# TBScan vs NFC Tools

The clearest difference is review sentiment: TBScan at 84% against NFC Tools's 50%. TBScan also leads on rating (4.8 vs 4.6) and iOS requirement (12.0 vs 15.6). NFC Tools's advantage is ratings volume (14K vs 222) and update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 3 months). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. TBScan sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and NFC Tools sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

TBScan holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: NFC Tools has 14K ratings behind it against 222, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 84% of TBScan's written reviews are positive against 50% of NFC Tools's.

TBScan ships an update every 3 months, NFC Tools every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 9, 2026 and September 25, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | TBScan | NFC Tools |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (222 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tbscan/id1122054655/reviews)** | [4.6 (14K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nfc-tools/id1252962749/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 222 | **14K** |
| Positive reviews | **84.1% of reviews** | 50.3% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | — | **#129** |
| Size | 18 MB | 9 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.0** | 15.6 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Nicolas Camenisch](https://appshunter.io/developer/1122054654) | [wakdev](https://appshunter.io/developer/1252962748) |

## What reviewers say

### TBScan

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tbscan/id1122054655)

Easily discover and log geocaching trackables using your device's camera. Scan codes instantly to identify trackables, view their missions, and log them without manual typing. Perfect for events and finding trackables in caches.

**Highlights:** Quick trackable code recognition, Discover multiple trackables simultaneously, Offline functionality, View trackable missions, Attach photos to logs, Multiple log modes

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| TBScan Pro | $2.99 | one-time |


### NFC Tools

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nfc-tools/id1252962749)

**Currently charting:** #129 Top Free · Utilities (US App Store)

Easily read and write data to NFC tags using a straightforward interface. Interact with tag content, view detailed information, and record standard data like contacts, URLs, and WiFi configurations.

**Highlights:** Read NFC tag data, Write standard information to tags, Store VCARDs and URLs, Share contact details, Save tag contents, Configure WiFi and Bluetooth

**Features:** Family Sharing

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| NFC Tools - Pro Edition | $3.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 One-time payment for Pro version
- 👍 Easy to use and intuitive interface
- 🚀 Fast NFC tag reading and writing
- 👍 Works well for most use cases
- 💡 Useful for home automation and NFC tag programming

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Issues with reading/writing contact information
- 🐛 Compatibility problems with certain NFC tags and devices
- 🐛 Unreliable performance for some users
- 💰 Paid features should be included in free version

**Reported bugs**

- Cannot unlock NFC tags after locking them
- Contacts and WiFi records not working as expected
- Inconsistent behavior when reading/writing tags
- Restore purchase feature not functioning properly

**Requested features**

- Add ability to bulk write NFC tags
- Improve compatibility with wpa2 enterprise WiFi settings
- Implement file explorer for loading custom tag data
- Add option to write data to Apple Wallet
- Provide emulator functionality for testing without tags


## Frequently asked questions

### Is TBScan free?

TBScan is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is NFC Tools free?

NFC Tools is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, TBScan or NFC Tools?

TBScan is rated higher. TBScan averages 4.8 out of 5 from 222 ratings, while NFC Tools averages 4.6 from 14K ratings.

### Do TBScan or NFC Tools have ads?

Neither TBScan nor NFC Tools shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, TBScan or NFC Tools?

TBScan ships an update every 3 months, and NFC Tools every 3 weeks. Most recently, TBScan was updated on September 9, 2026 and NFC Tools on September 25, 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.*