Both QR codes and NFC tags do the exact same job: they get someone from "I want to tip you" to your TipVolt page without them typing a single character. The difference is just how the phone gets there — a camera scan, or a tap. Here's how to set up both properly, and which one actually suits where you're tipping.
Option 1: QR code
A QR code is a square barcode that opens your tip link the moment a phone camera points at it. It's the lowest-effort option because you don't need to buy anything — TipVolt already generates one for you.
How to get yours
- Open your dashboard and find the "Show QR code" button next to your tip link.
- It opens a QR code linked straight to your page — tap Download to save it as a PNG.
- Print it, or just keep the file to paste into a sign, a slide, or a sticker template.
Displaying it well
A QR code is only as useful as it is scannable. A few things matter more than people expect:
- Size it for the distance. A code on a laminated card in a guitar case can be small. A code on a poster or a stage banner needs to be readable from several metres away — bigger than feels necessary.
- Keep contrast high. Black on white scans faster and more reliably than a colour-matched or low-contrast version, especially in bad lighting.
- Protect it from weather and wear. Laminate it, or use a rigid card, if it's going to live outdoors or get handled a lot.
- Add a short call to action next to it. "Scan to tip" or "Enjoyed the set? Scan here" — the code alone doesn't explain itself.
- Give it good lighting. A code that's readable in daylight can be unscannable after dark under stage lighting — worth checking both.
Option 2: NFC tag
An NFC tag is a small chip — usually a thin sticker or a card — that opens your tip link the instant a phone touches it. No camera, no app for the person tipping, no aiming: just a tap. Most phones from the last several years read NFC tags automatically the moment they're held near one.
What you need
- A blank NFC tag. Look for NTAG213, NTAG215, or NTAG216 — these are the common, cheap chip types sold as stickers, cards, or keychains, usually a few dollars each or less in a pack.
- A free NFC-writing app. "NFC Tools" (available for both iPhone and Android) is a common, free option for writing a link to a blank tag — Android phones can generally write tags natively too, but a dedicated app is the simplest route on either platform.
How to set it up
- Copy your tip link from your TipVolt dashboard (
tipvolt.xyz/@yourhandle). - Open your NFC-writing app and choose "Write" or "Add a record."
- Select a URL/URI record type and paste your tip link in.
- Hold your phone against the blank tag until the app confirms it's written — usually a second or two.
- Tap it with a different phone to confirm it opens your tip page before you rely on it.
Stick the tag somewhere a hand naturally lands — the top of a tip jar, the side of a guitar case, a table tent on a merch table. On iPhone, no app is needed to read it: holding the top of the phone near the tag triggers a notification to open the link, the same as it would for anyone on Android.
QR vs NFC: which one should you actually use?
| QR code | NFC tag | |
|---|---|---|
| Setup cost | Free — TipVolt generates it | A few dollars for blank tags |
| Needs the fan to | Open their camera and aim | Just tap their phone |
| Works in low light | Only if well lit | Yes — no camera needed |
| Best for | Posters, screens, printed signs, slides | Tip jars, guitar cases, table tents, anywhere a hand lands |
In practice, the two aren't rivals — a QR code on a sign for people at a distance, and an NFC tag on the tip jar for people standing right in front of it, cover both situations at once. Neither needs the fan to have an account or download anything; both just need your TipVolt link.
Get your link
If you don't have a tip page yet, create one free — it takes about two minutes, and your QR code is ready the moment you're done.