Comparison

SmartJoin vs NFC21 Tools

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

SmartJoin

Easily connect to Wi-Fi networks by generating and scanning QR codes. Avoid manual searching and typing passwords. The app also supports scanning other QR codes, including URLs.

Highlights
  • Generate Wi-Fi QR codes
  • Scan Wi-Fi QR codes
  • Connect to Wi-Fi without password
  • Scan URL QR codes
  • Display custom QR codes
  • Customize QR code colors
Features
Read full description

Generate and Scan QR Codes for Wi-Fi networks and get connected without searching through long lists or typing cryptic passwords. Why wait for iOS 11 when you can use SmartJoin to connect today? Visit our new web site to generate codes, print and share Wi-Fi connections: https://smartjoin.us Tap the SmartJoin.us logo to configure the App: - Code String to display - Wi-Fi Network and Password - Display Code String or Network Info - Code & Background Colors - QR Code Correction Level Click the Camera button to scan QR Codes - Wi-Fi QR Codes will prompt you to accept a configuration profile - QR Codes with a URL will attempt to open the URL - Other QR Codes will be displayed in the app, shake to clear Swipe or tap to change colors! Use SmartJoin.us on an Apple TV in your store or office to display Wi-Fi connection information or any custom QR Code you like in a variety of lovely color combinations.

About

NFC21 Tools

Explore NFC technology with an advanced yet user-friendly toolset. Read, write, and manage NFC tags with support for various data types, including URLs, contacts, and Wi-Fi credentials. Organize your scanned tags with filters and access detailed information.

Highlights
  • Read and write NFC tags
  • Manage tag history with filters
  • Create standard, extended, and expert tag types
  • Support for URL, Phone, Email, SMS, FaceTime, and Shortcuts
  • Advanced options for Text, Address, Position, Contact, and Wi-Fi
  • Define custom data types (MIME-Type)
  • Share Bluetooth device IDs
Read full description

We love NFC, therefore we decided to develop our NFC21 tools. Our app offers you an advanced yet easy to use toolset to explore NFC with your iPhone. Reading as well as writing of NFC-tags is supported and wrapped in an attractive user interface. NFC21 tools greets you with a history view, which contains all NFC-Tags you have read or written. Additional filters enable you to narrow down the list to ‘Read’, ‘Written’, ‘Drafts’ or ‘Favorites’ only. Tap on an entry for more details like the serial number (uid), memory size, write lock as well as the stored content. Based on the latter, an available action is offered like opening a link in Safari or the import of v-cards into the Contacts app. Creation of own NFC-tags starts with the selection of a type. We differentiate three different types. First, the standard-type creates NFC-tags which are readable by newer iPhones (iPhone XS, XR or newer) without an additional app. Second, extended types which offer more advanced scenarios like sharing of locations, contacts or WIFI-credentials. These types require a suitable app (like NFC21 Tools or NFC21 Reader) to read and process the stored content. Lastly, the expert type allows the definition of own datatypes, which require suitable / custom apps to use them. In summary, NFC21 Tools support the following tag-types: Standard (usable without an app with iPhone XS, XR or newer): • URL: Share a link to a website with an NFC-tag. Long / complicated addresses are a problem of the past. • Phone number: Share a number with NFC – always right and directly dialable. • E-Mail: Prepare a message for a recipient, ready to send with a tap. • SMS: Create a short message for a predefined number, an optional text and ready to send in an instant. • FaceTime: Start a FaceTime conversation with a scan. • Shortcut: Execute a shortcut from the apple shortcuts app with a simple scan. Advanced (with App): • Text: Hide a text within an NFC-tag, waiting to be read by a scanning fellow. • Address: Prepare a location for maps to ease getting direction – complicated street names are not a problem anymore. • Position: Locate an exact position (treasure)? Store longitude and longitude for use in the maps app. • Contact: Make your business card smart and let others scan your data like magic. • WiFi: Share credentials and ease login with a tag scan. Expert: • Data: Allows to define custom data types (MIME-Type). • Bluetooth: Share Bluetooth device IDs for easier coupling. Recommended NFC-Tag types: • NXP NTAG 203, 213, 215, 216 Support and NFC-Tags The NFC21 Tools app is developed by the NFC21 GmbH. Do not hesitate to send feedback and feature requests to our support. We recommend NFC-Tags based on the NXP NTAG-Series. In our online-shop we offer you a broad selection of NFC-products in various shapes and colors. Furthermore, we produce custom NFC-products based on your individual requirements.

Screenshots

SmartJoin4 screens
NFC21 Tools4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: SmartJoin at 100% against NFC21 Tools's 57%. SmartJoin also leads on update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 2 months) and device support (4 vs 2). NFC21 Tools's advantage is rating (4.8 vs 3.5) and ratings volume (32 vs 2). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

NFC21 Tools holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 3.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: NFC21 Tools has 32 ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 100% of SmartJoin's written reviews are positive against 57% of NFC21 Tools's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

SmartJoin ships an update every 3 weeks, NFC21 Tools every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on June 1, 2026 and July 6, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 4 level
SmartJoin versus NFC21 Tools: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSmartJoinNFC21 Tools
PriceFreeFree
Rating3.5 (2 ratings)4.8 (32 ratings) — better
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews — better56.6% of reviews
Number of ratings232 — better
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeks — betterEvery 2 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFreeFree
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple TV — betteriPhone, iPod
Requires iOS9.3 — better14.0
Further details — not scored
Size1 MB3 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperAlf WattNFC21 GmbH

Customer experience

SmartJoin

All ratings2 ratings
Positive50.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative50.0%
Written reviews2 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

NFC21 Tools

All ratings32 ratings
Positive96.9%
Neutral0.0%
Negative3.1%
Written reviews53 reviews
Positive56.6%
Neutral5.7%
Negative37.7%

In-app purchases

None

SmartJoin

No in-app purchases

None

NFC21 Tools

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is SmartJoin free?
SmartJoin is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is NFC21 Tools free?
NFC21 Tools is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, SmartJoin or NFC21 Tools?
NFC21 Tools is rated higher. SmartJoin averages 3.5 out of 5 from 2 ratings, while NFC21 Tools averages 4.8 from 32 ratings.
Do SmartJoin or NFC21 Tools have ads?
Neither SmartJoin nor NFC21 Tools shows ads.
Which is updated more often, SmartJoin or NFC21 Tools?
SmartJoin ships an update every 3 weeks, and NFC21 Tools every 2 months. Most recently, SmartJoin was updated on June 1, 2026 and NFC21 Tools on July 6, 2026.

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