# NFC Tools vs Simply NFC

The clearest difference is rating: NFC Tools at 4.6 against Simply NFC's 4.1. NFC Tools also leads on ratings volume (14K vs 183) and chart position (#151 vs unranked). On price, review sentiment, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

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

NFC Tools holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 4.1. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: NFC Tools has 14K ratings behind it against 183, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 50% of NFC Tools's written reviews are positive against 47% of Simply NFC's.

NFC Tools ships an update every 3 weeks, Simply NFC fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on September 25, 2026 and August 17, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | NFC Tools | Simply NFC |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.6 (14K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nfc-tools/id1252962749/reviews)** | [4.1 (183 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/simply-nfc-tag-writerreader/id1262550712/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **14K** | 183 |
| Positive reviews | **50.3% of reviews** | 47.2% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | **Fortnightly** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | **#151** | — |
| Size | 9 MB | 5 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 | 15.6 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | **iPhone, iPod, Apple Watch** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [wakdev](https://appshunter.io/developer/1252962748) | [Lakeside Llama LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/380892444) |

## What reviewers say

### NFC Tools

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

**Currently charting:** #151 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


### Simply NFC

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/simply-nfc-tag-writerreader/id1262550712)

Easily read and write to NFC tags using your phone. This app supports various tag types including text, URLs, contacts, and HomeKit scenes. It also offers accessibility features, Siri Shortcuts, widgets, and iMessage extensions for convenient tag management and automation.

**Highlights:** Read and write NFC tags, Supports text, URL, vCard, SMS, email, phone, app launch, custom URI, location, HomeKit, and Wi-Fi tags, Trigger HomeKit scenes, VoiceOver accessibility, Siri Shortcuts integration, Widget and iMessage extension, Export scanned history

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Pro Version | $4.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Simplicity and minimalism
- 👍 Easy to use
- 👍 Decent design for a utility app
- 👍 Works well for simple things like URLs
- 👍 Good for understanding NFC chips

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Wifi option does not work
- 🐛 Wifi record doesn't work
- 🐛 Not all functions available in free version
- 🐛 Paid version has limited URL schemes
- 🐛 Does not read certain NFC tags (e.g., Mifare ultralight)

**Reported bugs**

- Wifi joining option fails
- Phone does nothing when tapping Wifi tag
- App stops telling device to speak loudly after a few scans
- App does not read tags at all
- NFC tag not read after 5 minutes

**Requested features**

- Improve Wifi tag support
- Fix issue with 'speak loudly' feature stopping
- Preview Pro upgrade records
- Allow custom URL schemes in URI Record
- Long term tag save area for review, edit, and rewrite


## Frequently asked questions

### Is NFC Tools free?

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

### Is Simply NFC free?

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

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

NFC Tools is rated higher. NFC Tools averages 4.6 out of 5 from 14K ratings, while Simply NFC averages 4.1 from 183 ratings.

### Do NFC Tools or Simply NFC have ads?

Neither NFC Tools nor Simply NFC shows ads.

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

NFC Tools ships an update every 3 weeks, and Simply NFC fortnightly. Most recently, NFC Tools was updated on September 25, 2026 and Simply NFC on August 17, 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.*