NFC Tools vs Arcade Card Reader
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.
Arcade Card Reader
This utility app uses NFC to scan and save data from various arcade and transit cards. It supports a wide range of card types, including e-amusement passes, FeliCa-based travel cards, and amusement IC cards. All scanned data can be stored within the app for quick retrieval.
- Read card numbers and serial numbers
- Scan access codes
- Identify card types
- Save scanned data
- Supports e-amusement passes
- Supports FeliCa-based travel IC cards
- Supports Amusement IC cards
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Allows you to read card numbers, serial numbers, access codes, card type, and more from various arcade cards using NFC. Once read, the data can be saved to the app for easy access later. Supported cards include: - e-amusement passes (all types) - FeliCa-based Travel IC cards such as PASMO, Suica, ICOCA, Octopus, etc. - Amusement IC cards from Konami, Sega, Taito, and Bandai Namco - Unofficial Amusement IC cards - Other FeliCa-based NFC tags such as Sony XM-series headphones - NESiCA cards
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: NFC Tools at 4.6 against Arcade Card Reader's 3.8. NFC Tools also leads on ratings volume (14K vs 4) and update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 2 months). Arcade Card Reader's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1) and iOS requirement (13.2 vs 15.6). On price, review sentiment, 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. Arcade Card Reader asks for nothing beyond the download.
NFC Tools holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 3.8. 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 split almost evenly too, at 51% and 50% positive.
NFC Tools ships an update every 3 weeks, Arcade Card Reader every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 14, 2026 and October 4, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | NFC Tools | Arcade Card Reader |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.6 (14K ratings) — better | 3.8 (4 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 50.7% of reviews — better | 50.0% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 14K — better | 4 |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks — better | Every 2 months |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free — better |
| Best chart rank | #153 — better | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 | 13.2 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 9 MB | 40 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | wakdev | Rem Tech AS |
Customer experience
NFC Tools
Arcade Card Reader
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
Arcade Card Reader
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
NFC Tools
- NFC Tools - Pro Edition$3.99
Arcade Card Reader
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is NFC Tools free?
Is Arcade Card Reader free?
Which has better reviews, NFC Tools or Arcade Card Reader?
Do NFC Tools or Arcade Card Reader have ads?
Which is updated more often, NFC Tools or Arcade Card Reader?
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