Blank Magnetic Stripe Cards Explained: HiCo vs LoCo Options

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Magnetic stripe cards are one of those technologies that quietly run enormous portions of modern business - hotel check-ins, gym access, loyalty programs, employee time tracking - yet most buyers know surprisingly little about what separates a card that works flawlessly from one that fails at the worst possible moment. That difference often comes down to a single technical specification: HiCo versus LoCo encoding. Get it wrong and your readers malfunction, your customers get frustrated, and your card program stumbles before it gains momentum.

Plastic Card ID has spent over 25 years helping more than 100,000 businesses across the United States build card programs that actually perform. With more than 50 million cards sold, the team at CPE has seen every application, every reader type, and every encoding mismatch imaginable. This page exists to make sure you never have to learn the hard way.

Whether you are launching a loyalty program for a regional grocery chain, managing hotel key cards across multiple properties, or setting up an employee time-and-attendance system, the information below will arm you with the precise knowledge to order the right card the first time.

Feature HiCo (High Coercivity) LoCo (Low Coercivity)
Coercivity Rating 2750 Oersteds 300 Oersteds
Durability Very High - resists demagnetization Moderate - easier to erase or alter
Common Applications Employee ID, loyalty, membership Hotel key cards, event passes
Magnetic Stripe Color Black stripe Brown or dark brown stripe
Rewritable Option No (standard) Yes (with compatible printers)
Typical Cost Slightly higher per card Slightly lower per card
Ideal Order Volume 50 to tens of thousands 50 to tens of thousands

A blank magnetic stripe card looks simple on the surface - a standard CR80 PVC card measuring 3.375 x 2.125 inches, 30 mil thick, conforming to ISO 7810. Flip it over and you will find a strip of iron-based magnetic particles bonded to the card's surface. That strip stores data. The way those particles are aligned and how strongly they resist change is what coercivity measures. And coercivity is everything when choosing between HiCo and LoCo.

Think of coercivity as the stubbornness of the stripe. A highly coercive stripe needs a powerful magnetic field to write data onto it - and equally powerful interference to accidentally erase that data. A low coercivity stripe writes and erases more easily, which has genuine advantages in certain use cases but leaves the data more vulnerable to everyday magnetic exposure. Understanding this distinction is not just academic; it directly affects whether your card program runs smoothly or generates constant complaints.

Most magnetic stripe cards contain up to three tracks of data, each with its own encoding standards. Track 1 holds alphanumeric data and can store up to 79 characters. Track 2, the most widely used, stores up to 40 numeric characters and is the track most readers are configured to read. Track 3 is less commonly used but supports read-write operations in specific systems.

For most business applications - loyalty programs, membership cards, employee IDs - Track 2 is sufficient. More complex systems that require full name storage or additional alphanumeric identifiers will leverage Track 1 as well. CPE can supply blank cards that support single-track or multi-track encoding depending on your reader hardware and software configuration.

CR80 is not arbitrary jargon. It is the international standard that guarantees your card will fit every standard card reader, wallet slot, and card printer on the market. ISO 7810 compliance is non-negotiable for any serious card program, and every blank magnetic stripe card supplied by Plastic Card ID meets this standard precisely. The 30 mil thickness provides the rigidity needed for repeated swiping without warping over time.

Cards that deviate from CR80 specifications - even slightly - cause jams in card printers, failed swipes in readers, and a thoroughly unpleasant experience for both the cardholder and the staff member trying to process a transaction. Precision in manufacturing matters more than most buyers initially appreciate.

Blank magnetic stripe cards ship with an unencoded stripe. This is intentional. Organizations that manage their card programs in-house use a compatible card printer - from brands like Evolis, Zebra, or Fargo - to encode each card with unique data at the point of issuance. This approach gives you total control: you define what data goes on which card, when, and for which cardholder.

Pre-encoded cards, by contrast, arrive with data already written to the stripe and are typically used for fixed-value gift cards or access tokens where the encoding is standardized. For most dynamic, growing card programs, blank cards with in-house encoding deliver the greatest flexibility and the lowest cost per card over time.

High coercivity cards carry a coercivity rating of approximately 2750 Oersteds. That number represents the strength of magnetic field required to alter the stripe's data. At that threshold, everyday magnetic exposure - the kind you encounter from phone cases, speaker magnets, magnetic closures on bags, or even other cards rubbing together in a wallet - simply will not erase or corrupt your data. The stripe holds. Every time.

HiCo cards are the professional standard for any card program where durability and data integrity are non-negotiable. If your cardholders are swiping their cards daily at a point-of-sale terminal, a gym turnstile, or a time clock, HiCo is not just recommended - it is the obvious choice. The slightly higher per-card cost is recovered almost immediately in reduced card replacements and fewer reader errors.

Loyalty programs represent one of the clearest arguments for HiCo cards. A loyalty card lives in a wallet for months or years, getting swiped hundreds of times over its lifespan. If the stripe degrades midway through a customer's reward accumulation, you have a frustrated customer and a potential loss of goodwill that no amount of customer service repairs easily. HiCo cards eliminate that risk entirely.

  • Employee ID and time-and-attendance cards - swiped multiple times daily in environments with variable magnetic exposure
  • Retail loyalty and rewards cards - must survive wallet life alongside credit cards and phone cases
  • Membership cards for gyms, clubs, libraries, and professional associations
  • Student ID cards at universities and schools with access control integration
  • Gift cards for retailers seeking the durability advantage over paper alternatives
  • Healthcare ID cards where patient data integrity is critical
  • Casino player cards that face high-frequency use in demanding environments

Retailers who make the switch from paper punch cards or paper gift cards to plastic HiCo magnetic stripe cards consistently report sales increases of 35-50%. That is not a coincidence. Plastic cards drive engagement, signal value, and get kept rather than discarded. A card in a wallet is a constant brand impression, and a HiCo card stays in that wallet reliably.

Writing data to a HiCo stripe requires a card printer equipped with a HiCo-capable magnetic stripe encoder. Not all printers handle both HiCo and LoCo encoding, so confirming compatibility before purchasing blank cards is essential. Evolis, Zebra, and Fargo all offer printer models with HiCo magnetic stripe encoding capability, and CPE carries the full lineup of printer ribbons and cleaning kits needed to keep those printers running at peak performance.

Contact 800.835.7919 to confirm which printer model matches your planned card type. The team at Plastic Card ID can walk you through encoder specifications, ribbon compatibility, and volume recommendations so your setup is correct from day one rather than discovered to be wrong after your first print run.

One of the persistent myths about magnetic stripe cards is that they only make sense at high volumes. That is simply not accurate. Plastic Card ID serves clients running programs as small as 50 cards per month and as large as tens of thousands. HiCo blank cards scale to your actual needs, and the per-card cost decreases meaningfully as volume increases, giving growing organizations a natural pricing benefit as their programs expand.

Starting small is not a penalty. It is a smart way to validate your card program, refine your encoding setup, test your reader integration, and train your staff before committing to a large inventory. CPE makes that entry point accessible and then grows alongside you.

Low coercivity cards operate at approximately 300 Oersteds - a fraction of HiCo's threshold. That lower resistance to magnetic change is not a defect. For specific applications, it is an engineered advantage. The most recognizable example? Hotel key cards. Hotel properties encode LoCo cards with room access permissions at check-in, overwrite them with new permissions for the next guest at checkout, and repeat that cycle hundreds of times before a card is retired. LoCo makes that rewrite cycle economical and technically straightforward.

The ease of encoding LoCo cards also typically translates to a lower per-card cost compared to HiCo alternatives. For short-duration applications where the card will be discarded, reprogrammed, or collected at the end of an event, LoCo's combination of rewritability and lower cost is a genuinely compelling choice rather than a compromise.

Event access is a natural fit for LoCo magnetic stripe cards. Conference organizers, trade show managers, and concert promoters who need to issue hundreds of access cards for a single-day or weekend event benefit from LoCo's lower cost and, in some systems, the ability to repurpose cards across multiple events when paired with rewrite-capable printers. The data doesn't need to survive for years. It needs to work reliably for the event's duration. LoCo handles that without issue.

Hotel and short-term hospitality applications remain the classic LoCo domain. A hotel key card encodes quickly at the front desk, grants access to the assigned room for the duration of the stay, and is collected or discarded at checkout. The entire lifecycle is measured in days, not years. Investing in HiCo durability for that application is unnecessary spending. LoCo is simply the right tool.

Standard LoCo cards are writable with lower-powered encoders and can be overwritten with new data using compatible card printers. This makes them suitable for systems that reuse physical card stock by encoding fresh data for each new application or user. Rewritable LoCo cards dramatically reduce card stock costs for high-turnover programs like hotel properties, rental equipment tracking, and temporary access management.

The important caveat is environmental sensitivity. LoCo cards should not be stored near strong magnets, placed alongside credit cards or other magnetically encoded cards in wallets for extended periods, or subjected to magnetic fields common in some industrial environments. For the short-duration applications where LoCo shines, these limitations rarely matter in practice.

Most standard magnetic stripe readers can read both HiCo and LoCo cards without modification. However, some older or lower-cost readers may struggle with LoCo's lower signal output. Before deploying a LoCo card program, testing your specific reader model with a sample batch is a straightforward step that prevents headaches at scale. CPE can provide sample cards to support your evaluation process.

Reader compatibility is one area where the guidance of an experienced supplier matters enormously. The Plastic Card ID team has matched thousands of clients with the right card type for their specific reader infrastructure. A five-minute conversation can prevent a costly mismatch.

The decision matrix is actually simpler than it might appear after reading the technical details above. Duration of use is the primary factor. If cardholders will carry and use these cards for more than a month, HiCo is almost certainly the right answer. If the card's useful life is measured in days or weeks, and especially if the card will be reprogrammed or collected after use, LoCo deserves serious consideration.

Secondary considerations include your reader infrastructure, your encoding hardware, and your total volume. Most businesses running loyalty, membership, or employee ID programs should default to HiCo. Most hotel, event, and short-term access programs should evaluate LoCo carefully and may find it the better operational fit. When in genuine doubt, HiCo's durability advantage makes it the safer default.

  • Identify your card program's purpose: loyalty, membership, access, event, ID, gift card, or other
  • Determine the expected lifespan of each card in the field
  • Confirm your reader's coercivity compatibility - HiCo, LoCo, or both
  • Verify your card printer's encoder type matches the card coercivity you plan to order
  • Estimate your monthly volume to identify the correct pricing tier
  • Decide whether you need single-track or multi-track encoding capability
  • Consider whether rewritability is a feature you need or an unnecessary complexity

Working through this checklist before placing your first order is the difference between a card program that launches confidently and one that requires troubleshooting and reordering within the first few weeks. Plastic Card ID makes this evaluation process simple - reach out to the team before you commit to a card type if any of these questions leave you uncertain.

Magnetic stripe technology is mature, reliable, and cost-effective for a wide range of applications. But some programs benefit from layering additional technologies onto the same card. RFID smart cards - including proximity access cards and contactless options like MIFARE DESFire - add a second data layer that supports access control, contactless loyalty scanning, or secure credential management without eliminating the magnetic stripe reader compatibility your existing infrastructure expects.

CPE also offers smart chip cards, clear and frosted card stock, custom die-cut shapes, and premium metal card options in stainless steel, brass, and gold for organizations seeking a luxury credential that makes an unmistakable first impression. Your card program does not have to fit into a single category - it can evolve as your needs evolve, and Plastic Card ID carries the full range of products to support that evolution.

A card program is more than the cards themselves. Printer ribbons designed for your specific printer model ensure consistent print quality and prevent damage to the print head. Cleaning kits extend printer life and maintain encoding accuracy. Card carriers and protective sleeves reduce physical wear on cards in the field. Card affixing and mailing services from Plastic Card ID mean your cards can ship directly to cardholders without requiring in-house fulfillment infrastructure.

These value-added services transform CPE from a card supplier into a genuine operational partner. You source the card stock, the printers, the ribbons, the cleaning supplies, and the fulfillment support from one relationship - which simplifies procurement, reduces vendor management complexity, and ensures compatibility across every component of your card program.

Numbers tell part of the story: 25-plus years in business, more than 100,000 customers served across every state in the continental United States, and over 50 million cards shipped without the kind of quality failures that drive buyers to keep changing suppliers. But numbers do not capture the institutional knowledge that comes from working through every unusual application, every reader compatibility puzzle, and every encoding challenge that busy organizations encounter across decades of operation.

The real differentiator is the relationship model. Plastic Card ID does not simply take card orders and process them. The team engages with buyers to understand the program, confirm the technical specifications match the application, and provide guidance that prevents the kinds of ordering mistakes that cost organizations time, money, and credibility with their cardholders. That is not standard practice in commodity card supply. It is a deliberate choice that creates long-term client relationships rather than one-time transactions.

Serving Every Scale of Card Program

A regional restaurant group launching its first loyalty card program with an initial run of 500 cards gets the same quality product and attentive service as a national retailer ordering 50,000 cards per month. Volume determines pricing tiers, but it does not determine the quality of service or the quality of the cards. Every order, regardless of size, ships with the same manufacturing precision and quality assurance standards.

This consistency matters enormously for growing organizations. Starting small with CPE means you have already established the supplier relationship, the product specifications, and the ordering workflow before your volume grows. Scaling up is a straightforward procurement adjustment rather than the disruption of finding and onboarding a new supplier at a moment when your program is experiencing growth pressure.

The Full Product Catalog at a Glance

Beyond blank HiCo and LoCo magnetic stripe cards, Plastic Card ID maintains a comprehensive catalog that addresses virtually every plastic card requirement a U.S.-based business might encounter. Blank PVC cards without magnetic stripes serve applications where visual ID is sufficient. RFID and proximity cards handle contactless access control. Smart chip cards support secure credential management and multi-factor authentication scenarios.

Specialty offerings extend to clear and frosted card stock for distinctive visual programs, custom die-cut card shapes for marketing and promotional applications, and luxury metal cards in stainless steel, brass, and gold for executive credentialing, exclusive membership programs, and premium brand experiences. Card printers from Evolis, Zebra, and Fargo round out the catalog, supported by a full line of compatible ribbons and maintenance supplies. It is genuinely a one-stop shop built around the specific needs of American businesses.

Contact the Team That Knows Cards

Questions about coercivity specifications, printer compatibility, encoding requirements, or the right card type for an unusual application are exactly what the Plastic Card ID team handles every day. Call 800.835.7919 to speak with a card specialist who can match your application to the right product without the back-and-forth of trial and error ordering.

The expertise on the other end of that call represents decades of collective experience across thousands of card programs. You do not have to become a magnetic stripe expert yourself - you just have to ask the right questions of the right people. CPE is ready to be that resource for your organization.

Ready to build a card program that performs reliably from day one? Contact Plastic Card ID today at 800.835.7919 - the team that has helped over 100,000 businesses get their plastic card programs right is ready to help yours.