If you meet people to do business, start with LifeLong Network: scan the card, keep the conversation behind it, and turn more of those meetings into closed deals. For other jobs there are strong picks too. For the cheapest unlimited scanning, CamCard Premium. For a free plan plus a digital card of your own, HiHello or Blinq. For a scanner built for events and badges, Covve. For scanning inside a team CRM, Folk.
Transparency: this list is maintained by LifeLong Network. We have tried to represent each tool fairly, including what each one does best. Prices are from each vendor’s own site or app store listing, as of October 13, 2026.
At a glance
| App | Best for | Free scans | Price (as of October 2026) |
|---|---|---|---|
| LifeLong Network | Keeping the card and the conversation | Free plan, 25 people | Basic $59.99 a year at the early-bird price |
| CamCard | Unlimited scanning at a low price | Limited (cap not stated) | Premium $49.99 a year in the App Store |
| HiHello | A free plan with your own digital card | 5 a month | Free; Professional $72 a year |
| Blinq | Your own digital card plus a contact scanner | See note below | Free; Premium $7.33 a month billed yearly |
| Covve | Events, with badge scanning on Pro | No free plan | Essential $119 a year, Pro $199 a year |
| Folk | Scanning into a team CRM | 2-week trial | Standard $24 a month per member billed yearly |
The apps, ranked by use case
1. LifeLong Network: best for keeping the card and the conversation
LifeLong Network is built for people who meet a lot of people for work. You can scan a business card into a capture, but the point is what comes next: say a few seconds about the person, and LifeLong turns it into a profile with what they care about, where you met and what you promised, then tells you who to follow up with. Built this way on purpose: it scans business cards and leaves badge scanning and digital cards of your own to dedicated apps, so every capture stays focused on the person. Price: a free plan for up to 25 people; Basic is $59.99 a year at the early-bird price, and a 30-day Pro trial needs no credit card. Pricing
2. CamCard: best for low-cost unlimited scanning
CamCard, from INTSIG, is a long-running card scanner and digital card app for iOS and Android. It recognises cards with AI, keeps contacts with notes and tags, exports to Excel or VCF, and syncs to CRMs such as Salesforce on Premium. Limitation: the free tier limits how many cards you can scan, and the listing does not say how many. Price: Premium is $49.99 a year in the US App Store, with a separate, much more expensive CamCard Business product for teams.
3. HiHello: best free plan with your own digital card
HiHello lets you create digital business cards and scan the paper cards and event badges you receive. The free Personal plan includes four digital cards and five card or badge scans a month. Limitation: five scans a month is not enough for a conference week, and unlimited scanning is an add-on on the paid plan. Price: Personal is free; Professional is $6 a month or $72 a year and includes 20 scans a month.
4. Blinq: best for a digital card and a contact scanner together
Blinq is a digital business card app with Apple and Google Wallet passes, a universal contact scanner for cards, badges and QR codes, and integrations with more than 20 CRMs. Limitation: its pricing page lists the scanner under Premium in one place and under every plan in another, so check which plan you need before you rely on it. Price: free plan; Premium is $9.99 a month, or $7.33 a month billed annually.
5. Covve: best for events and badge scanning
Covve is a card scanner and contact app for iOS and Android. Essential scans unlimited business cards; Pro adds event badge scanning, custom fields with CRM mapping and analytics. Limitation: it has no free plan, and it is built to capture contact details, not to remember what you talked about. Price: Essential $119 a year, Pro $199 a year, with a free trial. LifeLong Network vs Covve
6. Folk: best for scanning into a team CRM
Folk is a relationship CRM for small teams. Its iOS and Android apps scan business cards with AI, and since version 1.1.2 on iOS you can scan a card from any photo in your library. It also takes voice notes. Limitation: it is priced per seat and has no free plan, so it is more than you need if you only want a scanner. Price: Standard is $24 a month per member billed yearly, or $30 monthly, after a two-week trial with no card required. LifeLong Network vs Folk
How to choose
- You meet people to do business and want more of those meetings to turn into deals: LifeLong Network.
- You want the cheapest unlimited scanning: CamCard.
- You want a free plan and a digital card of your own: HiHello or Blinq.
- You collect badges at events: Covve Pro.
- Your team already needs a shared CRM: Folk.
LifeLong Network covers both jobs for most people: the card details and the conversation behind them. How to remember the people you meet
FAQ
What is the best business card scanner app?
If you meet people to do business, LifeLong Network keeps the card details and the conversation together. For other needs, CamCard is the lowest-cost unlimited scanner, HiHello has a usable free plan, and Covve is strong for event badges.
Is there a free business card scanner app?
Yes. LifeLong Network has a free plan and a 30-day Pro trial with no credit card. HiHello’s free plan includes five scans a month, Blinq has a free plan, and CamCard has a free tier with a scan limit.
Is a business card scanner the same as a CRM?
No. A scanner turns a card into a contact. A CRM or relationship app keeps the history, reminders and follow-ups. Some apps, such as Folk, do both.
How do I remember who I met after scanning their card?
Capture one detail and where you met right after the conversation, before you scan or file the card. LifeLong Network records it by voice in a few seconds.