NFC.cool Tools Tag Reader vs NFC Reader / Writer
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
NFC.cool Tools Tag Reader
This app allows you to read and write NFC tags, scan and create QR codes, digitize documents, and capture 3D models. It offers advanced NFC tools like encryption and batch operations, alongside a versatile QR code scanner and document scanner with OCR.
- Read and write NFC tags
- Scan and create QR codes
- Digitize documents with OCR
- Capture 3D models and room scans
- Advanced NFC tools (encryption, batch operations)
- Customizable QR codes with logos
- Automation and integration with iOS Shortcuts
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Read and write NFC tags, scan and create QR codes, digitize documents, and capture 3D models - all in one app trusted by over 9 million users. NFC READING & WRITING Read any NFC tag to see web links, Wi-Fi, contacts, locations, payment links, and more. Write your own tags with 25+ message types (text, contacts, Wi-Fi, locations, calendar events, iOS Shortcuts, FaceTime, SMS, email, social media, payments, and Google Review links) that open apps, trigger shortcuts, or connect to services like WhatsApp, Instagram, and Spotify. NFC Tools: • Format, lock, password protect, analyze, and copy tags • NTAG 424 DNA: read secure tags, verify SUN tamper-proof messages, configure keys and SDM • NFC Tap Counter: teach NFC tags how to count • Batch Operations: write multiple tags sequentially, import from CSV/Excel • Custom Commands: send raw hex commands for advanced tag manipulation NFC Apps: • Passport & ID: read your passport or ID chip to view the stored personal data and photo • Sonicare Reset: read your Philips Sonicare brush head usage stats and reset its timer • Amiibo: scan to reveal the character with official artwork, build your collection, and back it up • OpenPrintTag: store 3D printing filament info on spools for automatic material detection • NFC Safe: store encrypted secrets on tags with 256-bit AES encryption QR CODE & BARCODE SCANNER • Scan any QR code or barcode with batch mode, plus a share extension to detect codes in your photos. • Create custom QR codes for all the same message types as NFC. • Design them with your own colors, logos, and Genmoji, and add them to home screen widgets. Supported formats: QR, Aztec, Code128, PDF417, DataMatrix, EAN, and 15+ other barcode types. DOCUMENT SCANNER • Capture documents with automatic edge detection and on-device OCR. • Import images from your photo library or files. • Save as searchable PDFs with full-text search. • Export to iCloud or share directly. 3D OBJECT & ROOM SCANNER • Scan objects into 3D models using photogrammetry. • Scan rooms with LiDAR to generate floor plans, detecting doors, windows, and furniture. • Measure dimensions and calculate floor area. • Export for 3D printing and CAD applications. Requires: iPhone with LiDAR sensor (iPhone 12 Pro and newer) AUTOMATION & INTEGRATION • Webhooks: send scan data to your server for inventory or custom integrations • iOS Shortcuts: launch scans via Siri, access scan history, write tags through automation • Widgets: quick-launch scanning from home screen, lock screen, or Control Center • Auto-Actions: open links, run shortcuts, play audio, or trigger text-to-speech when scanning tags CUSTOMIZATION Choose from multiple themes and icons, text-to-speech voices in 40+ languages, and Game Center achievements. Note: NFC functionality requires iPhone 7 or newer. iPhones read NFC but not all RFID frequencies. NFC.cool is in no way affiliated with Nintendo or Philips. Amiibo is a registered trademark by Nintendo and Sonicare is a registered trademark by Philips. These functions in NFC.cool are for educational purposes only. Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/
NFC Reader / Writer
This utility app allows you to read, save, and share information stored on NFC tags. It can extract data like URLs, contact cards, and text messages. Note that NFC tag reading requires an iPhone 7 or newer.
- Read NFC tags
- Save tags for later
- Share tag data
- Save contacts from tags
- Open URLs from tags
- Display text messages
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With NFC Reader you can read tags, save them for later viewing, share them, save contacts, open URLs and more! Be advised: Reading NFC tags requires iPhone 7, 8, or X. FAQ: - Will my iPhone work with NFC? That depends: iPhone 7 and up supports NFC reading and NFC reading only works when NFC tags are NDEF formatted. If you're not sure what that means, you can reach out to our support for more information. - Are NFC tags RFID tags? No, NFC NDEF tags are not RFID tags - this means your gym cards, debit/credit cards, hotel cards, etc aren't readable by this app. - Will this app help me pair to my speaker/router/camera/etc? No, this app doesn't support deep integrations into NFC enabled products - this app is intended to read NFC tags and display data within those tags. Some tags contain actionable data like website URLs, text messages, geotags, contact cards, etc. If you have any questions, reach out to me at andrew@baristable.com
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is review sentiment: NFC.cool Tools Tag Reader at 66% against NFC Reader / Writer's 16%. NFC.cool Tools Tag Reader also leads on rating (4.5 vs 3.6) and ratings volume (6.8K vs 19). 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
Both are free to download. NFC.cool Tools Tag Reader sells 26 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month and NFC Reader / Writer sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
NFC.cool Tools Tag Reader holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 3.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: NFC.cool Tools Tag Reader has 6.8K ratings behind it against 19, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 66% of NFC.cool Tools Tag Reader's written reviews are positive against 16% of NFC Reader / Writer's.
NFC.cool Tools Tag Reader ships an update every 11 days, NFC Reader / Writer monthly. The most recent releases landed on September 27, 2026 and July 8, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | NFC.cool Tools Tag Reader | NFC Reader / Writer |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.5 (6.8K ratings) — better | 3.6 (19 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 66.0% of reviews — better | 16.0% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 6.8K — better | 19 |
| Update frequency | Every 11 days — better | Monthly |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 — better | 18.6 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 117 MB | 5 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Nicolo Stanciu | Andrew Sowers |
Customer experience
NFC.cool Tools Tag Reader
NFC Reader / Writer
User reviews
NFC.cool Tools Tag Reader
From 6.8K App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 💯 Excellent app
- 🚀 Easy to use
- 👍 User-friendly
- 🔥 Awesome features
- 🎉 Great tool
Room to improve
- 🐛 Crashes frequently
- 💰 Expensive subscription
- 📢 Too many ads
- 🚫 Doesn't work on older devices
- 🤔 Confusing interface
NFC Reader / Writer
From 19 App Store ratingsWhat we love
- ✅ Works well for NFC reading on compatible devices
- 👍 Nice, clean user interface design
- 🎯 Effective for product traceability and information display
- 💪 Reliable performance on iPhone 7 and newer models
- 🔧 Useful for reading various NFC tag types and formats
Room to improve
- 🐛 App crashes on startup for unsupported devices
- ❌ Inconsistent NFC reading functionality across devices
- 📱 Limited compatibility - only works on iPhone 7+
- 😕 Poor documentation and unclear instructions
- ⚠️ Misleading compatibility information in app store
Bugs and requests
NFC.cool Tools Tag Reader
Reported bugs
4 issues- Unable to read certain NFC tags
- App freezes during NFC operations
- Compatibility issues with iOS 13 and newer
- Inconsistent behavior when writing tags
Requested features
5 requests- Add ability to clear/erase NFC tags
- Integrate with Shortcuts app
- Offline mode for writing NFC tags
- Add support for RFID tags
- Improve instructions and documentation
NFC Reader / Writer
Reported bugs
7 issues- App crashes immediately on launch for devices without NFC support
- NFC reading fails on iPhone 6, 6S, and SE despite claimed compatibility
- Session invalidated - feature not supported error messages
- Apple Pay popup appears when scanning NFC tags
- Unreadable symbols displayed on screen during scanning
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- App won't open on multiple device models
- CoreNFC framework compatibility issues
Requested features
6 requests- Support for older iPhone models (iPhone 6, 6S, SE)
- Ability to open amiibo files from Google Drive
- Italian language support
- Better error handling and user notifications
- Support for writing NFC tags on all compatible devices
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- Graceful handling for devices without NFC hardware
In-app purchases
NFC.cool Tools Tag Reader
- Unlimited Monthly Special$1.991 Month
- Business Cards Service Monthly3 Days trial$2.491 Month
- Unlimited 3DT Monthly3 Days trial$2.991 Month
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- NFC.cool Scanner Monthly3 Days trial$3.991 Month
- UnlimitedPro3DT Monthly3 Days trial$3.991 Month
- Platinum Weekly3 Days trial$4.997 Days
- Ultra3DT Monthly3 Days trial$4.991 Month
- Unlimited3DT Weekly$6.997 Days
- Mini3DT Yearly3 Days trial$17.491 Year
- Mini7DT Yearly7 Days trial$17.491 Year
- Unlimited Yearly Special$19.001 Year
- Business Cards Service Yearly7 Days trial$19.991 Year
- Unlimited 3DT Yearly3 Days trial$24.991 Year
- Unlimited7DT Yearly7 Days trial$24.991 Year
- NFC.cool Scanner Yearly3 Days trial$29.991 Year
- UnlimitedPro7DT Yearly7 Days trial$34.991 Year
- UnlimitedPro3DT Yearly3 Days trial$34.991 Year
- Ultra3DT Yearly3 Days trial$39.991 Year
- Ultra7DT Yearly7 Days trial$39.991 Year
- Business Yearly7 Days trial$99.991 Year
- Donut$0.99
- Rainbow Dark Mode$0.99
- Unlimited QR-Code Widgets$3.99
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- Speech Synthesizer$3.99
- Ad-free$6.99
- Unlimited Lifetime$49.99
NFC Reader / Writer
- Remove Ads$1.99
Questions
Is NFC.cool Tools Tag Reader free?
Is NFC Reader / Writer free?
Which has better reviews, NFC.cool Tools Tag Reader or NFC Reader / Writer?
Do NFC.cool Tools Tag Reader or NFC Reader / Writer have ads?
Which is updated more often, NFC.cool Tools Tag Reader or NFC Reader / Writer?
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