The Problem
NFC chips have limited memory measured in bytes. Choosing a chip with insufficient memory means your URL or data will not fit. Understanding memory requirements prevents costly mistakes.
Who This Is For
- Users planning URL redirects or data storage
- Developers encoding complex NDEF records
- Businesses with long URLs or tracking parameters
- Anyone unsure which memory size to choose
Quick Decision Rules
- 1URL under 50 charactersNTAG213 (144 bytes) with room to spare
- 2URL 50-100 charactersNTAG213 (144 bytes) should fit
- 3URL 100-400 charactersNTAG215 (504 bytes) recommended
- 4URL 400+ charactersNTAG216 (888 bytes) required
- 5vCard without photoNTAG215 (504 bytes) usually sufficient
- 6vCard with photoNTAG216 (888 bytes) required
- 7Wi-Fi credentialsNTAG213 (144 bytes) typically sufficient
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Forgetting NDEF overhead (10-15 bytes)
- Not accounting for URL encoding (special characters expand)
- Using UTM parameters without checking total length
- Assuming advertised memory equals usable memory
- Not testing actual URLs before bulk ordering
Frequently Asked Questions
NFC memory is measured in bytes. Each character in a URL typically uses 1 byte. However, special characters and NDEF formatting add overhead, so plan for 10-20% more than your raw content length.