# SmartJoin vs NFC21 Tools

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.

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

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.

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.

## The numbers

| Metric | SmartJoin | NFC21 Tools |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.5 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/smartjoin/id1102859121/reviews) | **[4.8 (32 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nfc21-tools/id1496636288/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 2 | **32** |
| Positive reviews | **100.0% of reviews** | 56.6% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 weeks** | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 1 MB | 3 MB |
| Requires iOS | **9.3** | 14.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple TV** | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Alf Watt](https://appshunter.io/developer/546033584) | [NFC21 GmbH](https://appshunter.io/developer/787102532) |

## What reviewers say

### SmartJoin

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/smartjoin/id1102859121)

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:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### NFC21 Tools

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nfc21-tools/id1496636288)

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked 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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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*