Comparison

CircuitShepherd vs QIDI Box NFC Tagger

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

Head to head
About

CircuitShepherd

Automate electronic circuit design with AI-driven parameter optimization. Define schematics and design goals, and the software finds optimal part values in real-time. Save time on calculations and iterations with this intuitive tool.

Highlights
  • Automated parameter optimization
  • AI-driven circuit engineering
  • Real-time design goal finding
  • Intuitive user interface
  • Schematic definition
  • Part value calculation
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CircuitShepherd provides you with analog-design superpowers by doing automated parameter optimization it in realtime! It's a novel Electronic Design Automation software for AI driven electronics circuit engineering. You define an arbitrary schematic including specific design goals and CircuitShepherd will find the right part values for you. This is achieved by combining traditional circuit simulation techniques with AI driven parameter estimation algorithms and finally a simple and intuitive user interface. It’s easy to learn, fast to use and it will save you a lot of time by automating your daily calculation and iteration tasks. CircuitShepherd is free to use immediately (with very basic features). The full version with all features enabled is available via in-app purchase (subscription-based). Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy Policy: https://www.circuitshepherd.com/privacy-policy-iOS.html

About

QIDI Box NFC Tagger

Features
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NOTE: There are DIY tasks associated with the use of this app. Please see the details at the support site URL before purchase even though the price is less than a can of soda ;-) The app will read and write MIFARE NFC tags compatible with the format used by the QIDI Box Filament AMS. The app communicates via Bluetooth to a DIY tag reader/writer easily built from a or Seeed Studio microprocessor connected via I2C (only four wires) to a PN532 NFC reader/writer and provides a convenient way to write the filament color and type information to low cost MIFARE NFC tags that can be applied to your own non-QIDI filament stock for use in the QIDI Box AMS. It uses the encoding provided to the public domain by QIDI. Complete DIY information and parts list (both parts available for less than $15 or so from Amazon) along with 3D Model(s) for the enclosure (3MF that you can modify to suit as desired) are on the App support site. NOTE: This app requires a DIY build of the reader/writer hardware for full function. This is an easy build but it is a "maker" project. The app here has a demo mode that will allow you to explore the UI while you are waiting for your parts to arrive from Amazon (or wherever you get your electronic parts.) The whole project can be seen on the support site for this app and while it's priced for less than a candy bar just to have some ROI on my part, you must be willing to buy the microprocessor and the PN532 module and connect them with four wires and put them in whatever enclosure you like. Since the context of this is 3D filament tagging, you are probably a 3D printer enthusiast so I've also posted the 3MF model I designed for mine that you are welcome to use. This app just provides a nice "front end" to send the simple Nordic UART Service (NUS) commands serially over bluetooth to the module. You could easily use any other Bluetooth serial connection software to send those commands. Thus the module could be used for other tag formats besides those used by the QIDI box. The protocol is implemented by an Arduino sketch loaded by the Arduino IDE onto the Seeed Studio XIAO ESP32C3 microprocessor. The sketch and the full source is available for your convenience as part of the DIY info. You just need to get the two modules, make four connections and apply power via USB.

Screenshots

CircuitShepherd4 screens
QIDI Box NFC Tagger4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: CircuitShepherd at Free against QIDI Box NFC Tagger's $0.99. CircuitShepherd also leads on iOS requirement (14.0 vs 26.0). QIDI Box NFC Tagger's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1). On 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

CircuitShepherd is free to download; QIDI Box NFC Tagger costs $0.99 up front. CircuitShepherd sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $6.99 per month. QIDI Box NFC Tagger asks for nothing beyond the download.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
CircuitShepherd versus QIDI Box NFC Tagger: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterCircuitShepherdQIDI Box NFC Tagger
PriceFree — better$0.99
Rating1.5 (2 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews0.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings2 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeks—
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS14.0 — better26.0
Further details — not scored
Size49 MB2 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperJosef WoessAYEFON.COM

In-app purchases

1 purchases

CircuitShepherd

Subscriptions1
  • full version$6.991 Month
None

QIDI Box NFC Tagger

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is CircuitShepherd free?
CircuitShepherd is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is QIDI Box NFC Tagger free?
QIDI Box NFC Tagger costs $0.99, with no in-app purchases.
Do CircuitShepherd or QIDI Box NFC Tagger have ads?
Neither CircuitShepherd nor QIDI Box NFC Tagger shows ads.

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