# NFC Tap vs NFC21 Tools

The clearest difference is rating: NFC21 Tools at 4.8 against NFC Tap's 4.2. NFC21 Tools also leads on iOS requirement (14.0 vs 16.6). NFC Tap's advantage is ratings volume (229 vs 32). On price, review sentiment, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

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

NFC21 Tools holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.2. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: NFC Tap has 229 ratings behind it against 32, 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 57% of NFC21 Tools's.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on September 21, 2026 and July 6, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | NFC Tap | NFC21 Tools |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.2 (229 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nfc-tap/id1278913597/reviews) | **[4.8 (32 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nfc21-tools/id1496636288/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **229** | 32 |
| Positive reviews | 55.3% of reviews | **56.6% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 29 MB | 3 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.6 | **14.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [STMicroelectronics](https://appshunter.io/developer/1801774735) | [NFC21 GmbH](https://appshunter.io/developer/787102532) |

## 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


### NFC21 Tools

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nfc21-tools/id1496636288)

Explore NFC technology with an advanced yet user-friendly toolset. Read, write, and manage NFC tags with support for various data types, including URLs, contacts, and Wi-Fi credentials. Organize your scanned tags with filters and access detailed information.

**Highlights:** Read and write NFC tags, Manage tag history with filters, Create standard, extended, and expert tag types, Support for URL, Phone, Email, SMS, FaceTime, and Shortcuts, Advanced options for Text, Address, Position, Contact, and Wi-Fi, Define custom data types (MIME-Type), Share Bluetooth device IDs

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is NFC Tap free?

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

### Is NFC21 Tools free?

NFC21 Tools is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, NFC Tap or NFC21 Tools?

NFC21 Tools is rated higher. NFC Tap averages 4.2 out of 5 from 229 ratings, while NFC21 Tools averages 4.8 from 32 ratings.

### Do NFC Tap or NFC21 Tools have ads?

Neither NFC Tap nor NFC21 Tools shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, NFC Tap or NFC21 Tools?

NFC Tap ships an update every 2 months, and NFC21 Tools every 2 months. Most recently, NFC Tap was updated on September 21, 2026 and NFC21 Tools on July 6, 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.*