The maker card for fablabs and makerspaces, in Apple Wallet and Google Wallet
A fablab cannot let just anyone switch on the laser cutter, and the volunteer on duty on open evenings rarely knows who has joined and who is only visiting. A maker card for your fablab in the Wallet shows the member’s plan and its validity, so the person supervising the machines can check it before the extraction fan starts.
No sign-up or credit card · your test card in 1 minute
M-10482What the fab manager reads on the card
The card carries the lab’s name and colours, the maker’s name, a number, the plan and the end date. Plans are yours, for example Maker at €30 and Pro at €90, per month or per year as you decide. When a maker upgrades to use the workshop for client work, the plan on the card changes in their phone. Lapsed memberships expire on their date. The fab manager or duty volunteer scans the QR code with a phone at the entrance. The card does not unlock machines: supervision stays human.
| Example plan | Example amount |
|---|---|
| Maker | €30 |
| Pro | €90 |
Example plans and amounts from the “Maker card” template: you change the names, the amounts and the validity period. MPass does not collect these amounts. On the back of the card you write your own text, for example: 3D printer · Laser · Woodworking shop · CNC.
Three real situations
Open fablab evening
Curious visitors and members mix around the 3D printers. Visitors come with the ticket for the open evening, members show their maker card, and the duty volunteer knows who is allowed on the machines once the tour is over.
Laser cutter training
Training sessions take six people at most. Share a ticket link for the date; the six who register get a QR code and are scanned on arrival. Who passed the training is then noted in your own records.
A Pro member with a client deadline
If Pro members have wider access, such as daytime hours, the plan on the card shows it to whoever opens up. No discussion at the door about who is allowed in on a Tuesday morning.
How it works: 3 steps
Open the “Fablab & makerspace” template
It is already set up for this activity: “Maker card” as the title, example plans, colours. Add your logo and your own text in ten minutes.
Add your members
One by one, through a sign-up link each person fills in, or by Excel import on the Pro plan. Everyone receives their card by email or by link.
Scan with your phone
The card goes into Apple Wallet or Google Wallet in one tap. To check it, you scan its QR code with your own phone, with no hardware to buy.
Example: a fablab with 95 makers
Take a fablab run by an association, with 80 makers on the basic plan and 15 on a Pro plan. New members sign up through the membership link on the lab’s website, pay by transfer or at the counter, and the fab manager activates the card. With 95 cards, the lab is on Essential at €19 excl. VAT per month. Each month, three training sessions of six places are set up as events with tickets. The record of who is cleared for the laser or the CNC router stays in the lab’s own sheet.
Tickets for your events too
The same app creates tickets for your events, for example “Laser cutting training” or “Open fablab”. You share a link, each guest gets a ticket with a QR code in their Wallet, and you scan at the door. MPass does not collect the ticket price: you take it as you always have. See event ticketing.
What it costs
Free up to 50 active cards or tickets, with no time limit. The Essential plan (€19 a month excluding VAT, up to 300 cards) adds renewal reminders and certificates. The Pro plan (€49 a month excluding VAT) adds Excel import. No commitment, and a 14-day trial of the paid plans with no credit card.
Frequently asked questions
Can the card show that training has been completed?
The card shows one plan, a number and a validity. You can use plan names to reflect an authorisation, for example a separate plan for makers cleared on the CNC router, but MPass does not hold a training log. The lab’s own register remains the reference for safety.
Does the card switch machines on or track machine hours?
No. MPass does not connect to machines, does not count hours of use and does not manage time slots. It tells you whether a person is a current member and on which plan. Machine booking and usage records stay in your existing tools.
Do occasional visitors need a card?
For an open evening or a one-off workshop, a ticket is simpler: share the event link and scan the QR code at the door. Keep maker cards for people who join, since each active card or ticket counts towards your plan.
Does MPass collect membership fees?
No. You enter the amounts for information only. Your members pay the club as usual (bank transfer, in person) and you activate their card in MPass. No payment goes through the app.
Do we need to install an app?
No. You manage everything from your browser, and your members install nothing: the card goes straight into Apple Wallet (iPhone) or Google Wallet (Android), which are already on their phone.
Other activities
Incubator & accelerator
Founder and mentor badges for each cohort, and demo day tickets.
Community space
Member and resident cards for shared spaces, with tickets for open activities.
Football club
Senior, youth and supporter cards for the season, scanned at the gate.
Futsal club
Player cards for small squads, checked with one phone at the hall door.
Basketball club
Cards for players, parents and supporters on busy home-game Saturdays.
All activities
The full list of card templates, grouped by type of organisation.