What are Kitetags?

Kitetags are NFC tags made by Tagstand that come pre-encoded and ready to use. Each tag has a unique identity and connects to the Kitetags cloud platform at kitetags.com.

When someone holds their smartphone near a Kitetag, the phone reads the tag and opens the Kitetags platform. The platform looks up the tag, runs the action you configured, and sends a response back to the phone. The entire process takes about one second.

No phone app is required. Modern iPhones and Android devices read NFC tags natively. The person tapping your tag does not need to download or install anything.

Why use NFC tags instead of QR codes?

NFC tags and QR codes both connect the physical world to digital content. However, Kitetags offer several advantages:

  • No camera needed — The person just taps their phone. No need to open a camera app, aim, or wait for a scan.
  • More secure — NFC tags are harder to copy or tamper with than printed QR codes. Each Kitetag has a unique, factory-set identifier.
  • Dynamic data — You change what happens on tap through the Kitetags platform. The physical tag stays the same.
  • Works in any lighting — NFC does not depend on visibility, so it works in dark venues, on shiny surfaces, and through protective cases.

How the tap flow works

Here is what happens each time someone taps a Kitetag:

sequenceDiagram
    participant Phone as Smartphone
    participant Tag as NFC Kitetag
    participant Platform as Kitetags Platform
    participant App as App (URL Redirect, vCard, etc.)

    Phone->>Tag: Tap (NFC read)
    Tag-->>Phone: Tag URL with UID
    Phone->>Platform: Opens tag URL
    Platform->>App: Routes to configured App
    App-->>Phone: Delivers response (redirect, file, data)

Text summary: A smartphone taps the NFC Kitetag and reads its unique URL. The phone opens that URL, which hits the Kitetags platform. The platform identifies the tag, checks its configuration, and routes the request to the assigned App. The App delivers the response — such as a URL redirect, a vCard download, or a webhook call — back to the phone.

Key concepts you should know

The Kitetags platform is built around four core concepts. You will see these terms throughout the documentation.

Kitetag Groups

A Kitetag Group is a container for one or more Kitetags that share the same configuration. Every Kitetag belongs to exactly one group. When you change a group’s settings, every tag in that group updates instantly.

Learn more in the Kitetag Groups guide.

Kitetag Data Structures (KDS)

A Kitetag Data Structure (KDS) defines the fields of data attached to each tag in a group. Think of it as a form template. For example, a vCard KDS includes fields like name, email, and phone number.

Each group has one KDS. Each tag in the group gets its own values for those fields.

Learn more in the data structures guide.

Kitetag Interactions (KI)

A Kitetag Interaction (KI) defines what happens when someone taps a tag. It connects a tag’s data to an App and controls the response. You build interactions using the visual Interaction Builder in the dashboard.

Learn more in the interactions guide.

Apps

An App is the engine that produces the response a Tapper sees. Kitetags comes with built-in Apps like URL Redirect, vCard, Webhooks, and Zapier. Each App takes the tag’s data and turns it into an action.

Explore all available Apps in the Apps section.

What can you build with Kitetags?

Because you control the data and behavior from the platform, you can create no-code solutions for many use cases:

  • Digital business cards — Tap to share contact info as a downloadable vCard
  • Smart URL redirects — Tap to open any website, landing page, or form
  • Event check-in — Tap to trigger a Zapier workflow that logs attendance
  • Product information — Tap a tag on a product to see specs, manuals, or support pages
  • Asset tracking — Tap to send a webhook with location and timestamp data

Browse real-world examples in the use cases section.

Next steps

Ready to try it yourself? Follow the quickstart guide to claim your first Kitetag and set up a URL redirect in under five minutes.

If you want to understand the underlying technology first, read how NFC works.

Last updated 27 Mar 2026, 06:51 +0900 . history