Comparison

NFC Tools vs NFC Arcane

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

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.

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
Currently charting
Read full description

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.

About

NFC Arcane

Features
Read full description

NFC Arcan gathers every kind of link you need—normal web URLs, iOS Shortcuts links and custom URL-schemes—in one clear library, so you never have to dig through multiple apps or notes again. Key Features • Save & categorize unlimited web links, Shortcut actions and deep-link URL-schemes, each with a large, recognizable icon • Write / rewrite any link to an NFC tag in seconds, with an optional read-only lock for security • Launch instantly: open websites, trigger Shortcuts or jump straight into another app via its URL-scheme • Scan & generate QR codes for any saved link—share them on the spot or save high-resolution codes straight to your Photo Library • Backup & restore your entire collection with a single file—nothing gets lost From NFC business cards to smart posters and home-automation triggers, NFC Wizard keeps all your URLs—web, Shortcut or deep-link—plus their QR codes—in one place, ready to share and reuse whenever you need them.

Screenshots

NFC Tools4 screens
NFC Arcane2 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: NFC Tools at Free against NFC Arcane's $19.99. NFC Tools also leads on chart position (#165 vs unranked). NFC Arcane's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1). On update cadence, ads, device support and iOS requirement 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

NFC Tools is free to download; NFC Arcane costs $19.99 up front. NFC Tools sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. NFC Arcane asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 30, 2026 and October 28, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 8 level
NFC Tools versus NFC Arcane: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterNFC ToolsNFC Arcane
PriceFree — better$19.99
Rating4.6 (15K ratings) — better—
Positive reviews51.4% of reviews—
Number of ratings15K — better—
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeksEvery 3 weeks
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases—
Best chart rank#165 — better—
DevicesiPhoneiPhone
Requires iOS17.0 — better18.5
Further details — not scored
Size9 MB9 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperwakdevMarc Super

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

NFC Arcane

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

1 purchases

NFC Tools

One-time1
  • NFC Tools - Pro Edition$3.99
None

NFC Arcane

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is NFC Tools free?
NFC Tools is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is NFC Arcane free?
NFC Arcane costs $19.99, with no in-app purchases.
Do NFC Tools or NFC Arcane have ads?
Neither NFC Tools nor NFC Arcane shows ads.
Which is updated more often, NFC Tools or NFC Arcane?
NFC Tools ships an update every 3 weeks, and NFC Arcane every 3 weeks. Most recently, NFC Tools was updated on October 30, 2026 and NFC Arcane on October 28, 2026.

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