Comparison

NFC21 Tools vs MTools BLE RFID Reader

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

MTools BLE RFID Reader

This application allows users to read and write data to various NFC tags using compatible BLE devices. It offers advanced features for managing and editing tag data, including UID manipulation and firmware upgrades for supported hardware.

Highlights
  • Read and write NFC tags
  • Mifare Classic and Ultralight support
  • UID changer for magic cards
  • Tag dump editor
  • ChameleonUltra device management
  • Firmware upgrades
  • Tag scanner and ID logger
Features
Read full description

MTools BLE App is an all-in-one App for PN532 BLE, PCR532, ChameleonUltra, ChameleonUltra Dev Kit, ChameleonLite and Pixl.js devices. It supports reading and writing of Mifare Classic 1K, Mifare Classic 4K, Mifare Ultralight, Mifare Ultralight C, NTAG203, NTAG213, NTAG215, NTAG216, Mifare Desfire, Mifare Plus and other NFC tags with APDU command. Mifare Classic Tools UI friendly Mifare Dump editor full dump reading Tag formatter Partial and full sectors writing UID Changer Gen1A, Gen2, Gen3 & Gen4 Magic card support Mifare Ultralight Mifare DESFire GEN4 GUI Configuration to Mifare Classic Ultralight DESFire Shadow mode settings UID/SAK/ATQA/ATS Password ChameleonUltra Slot Manager Quick Reading & Simulating Slot Dump Button settings Mifare Classic Settings Mfkey32 Firmware Upgrade Pixl.js BLE File Transfer Dump uploader Slot name editor Firmware Upgrade Tag Scanner ID Logger Tag ID Sharing Mifare Dump Importing by bin, mct or json Share dump as bin, mct or json Dump to Keys Mifare Keys Public Keys Private keys by user History keys by card OTA Tool Firmwre Repository File selectable Upgrading process

Screenshots

NFC21 Tools4 screens
MTools BLE RFID Reader4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: NFC21 Tools at 4.8 against MTools BLE RFID Reader's 3.8. NFC21 Tools also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 1). MTools BLE RFID Reader's advantage is update cadence (every 4 days vs every 2 months) and review sentiment (75% vs 57%). On price, ratings volume, ads and device support 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. MTools BLE RFID Reader 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 3.8. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 32 and 17 respectively. Written reviews complicate that: 57% of NFC21 Tools's written reviews are positive against 75% of MTools BLE RFID Reader's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

NFC21 Tools ships an update every 2 months, MTools BLE RFID Reader every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on October 8, 2026 and October 10, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
NFC21 Tools versus MTools BLE RFID Reader: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterNFC21 ToolsMTools BLE RFID Reader
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.8 (32 ratings) — better3.8 (17 ratings)
Positive reviews56.6% of reviews75.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings32 — better17
Update frequencyEvery 2 monthsEvery 4 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree — betterFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS14.0 — better15.0
Further details — not scored
Size3 MB52 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperNFC21 GmbHMTools Tec Co., Ltd

Customer experience

NFC21 Tools

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

MTools BLE RFID Reader

All ratings17 ratings
Positive70.6%
Neutral5.9%
Negative23.5%
Written reviews40 reviews
Positive75.0%
Neutral7.5%
Negative17.5%

In-app purchases

None

NFC21 Tools

No in-app purchases

1 purchases

MTools BLE RFID Reader

One-time1
  • MTools Premium$8.99

Questions

Is NFC21 Tools free?
NFC21 Tools is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is MTools BLE RFID Reader free?
MTools BLE RFID Reader is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, NFC21 Tools or MTools BLE RFID Reader?
NFC21 Tools is rated higher. NFC21 Tools averages 4.8 out of 5 from 32 ratings, while MTools BLE RFID Reader averages 3.8 from 17 ratings.
Do NFC21 Tools or MTools BLE RFID Reader have ads?
Neither NFC21 Tools nor MTools BLE RFID Reader shows ads.
Which is updated more often, NFC21 Tools or MTools BLE RFID Reader?
NFC21 Tools ships an update every 2 months, and MTools BLE RFID Reader every 4 days. Most recently, NFC21 Tools was updated on October 8, 2026 and MTools BLE RFID Reader on October 10, 2026.

Other comparisons