Present
Show a code—or tap a pass.
QR is optical and easy to print or display. NFC is contactless and harder to shoulder-surf. Both are just carriers for an ID.
What makes a ticket open a gate?
A code gets read. A reservation gets checked. Then something in the real world moves. Try each step and look inside.
Make it work.
- Identity
- Not read
- Permission
- Not checked
- Barrier
- Closed
The big ideaThe code carries an identity. Permission is what opens the gate.
Simplified simulation. No live hardware or services are connected.
Explore the original demoFree play
Validate
The gate does not trust the phone alone.
A backend checks entitlement: reservation, time window, already-used flags, permissions. The reader only starts the conversation.
Actuate
Software becomes a moving barrier.
On success, the controller opens arms, slides doors, or unlocks a turnstile—and can mark the ticket used so it cannot re-enter.
Decision guide
When gated entry earns its place.
Use QR/NFC validation when entitlement must be checked at a physical threshold—and a failed check should keep the barrier closed.
Good for
- Venues & eventsTimed tickets, once-per-entry, capacity control
- Membership doorsReusable NFC passes with revocation
- Mixed guest flowsQR for day tickets, NFC for season passes
- Audit trailsWho entered, when, and which gate
Weak fit
- Open plazasNo barrier means nothing to actuate
- Offline-only boothsWithout a check path, QR is just a sticker
- High-security vaultsNeed stronger identity than a printable code
- Hands-free crowdsPrefer presence tech if people cannot stop to scan
Pros
- Familiar UX—nearly everyone can show a QR
- NFC feels fast and premium for repeat visitors
- Cheap media: paper, wallet pass, plastic card
- Clear physical causality: valid → open
Cons
- QR can be screenshotted or shared if not bound carefully
- Needs reliable connectivity or a smart offline policy
- Reader placement and lighting affect QR success
- Still a stop-and-present moment in the flow
Against alternatives
ApproachBest whenVs QR / NFC gate
BLE presenceYou want hands-free zone entrySmoother motion, weaker proof of entitlement
Staff with listsLow volume, high judgmentFlexible, slow, hard to audit at scale
Magnetic / barcode legacyExisting installed readersFamiliar ops, poorer phone-native UX
BiometricsHigh assurance identity at the doorStronger binding, heavier privacy & cost
Open invitationNo capacity or entitlement constraintZero friction, zero control
Rule of thumb: pick QR/NFC gates when a physical barrier should only move after a trusted entitlement check—and guests can pause for a second to prove it.