# NCIS Tips vs Smart Card Utility

The clearest difference is rating: NCIS Tips at 5.0 against Smart Card Utility's 2.9. NCIS Tips also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 4) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.0). Smart Card Utility's advantage is update cadence (every 2 months vs every 103 months) and ratings volume (63 vs 6). On price, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Smart Card Utility sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. NCIS Tips asks for nothing beyond the download.

NCIS Tips holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 2.9. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Smart Card Utility has 63 ratings behind it against 6, so its average is the more settled of the two.

NCIS Tips ships an update every 103 months, Smart Card Utility every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 5, 2026 and October 23, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | NCIS Tips | Smart Card Utility |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[5.0 (6 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ncis-tips/id1262926967/reviews)** | [2.9 (63 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/smart-card-utility/id1444710309/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 6 | **63** |
| Positive reviews | — | 38.6% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 103 months | **Every 2 months** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 46 MB | 8 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac** |
| Age rating | 17+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Naval Criminal Investigative Service](https://appshunter.io/developer/1505349624) | [Twocanoes Software, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/521862499) |

## What reviewers say

### NCIS Tips

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ncis-tips/id1262926967)

This app offers a secure and anonymous channel for citizens to report criminal activity. It supports the investigative and protective mission of the federal law enforcement agency for the Navy and Marine Corps.

**Highlights:** Anonymous tip submission, Secure reporting channel, Supports law enforcement investigations, Protects Navy and Marine Corps interests, Investigates felony crime and terrorism

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### Smart Card Utility

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/smart-card-utility/id1444710309)

Access secure government and military websites on your iPhone or iPad using your PIV-enabled smart card. Log in quickly to Office 365, Webmail, Teams, and more, eliminating the need for a laptop.

**Highlights:** Smart card authentication for O365, Webmail, Teams, Access CAC protected websites via Safari, Fast login on iPhone and iPad, Supports PIV, CACv2/ECA, and PKCS15 cards, Compatible with various smart card readers, Access military and civilian web sites

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 3rd Party Readers Support | $2.99 | per month |
| Smart Card Utility | $49.99 | one-time |
| Smart Card Utility Mobile | $49.99 | one-time |
| Third Party Readers | $49.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Works with DoD CAC
- 🚀 Access OWA and MyPay
- 👍 Works with Safari
- 🚀 Great for mobile iOS users
- 👍 Easy certificate download

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Doesn't work with newer iPhones
- 🐛 Overly expensive
- 🐛 Not user-friendly
- 🐛 Subscription required
- 🐛 Waste of money

**Reported bugs**

- Device will not connect to newer iPhones
- PIN suddenly won't work
- Does not see SCR 3310 card reader
- Bluetooth reader bug on macOS
- New update broke BT read on iOS

**Requested features**

- Support for more CAC enabled sites
- Show cert chain graphically
- Support alphanumeric+symbols PINs


## Frequently asked questions

### Is NCIS Tips free?

NCIS Tips is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Smart Card Utility free?

Smart Card Utility is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, NCIS Tips or Smart Card Utility?

NCIS Tips is rated higher. NCIS Tips averages 5.0 out of 5 from 6 ratings, while Smart Card Utility averages 2.9 from 63 ratings.

### Do NCIS Tips or Smart Card Utility have ads?

Neither NCIS Tips nor Smart Card Utility shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, NCIS Tips or Smart Card Utility?

NCIS Tips ships an update every 103 months, and Smart Card Utility every 2 months. Most recently, NCIS Tips was updated on October 5, 2026 and Smart Card Utility on October 23, 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.*