Comparison

NFC21 Tools vs Smart NFC Tools

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

Head to head
About

NFC21 Tools

Explore NFC technology with an advanced yet user-friendly toolset. Read, write, and manage NFC tags with support for various data types, including URLs, contacts, and Wi-Fi credentials. Organize your scanned tags with filters and access detailed information.

Highlights
  • Read and write NFC tags
  • Manage tag history with filters
  • Create standard, extended, and expert tag types
  • Support for URL, Phone, Email, SMS, FaceTime, and Shortcuts
  • Advanced options for Text, Address, Position, Contact, and Wi-Fi
  • Define custom data types (MIME-Type)
  • Share Bluetooth device IDs
Read full description

We love NFC, therefore we decided to develop our NFC21 tools. Our app offers you an advanced yet easy to use toolset to explore NFC with your iPhone. Reading as well as writing of NFC-tags is supported and wrapped in an attractive user interface. NFC21 tools greets you with a history view, which contains all NFC-Tags you have read or written. Additional filters enable you to narrow down the list to ‘Read’, ‘Written’, ‘Drafts’ or ‘Favorites’ only. Tap on an entry for more details like the serial number (uid), memory size, write lock as well as the stored content. Based on the latter, an available action is offered like opening a link in Safari or the import of v-cards into the Contacts app. Creation of own NFC-tags starts with the selection of a type. We differentiate three different types. First, the standard-type creates NFC-tags which are readable by newer iPhones (iPhone XS, XR or newer) without an additional app. Second, extended types which offer more advanced scenarios like sharing of locations, contacts or WIFI-credentials. These types require a suitable app (like NFC21 Tools or NFC21 Reader) to read and process the stored content. Lastly, the expert type allows the definition of own datatypes, which require suitable / custom apps to use them. In summary, NFC21 Tools support the following tag-types: Standard (usable without an app with iPhone XS, XR or newer): • URL: Share a link to a website with an NFC-tag. Long / complicated addresses are a problem of the past. • Phone number: Share a number with NFC – always right and directly dialable. • E-Mail: Prepare a message for a recipient, ready to send with a tap. • SMS: Create a short message for a predefined number, an optional text and ready to send in an instant. • FaceTime: Start a FaceTime conversation with a scan. • Shortcut: Execute a shortcut from the apple shortcuts app with a simple scan. Advanced (with App): • Text: Hide a text within an NFC-tag, waiting to be read by a scanning fellow. • Address: Prepare a location for maps to ease getting direction – complicated street names are not a problem anymore. • Position: Locate an exact position (treasure)? Store longitude and longitude for use in the maps app. • Contact: Make your business card smart and let others scan your data like magic. • WiFi: Share credentials and ease login with a tag scan. Expert: • Data: Allows to define custom data types (MIME-Type). • Bluetooth: Share Bluetooth device IDs for easier coupling. Recommended NFC-Tag types: • NXP NTAG 203, 213, 215, 216 Support and NFC-Tags The NFC21 Tools app is developed by the NFC21 GmbH. Do not hesitate to send feedback and feature requests to our support. We recommend NFC-Tags based on the NXP NTAG-Series. In our online-shop we offer you a broad selection of NFC-products in various shapes and colors. Furthermore, we produce custom NFC-products based on your individual requirements.

About

Smart NFC Tools

Easily read, inspect, and modify NFC tags with this intuitive tool. Write to tags in various formats to trigger actions like opening websites or making calls. Prioritizes user privacy by operating entirely offline.

Highlights
  • Read NFC tag content
  • Inspect and modify NFC tags
  • Erase, lock, and copy tags
  • Write NFC tags in various formats
  • Trigger phone calls or open websites
  • 100% offline operation
Read full description

Smart NFC Tools is the most accessible and easy to use NFC Reader and Writer for mobile devices! With a simple user interface and powerful tools you can interact with NDEF-Formatted NFC cards without any external hardware! - Read, Inspect and modify: Read a tag by touching the back of your device against it and Smart NFC Tools will show you a full report on the tag's content and give you options such as erase, lock and copy. It's super easy! - Write in many formats: Smart NFC Tools enables you to write NFC tags in popular formats that allow for custom interactions such as opening a website or triggering a phone call just by touching the tag with a compatible device! - Note about privacy: Smart NFC Tools works 100% offline, without any personal or content data being sent to an external server or third party server. Your privacy is our priority! Embrace the world of NFC technologies using your phone or tablet! Smart NFC Tools is now available for all iOS devices!

Screenshots

NFC21 Tools4 screens
Smart NFC Tools4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: NFC21 Tools at none against Smart NFC Tools's 1. NFC21 Tools also leads on review sentiment (57% vs 30%) and rating (4.8 vs 4.6). Smart NFC Tools's advantage is update cadence (weekly vs every 2 months) and ratings volume (478 vs 32). On price, ads, 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

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

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

NFC21 Tools holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Smart NFC Tools has 478 ratings behind it against 32, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 57% of NFC21 Tools's written reviews are positive against 30% of Smart NFC Tools's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

NFC21 Tools ships an update every 2 months, Smart NFC Tools weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 16, 2026 and October 14, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 4 level
NFC21 Tools versus Smart NFC Tools: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterNFC21 ToolsSmart NFC Tools
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.8 (32 ratings) — better4.6 (478 ratings)
Positive reviews56.6% of reviews — better30.3% of reviews
Number of ratings32478 — better
Update frequencyEvery 2 monthsWeekly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree — betterFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS14.0 — better15.6
Further details — not scored
Size3 MB35 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperNFC21 GmbHArthur Eduardo Skaetta Alvarez Desenvolvimento de Software LTDA.

Customer experience

NFC21 Tools

All ratings32 ratings
Positive96.9%
Neutral0.0%
Negative3.1%
Written reviews53 reviews
Positive56.6%
Neutral5.7%
Negative37.7%

Smart NFC Tools

All ratings478 ratings
Positive90.2%
Neutral2.3%
Negative7.5%
Written reviews33 reviews
Positive30.3%
Neutral3.0%
Negative66.7%

Bugs and requests

NFC21 Tools

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

Smart NFC Tools

Reported bugs

6 issues
  • Doesn't work to save contact card
  • App glitches
  • Doesn't work to read card and fob
  • Paid for unlock, but restore doesn't work after iOS update
  • Paid for ability to lock tags, but feature does not work
Show 1 more
  • App not working after 15 minutes, even after purchase

Requested features

2 requests
  • Add social media to chips
  • Ability to add multiple items to card after paying

In-app purchases

None

NFC21 Tools

No in-app purchases

1 purchases

Smart NFC Tools

One-time1
  • NFC Tools Premium$1.99

Questions

Is NFC21 Tools free?
NFC21 Tools is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Smart NFC Tools free?
Smart NFC Tools is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, NFC21 Tools or Smart NFC Tools?
NFC21 Tools is rated higher. NFC21 Tools averages 4.8 out of 5 from 32 ratings, while Smart NFC Tools averages 4.6 from 478 ratings.
Do NFC21 Tools or Smart NFC Tools have ads?
Neither NFC21 Tools nor Smart NFC Tools shows ads.
Which is updated more often, NFC21 Tools or Smart NFC Tools?
NFC21 Tools ships an update every 2 months, and Smart NFC Tools weekly. Most recently, NFC21 Tools was updated on October 16, 2026 and Smart NFC Tools on October 14, 2026.

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