What Is a HiCo Magnetic Stripe Card? Key Facts

What Is a HiCo Magnetic Stripe Card? Everything You Need to Know - Chicago Pipe Essentials

Swipe. Click. Done. That satisfying moment when a card reader accepts your card without hesitation - that's HiCo technology quietly doing its job. But what exactly is a HiCo magnetic stripe card, and why does it matter which type of magnetic stripe your organization chooses? Whether you're building an employee badge program, launching a loyalty campaign, or managing access control across multiple facilities, the answer to that question has real consequences.

Most people have held a HiCo card without ever knowing it. The credit cards in your wallet, hotel key cards, and transit passes are almost universally HiCo. The "Hi" stands for high-coercivity - a measure of how much magnetic force is required to alter the data encoded on the stripe. That single technical distinction separates cards that degrade easily from cards that survive daily real-world punishment.

Feature	HiCo Magnetic Stripe	LoCo Magnetic Stripe
Coercivity Rating	2750 Oersted	300 Oersted
Resistance to Demagnetization	Very High	Low to Moderate
Best For	Long-term, frequent use	Short-term, limited use
Typical Applications	Employee ID, loyalty, access	Gift cards, event passes
Card Appearance (stripe color)	Dark brown/black	Brown

Understanding Magnetic Stripe Technology in Plain Language

Magnetic stripe cards work by storing data in tiny magnetized iron-based particles embedded in a stripe - typically located on the back of the card. When a reader swipes or dips the card, it detects the magnetic field changes corresponding to encoded data. Simple in concept, remarkably powerful in practice. The technology has been around for decades yet remains one of the most widely deployed card technologies on earth.

What separates one stripe from another is coercivity - the resistance of the magnetic material to becoming demagnetized. Higher coercivity means higher data durability. A HiCo stripe at 2750 Oersted will not lose its encoded data from casual exposure to everyday magnetic fields, the kind generated by smartphones, bag clasps, or other cards in a wallet. That resilience is exactly what organizations need when issuing cards that must perform reliably over months or years.

Tracks, Encoding, and What Gets Stored

Magnetic stripe cards are typically organized into three tracks - Track 1, Track 2, and Track 3. Each track has its own encoding format and capacity. Track 1 holds up to 79 alphanumeric characters. Track 2 holds up to 40 numeric characters and is used most commonly for financial and access applications. Track 3 is used far less frequently in modern applications.

The data encoded on a card can be anything your software system recognizes - an employee ID number, a loyalty account number, an access credential, a gift card balance reference. The card itself holds the identifier; your back-end system does the heavy lifting. This makes magnetic stripe cards incredibly flexible for organizations that already have card management software or point-of-sale infrastructure in place.

Why Coercivity Is a Critical Specification

Organizations sometimes underestimate this spec and pay for it later. Issuing LoCo cards in an environment where they'll be carried alongside smartphones, stored in magnetic clasps, or swiped dozens of times per month results in cards that fail prematurely. Each failure means a frustrated user, a reprint, and a support call. Choosing the wrong coercivity is a false economy.

HiCo cards cost marginally more than LoCo, but the gap is small enough that most organizations default to HiCo whenever cards will see regular long-term use. It's the kind of decision that looks obvious in retrospect - spending a few cents more per card upfront to avoid operational headaches down the line is almost always the right call.

How HiCo Stripes Are Encoded

Encoding a HiCo stripe requires a card printer equipped with a magnetic encoding module. During the printing process, the encoder writes data to the stripe using a magnetic write head. The process is automated, fast, and can be integrated into batch printing workflows. Most modern ID card printers from manufacturers like Evolis, Zebra, and Fargo support HiCo encoding modules.

Some organizations choose to purchase blank HiCo cards and encode them in-house using their own printer. Others prefer to order cards pre-encoded with sequential or specific numbering from their supplier. Both approaches are valid - the right choice depends on your volume, your software capabilities, and how frequently your card data changes. CPE can help you think through which approach fits your program best.

HiCo vs. LoCo: Choosing the Right Stripe for Your Program

The debate between HiCo and LoCo is less a debate and more a matter of matching the technology to the use case. Both are legitimate options. Neither is inherently superior in all contexts. What matters is understanding where each performs well - and where each falls short.

LoCo cards are a practical choice for short-lived applications. A single-event ticket, a gift card that will be used once and discarded, a temporary visitor badge - these are scenarios where LoCo's lower durability isn't a liability because the card isn't meant to survive beyond a few uses. When the card's lifespan is measured in days rather than months, LoCo often makes economic sense.

Use Cases That Demand HiCo

Employee ID cards are the quintessential HiCo application. A badge carried daily, swiped at doors, clipped to a lanyard, and tucked into a wallet alongside other cards must maintain data integrity through thousands of interactions. The same is true for loyalty program cards issued to customers who will carry them for years. Access control cards for secure facilities must not fail at inconvenient - or dangerous - moments.

Hotels present an interesting exception. Many hotel key cards are actually LoCo because their lifespan is measured in days or weeks, and hotel key systems are calibrated for LoCo encoding. This is one of the few high-volume, high-churn applications where LoCo is deliberately the right choice. Outside of hospitality keycards and short-term event passes, HiCo is the safer default for most serious card programs.

Situations Where LoCo Still Wins

Beyond hotel keys, LoCo cards work well for promotional campaigns where cards are distributed in high volumes and used briefly. A grand opening gift card promotion, a temporary membership drive, or a one-time conference registration scenario all fit the LoCo profile. The economics favor LoCo in these cases because you're printing thousands of cards that won't be kept long.

Some POS systems and older card readers are also calibrated specifically for LoCo, particularly in certain retail and amusement industries. Before selecting your stripe type, it's worth confirming what your readers are configured to handle. Most modern readers can accommodate both HiCo and LoCo without reconfiguration, but legacy systems vary.

Can You Mix HiCo and LoCo in the Same Program?

Technically, yes - but it complicates operations. If your card readers and encoding software are configured for HiCo, introducing LoCo cards can cause inconsistent reads. The more practical approach is to standardize on one coercivity across your program. For most organizations issuing cards to employees or members for ongoing use, that means committing to HiCo across the board.

There are multi-program scenarios - say, a retailer issuing long-term loyalty cards (HiCo) while also running a short-term seasonal gift card promotion (LoCo) - where maintaining separate card stocks makes sense. In these cases, clear inventory management and staff training help avoid mix-ups at the printer. CPE stocks both HiCo and LoCo blank cards and can help you source the right quantities for each program track.

Applications and Industries That Rely on HiCo Magnetic Stripe Cards

The breadth of HiCo magnetic stripe card applications across American businesses is genuinely staggering. From the gym membership card in someone's back pocket to the employee badge scanning at a warehouse at 5 AM, HiCo stripes are working quietly and reliably in virtually every commercial sector. Understanding the range of applications helps clarify just how foundational this technology remains.

The physical card's staying power in a digital-first world is not accidental. Plastic loyalty cards that live in wallets generate dramatically higher redemption rates than digital-only alternatives. Membership cards that customers carry daily serve as constant brand impressions. The tactile reality of a physical card creates a commitment - psychological and practical - that an app notification simply cannot replicate.

Loyalty and Retail Programs

Retailers who switch from paper punch cards to plastic loyalty cards with magnetic stripes see engagement metrics improve substantially. The card becomes part of the customer's daily carry. Each time they pull out their wallet, your brand is present. Retailers switching from paper to plastic gift cards have seen sales increases of 35-50% - a figure that reflects the increased perceived value and usability of the plastic format.

Magnetic stripe loyalty cards also enable real data. Each swipe captures purchase history, frequency data, and redemption behavior that paper cards cannot. That data feeds personalization, targeted offers, and retention strategies. For mid-size retailers looking to compete with larger chains on customer experience, a well-run magnetic stripe loyalty program is one of the most cost-effective tools available.

Employee ID and Access Control

HiCo magnetic stripe employee badges serve double duty - identification and access. A single card carries both a printed photo ID and encoded access credentials, allowing the same swipe that identifies an employee to also unlock a door, log attendance, or activate a time clock. This integration reduces hardware requirements and simplifies administration significantly.

• Hospitals and healthcare facilities managing staff access across multiple secure zones
• Manufacturing plants tracking shift entry, exit, and department access
• Corporate campuses controlling building and floor-level access
• Schools and universities managing faculty and staff building credentials
• Warehouses integrating badge swipe with time and attendance software

In all of these contexts, card failure is not a minor inconvenience - it can disrupt operations. HiCo's resistance to demagnetization means fewer failed reads, fewer card replacements, and fewer support calls to HR or IT. The operational uptime improvement from choosing HiCo over LoCo in a high-use access control environment is measurable and meaningful.

Membership Organizations and Associations

Professional associations, fitness clubs, country clubs, alumni organizations - any entity that issues credentials to dues-paying members benefits from the legitimacy signals that a quality plastic card sends. A well-made plastic membership card communicates permanence and professionalism that paper alternatives simply cannot match. Members treat their plastic cards with more care and keep them longer, which extends your brand's presence in their daily life.

Magnetic stripe encoding on membership cards enables integration with check-in kiosks, POS systems at club facilities, and member management databases. A gym member swipes in at the front desk; the system logs their visit, checks their membership status, and updates their activity record - all in a fraction of a second. That seamless experience is only possible because a HiCo stripe is reliably readable swipe after swipe after swipe.

Selecting and Sourcing HiCo Magnetic Stripe Cards for Your Organization

Procurement decisions around magnetic stripe cards involve more variables than most buyers initially anticipate. Quantity, encoding requirements, card design, compatible printer hardware, and ongoing supply chain reliability all factor into what looks like a simple card order. Getting these decisions right from the start saves organizations significant time and money over the life of a card program.

Blank HiCo CR80 PVC cards - the standard ISO 7810 credit-card size at 30 mil thickness - are the starting point for most in-house card programs. These cards arrive ready to be printed and encoded using desktop card printers. The blank format gives organizations complete design control and allows cards to be produced on demand, which is especially valuable for programs issuing personalized cards with photos, names, or unique ID numbers.

What to Look for in a HiCo Card Supplier

Consistency is the word that experienced card program managers use most often when describing what they need from a card supplier. Card-to-card consistency in PVC thickness, stripe placement, and magnetic coercivity ensures predictable encoding and printing results. A supplier who ships product with inconsistent specifications creates downstream problems - cards that jam in printers, stripes that encode inconsistently, and higher defect rates.

• ISO 7810 CR80 compliance (3.375" x 2.125", 30 mil thickness)
• Verified 2750 Oersted coercivity for true HiCo performance
• Stripe placement consistency compatible with your encoder hardware
• Packaging that protects card surfaces from scratching during shipping and storage
• Scalable minimum order quantities for programs of any size

Supplier relationship quality matters too. Card programs evolve - quantities change, designs update, new card types get added. Working with a supplier who understands your program and can scale with you is a strategic advantage. That's fundamentally different from placing one-off orders with whoever has the lowest listed price on a given day.

Compatible Printers and Encoding Equipment

A HiCo magnetic stripe card is only as useful as the printer and encoder that works with it. Major desktop card printer brands - Evolis, Zebra, and Fargo - all offer models with optional or integrated HiCo encoding modules. Selecting a printer that is pre-configured for HiCo encoding eliminates a common compatibility issue where printers default to LoCo encoding unless specifically set otherwise.

For organizations new to in-house card production, printer selection and card stock selection should happen together. The right printer for a 100-card-per-month employee badge program looks different from the right printer for a 5,000-card-per-month loyalty card operation. Matching printer throughput to your program volume prevents both under-investment and over-spending on hardware. Calling 312-555-4821 connects you with specialists who can walk through the options for your specific situation.

Ordering Strategy for Different Program Sizes

Small organizations running programs of 50-500 cards per month typically benefit from keeping modest blank card inventory on hand - enough for 2-3 months of projected usage - to avoid stock-outs without tying up significant capital in inventory. Larger programs producing tens of thousands of cards monthly often negotiate volume pricing and maintain larger standing inventory or use scheduled delivery arrangements.

Pre-encoded cards - ordered with sequential numbering or specific data already encoded on the stripe - are a practical option for organizations that lack in-house encoding capability or want to streamline production. The trade-off is less flexibility for personalization and slightly longer lead times compared to printing and encoding blank cards in-house. Your program's specific requirements should drive this decision, not a one-size-fits-all recommendation.

Advanced Magnetic Stripe Card Options and Specialty Formats

Beyond the standard blank white CR80 HiCo card, the world of magnetic stripe cards includes a genuinely diverse range of formats and configurations. Organizations with specific branding, security, or functionality requirements have more options than most people realize - and exploring those options can lead to meaningfully better card programs.

Colored PVC card stock with magnetic stripes allows organizations to use card color as a visual identifier - different departments, membership tiers, or access levels indicated immediately by card color before the encoder is even involved. Clear and frosted PVC cards with magnetic stripes offer distinctive visual presentations for premium loyalty programs, VIP memberships, and upscale hospitality applications.

Combo Cards: Magnetic Stripe Plus RFID or Smart Chip

Dual-technology cards combine a HiCo magnetic stripe with an embedded RFID chip or smart chip on the same card. This configuration supports legacy systems that require magnetic stripe reading while simultaneously enabling contactless or chip-based access for modern infrastructure. Organizations managing access control across facilities of different ages - some with legacy readers, some with newer contactless systems - find combo cards particularly valuable.

MIFARE DESFire contactless smart cards represent the high end of access control technology, offering encrypted data storage and sophisticated authentication. Pairing this technology with a magnetic stripe on a single card gives organizations a future-proof credential that works across a broad range of reader infrastructure without requiring employees to carry multiple cards. It's a practical answer to a genuinely complex infrastructure challenge.

Casino Player Cards and Specialty Formats

Casino player tracking programs rely heavily on durable magnetic stripe cards that can survive the rigors of a gaming floor environment - high-frequency use, exposure to hands that may carry food or drinks, and the occasional drop on a hard floor. HiCo magnetic stripe casino player cards are specifically designed for this demanding context, with card stock and stripe configurations optimized for gaming floor card reader equipment.

Specialty formats including custom die-cut shapes and luxury metal cards in stainless steel, brass, and gold represent the premium end of the card product spectrum. Metal cards with magnetic stripes are increasingly popular for VIP membership programs, premium loyalty tiers, and executive-level employee credentials where the card itself is intended to communicate status and exclusivity. The physical weight and feel of a metal card creates a tangible impression that plastic alone cannot fully replicate.

Full-Service Card Program Support

Beyond the cards themselves, a complete card program requires supporting materials and services - printer ribbons calibrated to your card stock, cleaning kits to maintain encoder and print head performance, card carriers and sleeves for professional presentation, and card affixing and mailing services for organizations distributing cards directly to members or employees by mail. These supporting elements are frequently overlooked in initial program planning and then scrambled for later.

Organizations that treat their card supplier as a strategic partner rather than a commodity vendor gain access to institutional knowledge about what works and what doesn't across different program types and industries. That knowledge shortens the learning curve considerably and helps avoid costly mistakes that are obvious only after they've already been made. CPE has supported card programs of every shape and size across the United States for over 25 years, and that experience is available to every client - regardless of order size.

Frequently Asked Questions About HiCo Magnetic Stripe Cards

Questions about HiCo cards come up consistently, and the answers are genuinely useful for anyone making sourcing or program design decisions. Below are the questions that card program managers ask most frequently - answered directly and practically.

Can I encode HiCo cards with my existing card printer?

Probably - but it depends on whether your printer has a magnetic encoding module installed and whether that module is configured for HiCo coercivity. Many card printers ship with encoding modules that default to LoCo unless explicitly configured for HiCo. Consult your printer's documentation or contact the manufacturer's support line to confirm. If you're purchasing a new printer, specify HiCo encoding capability at the time of purchase to avoid compatibility issues.

Printers from Evolis, Zebra, and Fargo all offer HiCo-compatible encoding modules, either as standard features on certain models or as optional upgrades. The encoding module is a one-time investment that pays for itself quickly in programs issuing cards regularly. Getting the hardware specification right at the outset prevents frustrating and expensive retrofitting later.

How many swipes can a HiCo magnetic stripe card withstand?

A properly manufactured HiCo magnetic stripe card is designed to withstand thousands of swipes under normal use conditions. Specific durability depends on card quality, reader hardware maintenance, and storage conditions. Cards stored loosely in wallets packed with other cards will show surface wear before stripe degradation - the HiCo stripe itself is typically the most durable component of the card.

Encoder write quality also matters. A card encoded correctly on properly maintained hardware at the appropriate write intensity will perform better than a card encoded on a printer with a worn write head or misconfigured settings. Regular printer cleaning and maintenance - using appropriate cleaning kits - maintains encoding quality over time and extends the effective life of both the printer and the cards it produces.

What is the difference between Track 1, Track 2, and Track 3?

Track 1 encodes alphanumeric data at a density of 210 bits per inch and can store up to 79 characters. It is commonly used for cardholder name, account number, and additional data fields. Track 2 encodes numeric data only at 75 bits per inch and holds up to 40 characters - it's the track most commonly read by access control and point-of-sale systems due to its simplicity and speed.

Track 3 operates at 210 bits per inch with up to 107 numeric characters and was originally designed for financial transaction data. It is rarely used in modern card programs. For most loyalty, access control, and employee ID applications, Track 2 alone is sufficient. Organizations with complex data requirements may encode both Track 1 and Track 2 simultaneously, which most current card printers with encoding modules support.

Work with Chicago Pipe Essentials for Your HiCo Magnetic Stripe Card Program

When it matters - when your card program's reliability, your brand's impression, and your operation's efficiency are all riding on a piece of plastic - you want a partner who has seen every scenario and knows how to navigate it. Chicago Pipe Essentials has supplied more than 50 million cards to over 100,000 customers across the United States, supporting programs of every scale from small nonprofits issuing 50 member cards per month to enterprises producing tens of thousands of cards in a single run.

The catalog spans everything a serious card program needs: blank HiCo and LoCo PVC cards, RFID and smart chip cards, clear and frosted formats, colored card stock, luxury metal cards, and a full lineup of card printers and supplies from Evolis, Zebra, and Fargo. Add to that card affixing and mailing services, printer ribbons, cleaning kits, and card carriers - and you have a genuine one-stop shop built around making your card program successful. There is no substitute for 25 years of specialized expertise when you're trying to build a card program that performs reliably and scales with your organization's growth.

Call Chicago Pipe Essentials today at 312-555-4821 - and put over two decades of card program expertise to work for your organization.