# NFC Tap vs Japan NFC Reader

The clearest difference is rating: Japan NFC Reader at 5.0 against NFC Tap's 4.2. Japan NFC Reader also leads on update cadence (every 6 days vs every 2 months) and review sentiment (67% vs 55%). NFC Tap's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 2) and ads (none vs shown). On price there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Japan NFC Reader sells 2 one-off in-app purchases. NFC Tap asks for nothing beyond the download.

Japan NFC Reader holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.2. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: NFC Tap has 229 ratings behind it against 24, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 55% of NFC Tap's written reviews are positive against 67% of Japan NFC Reader's.

NFC Tap ships an update every 2 months, Japan NFC Reader every 6 days. The most recent releases landed on September 21, 2026 and July 5, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | NFC Tap | Japan NFC Reader |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.2 (229 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nfc-tap/id1278913597/reviews) | **[5.0 (24 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/japan-nfc-reader/id1480265213/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **229** | 24 |
| Positive reviews | 55.3% of reviews | **66.7% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Every 6 days** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 29 MB | 48 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.6 | **12.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [STMicroelectronics](https://appshunter.io/developer/1801774735) | [Ryoga Tanaka](https://appshunter.io/developer/1480265212) |

## 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

**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


### Japan NFC Reader

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/japan-nfc-reader/id1480265213)

Easily check the balance and usage history of various Japanese transit and e-money cards directly on your iPhone. Supports a wide range of IC cards and payment services for convenient financial tracking.

**Highlights:** Check e-money balance, View usage history, Supports Transit IC cards, Supports Rakuten Edy, nanaco, WAON, Supports Hong Kong Octopus card, iPhone compatibility

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Hide Ads (General) | $1.99 | one-time |
| Hide Ads (Advanced Features) | $4.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is NFC Tap free?

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

### Is Japan NFC Reader free?

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

### Which has better reviews, NFC Tap or Japan NFC Reader?

Japan NFC Reader is rated higher. NFC Tap averages 4.2 out of 5 from 229 ratings, while Japan NFC Reader averages 5.0 from 24 ratings.

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

Japan NFC Reader shows ads; NFC Tap does not.

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

NFC Tap ships an update every 2 months, and Japan NFC Reader every 6 days. Most recently, NFC Tap was updated on September 21, 2026 and Japan NFC Reader on July 5, 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.*