Choose Smart Chip Card Or Magnetic Stripe Card?

   Plastic cards are ubiquitous in our daily life, such as bank cards, membership cards, gift cards, discount cards, bus cards, medical cards, access cards, parking cards, student cards, etc. These cards can read the information stored on the card through a specific card reader. For example, an ID card records identity information, a bank card contains account information, and a membership card contains information such as shopping and consumption. At present, the most widely used plastic cards on the market are smart chip cards and magnetic stripe cards.



   Smart Chip Card, also known as Smart  IC Card, refers to a plastic card that uses a chip as a transaction medium. Smart chip cards can be used in finance, transportation, communications, commerce, education, medical care, social insurance, tourism and entertainment and other industries to provide customers with richer value-added services. The magnetic stripe card generally refers to a plastic card with a black magnetic stripe on the back of the card. It uses a magnetic carrier to record characters and digital information for identification or other purposes.

   Some merchants purchase membership cards for the first time, but don't know whether to choose a smart chip card or a magnetic stripe card? The main differences between smart chip card and magnetic stripe card are as follows:

1. Different media
   A smart chip card is a plastic card with a chip as the medium, and a chip is encapsulated on the surface or inside of the card. Magnetic stripe card is a plastic card that uses magnetic carrier to record English and digital information to identify identity or other purposes.

   Smart chip cards are divided into smart chip cards, magnetic stripe and chip cards. Magnetic stripe and chip cards have one more chip than magnetic stripe cards.

2. Different methods of use
   Smart chip cards are divided into contact chip cards and non-contact chip cards. If you don't know the smart chip card types, you can click this article "What Are The Types Of Smart Card Chips". Contact chip card is to insert card to read and write information, contactless chip card is to read and write information inductively.

   The magnetic stripe card is to insert the side with the magnetic strip into the card slot of the reader device and swipe it lightly from the front to the back. At this time, the reader will read the card number information. After checking the card number, enter the amount and password. After confirmation, the reading and writing device prints out the small ticket and the card transaction is successful.

3. Different security and stability
   Compared with magnetic stripe cards, smart chip cards are more secure and difficult to be copied. The smart chip card has strong anti-attack ability, and the stability is higher than that of the magnetic stripe card, and there will be no demagnetization.

   The magnetic stripe card has low security performance and is easy to be stolen and swiped. If the magnetic stripe card is put together with electronic devices such as mobile phones, it is prone to degaussing after a long period of time, resulting in the card being scrapped.

4. Different data processing capabilities
   The smart chip card stores information through the integrated circuit in the card, and has strong data processing capabilities. It has better confidentiality and larger storage capacity, the storage capacity is 160 times that of the magnetic stripe card, and can achieve more functions.

   The magnetic stripe card records information through the magnetic recording medium on the surface of the card, and its data processing capability is relatively weak and the capacity is relatively small.

5. Big price difference
   Smart chip cards are much more expensive than magnetic stripe cards because of its high performance and high security. In terms of cost performance, smart chip cards are slightly better. Regardless of cost, smart chip cards are definitely better than magnetic stripe cards.

   If you are a merchant such as a high-level club, a large amount of funds should be saved in the membership card, and it is recommended to choose a smart chip card for security considerations. Although smart chip cards are expensive, they are safe. If you are an ordinary club, supermarket, or restaurant, just to identify the membership information, a magnetic stripe card will do.

   In summary, it is recommended to determine according to your specific needs, such as the functions to be realized by the membership card, the membership management system and the cost of the membership card, security, etc. If you already have a card reader, choose a smart chip card or magnetic stripe card that matches the card reader first. If not, it is recommended that you choose a smart chip card. Because magnetic stripe cards are currently interfered by magnetic fields and have poor security, they will gradually be replaced by smart chip cards in the future.