# IC Card Reader for Japan vs Japan NFC Reader

IC Card Reader for Japan and Japan NFC Reader both sit at 4.9 stars, but that hides the real split: 67% of Japan NFC Reader's written reviews are positive against 22% of IC Card Reader for Japan's. Japan NFC Reader also leads on update cadence (weekly vs every 3 weeks) and ratings volume (32 vs 7). IC Card Reader for Japan's advantage is ads (none vs shown). On price, rating, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. IC Card Reader for Japan sells 2 one-off in-app purchases and Japan NFC Reader sells 2 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.9 for IC Card Reader for Japan against 5.0 for Japan NFC Reader. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 7 and 32 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 22% of IC Card Reader for Japan's written reviews are positive against 67% of Japan NFC Reader's.

IC Card Reader for Japan ships an update every 3 weeks, Japan NFC Reader weekly. Both last shipped on November 11, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | IC Card Reader for Japan | Japan NFC Reader |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.9 (7 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ic-card-reader-for-japan/id1479055458/reviews) | **[5.0 (32 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/japan-nfc-reader/id1480265213/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 7 | **32** |
| Positive reviews | 22.2% of reviews | **66.7% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | **Weekly** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 11 MB | 45 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Noriaki Misawa](https://appshunter.io/developer/306486385) | [Ryoga Tanaka](https://appshunter.io/developer/1480265212) |

## What reviewers say

### IC Card Reader for Japan

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ic-card-reader-for-japan/id1479055458)

Instantly check the balance and transaction history of Japanese transit IC cards like Suica and Rakuten Edy by tapping them on your iPhone. Ideal for travelers and commuters needing to manage their funds and export data for expense reports.

**Highlights:** Read balance and history via NFC, Supports Suica, PASMO, and other transit IC cards, Supports Rakuten Edy, Name and color-tag cards, Export history as CSV, JSON, or Rakuraku Seisan, Automatic payment spot logging, Pro features: date-range export, balance widget, ad removal

**Features:** iPhone Duo support

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| コーヒーチケット | $1.99 | one-time |
| Remove Ads | $1.99 | one-time |


### Japan NFC Reader

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/japan-nfc-reader/id1480265213)

Easily check the balance and transaction history of various Japanese transit and e-money cards directly on your iPhone. Supports a wide range of popular IC cards and payment services.

**Highlights:** Check Japanese e-money balance, View usage history, Supports Transit IC cards (Suica, PASMO, etc.), Supports Rakuten Edy, nanaco, WAON, Supports Hong Kong Octopus card, Requires iOS 13.0 or later

**Features:** Apple Watch app

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Hide Ads (General) | $1.99 | one-time |
| Hide Ads (Advanced Features) | $4.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is IC Card Reader for Japan free?

IC Card Reader for Japan is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Japan NFC Reader free?

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

### Which has better reviews, IC Card Reader for Japan or Japan NFC Reader?

Japan NFC Reader is rated higher. IC Card Reader for Japan averages 4.9 out of 5 from 7 ratings, while Japan NFC Reader averages 5.0 from 32 ratings.

### Do IC Card Reader for Japan or Japan NFC Reader have ads?

Japan NFC Reader shows ads; IC Card Reader for Japan does not.

### Which is updated more often, IC Card Reader for Japan or Japan NFC Reader?

IC Card Reader for Japan ships an update every 3 weeks, and Japan NFC Reader weekly. Most recently, IC Card Reader for Japan was updated on November 11, 2026 and Japan NFC Reader on November 11, 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.*