custom outlines after RF review
Thickness	0.3 mm to 0.8 mm depending on construction
Minimum order	None — single samples to production runs
Production time	About one week after artwork and sample approval
RF construction	Antenna, ferrite or hybrid shielding, chip, metal faces, and edge stack specified together
Chip routes	NFC tag, standard HF, high-security AES HF, LF compatibility, and selected UHF by reader test
Marking options	Laser etch, deep engraving, UV print, white ink, enamel fill, QR, serial, and controlled cut-through
Approval flow	Finish sample, encoded working sample, reader check, pre-production approval
Frequency	13.56 MHz NFC
Chip route	144-byte NFC tag (144 B), 504-byte NFC tag (504 B), or 888-byte NFC tag (888 B) selected by memory need and data plan.
Phone behavior	The clearest route for broad smartphone tap behavior when the card opens a public URL or record.
Encoding	NDEF URL, short URL, profile, vCard, campaign URL, optional QR fallback, and a write-lock decision.
Approval check	Confirm tap zone, record length, redirect behavior, and phone performance in the final metal build.