GoToTags vs NFC Reader / Writer
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
GoToTags
This utility app reads various NFC tag types and scans popular barcode formats. It allows users to perform actions like opening URLs, displaying text, or copying content. Optimized for newer iPhones, it offers automated reading and scanning features.
- Read all NFC chip types
- Scan QR Codes, Data Matrix, Code 128, UPC
- Open URLs in browser
- Copy text to clipboard
- Search text on Google
- Automated tag reading/barcode scanning
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NFC • Supports all NFC chip types; Type 1 - Type 5 (NXP NTAG, Mifare Ultralight, SLI-X...) • Read NDEF records from NFC tags • NFC tags must be NDEF encoded to be read by an iOS device; blank (unencoded) NFC tags will not work (see help for details) BARCODES • Scan all popular barcode formats; QR Codes, Data Matrix, Code 128, UPC and more ACTIONS • Open url in browser • Display text • Copy text to clipboard; setting to automate • Search on Google for text; setting to automate TAGS • 3D touch for easy reading of NFC tags and barcodes • Setting to auto-read NFC tag or scan barcode SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS • Reading NFC tags is only possible on an iPhone 7 or newer with iOS 11 installed! • Barcode scanning will work on all devices • See help site for details NFC TAGS The GoToTags Store is the largest worldwide supplier for NFC tags. GoToTags can encode NFC tags for customers so the can be read by iOS.
NFC Reader / Writer
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.
- Read NFC tags
- Save tags for later
- Share tag data
- Save contacts from tags
- Open URLs from tags
- Display text messages
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With NFC Reader you can read tags, save them for later viewing, share them, save contacts, open URLs and more! Be advised: Reading NFC tags requires iPhone 7, 8, or X. FAQ: - Will my iPhone work with NFC? That depends: iPhone 7 and up supports NFC reading and NFC reading only works when NFC tags are NDEF formatted. If you're not sure what that means, you can reach out to our support for more information. - Are NFC tags RFID tags? No, NFC NDEF tags are not RFID tags - this means your gym cards, debit/credit cards, hotel cards, etc aren't readable by this app. - Will this app help me pair to my speaker/router/camera/etc? No, this app doesn't support deep integrations into NFC enabled products - this app is intended to read NFC tags and display data within those tags. Some tags contain actionable data like website URLs, text messages, geotags, contact cards, etc. If you have any questions, reach out to me at andrew@baristable.com
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is review sentiment: GoToTags at 67% against NFC Reader / Writer's 16%. GoToTags also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 1) and ads (none vs shown). On price, ratings volume, update cadence 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 Reader / Writer sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. GoToTags asks for nothing beyond the download.
GoToTags holds the better App Store score, 3.9 against 3.6. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 23 and 19 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 67% of GoToTags's written reviews are positive against 16% of NFC Reader / Writer's.
Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly monthly. The most recent releases landed on October 10, 2026 and October 14, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | GoToTags | NFC Reader / Writer |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 3.9 (23 ratings) — better | 3.6 (19 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 66.7% of reviews — better | 16.0% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 23 — better | 19 |
| Update frequency | Monthly | Monthly |
| Ads | No — better | Yes |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Monetization | Free — better | Free with in-app purchases |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better |
| Requires iOS | 10.0 — better | 18.6 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 19 MB | 5 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | GoToTags | Andrew Sowers |
Customer experience
GoToTags
NFC Reader / Writer
Bugs and requests
GoToTags
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
NFC Reader / Writer
Reported bugs
7 issues- 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
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- App won't open on multiple device models
- CoreNFC framework compatibility issues
Requested features
6 requests- 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
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- Graceful handling for devices without NFC hardware
In-app purchases
GoToTags
No in-app purchases
NFC Reader / Writer
- Remove Ads$1.99
Questions
Is GoToTags free?
Is NFC Reader / Writer free?
Which has better reviews, GoToTags or NFC Reader / Writer?
Do GoToTags or NFC Reader / Writer have ads?
Which is updated more often, GoToTags or NFC Reader / Writer?
Other comparisons
