# NFC Reader / Writer vs NFC21 Reader

The clearest difference is review sentiment: NFC21 Reader at 71% against NFC Reader / Writer's 16%. NFC21 Reader also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 1) and ads (none vs shown). NFC Reader / Writer's advantage is rating (3.6 vs 3.0) and ratings volume (19 vs 4). On price, update cadence and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. NFC Reader / Writer sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. NFC21 Reader asks for nothing beyond the download.

NFC Reader / Writer holds the better App Store score, 3.6 against 3.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 19 and 4 respectively. Written reviews complicate that: 16% of NFC Reader / Writer's written reviews are positive against 71% of NFC21 Reader's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

NFC Reader / Writer ships an update monthly, NFC21 Reader every 5 weeks. The most recent releases landed on July 8, 2026 and June 3, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | NFC Reader / Writer | NFC21 Reader |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[3.6 (19 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nfc-reader-writer/id1286968328/reviews)** | [3.0 (4 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nfc21-reader/id1293225257/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **19** | 4 |
| Positive reviews | 16.0% of reviews | **70.6% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Monthly** | Every 5 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 5 MB | 3 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.6 | **14.0** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Andrew Sowers](https://appshunter.io/developer/592605673) | [NFC21 GmbH](https://appshunter.io/developer/787102532) |

## What reviewers say

### NFC Reader / Writer

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nfc-reader-writer/id1286968328)

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.

**Highlights:** Read NFC tags, Save tags for later, Share tag data, Save contacts from tags, Open URLs from tags, Display text messages

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Remove Ads | $1.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- ✅ Works well for NFC reading on compatible devices
- 👍 Nice, clean user interface design
- 🎯 Effective for product traceability and information display
- 💪 Reliable performance on iPhone 7 and newer models
- 🔧 Useful for reading various NFC tag types and formats

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 App crashes on startup for unsupported devices
- ❌ Inconsistent NFC reading functionality across devices
- 📱 Limited compatibility - only works on iPhone 7+
- 😕 Poor documentation and unclear instructions
- ⚠️ Misleading compatibility information in app store

**Reported bugs**

- 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

**Requested features**

- 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


### NFC21 Reader

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nfc21-reader/id1293225257)

Easily read and interact with NFC tags. Scan tags to preview content and immediately perform actions like opening websites, adding contacts, or connecting to Wi-Fi. Supports various tag types for seamless interaction.

**Highlights:** Scan NFC tags, Preview tag content, Directly execute actions, Supports URL, VCard, WiFi, Text, GEO, Phone, Mail, SMS, Continuous improvement and new features, Simple and usable interface

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is NFC Reader / Writer free?

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

### Is NFC21 Reader free?

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

### Which has better reviews, NFC Reader / Writer or NFC21 Reader?

NFC Reader / Writer is rated higher. NFC Reader / Writer averages 3.6 out of 5 from 19 ratings, while NFC21 Reader averages 3.0 from 4 ratings.

### Do NFC Reader / Writer or NFC21 Reader have ads?

NFC Reader / Writer shows ads; NFC21 Reader does not.

### Which is updated more often, NFC Reader / Writer or NFC21 Reader?

NFC Reader / Writer ships an update monthly, and NFC21 Reader every 5 weeks. Most recently, NFC Reader / Writer was updated on July 8, 2026 and NFC21 Reader on June 3, 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.*