Do you already have an ID badging system you want to upgrade or are you starting a brand new program? You may wonder what the difference is between contact and contactless smart cards and how they compare to the other ID cards available.
Both contact and contactless smart cards have embedded integrated microchips programmed to work with a specific reader. The difference is that cardholders must insert their card into the reader while the other one only needs to come near it.
Let's look at both options to see what makes the most sense for your business and security needs.
Contact smart cards
Contact smart cards are ubiquitous today as most people have an ATM or credit card with smart technology. When you insert your debit or credit card into the chip reader at your favorite grocery store, you're using contact smart card technology.
Contactless smart cards
Contactless cards, on the other hand, use RFID (radio frequency identification) which has an embedded antenna that picks up the radio frequency when it comes within range of a reader. These types of cards work well for access control of large amounts of people.
Security considerations
A contact card inserted into a reader offers more security than a contactless card. Nefarious individuals with card skimmers can steal your contactless card information from as far as 30 feet away. Contact cards avoid this possibility by only activating when inserted into the card reader.
One way to foil skimmers is to use RFID blocking wallets or badge holders. If you need a bit more security, though, choose a contact smart card solution.
Uses for contact and contactless cards
The most widespread use of contact smart cards today is for payment applications. Your bank cards are all contact smart cards. If you have privacy concerns about the data storage on your cards, choose a contact card.
A few examples of contactless smart card applications are:
- Access control to security facilities or doors and vehicle access to controlled parking spaces.
- Authorization and credential levels for access to computer networks.
- Access control to pharmaceutical storage in hospitals, clinics, or other dispensaries.
- Tracking inventory in retail stores, hospital supplies, government facilities, and other stock/inventory control solutions.
- Contactless payment systems on smartphones linked to a debit or credit card.
Hybrid cards
Some contactless smart cards come with the ability to add a magnetic stripe or bar code for additional functionality. If you want your cards to do more than access control, consider a hybrid card for your ID badging solution.
How to choose
It all comes down to what your business needs ID cards for. For example, do you need to control access to your facilities or office building for large numbers of people? Contactless cards will help you move more people through your control points faster and easier.
If, however, security and privacy of data is more important than moving crowds, consider using contact smart cards. These are less likely to be skimmed and stolen.
Final thoughts
If you're still uncertain which is the right card for your business application, call one of the ID Experts at Idesco. We have over 75 years of experience helping businesses just like yours find the right security solution. Our ID Experts have in-depth knowledge of all ID cards available, not just contact and contactless smart cards. Let us help you determine the ID card program that meets your business, security, and budgetary needs. Call 1-800-336-1383 to get started.