QR Code Types Explained

MeCard vs vCard: 어떤 연락처 형식을 선택할까

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Comparing MeCard and vCard QR code formats: data size, field support, device compatibility, and recommendations.

  
  

    
  








  
  

    
    
      
      
  1. 
        MeCard vs vCard: Which Contact Format to Choose
      
    2. 
      
      
  2. 
        MeCard Format
      
    3. 
      
      
  3. 
        vCard Format
      
    4. 
      
      
  4. 
        Size Comparison
      
    5. 
      
      
  5. 
        Field Support
      
    6. 
      
      
  6. 
        Compatibility
      
    7. 
      
      
  7. 
        Recommendation
      
    8. 
      
      
  8. 
        Key Takeaways
      
    9. 
      
    

  









  
  

  
  

    
    

      
MeCard vs vCard: Which Contact Format to Choose


Both MeCard and vCard formats encode contact information for QR codes, but they differ in size, compatibility, and field support. Choosing the right format affects the QR code's physical size and scannability.


MeCard Format


Developed by NTT DoCoMo (Japan), MeCard uses a compact syntax:


MECARD:N:Doe,John;TEL:+15550123;EMAIL:[email protected];URL:https://example.com;;



vCard Format


The international standard (RFC 6350) uses a more verbose structure:


BEGIN:VCARD
VERSION:3.0
N:Doe;John;;;
FN:John Doe
TEL:+15550123
EMAIL:[email protected]
URL:https://example.com
END:VCARD



Size Comparison


For identical contact data, MeCard is approximately 30-40% smaller than vCard:






Contact Data
MeCard Size
vCard Size






Name + phone
~40 bytes
~85 bytes




Name + phone + email
~70 bytes
~120 bytes




Full contact (5 fields)
~120 bytes
~200 bytes






This size difference translates directly to a smaller QR code version, which means fewer modules and easier scanning at smaller physical sizes.


Field Support






Field
MeCard
vCard






Name
Yes
Yes




Phone
Yes
Yes (multiple, typed)




Email
Yes
Yes (multiple, typed)




URL
Yes
Yes




Address
Yes
Yes (structured)




Organisation
Yes (ORG:)
Yes




Title/Role
No
Yes




Birthday
Yes (BDAY:)
Yes




Photo
No
Yes (base64)




Notes
Yes (NOTE:)
Yes




Social profiles
No
Yes (v4.0)






Compatibility






Platform
MeCard
vCard






iOS
Good (via camera)
Excellent




Android
Excellent
Excellent




Windows Phone
Limited
Good






Both formats work well on modern iOS and Android. vCard has a slight edge on iOS for field recognition, while MeCard has historically had stronger Android support.


Recommendation






Scenario
Recommended Format






Basic contact (name, phone, email)
MeCard — smaller QR code




Full business card with title and org
vCard — more fields




Small print size (business card)
MeCard — fewer modules




International enterprise use
vCard — ISO standard






Key Takeaways


    

  • MeCard is 30-40% smaller than vCard for identical data
    • 

  • vCard supports more fields (title, photo, social profiles)
    • 

  • Both work well on modern iOS and Android devices
    • 

  • Use MeCard for compact QR codes with basic contact info
    • 

  • Use vCard when you need the full range of contact fields
    •