Free · no sign-up

Business card scanner

Photograph a business card or scan its QR code, check the details and save them as a contact on your phone. Recognition runs in your browser — the photo never leaves your device.

  • No app
  • Nothing is uploaded
  • vCard for iPhone, Android & Outlook

The scanner is starting … If nothing happens, reload the page or use an up-to-date browser.

How it works

From paper card to address book — in three steps

1. Capture the card

Photograph the business card with your phone or choose a photo or scan. If there is more on the back, add it with “Add back side”.

2. Check the details

The scanner sorts name, company, numbers, email, website and address into a form. You check each field, correct reading errors and add a note if needed.

3. Get it onto your phone

Save the contact as a vCard file or transfer it to your phone via QR code — straight into your address book, without typing.

What is recognised

All the important details — sorted into the right fields

The scanner reads the text on the card and looks for a QR code. Together they make a finished contact.

From the text on the card

  • Name, including titles like “Dr.”
  • Company and department
  • Position
  • Phone, mobile number and fax
  • Email address
  • Website
  • Address

Anything that cannot be assigned to a field can be found under “Recognised text” — one tap adds it to the note.

From the QR code

Many business cards carry a QR code. If it contains a contact card (vCard or MeCard), the scanner takes over the details without reading errors. If the code leads to a website, the address goes into the contact as the website.

It also works without a photo: “Scan QR code” reads the code live with the camera.

Please check: no text recognition is error-free. Look at every field before saving — especially phone numbers and email addresses.
To your phone

How the contact gets into your address book

The scanner creates a vCard — the standard format for contacts that iPhone, Android, Outlook and Google Contacts understand. If your device offers it, you can also send the file straight to an app of your choice via “Share”.

iPhone and iPad

Tap “Save contact” and open the contact file. iOS shows a preview from which you create a new contact or add to an existing one.

Android

Tap “Save contact” and open the downloaded file with the Contacts app — it adds all the details to your address book.

On a computer

“Transfer to phone” shows a QR code with the contact. Scan it with your phone’s camera — it will offer to save the contact. The data is contained in the code itself. For Outlook or Apple Contacts on a computer, download the file with “Save contact” and open it.

Privacy

Your photo stays on your device

  • Nothing is uploaded: text recognition, contact file and QR code are created in your browser. Our server only delivers the page and the recognition program.
  • Nothing is stored: no account, no copy on our side — when you close the page, the scanner discards the photo and the details.
  • No cookies from the scanner: it stores neither the photo nor the details in your browser.
  • No third-party service: the text recognition is served from our own server — no third-party provider sees your photo.

If you collect business cards for work, you are processing personal data — even if the scan only runs on your device. What to look out for is explained under Business cards you receive and the GDPR (not legal advice). More about the scanner in the privacy policy.

FAQ

Questions about the business card scanner

Is the business card scanner really free?
Yes. You need neither an account nor an app and can scan as many cards as you like — for personal or business use.
Is my photo uploaded?
No. Text recognition, contact file and QR code are created in your browser on your device. Neither the photo nor the recognised details are sent to our server, and we store none of it. Once you close the page, everything is gone — so save the contact first.
Which phones and browsers does the scanner work with?
With current smartphones, tablets and computers in an up-to-date browser such as Safari, Chrome, Edge or Firefox — you don’t need an app. On a phone you photograph the card directly with the camera; on a computer you choose a photo or a scan. On older devices recognition takes a little longer.
Does the scanner also read QR codes on business cards?
Yes. If the QR code contains a contact card (vCard or MeCard), the scanner takes over the details directly — without reading errors. If the code leads to a website, it also reads the text on the card and enters the address as the website. With “Scan QR code” you can also read the code live with the camera.
How accurate is the recognition?
The scanner usually recognises clearly printed cards well, but no text recognition is error-free. So check every field before saving — above all phone numbers and email addresses, because a misread character often looks plausible there. Handwriting, ornate decorative fonts, very small or low-contrast text and reflective surfaces are difficult.
Does the scanner need an internet connection?
To open the page, yes. The first time you recognise a card, your browser also loads the text recognition from our server — a few megabytes, up to about 9 MB depending on the language. After that, recognition runs on your device; further cards work without reloading as long as the page stays open.
Business card folder

All your cards in one place: the business card folder

With an account, you save scanned cards straight to your folder — searchable, organised by tags and exportable as a vCard or CSV file at any time. Also included in the free plan.

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Would you rather share your own contact details digitally? Create your own digital business card →