NFC Stickers
NTAG216 NFC Stickers
888-Byte High-Memory
Quick answer
NTAG216 carries 888 bytes of user memory across 222 pages — six times more than NTAG213 and 1.76x more than NTAG215. The high-memory NFC Forum Type 2 chip-family-anchor for full vCards (RFC 6350) without truncation, multi-record NDEF payloads, smart packaging with embedded product data, healthcare patient-info tags with medication detail, on-chip provenance, electronics pairing setup parameters and any application where a single tap must deliver a rich data payload without a URL redirect to backend. Available wholesale with NDEF pre-encoding, variable per-tag data encoding from MOQ 100, capability-container chip verification and antenna-size guidance for textile / handbag embedding.
- 888 bytes of user memory — stores a complete vCard 3.0 / 4.0 (RFC 6350) with name, company, title, multiple phones, multiple emails, address, website, social handles + photo URL without truncation.
- Six times more memory than NTAG213 and 1.76x more than NTAG215 — the largest NFC Forum Type 2 memory available in standard sticker form.
- NFC Forum Type 2 certified — native read on iPhone 7+ and all NFC Android phones without an app. Capability-container chip verification on every order.
Used in these industries
Deployments where this product is referenced on our industry landing pages.
At a glance
Use these short answers to decide whether this page matches the project before moving into the detail.
Chip silicon
NXP NTAG216 (NT2H1611G0DU) — high-memory NFC Forum Type 2 Tag Wafer / sawn die packaging — MOA-1 / SOT658-1 production reference
Memory architecture
888 bytes user memory — 222 pages × 4 bytes NDEF capacity ~872 characters URL after 7-10 byte overhead
Next step
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Request NTAG216 sticker quote- RF + protocol
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- 13.56 MHz HF carrier
- ISO/IEC 14443-3 Type A initialization + anticollision
- NFC Forum Type 2 Tag Operation Specification
- NDEF + URI RTD + Smart Poster RTD + multi-record support
- Native iPhone 7+ + iOS 14+ + Android NFC API tap
- Form factors + sizes
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- Ø22 mm — small bottle / packaging
- Ø25 mm — standard balanced size
- Ø30 mm — extended read range
- Ø38 mm — woven textile / handbag embedded
- Ø50 mm — large surface / shelf-edge / poster
- Custom shapes + non-circular die-cuts from MOQ 500
- Substrate options
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- White PET (75 µm) — printable, indoor-rated baseline
- Silver PET (brushed or gloss) — premium metallic
- Transparent PET — clear with antenna visible / white-fill conceal option
- Epoxy dome — outdoor durability + premium feel
- Woven textile substrate — embedded fashion / handbag / care label
- Card stock laminate — NFC business card application
- NDEF data record types supported
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- URI Record — URL up to ~872 characters after overhead
- Text Record — multi-language plain text
- vCard 2.1 / 3.0 / 4.0 (RFC 6350) — full contact card
- Wi-Fi Simple Configuration NDEF — SSID + password + security
- Bluetooth Out-of-Band handover NDEF — pair-on-tap
- Smart Poster Record — multi-content combination
- Geo-coordinate Record — location-bound NFC tags
- Custom binary NDEF — MIME-type-specific application data
- vCard data model (full RFC 6350 4.0)
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- Name (FN / N) + nickname + photo URL
- Title + organisation + role
- Multiple phone numbers (CELL / WORK / HOME)
- Multiple email addresses (WORK / HOME)
- Physical address (ADR) + geographic location (GEO)
- Website URL + LinkedIn / Twitter / Instagram social handles
- Note field + categories + revision timestamp
- Total typical full vCard: 350-700 bytes — fits in NTAG216 with 200+ byte headroom
- Multi-record NDEF testing
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- iOS 14+ — handles multi-record NDEF natively, opens first record by default
- Android 8.1 / 9 — older versions parse only first record without app
- Android 10+ — multi-record NDEF intent dispatch correctly
- Reference phone set: iPhone XR / 11 / 13, Galaxy S8+ / S10 / S22, Pixel 4 / 6
- Multi-platform compat report included in encoding QC for multi-record orders
- Application verticals
-
- NFC business cards — full vCard without truncation, no URL redirect needed
- Smart packaging — product description + ingredients + care + brand story
- Healthcare patient-info tags — medication + dosing + emergency contacts
- Multi-record location tags — URL + text + geo-coordinates for tourism
- Electronics pairing — full device setup + MAC + pairing codes
- Asset tagging — asset ID + purchase date + warranty + service URL
- Comparison vs NTAG family + NTAG 424 DNA
-
- vs NTAG213 (144 B) — when vCard / multi-record / smart-packaging required
- vs NTAG215 (504 B) — when full RFC 6350 vCard 4.0 + photo URL needed
- vs NTAG 424 DNA (416 B) — when memory > cryptographic anti-counterfeit
- Note: NTAG215 (504 B) is Amiibo-spec; NTAG216 is NOT Amiibo-compatible despite higher memory
- Cost positioning: ~20% premium over NTAG215, ~50% premium over NTAG213
- Standards + compliance
-
- ISO/IEC 14443-3 Type A initialization + anticollision
- NFC Forum Type 2 Tag + NDEF + URI RTD + Smart Poster RTD
- Wi-Fi Alliance WSC / WPS Wi-Fi NFC handover spec
- IETF RFC 6350 vCard format
- Bluetooth SIG NFC Out-of-Band Pairing
- Apple Core NFC framework + Android NFC API
- RoHS / REACH compliant materials
- Procurement
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- MOQ 100 (standard sizes, white PET)
- Custom-print MOQ 500, pre-encoded MOQ 100
- Variable per-tag encoding MOQ 100 — supply CSV, receive UID-to-data confirmation
- Lead time 5-10 business days standard, 12-15 for variable encoding
- Multi-platform compatibility report included with multi-record orders
- Capability-container chip verification on every order
Common problems buyers face when sourcing NTAG216 NFC stickers
- vCard NDEF payload truncated. A professional services firm encoding employee vCards discovers that the complete vCard (name, three phone numbers, two email addresses, physical address, LinkedIn URL, website) exceeds NTAG213's 144-byte limit and even NTAG215's 504 bytes if using vCard 3.0 with longer field names; only NTAG216 provides enough headroom.
- Multiple NDEF records rejected by older Android phones. A smart packaging integrator writing three NDEF records (URL + text + geo-location) to NTAG216 finds older Android versions (8.x) parse only the first record; the multi-record payload architecture requires testing across the phone models in the target demographic.
- Chip not recognised as NTAG216 after delivery. A developer ordering NTAG216 for a firmware project that checks the chip capacity register receives stickers where 5% respond with NTAG215's capacity register value (substituted chips); the firmware misallocates memory and writes beyond the chip's actual capacity.
- Antenna size insufficient for handbag or textile embedding. A fashion brand embedding NTAG216 into product tags on woven textile labels finds a Ø18 mm antenna too small to read through the fabric substrate; tag-to-reader coupling is reduced by the textile layer.
- High-volume variable encoding not available. A business card printing service needing 2,000 uniquely encoded NTAG216 NFC cards (one vCard per card, each unique) cannot find a supplier who handles per-card variable encoding below 5,000-unit MOQ.
How Proud Tek solves NTAG216 NFC sticker sourcing problems
Generic NFC supplier — no CC verification / no multi-record QA
- vCard pre-encoded in NTAG215 by mistake — truncates / fails on long-field employees
- 5% chip substitution rate (NTAG215 in NTAG216 stock) — firmware mis-allocates memory
- Multi-record NDEF written without compat test — Android 8.x users see only first record
- Ø18 mm antenna behind woven textile — fabric layer reduces coupling, read fails
- Variable per-tag encoding only at 5,000+ MOQ — 8-hour manual encoding bottleneck
Proud Tek NTAG216 with CC byte cert + multi-platform compat report (this page)
- NDEF byte-count pre-check — flags overflow, recommends field abbreviation
- Capability-container byte verification per order — 0xE1 0x10 0x6D 0x00 = NTAG216 confirmed
- Multi-platform compat testing — iPhone 11/13 + Galaxy S8+/S10/S22 + Pixel 4/6 reference set
- Antenna-size guidance for textile — Ø38 mm minimum + textile penetration test report
- Variable per-tag encoding at MOQ 100 — UID-to-data CSV confirmation
- vCard byte count pre-check: Proud Tek checks the NDEF byte count of your vCard against NTAG216's 872-byte NDEF capacity before encoding; we flag any payload that risks overflow and offer formatting adjustments (field abbreviation, field omission, URL shortening) to fit within limits.
- Multi-record NDEF compatibility testing: for multi-record payloads, Proud Tek tests readability on a representative set of Android and iOS versions (Android 8.1, 9, 10, 11, 12 and iOS 14, 15, 16) using a reference phone set; results included in the encoding QC report.
- Chip capacity register verification: every NTAG216 sticker is verified by reading its CC (capability container) byte; the CC byte encodes the chip's memory size and must match NTAG216's 0xE1 0x10 0x6D 0x00 value. Any sticker with a non-matching CC byte is rejected.
- Antenna size recommendation for textile embedding: for woven label and textile applications, Proud Tek recommends Ø38 mm or larger antennas; we provide a textile penetration test report showing read success through your specific fabric sample before production.
- Variable encoding from 100 pieces: Proud Tek's encoding system handles unique vCard or NDEF data per sticker from 100 units minimum; buyers supply a structured data file (CSV with one row per sticker), receive a UID-to-data confirmation CSV on delivery.
Per-tap data published from a Proud Tek NTAG216 NFC sticker
- Full vCard NDEF: 350-700 bytes typical — fits with 200+ byte headroom in NTAG216.
- Multi-record NDEF: URL + Text + Geo + Custom — supported on iOS 14+ and Android 10+.
- Static URL: identical bytes on every tap — counterfeiter-clonable (non-cryptographic).
- 32-bit PWD_AUTH + OTP irreversible lock — write-protection for finalised deployments.
- 24-bit monotonic counter (page 226+) — single-use token / tap-count auditing.
What fits in 888 bytes — NTAG216 payload examples
| Payload type | Approximate size | Fits in NTAG216 |
|---|---|---|
| Short URL (Google review) | ~30 bytes | Yes — easily |
| Long URL with parameters | ~150 bytes | Yes |
| Full vCard 3.0 (all fields) | ~400-600 bytes | Yes |
| Wi-Fi credentials (SSID + password) | ~50-100 bytes | Yes |
| URL + vCard (two NDEF records) | ~450-700 bytes | Usually yes |
| Smart packaging (URL + text + geo) | ~300-500 bytes | Yes |
| Amiibo data | 540 bytes (requires NTAG215 format) | Not compatible — use NTAG215 |
Applications
- NFC business cards — complete vCard with all contact details, photo URL, social handles, without truncation.
- Smart product labels — embed product description, ingredients, care instructions, brand story in a single tap.
- Multi-record NDEF payloads — URL + text + geo-coordinates for smart location tags or tourism guides.
- Healthcare — patient information tags with medication details, dosing instructions and emergency contacts.
- Electronics pairing — encode full device setup parameters, MAC addresses and pairing codes.
- Asset tagging — store asset ID, purchase date, warranty info and service history URL on equipment tags.
Encoding and programming
- NDEF pre-encoding — URL, text, vCard, smart poster, or custom NDEF record types.
- Variable data — unique payload per sticker; supply CSV data file, receive UID-to-data confirmation.
- Password write-lock — 32-bit password (PWD_AUTH) prevents unauthorised overwriting of encoded data.
- Permanent lock — OTP bits lock user memory pages permanently; use for authentication tokens or serialised tags.
- Counter page — use page 226+ (read-only counter) for tap-count auditing.
NTAG216 timeline — from NTAG family launch to high-memory NFC default
- 2001 — NFC Forum founded
NXP, Sony and Nokia found the NFC Forum to standardise short-range (13.56 MHz) tag-based interaction; ISO/IEC 14443-3 Type A becomes the dominant transmission protocol.
- 2011 — IETF RFC 6350 vCard 4.0
IETF publishes RFC 6350 vCard 4.0 specification — the canonical full-contact-card format that drives demand for >500-byte NFC chip memory in NFC business card use cases.
- 2013 — NTAG213/215/216 family launches
NXP launches NTAG213/215/216 — same Type 2 Tag T2T format with PWD_AUTH password protection and tighter memory tiering (144/504/888 bytes). NTAG216 occupies the high-memory tier.
- 2014-2017 — NFC business card explosion
NTAG216 becomes the default chip for NFC business cards — full vCard 4.0 (350-700 bytes typical) fits without truncation. Linq, Popl, Mobilo, dot. and other NFC business card services standardise on NTAG216 chips.
- 2018 — iOS 12 background NFC + multi-record dispatch
Apple iOS 12 enables background NDEF reading on iPhone XS / XR — multi-record NDEF dispatch becomes consumer-grade for the first time on iPhone. Smart packaging + healthcare + multi-record tourism use cases adopt NTAG216 at scale.
- 2020-2023 — Smart packaging + healthcare patient-info adoption
NTAG216 expansion into smart packaging (product description + ingredients + brand story), healthcare patient-info tags (medication + dosing + emergency contacts) and multi-record tourism / location tags. Antenna-size guidance for textile / handbag / leather embedding becomes standard.
- 2024-2025 — DPP forward-compat + GS1 Digital Link 1.3
GS1 Digital Link 1.3 + EU ESPR 2024/1781 DPP framework adoption — NTAG216 used as DPP carrier for non-cryptographic categories where memory > authentication-priority. EU 2027-2029 DPP rollout creates demand pull for NTAG216 + NTAG 424 DNA dual-chip strategies.
- 2026 — Today: NTAG216 chip-family-anchor for high-memory NFC
Operating notes from nfc-business-card-printing, smart-packaging-product-data, healthcare-patient-info, multi-record-tourism-tag and electronics-pairing programmes converge on NTAG216 as the default high-memory NFC sticker — with NTAG213 (144 B) reserved for entry-tier URL and NTAG215 (504 B) reserved for Amiibo + mid-tier.
Useful next pages
Use these linked product, guide and comparison pages to keep the next click specific and practical.
Lower memory NFC stickers
Cost-optimised options if you do not need 888 bytes.
Secure NFC tags
If your application requires cryptographic authentication rather than just data storage.
Inlay components
For converters laminating NTAG216 into custom products.
Gaming and collectible applications
NTAG216 supports richer NDEF beyond Amiibo's NTAG215 540-byte structure for collectibles needing extended payload.
FAQ
How much of a full vCard can NTAG216 store?
NTAG216 provides 872 bytes of NDEF capacity (after the 16-byte NDEF capability header). A typical full vCard 3.0 with name, title, company, mobile, landline, email, physical address, website URL and LinkedIn URL occupies 350-500 bytes, leaving 370-520 bytes of headroom. Extended vCards with multiple phone numbers, multiple email addresses, a photo URL and a note field typically require 600-800 bytes, still within NTAG216's capacity.
What is the difference between NTAG216 and NTAG 424 DNA?
NTAG216 is a high-memory NFC data storage tag with basic 32-bit password protection. NTAG 424 DNA adds AES-128 cryptographic authentication, Secure Dynamic Messaging (SDM), and tamper-evident features — making it suitable for anti-counterfeiting, access control and authenticated data delivery. NTAG216 is appropriate when you need large memory but not cryptographic security; use NTAG 424 DNA when the tag must prove its authenticity.
Can NTAG216 be used for NFC business cards?
Yes, NTAG216 is the recommended chip for NFC business cards because it has sufficient memory for a complete vCard 3.0 / 4.0 (RFC 6350) without truncation. The sticker can be affixed to a printed paper or plastic business card, or used standalone as a thin NFC card. We offer full-colour printed NFC business cards with NTAG216 chips pre-encoded with your vCard data.
Does NTAG216 require any special reader hardware?
No. NTAG216 is NFC Forum Type 2 compliant and reads on any NFC-enabled smartphone including iPhone 7 and later (iOS 14+) and any Android phone with NFC. No app is required to read standard NDEF records. For specialised applications (password authentication, counter reading), a compatible NFC reader app or SDK is needed.
Is NTAG216 suitable for outdoor use?
The NTAG216 chip operates from −25 °C to +70 °C and is inherently weatherproof. The sticker's outdoor suitability depends on the face stock and adhesive: standard white PET is suitable for indoor use only. For outdoor applications, specify an epoxy dome overlay or UV-protective laminate, and an enhanced adhesive formulation for the target surface material.
Sources & references
Primary standards, OEM datasheets and regulatory documents cited by this article. All URLs were verified on the access date shown below.
- NXP NTAG213/215/216 — NFC Forum Type 2 Tag compliant IC with 144/504/888 bytes user memory (product page + NT2H1611G0DU data sheet)
Primary chip silicon datasheet — NTAG216 (NT2H1611G0DU) high-memory 888-byte user memory, capability container 0xE1 0x10 0x6D 0x00, 32-bit PWD_AUTH password, 7-byte UID, 24-bit counter.
- ISO/IEC 14443-3 — Identification cards — Contactless IC cards — Proximity cards — Part 3: Initialization and anticollision
RF transmission protocol stack — Type A initialization + anticollision.
- NFC Forum Type 2 Tag Operation Specification
T2T command set, memory model, NDEF mapping for NTAG21x family.
- NFC Forum NDEF Specification — structure for multi-record NDEF payloads
NDEF data-exchange format + URI / Text / Smart Poster RTDs + multi-record payload structure.
- IETF RFC 6350 — vCard 3.0/4.0 format specification (used for NFC business card NDEF records)
vCard 4.0 specification — full contact card with name + title + organisation + multiple phones + multiple emails + address + URL + photo URL + social handles + note. Typical 350-700 bytes for NTAG216 NDEF encoding.
- Wi-Fi Alliance — Wi-Fi Simple Configuration / Wi-Fi Protected Setup (NFC handover NDEF record)
Wi-Fi NFC handover NDEF record specification — SSID + password + security typical 50-200 bytes.
- Apple Developer — Core NFC framework (native tag reading, iPhone 7+ support)
iOS 11 introduced Core NFC for app-based tag reading; iOS 12 (2018) enabled background NDEF reading + multi-record dispatch on iPhone XS / XR.
- Android Developer — NFC basics, NDEF push and tag dispatch system
Android NFC API + NDEF tag dispatch — multi-record dispatch native on Android 10+; older versions (8.x / 9) parse only first record without custom app.
- Bluetooth SIG — NFC Out-of-Band Pairing (Bluetooth handover NDEF)
Bluetooth handover NDEF record specification — pair-on-tap workflow leveraging NTAG216 high-memory.
- GS1 Digital Link URI Standard 1.3
Web-resolvable identifier syntax — DPP transport layer; NTAG216 used as DPP carrier for non-cryptographic categories where memory > authentication-priority.
Proud Tek is a Shenzhen-based RFID & NFC manufacturer supplying hotel chains, transit operators, event venues and retail brands worldwide. Every order includes free samples, RF testing and dedicated project support.
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