Comparison

Smart NFC vs DNS Client

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Smart NFC

This app allows users to read, write, and interact with NFC tags directly from their compatible iPhone. It supports various record types, tag formatting, and direct memory access for advanced customization. Background reading is also available on newer devices.

Highlights
  • Read, write, duplicate, erase, and lock NDEF tags
  • Format tags as NDEF
  • Interact with links and social media records
  • Background tag reading
  • Direct tag memory access
  • Send custom commands to tags
Features
Read full description

NFC is supported on iPhone 7 or newer only; iPad and iPod Touch do not have the hardware to interact with NFC tags. ----- Read, write, interact, and hack your NFC tags on your supporting iPhone! Smart NFC is one of the first apps to support native NFC writing directly from your device. With numerous custom records to get you started, you'll be writing to most NDEF-formatted NFC tags in no time. Don't have any NDEF-formatted tags? Format them in the Advanced section. Tag-specific features are being added that allow you to edit a tag's memory directly, which opens the doors to all kinds of new features! Tag not scanning? NDEF format new tags from the Advanced section to get them working right! An NFC tag is written with a single "Message" which contains any number of "Records." These records define text, links, and data to be stored on the tag. Most tags can be scanned by holding the top of your iPhone within a few centimeters. A chip is only limited only by its size. As long as the chip is NDEF-formatted (most are, and other formats will be supported in a later version) and it has enough space, the limits are endless! Features: - Read, write, duplicate, erase, and permanently lock NDEF-formatted tags - Monitor a tag's max capacity (usually somewhere between 256-1024 Bytes) - Read, write, and interact with links (https://, sms://, facetime://, mailto:, etc.) - Write a variety of pre-defined Social Media and website records - Read and write text records with multiple language localizations - Use Background Tag Reading to interact with NFC tags without an app. Write a link to a tag and then tap it to your phone. Voila! (Supported on iPhone XS and newer) - Review and rewrite previous messages from your History to another tag - Format factory-programmed tags as NDEF tags in-app (Supports most common tags such as Type 2 and Type 5 NFC tags) - Read and write directly to a tag's memory - Send custom commands directly to a tag - And of course, target your users better by using a tag's unique identifier Extras: - Dark Mode - Privacy: we collect nothing as you use the app. Supported Devices: - NFC scanning is available on iPhone 7 and newer. iPad and iPod Touch do not have the required hardware. - Background Tag Reading is available on iPhone XS and newer. iOS will present a notification for the first valid link stored on a tag. Supported Tags: - Any NDEF-formatted tags - MIFARE Ultralight - NTAG 213/215/216 - NXP ICODE® Tags, ISO 15693 Tags, and Type 5 Tags Future support for: - MIFARE DESFire Limitations: - MIFARE Classic tags are not currently supported by iOS Future features: - Include a tag's ID and/or its read count in a record - Password-protect an NFC chip - Connect to a Bluetooth device Feel free to Tweet feature requests to me at @0xA1EC

About

DNS Client

Debug Domain Name Servers with this networking tool. Create human-readable requests and interpret responses. Supports all known DNS query types and multiple protocols including DNS over UDP, HTTPs, and TLS.

Highlights
  • Debug Domain Name Servers
  • Create human-readable requests
  • Interpret DNS responses
  • Supports all DNS query types
  • DNS over UDP
  • DNS over HTTPs
  • DNS over TLS
Features
Read full description

DNS Client is a fast, native way to run DNS lookups and debug Domain Name System queries — without the Terminal. Type a domain, pick a record type, and read a clean, human-readable response. It works like dig or nslookup, but with a proper interface. QUERY ANYTHING • All standard DNS record types (A, AAAA, MX, TXT, CNAME, NS, PTR, and more) • Reverse DNS lookups • Recursive queries, with full control over the request ANY RESOLVER, ANY PROTOCOL • DNS over UDP, DNS over HTTPS (DoH), and DNS over TLS (DoT) • Query public resolvers (Google, Cloudflare, Quad9, OpenDNS…) or your own • Compare answers across resolvers to spot propagation differences Built for developers and network engineers who need answers fast.

Screenshots

Smart NFC4 screens
DNS Client4 screens

Verdict

The call

Smart NFC and DNS Client both sit at 4.5 stars, but that hides the real split: 64% of DNS Client's written reviews are positive against 48% of Smart NFC's. DNS Client also leads on device support (4 vs 2) and price ($0.99 vs $1.99). Smart NFC's advantage is chart position (#5 vs #17). On rating, ratings volume, update cadence and ads 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Smart NFC costs $1.99 and DNS Client $0.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.5 for Smart NFC against 4.5 for DNS Client. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 92 and 146 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 48% of Smart NFC's written reviews are positive against 64% of DNS Client's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Smart NFC ships an update fortnightly, DNS Client every 3 weeks. Both last shipped on October 20, 2026.

Scorecard4 real differences · 7 level
Smart NFC versus DNS Client: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSmart NFCDNS Client
Price$1.99$0.99 — better
Rating4.5 (92 ratings)4.5 (146 ratings) — better
Positive reviews47.6% of reviews63.6% of reviews — better
Number of ratings92146 — better
Update frequencyFortnightly — betterEvery 3 weeks
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFreeFree
Best chart rank#5 — better#17
DevicesiPhone, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac — better
Requires iOS14.013.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size2 MB1 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperAlec O'ConnorSergii Kryvoblotskyi

Customer experience

Smart NFC

All ratings92 ratings
Positive87.0%
Neutral2.2%
Negative10.9%
Written reviews21 reviews
Positive47.6%
Neutral14.3%
Negative38.1%

DNS Client

All ratings146 ratings
Positive89.7%
Neutral0.7%
Negative9.6%
Written reviews11 reviews
Positive63.6%
Neutral0.0%
Negative36.4%

In-app purchases

None

Smart NFC

No in-app purchases

None

DNS Client

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Smart NFC free?
Smart NFC costs $1.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is DNS Client free?
DNS Client costs $0.99, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Smart NFC or DNS Client?
DNS Client is rated higher. Smart NFC averages 4.5 out of 5 from 92 ratings, while DNS Client averages 4.5 from 146 ratings.
Do Smart NFC or DNS Client have ads?
Neither Smart NFC nor DNS Client shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Smart NFC or DNS Client?
Smart NFC ships an update fortnightly, and DNS Client every 3 weeks. Most recently, Smart NFC was updated on October 20, 2026 and DNS Client on October 20, 2026.
Which is more popular, Smart NFC or DNS Client?
Smart NFC currently peaks at #5 in the App Store charts, and DNS Client at #17. Chart position reflects recent download velocity rather than total install base.

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