# Simply NFC vs NFC Reader / Writer

The clearest difference is rating: Simply NFC at 4.1 against NFC Reader / Writer's 3.6. Simply NFC also leads on ads (none vs shown) and review sentiment (47% vs 16%). On price, in-app purchases, monetization model and device support there is nothing between them.

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

Simply NFC holds the better App Store score, 4.1 against 3.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Simply NFC has 187 ratings behind it against 19, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 47% of Simply NFC's written reviews are positive against 16% of NFC Reader / Writer's.

Simply NFC ships an update fortnightly, NFC Reader / Writer monthly. The most recent releases landed on October 23, 2026 and October 14, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Simply NFC | NFC Reader / Writer |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.1 (187 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/simply-nfc-tag-writerreader/id1262550712/reviews)** | [3.6 (19 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nfc-reader-writer/id1286968328/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **187** | 19 |
| Positive reviews | **47.2% of reviews** | 16.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Fortnightly** | Monthly |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 5 MB | 5 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.6** | 18.6 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod, Apple Watch | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Lakeside Llama LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/380892444) | [Andrew Sowers](https://appshunter.io/developer/592605673) |

## What reviewers say

### 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


### NFC Reader / Writer

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nfc-reader-writer/id1286968328)

This utility app allows you to read, save, and share information stored on NFC tags. It can extract data like URLs, contact cards, and text messages. Note that NFC tag reading requires an iPhone 7 or newer.

**Highlights:** Read NFC tags, Save tags for later, Share tag data, Save contacts from tags, Open URLs from tags, Display text messages

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Remove Ads | $1.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- ✅ Works well for NFC reading on compatible devices
- 👍 Nice, clean user interface design
- 🎯 Effective for product traceability and information display
- 💪 Reliable performance on iPhone 7 and newer models
- 🔧 Useful for reading various NFC tag types and formats

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 App crashes on startup for unsupported devices
- ❌ Inconsistent NFC reading functionality across devices
- 📱 Limited compatibility - only works on iPhone 7+
- 😕 Poor documentation and unclear instructions
- ⚠️ Misleading compatibility information in app store

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes immediately on launch for devices without NFC support
- NFC reading fails on iPhone 6, 6S, and SE despite claimed compatibility
- Session invalidated - feature not supported error messages
- Apple Pay popup appears when scanning NFC tags
- Unreadable symbols displayed on screen during scanning

**Requested features**

- Support for older iPhone models (iPhone 6, 6S, SE)
- Ability to open amiibo files from Google Drive
- Italian language support
- Better error handling and user notifications
- Support for writing NFC tags on all compatible devices


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Simply NFC free?

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

### Is NFC Reader / Writer free?

NFC Reader / Writer is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Simply NFC or NFC Reader / Writer?

Simply NFC is rated higher. Simply NFC averages 4.1 out of 5 from 187 ratings, while NFC Reader / Writer averages 3.6 from 19 ratings.

### Do Simply NFC or NFC Reader / Writer have ads?

NFC Reader / Writer shows ads; Simply NFC does not.

### Which is updated more often, Simply NFC or NFC Reader / Writer?

Simply NFC ships an update fortnightly, and NFC Reader / Writer monthly. Most recently, Simply NFC was updated on October 23, 2026 and NFC Reader / Writer on October 14, 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.*