NFC Tools vs Trip Reader (NFC)
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
NFC Tools
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.
- Read NFC tag data
- Write standard information to tags
- Store VCARDs and URLs
- Share contact details
- Save tag contents
- Configure WiFi and Bluetooth
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NFC Tools can read and write your NFC tags with a simple and lightweight user interface. By passing your device near an NFC chip, you can read the data it contains and interact with the content. The "Read" section allows you to see data such as: - the maker of the tag - the type of tag (ex : Mifare Ultralight, NTAG213) - the norm of the tag (ex : NFC Forum Type 2) - the available technology (ex: NFC A) - its serial number (ex : 04:85:c8:5a:40:2b:80) - the size of the tag and of the data on it - if you can write on the tag - all the data on the tag (NDEF format) NFC Tools can record standard information on your tags which will be compatible with any NFC device. For instance, you can store a VCARD to share your contact details easily, open an URL, share a phone number or even a geolocation. The "Write" section let you record standardised data such as: - a simple text - a link to a website - an email - a contact - a phone number - a predefined text message - an address or geolocation - a WiFi or Bluetooth configuration - personalised data - and more... The write function allows you to add as much data as you wish. This way you can record large quantities of information on your tag. The app also allows you to save the contents of your chip for later access. NFC Tools has been tested with the following NFC tags: - NTAG 203, 210, 210u, 212, 213, 213TT, 215, 216, 413 DNA, 424 DNA - Ultralight, Ultralight C, Ultralight EV1 - ICODE SLI, SLI-S, SLIX, SLIX-S, SLIX-L, SLIX2, DNA - DESFire EV1, EV2, EV3 - ST25TV, ST25TA - Felica If you encounter any problem, don’t hesitate to contact us. Notes: - Compatible from iPhone 7. - Use the "compatibility" mode to read/write Mifare Classic tags.
Trip Reader (NFC)
Access your Chinese public transit card's balance and transaction history using your iPhone's NFC reader. View station names, monthly discounts, and bus routes without needing internet or Bluetooth. Save your travel history and sync it across devices.
- Read balance and history
- Show station names
- Track monthly discounts
- Display bus route numbers
- Save travel history
- Sync to iCloud
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Trip Reader uses iPhone's internal NFC reader to get balance and history from public transit cards issued across China. No Internet or Bluetooth is needed. Main features: • Balance and history • Show station names • Monthly discount policy and progress • Bus route number • Save history and comments • Sync to iCloud ************************************** Beijing Yikatong is not supported due to technical reason. ************************************** Cards supported: • Beijing Hutong Card (京津冀互联互通卡, with T-Union mark) • Tianjin City Card (with T-Union mark) • Nanjing City Card (with T-Union mark) • Suzhou Citizen Card • Shanghai Public Transportation Card (Purple card and T-Union card) • Kunshan Citizen Card • Guangzhou Yang Cheng Tong (CPU card only) • Lingnan Pass • Shenzhen Tong (FeliCa type not supported) • Chengdu Tianfu Tong (CPU card only) • Other T-Union or City Union cards issued across China (some dual-module cards may show T-Union history only) Note: Student cards, senior cards etc. are not supported. This app does not have access to official database. Please use with caution and do not rely on the result.
Screenshots
Verdict
NFC Tools and Trip Reader (NFC) both sit at 4.6 stars, but that hides the real split: 91% of Trip Reader (NFC)'s written reviews are positive against 50% of NFC Tools's. Trip Reader (NFC) also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 1) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.6). NFC Tools's advantage is ratings volume (14K vs 483) and update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 2 months). On price, rating, ads and device support 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 Tools sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Trip Reader (NFC) asks for nothing beyond the download.
On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.6 for NFC Tools against 4.7 for Trip Reader (NFC). That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: NFC Tools has 14K ratings behind it against 483, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 50% of NFC Tools's written reviews are positive against 91% of Trip Reader (NFC)'s.
NFC Tools ships an update every 3 weeks, Trip Reader (NFC) every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on September 24, 2026 and September 23, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | NFC Tools | Trip Reader (NFC) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.6 (14K ratings) | 4.7 (483 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 50.3% of reviews | 90.9% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 14K — better | 483 |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks — better | Every 2 months |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases — better | Paid |
| Best chart rank | #114 — better | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 | 13.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 9 MB | 5 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | wakdev | Domosekai Limited |
Customer experience
NFC Tools
Trip Reader (NFC)
Bugs and requests
NFC Tools
Reported bugs
4 issues- 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
5 requests- 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
Trip Reader (NFC)
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
NFC Tools
- NFC Tools - Pro Edition$3.99
Trip Reader (NFC)
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is NFC Tools free?
Is Trip Reader (NFC) free?
Which has better reviews, NFC Tools or Trip Reader (NFC)?
Do NFC Tools or Trip Reader (NFC) have ads?
Which is updated more often, NFC Tools or Trip Reader (NFC)?
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