# NFC Tools vs NFC21 Reader

The clearest difference is rating: NFC Tools at 4.6 against NFC21 Reader's 3.0. NFC Tools also leads on ratings volume (14K vs 4) and chart position (#107 vs unranked). NFC21 Reader's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1) and review sentiment (71% vs 50%). On price, update cadence, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. NFC Tools sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. NFC21 Reader asks for nothing beyond the download.

NFC Tools holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 3.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: NFC Tools has 14K ratings behind it against 4, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 50% of NFC Tools's written reviews are positive against 71% of NFC21 Reader's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

NFC Tools ships an update every 3 weeks, NFC21 Reader every 5 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 24, 2026 and June 3, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | NFC Tools | NFC21 Reader |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.6 (14K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nfc-tools/id1252962749/reviews)** | [3.0 (4 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nfc21-reader/id1293225257/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **14K** | 4 |
| Positive reviews | 50.3% of reviews | **70.6% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 weeks** | Every 5 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Best chart rank | **#107** | — |
| Size | 9 MB | 3 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 | **14.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [wakdev](https://appshunter.io/developer/1252962748) | [NFC21 GmbH](https://appshunter.io/developer/787102532) |

## What reviewers say

### NFC Tools

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

**Currently charting:** #107 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


### NFC21 Reader

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nfc21-reader/id1293225257)

Easily read and interact with NFC tags. Scan tags to preview content and immediately perform actions like opening websites, adding contacts, or connecting to Wi-Fi. Supports various tag types for seamless interaction.

**Highlights:** Scan NFC tags, Preview tag content, Directly execute actions, Supports URL, VCard, WiFi, Text, GEO, Phone, Mail, SMS, Continuous improvement and new features, Simple and usable interface

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is NFC Tools free?

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

### Is NFC21 Reader free?

NFC21 Reader is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, NFC Tools or NFC21 Reader?

NFC Tools is rated higher. NFC Tools averages 4.6 out of 5 from 14K ratings, while NFC21 Reader averages 3.0 from 4 ratings.

### Do NFC Tools or NFC21 Reader have ads?

Neither NFC Tools nor NFC21 Reader shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, NFC Tools or NFC21 Reader?

NFC Tools ships an update every 3 weeks, and NFC21 Reader every 5 weeks. Most recently, NFC Tools was updated on September 24, 2026 and NFC21 Reader on June 3, 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.*