# NFC Tap vs BU01 Reader

The clearest difference is iOS requirement: BU01 Reader at 9.0 against NFC Tap's 16.6. On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 14, 2026 and September 26, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | NFC Tap | BU01 Reader |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.2 (231 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nfc-tap/id1278913597/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **231** | — |
| Positive reviews | 53.8% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | Free | — |
| Size | 30 MB | 1 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.6 | **9.0** |
| Devices | iPhone | **iPhone, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [STMicroelectronics](https://appshunter.io/developer/1801774735) | [育明 李](https://appshunter.io/developer/572761656) |

## What reviewers say

### NFC Tap

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nfc-tap/id1278913597)

This app allows users to read and write NFC tags, supporting various tag types and NDEF message formats. It enables quick actions like connecting to Wi-Fi, pairing Bluetooth devices, opening URLs, and initiating calls or messages directly from NFC tags.

**Highlights:** Read/Write NFC tags, Support ST25 Type5 & Type4A tags, Read/Write NDEF Messages (URL, Text, SMS, etc.), Connect to Wi-Fi devices, Pair Bluetooth devices, Initiate calls, SMS, and emails, Control ISO15693 commands

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to use interface
- 💡 Handy for development
- 🚀 Works as intended (initially)
- 👍 Great color scheme
- 👍 Simple navigation

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Does not work anymore
- 🐛 Unable to write to tags
- 🐛 Error messages
- 🐛 Not user friendly
- 🐛 Hard to navigate

**Reported bugs**

- Unable to write to tags
- Error indicating need to read tag first
- No longer works
- Cannot read, edit, or write back memory to 15693 tag
- Crashing when scanning NXP Mifare

**Requested features**

- Display NDEF record in HEX
- Fix password protection bug on iOS
- Allow importing bin files
- Improve user-friendliness for beginners
- Connect Digimon Vital Bracelet with VB Lab


### BU01 Reader

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bu01-reader/id1435757804)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is NFC Tap free?

NFC Tap is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is BU01 Reader free?

BU01 Reader is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Do NFC Tap or BU01 Reader have ads?

Neither NFC Tap nor BU01 Reader shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, NFC Tap or BU01 Reader?

NFC Tap ships an update every 2 months, and BU01 Reader every 2 months. Most recently, NFC Tap was updated on October 14, 2026 and BU01 Reader on September 26, 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.*