# NFC Tap vs NFC Reader

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: NFC Tap at none against NFC Reader's 8. NFC Tap also leads on ads (none vs shown) and review sentiment (54% vs 28%). NFC Reader's advantage is update cadence (every 9 days vs every 2 months) and device support (3 vs 1). On price, rating and ratings volume there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. NFC Reader sells 8 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per 7 days. NFC Tap asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.2 for NFC Tap against 4.2 for NFC Reader. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 231 and 114 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 54% of NFC Tap's written reviews are positive against 28% of NFC Reader's.

NFC Tap ships an update every 2 months, NFC Reader every 9 days. The most recent releases landed on October 14, 2026 and October 17, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | NFC Tap | NFC Reader |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.2 (231 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nfc-tap/id1278913597/reviews) | [4.2 (114 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nfc-reader-mobile-wallet/id6739038689/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **231** | 114 |
| Positive reviews | **53.8% of reviews** | 27.8% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Every 9 days** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 30 MB | 207 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.6 | **14.0** |
| Devices | iPhone | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [STMicroelectronics](https://appshunter.io/developer/1801774735) | [Jayshri Pipaliya](https://appshunter.io/developer/1728178841) |

## 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


### NFC Reader

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nfc-reader-mobile-wallet/id6739038689)

Scan and securely store public data from NFC-enabled credit and debit cards. Access card details, loyalty cards, and travel documents instantly on your iPhone. All data remains on your device for maximum privacy.

**Highlights:** Scan NFC credit and debit cards, Store loyalty, gift, and travel cards, View card number and expiry date, Global card compatibility (Visa, Mastercard, etc.), Categorize cards by type, Bookmark favorite cards, Privacy-focused, on-device storage

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

**In-app purchases (8)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| NFC Reader PRO - Weekly | $9.99 | per 7 days |
| NFC Reader PRO Exp - Weekly | $9.99 | per 7 days |
| NFC Reader PRO - Monthly | $9.99 | per month |
| NFC Reader PRO Exp - Monthly | $9.99 | per month |
| NFC Reader PRO - Yearly | $49.99 | per year |
| NFC Reader PRO Exp - Yearly | $49.99 | per year |
| NFC Reader PRO Exp - Lifetime | $79.99 | one-time |
| NFC Reader PRO - Lifetime | $79.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is NFC Tap free?

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

### Is NFC Reader free?

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

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

NFC Tap and NFC Reader are both rated 4.2 out of 5 on the App Store, from 231 and 114 ratings respectively.

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

NFC Reader shows ads; NFC Tap does not.

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

NFC Tap ships an update every 2 months, and NFC Reader every 9 days. Most recently, NFC Tap was updated on October 14, 2026 and NFC Reader on October 17, 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.*