Guide
How to make QR code membership cards
A QR code membership card is a digital member card with a code your staff can scan at the door. Kept in Apple Wallet or Google Wallet, it’s always on the member’s phone, shows their details at a glance, and updates when their membership changes. This guide covers what to put on the card, how scanning works, and how to issue cards to every member.
Last updated October 9, 2026. Facts about Apple Wallet and Google Wallet were checked against Apple’s and Google’s own documentation, linked in the sources.
The short answer
To make QR code membership cards, design one card with your branding and the fields every member needs, give each member their own copy with their name and member ID, and show that ID as a QR code or barcode. Members save the card in Apple Wallet or Google Wallet, and staff scan it with the check-in app or reader you already use.
Why use a QR code membership card
- Members don’t forget it. Key tags and plastic cards get left in bags and cars. The phone is always with them.
- Check-in is faster. A scan is quicker and more accurate than looking a member up by name.
- No reprinting. A new tier or renewal date doesn’t mean a new card. You change it once and it updates on the member’s phone.
- No printing or posting costs. A new member can have their card in the time it takes to send an email.
- You can reach members. Send a renewal reminder or a notice about changed opening hours to their lock screen.
What to put on the card
Keep the front of the card to what staff and members check most:
- Your logo and colors, so the card is recognizably yours.
- The member’s name, so staff can match the card to the person.
- Member ID, both as text and in the QR code or barcode.
- Tier or plan, such as “Gold” or “Off-peak”, if access differs.
- Valid till, so everyone can see when it needs renewing.
Put longer information on the back: terms, opening hours, a phone number and a link to manage the membership. For sizes and text limits, see our wallet pass best practices guide.
QR code or barcode?
Apple Wallet supports QR, PDF417, Aztec and Code 128 codes, and Google Wallet supports those and more. For a membership card, the choice is usually between a QR code and a one-dimensional barcode such as Code 128.
| QR code | Barcode (Code 128) | |
|---|---|---|
| Read by | Phone and tablet cameras, most modern scanners | Laser and most handheld scanners |
| Best for | New setups and check-in apps on a phone or tablet | Existing systems that already scan plastic cards |
| Holds | A member ID, or longer text | A short member ID |
| Scanning angle | Any direction | Needs to be roughly lined up |
Scanning cards at the door
The code on the card is only an identifier. What happens when it’s scanned depends on the system doing the scanning:
- Membership or check-in software looks up the ID, shows who the member is and whether their membership is active, and records the visit.
- A door reader or turnstile connected to that software opens for active members.
- A phone or tablet camera running your check-in app works for smaller venues, with no extra hardware.
Before you switch everyone over, test a few cards on every scanner you use, including with the phone screen at a lower brightness.
How to make QR code membership cards
- Design one card. Choose a layout, add your logo and colors, and set up the fields: name, member ID, tier and valid till.
- Make it personal. Use a placeholder for each detail that changes from member to member, such as
@nameand@memberid, and set the QR code to show the member ID. - Add your members. Upload your member list as a spreadsheet to create every card at once, add members one at a time, or create a card automatically when someone joins through your sign-up form or checkout.
- Send the cards. Email each member their own link to add the card to Apple Wallet or Google Wallet.
- Scan a few test cards with your own reader before rolling out.
Keeping cards current
Because a wallet card can be updated after it’s saved, the card can always match your records:
- When a member upgrades, change their tier and the card updates.
- When they renew, move the valid-till date forward.
- When a membership lapses, an expiry date makes the card show as expired in the wallet.
- Before renewal is due, send a reminder that appears on the member’s lock screen.
Stopping cards being shared
Any code shown on a screen can be screenshotted, so treat the QR code as an ID, not as proof on its own. Three habits keep sharing in check:
- Check every scan against your records, so an expired or cancelled membership is caught at the door even if the card still looks valid.
- Show the member’s name on the card so staff can compare it with the person in front of them.
- Limit each card link to one save, so a forwarded link can’t add the card to several phones.
Not sure whether you need a membership card or a loyalty card? Read loyalty card vs membership card, or get started for free.
Frequently asked questions
What does the QR code on a membership card contain?+
Usually just the member’s ID number. Your check-in or membership system looks that number up when it’s scanned, so the code itself doesn’t need to hold the member’s name or status.
Do I need special equipment to scan QR code membership cards?+
Not necessarily. Many check-in apps can scan with a phone or tablet camera. Handheld scanners and door readers also work, as long as they support the code type on the card and can read codes from a phone screen.
Do members need to download an app?+
No. A wallet membership card is saved in Apple Wallet on iPhone or Google Wallet on Android. On Android, the phone prompts the member to get Google Wallet if it isn’t installed yet.
What happens when a membership expires?+
Set an expiry date on the card and the wallet shows it as expired after that date. You can also send a reminder to the member’s lock screen before it runs out.
Can I change a member’s tier or details after they’ve saved the card?+
Yes. Update the card and the copy on the member’s phone updates. Apple notes that updates aren’t guaranteed to arrive instantly, for example if the phone is offline.
Can a member share their card with a friend?+
A screenshot or forwarded link can be shared, which is why the code should be checked against your membership records at the door. Limiting each card link to a single save and setting expiry dates make sharing less useful.
Sources
Apple’s newer developer pages load dynamically, so where a number comes from Apple it is taken from its Wallet Developer Guide and support pages. If Apple’s or Google’s current documentation differs, follow theirs.
- Apple: Wallet Developer Guide, Pass Design and Creation
- Apple: Wallet Passes, barcodes
- Apple: Wallet Developer Guide, Updating Passes
- Google: Google Wallet generic passes
More guides
- Loyalty card vs membership card: the differenceA loyalty card rewards repeat customers; a membership card proves someone belongs. How the two differ, where they overlap, and how to decide which one your business needs.
- What is Passbook? Apple Wallet explainedPassbook was Apple’s original app for tickets, boarding passes and loyalty cards. Here’s what happened to it, how Apple Wallet works today, and what Passbook-style passes can do for a business.
- Digital event tickets: how wallet tickets workHow digital event tickets work in Apple Wallet and Google Wallet: what goes on a ticket, how it’s scanned at the door, how to stop tickets being shared, and how to keep attendees up to date.
- How do digital gift cards work?What a digital gift card (an e-gift or virtual gift card) is, how it’s bought, sent and used, how to check the balance, and how it compares with a plastic gift card.