How to Make a Google Review Card (Free)
A Google review card is a small printed card, usually the size of a business card, that sends a customer straight to your Google review box. It needs four things: your business name, one plain instruction, a QR code that opens your review form, and a short typed web address as a backup. Make one for free in about twenty minutes, print it at home or at a copy shop, and hand it over at the moment a customer is happiest.
Most pages that rank for this phrase are selling cards, many with tap-to-open chips inside. You do not need to buy anything to get a card that works. What matters is the link behind the code, the wording on the front, and who gets handed one. This guide covers all three, plus sizes, print settings, placement by trade, and the rules that stop a helpful card turning into a policy problem. If you do not yet have a working review link, read how to find and fix your Google review link first, because the card is only as good as the link on it.
What a Google review card is for
The card solves one problem. Customers say "sure, I'll leave you a review" and then forget, because finding a business on Google Maps, tapping the right button and signing in takes more effort than they have on a busy day. A card removes the searching. They scan, the review box opens with your business already chosen, and they type.
It also helps you. Asking out loud is awkward for many owners and staff. Handing over a card turns the ask into an action everybody can repeat the same way, which is the real reason cards raise review counts: they make it easy to ask every customer instead of only the ones you feel confident about. The wording for the spoken part is in how to ask customers for a Google review.
The four things every card needs
- Your business name. Use the same name that shows on Google, so the customer is sure they are about to review the right place. A logo is a bonus, not a need.
- One instruction. "Scan to leave us a Google review" is enough. Cards that carry three sentences, a slogan and a stars graphic get fewer scans, because the action gets lost.
- A QR code that opens your review form. Not your website, not your Maps listing. The code should open the box where they pick the stars.
- A typed backup. Some customers cannot or will not scan. Print a short link under the code, such as a short URL you control that forwards to your review form, so they can type it or you can read it out.
Everything else is optional. Two lines worth adding if there is space: "It takes about a minute" (it is true, and it lowers the effort in the customer's mind) and "Thank you" (people reviewing a business they like respond to being thanked).
Step 1: get the link the card will open
There are three ways to get a review link, and they are covered in detail on the review link page. In short:
- From your Business Profile. If you manage your profile, search for your business name on Google while signed in to the account that manages it, and look for the option to ask for reviews or share a review form. Google shows a link there and, on a computer, a way to get a printable QR code. The exact buttons and their names move around from time to time, so look for the words "review" and "share".
- From your Place ID. Every place on Google Maps has an ID. Google's Place ID Finder lets anyone look one up by name. A review link built from it follows the pattern
https://search.google.com/local/writereview?placeid=YOUR_PLACE_ID. Any Google account can look up the ID, so this works even if you do not manage the profile. - From Maps. Open your listing, tap "Write a review", and copy the address from the browser on a computer. It can be long and may stop working if it carries session details, so treat this as a last resort.
Open the link on your own phone, signed out of your owner account if you can, and check that the review box shows the right business name. If it says "not found" or opens a blank page, fix the link before printing anything. See the review link guide for the common causes.
Step 2: make the QR code
A QR code is just your link drawn as a square. Make it with Google's own code if your profile offers one, or with any free generator. Whichever you use, apply these rules:
- Use a static code. Static codes hold the link itself, so they work forever and cannot be switched off if a generator company closes or starts charging. Many free generators push "dynamic" codes that route through their server and stop working when a trial ends. If you have printed 500 cards and the code dies, you start again.
- Download it as a PNG at high resolution, or as an SVG. A small screenshot goes soft when printed and scans badly.
- Keep the quiet zone. Leave a clear white margin around the square, about the width of four little squares. A code that touches the card edge or a coloured background fails often.
- Dark on light. Black on white is the safest. Pale colours or a logo in the middle lower the odds of a scan.
- Test it three ways. Scan with an iPhone, scan with an Android, and scan the printed copy, not the screen. Do this before you print the full batch.
Step 3: design the card
A simple layout beats a clever one. This works for most small businesses:
| Side | What goes on it |
|---|---|
| Front | Business name or logo, a short thank-you line, "Scan to leave us a Google review" |
| Back | Large QR code, the typed backup link beneath it, an optional line such as "It takes about a minute" |
One-sided cards also work. Put the name and line above the code and the typed link below it. Use plain, large type: if someone older or in poor light cannot read the instruction, the card fails.
Wording that works
- "Thank you for choosing us. Scan to share your experience on Google."
- "Happy with your visit? A quick Google review helps others find us."
- "Your feedback helps our small team. Scan to review us on Google."
Wording to avoid
- Anything about a reward. No "get 10% off when you review", no "enter our draw". Google prohibits offering something in exchange for reviews. The rules are in can you offer incentives for Google reviews.
- "Leave us 5 stars." It reads as pressure, and asking only for high ratings clashes with Google's rule against selectively soliciting positive reviews. Ask for an honest review.
- Star graphics with five filled stars. They suggest the answer you want. Leave them out.
Sizes and printing
| Option | Size | Good for |
|---|---|---|
| Business-card size | 3.5 x 2 inches (US) | Handing over, slipping in a bag, tucking in an invoice |
| Postcard | 4 x 6 inches | Leaving on a counter or table, mailing a thank-you |
| Table tent or sign | A5 or letter, folded | Restaurants, salons, waiting rooms |
| Sticker | 2 to 3 inch square | Receipts, packaging, a van |
For a first batch, print 100 business-size cards at a copy shop on matte card stock, or on a home printer using a sheet of ten per page. Matte is better than gloss, because glare makes a QR code hard to scan under shop lights. Keep the code at least 0.8 inch (2 cm) wide on a small card, and larger on a sign: a scanner needs about one inch of code for every ten inches of distance.
The free card maker tools some owners use let you download a print-ready PDF without an account. Whatever tool you use, keep your source file so reprinting takes a minute.
Where to give out cards, by trade
- Restaurants and cafés: in the bill folder or with the receipt, never before the meal is finished.
- Salons and barbers: at the mirror after the cut, while the customer is looking at the result.
- Plumbers, electricians and other home services: in the hand at the end of the job, once it is working, plus a copy left with the invoice.
- Dentists and clinics: at the front desk after the visit. Be careful not to mix reviews with health details; reviews are public.
- Shops: in the bag, and at the till.
- Mobile and delivery businesses: on the invoice, the receipt, or a sticker on the packaging.
The best moment is the one right after the customer has seen the result and said something nice. If they say it out loud, say "Thanks, would you mind putting that in a Google review? Here is a card."
Give a card to every customer
This is the part owners skip. It feels sensible to give cards only to customers who looked pleased, but Google's policy does not allow selectively soliciting positive reviews from customers. Give the card to every customer you serve, whatever their mood. Most will not post, a few will post something honest, and the result is a normal spread of ratings, which also looks more trustworthy than a wall of perfect scores. If a customer is unhappy, listen first and fix the problem, and let them decide whether to review.
What if I do not manage the profile?
If a manager, agency or former employee holds the profile, you can still make a card. Look up the Place ID, build the review link, and test it. You will not get Google's own short link or QR code, but the link and code you make open the same review box. The full steps are in how to get Google reviews without a business account. Separately, claim your business so you can reply to the reviews that arrive; see how to claim your business on Google.
Track whether the cards work
Count the cards you hand out and count new reviews each week. A rough read: if you give out 40 cards a month and get 4 reviews, your rate is about one in ten. If the rate is far lower, check the link and the QR code again, then look at when and how cards are handed over. Never keep score by who reviewed; look only at totals. For a longer plan, see how to get more Google reviews.
Want the code itself? See Google review QR code generator.
Frequently asked questions
How do I make a Google review card for free?
Get your review link, turn it into a static QR code with a free generator, put your business name and a one-line instruction on a small template, and print it. Test the printed code on two phones first.
What size should a Google review card be?
Business-card size (3.5 x 2 inches) suits handing over. Use a postcard or sign for counters and tables, with a larger code.
Do NFC tap cards work better than QR cards?
Tap cards open the link when a phone touches them, which some customers like. They cost more per card, and not every phone setting allows a tap, so print a QR code on the same card as a backup.
Can I offer something in return for a review on the card?
No. Google prohibits offering incentives for reviews, positive or negative. A card should ask and say thank you, nothing more.
Why does my QR code say the page cannot be found?
The link behind it is wrong or expired. Open the link in a browser first. If it fails, rebuild it from your Place ID or from your profile and make the code again.
Where should I put my review card on a table or counter?
In a small stand at eye level next to the till or the bill, where people already pause with their phone in their hand.
What to do next
Get the link right, test it on two phones, print ten cards, and hand one to every customer this week. If you want a link, a printable QR sign and ready-written replies without building any of it yourself, check how your Google reviews compare with your nearest rivals and we will give you those, free. More guides are on the guides page.
Sources
- Read and reply to reviews, Google Business Profile Help, read Nov 6, 2026.
- Prohibited and restricted content: fake engagement, Google Maps contributor policy, read Nov 6, 2026.
- Place IDs, Google Maps Platform documentation, read Nov 6, 2026.
- What should a Google review card say?, Shiftflow, read Nov 6, 2026 (as listed in search).
- Google review card maker, Elfsight, read Nov 6, 2026 (as listed in search).