NFC21 Tools vs ETRNL Programmer
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
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.
- 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
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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.
ETRNL Programmer
This application allows users to program NTAG424 DNA NFC chips. It connects with the ETRNL platform to facilitate chip configuration.
- Program NTAG424 DNA NFC chips
- Connects with ETRNL platform
- Facilitates chip configuration
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The ETRNL Programmer app enables users of the ETRNL platform to program their NTAG424 DNA NFC chips.
Screenshots
Verdict
NFC21 Tools and ETRNL Programmer both sit at 4.8 stars, but that hides the real split: 100% of ETRNL Programmer's written reviews are positive against 57% of NFC21 Tools's. NFC21 Tools's advantage is ratings volume (32 vs 2). On price, rating, 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
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
ETRNL Programmer holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: NFC21 Tools has 32 ratings behind it against 2, 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 100% of ETRNL Programmer's.
NFC21 Tools ships an update every 2 months, ETRNL Programmer every 4 weeks. The most recent releases landed on July 6, 2026 and June 9, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | NFC21 Tools | ETRNL Programmer |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.8 (32 ratings) | 5.0 (2 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 56.6% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 32 — better | 2 |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | Every 4 weeks — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 14.0 | 13.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 3 MB | 61 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | NFC21 GmbH | Invisible Art, LLC |
Customer experience
NFC21 Tools
ETRNL Programmer
In-app purchases
NFC21 Tools
No in-app purchases
ETRNL Programmer
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is NFC21 Tools free?
Is ETRNL Programmer free?
Which has better reviews, NFC21 Tools or ETRNL Programmer?
Do NFC21 Tools or ETRNL Programmer have ads?
Which is updated more often, NFC21 Tools or ETRNL Programmer?
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