The short version
- NFC (near-field communication) is made for phones. Tap the card on a phone and it opens a link: a website, a contact card, a menu, a sign-up form.
- RFID (radio-frequency identification) is the wider family that access cards belong to. A building's door readers are programmed to recognize specific RFID credentials, such as HID Prox or iCLASS cards.
- NFC is technically a kind of RFID, but an ordinary NFC card won't open a door, and an access card won't open a link on a phone.
Side by side
| NFC card | RFID access card | |
|---|---|---|
| Read by | Any modern phone | Your building's door readers |
| Range | A few centimeters (a tap) | A few centimeters to several inches, depending on the reader |
| Typical use | Open a link, share contact details | Open doors, log entry |
| Who sets it up | You choose the link | Your access-control provider programs it |
| Security | Meant to be read by anyone who taps it | Credentials tied to your access system |
Which do you need?
- Your badges need to open doors: you need RFID or proximity credentials that match your access-control system. Order them through your access-control provider; the card format must match your readers exactly.
- You want a tap to open something on a phone (a staff profile, a membership page, an event schedule, a digital business card): NFC is what you want.
- You only need visual ID: neither. A printed photo badge, maybe with a barcode or QR code, does the job for less.
How CredentialCore's NFC cards work
The chip stores a short CredentialCore link, and you choose where it points from your account. Because the destination lives in your account rather than on the chip, you can change it anytime without reprinting, and you can see how many times it's been tapped.
The NFC chip can be added to any printed ID card, or you can order NFC keychain fobs. We don't make RFID or door-access cards.