NFC Reader / Writer vs Im
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
NFC Reader / Writer
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.
- Read NFC tags
- Save tags for later
- Share tag data
- Save contacts from tags
- Open URLs from tags
- Display text messages
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With NFC Reader you can read tags, save them for later viewing, share them, save contacts, open URLs and more! Be advised: Reading NFC tags requires iPhone 7, 8, or X. FAQ: - Will my iPhone work with NFC? That depends: iPhone 7 and up supports NFC reading and NFC reading only works when NFC tags are NDEF formatted. If you're not sure what that means, you can reach out to our support for more information. - Are NFC tags RFID tags? No, NFC NDEF tags are not RFID tags - this means your gym cards, debit/credit cards, hotel cards, etc aren't readable by this app. - Will this app help me pair to my speaker/router/camera/etc? No, this app doesn't support deep integrations into NFC enabled products - this app is intended to read NFC tags and display data within those tags. Some tags contain actionable data like website URLs, text messages, geotags, contact cards, etc. If you have any questions, reach out to me at andrew@baristable.com
Im
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Im:Here lets you send a quick message with your location to family and friends in just one tap. No accounts, no tracking, no complicated setup - just fast, simple communication when it matters. **HOW IT WORKS** 1. Add your trusted contacts (Mom, Dad, partner, friend) 2. Set up quick actions like "I'm fine", "From here with love", "On my way", "Pick me up", or "Need help now" 3. Tap once - a pre-filled message with your location and a map link is ready to send That's it. The recipient gets a standard SMS or iMessage with your status, a street address, a timestamp, and an Apple Maps link. They don't need any app installed. **PERFECT FOR** - Parents who want a simple way for their kids to check in - Anyone walking alone at night who wants quick access to "send my location" - Families coordinating pickups from school, practice, or events - Travelers letting loved ones know they arrived safely - Anyone who's tired of typing "I'm here" and fumbling with map screenshots **FEATURES** - One-tap location messages via SMS or iMessage - Five pre-defined actions: "I'm fine" - let someone know you're okay "From here with love" - share your city or favorite spot with a personal touch "On my way" - signal that you're heading toward someone "Pick me up" - request a ride with your exact location "Need help now" - send an urgent call for help - Home Screen widget - send a message without even opening the app - Lock Screen widget - fastest possible access, no unlock needed - Siri Shortcuts - say "Hey Siri, I'm fine" to trigger a message - Back Tap support - double or triple-tap the back of your iPhone - Action Button support (iPhone 15 Pro and later) - Reverse-geocoded street address and nearby landmarks included in every message - Apple Maps link for one-tap navigation to your location - Timestamp proves when the message was sent, not just received - iCloud sync - your contacts and actions carry over to new devices - Works fully offline - iCloud is optional - No account required. No tracking. No backend. **PRIVACY FIRST** Im:Here has no backend, no servers, no analytics. Your data stays on your device (and optionally in your private iCloud). Location is only accessed the moment you tap an action - never in the background. The app requests only the permissions it needs, only when it needs them. **LANGUAGES** Available in English, German, Ukrainian, and Spanish.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Im at none against NFC Reader / Writer's 1. Im also leads on ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (every 8 days vs monthly). On price, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS
Both are free to download. NFC Reader / Writer sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Im asks for nothing beyond the download.
NFC Reader / Writer ships an update monthly, Im every 8 days. The most recent releases landed on September 28, 2026 and September 18, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | NFC Reader / Writer | Im |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 3.6 (19 ratings) — better | — |
| Positive reviews | 16.0% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 19 — better | — |
| Update frequency | Monthly | Every 8 days — better |
| Ads | Yes | No — better |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 18.6 | 18.6 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 5 MB | 3 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Andrew Sowers | Igor Stefanyuk |
Bugs and requests
NFC Reader / Writer
Reported bugs
7 issues- 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
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- App won't open on multiple device models
- CoreNFC framework compatibility issues
Requested features
6 requests- 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
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- Graceful handling for devices without NFC hardware
Im
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
NFC Reader / Writer
- Remove Ads$1.99
Im
No in-app purchases









