Smartcard Reader vs NFC Commander
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Smartcard Reader
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The new App named iReader App which supports all Feitian mobile readers on iOS, here is a list: iR301, bR301, bR301BLE, bR500 https://www.ftsafe.com/Products/reader iReader App support to communication with this reader with your card, contactless and contact card. also, it takes private functions for readers, like get the serial number, reader ID, Bluetooth ID, reader name, model name, manufacturer and so on. The iReader App is a reference App, which shows you how to use our API through reader do communication with your card and get your data from the card. based on this reference App, you can be based on our code to write your own App, for example, you can integrate card reader with your solution, to do payment, authentication, identification, and private network access. Technical reminder: iR301 and bR301 reader using the same SDK under iOS, since they are both accordances with iAP1 and iAP2 protocol which made by Apple, both using the External Accessory Framework. So you will need to add below protocol string into your App. External Accessory Protocol: - com.ftsafe.iR301 - com.ftsafe.bR301 bR301BLE and bR500 using Bluetooth Smart technology, apply Bluetooth 4.0 interface as a communication channel to connect with Phones. You can find the source code from Github, link below: https://github.com/FeitianSmartcardReader/FEITIAN_MOBILE_READERS Other comments: 1. The iReader App only support one reader 2. Auto Pair only work for bR301BLE and bR500, since these device using Bluetooth Smart technology 3. To export the App log, please using iTunes export the log, the log will help us to check your issues with your reader and cards.
NFC Commander
This utility app allows you to read and write data to NFC cards. It supports multiple data reads and writes, various data types, and specific formats for auto-recognition on newer iPhones. An advanced version offers additional features.
- Read NFC card data
- Write data to NFC cards
- Multiple data reads/writes
- Support for multiple data types
- Specific format writing for auto-recognition
- Dark mode support
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NFCommander identifies NFC tags on iPhone, then reads and writes NDEF when the tag has it. Hold a sticker or card to see UID, technology, and capacity. Write a link, text, or vCard, clone a scan onto another sticker, or permanently lock the next tag you hold. Nothing is uploaded, and there is no account. WHAT YOU CAN DO • Identify MIFARE, ISO 15693, FeliCa, and ISO 7816 tags (iPhone 7 and later) • See UID, maker, capacity, and whether a tag is writable or locked • Read NDEF records: links, text, vCard, Smart Poster, and more • Write templates: link, text, email, phone, message, maps, vCard, or a custom NDEF record • Copy a scanned tag and write it to another writable sticker • Permanently lock a physical tag with the system writeLock API • Keep scan history on your iPhone, including UID COMPATIBILITY • Bank cards, secure ID documents, and dynamic-ID transit cards are handled by Apple Pay and cannot be read here • iOS restricts third-party apps from using MIFARE Classic or reading tags in the background • NFC is available on supported iPhones only • Locking a tag cannot be undone PRIVACY FIRST • Identify, read, write, and lock happen on your iPhone • No cloud, no analytics, no tracking, no sign-in • UID and records never leave your iPhone unless you copy or share them FREE AND PREMIUM • Identifying a tag and viewing UID, technology, and capacity is free • Premium unlocks writing, cloning, locking, and every NDEF record on a multi-record tag
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Smartcard Reader at none against NFC Commander's 1. Smartcard Reader also leads on update cadence (every 2 months vs every 34 months) and device support (3 vs 1). On price 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. NFC Commander sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Smartcard Reader asks for nothing beyond the download.
Smartcard Reader ships an update every 2 months, NFC Commander every 34 months. The most recent releases landed on October 27, 2026 and November 3, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Smartcard Reader | NFC Commander |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | — | 4.8 (6 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | — | 100.0% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | — | 6 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months — better | Every 34 months |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Monetization | — | Free with in-app purchases |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better | iPhone |
| Requires iOS | 11.0 — better | 17.6 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 3 MB | 3 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | FEITIAN Technologies Co.,Ltd. | 袁杰 张 |
In-app purchases
Smartcard Reader
No in-app purchases
NFC Commander
- Premium Edition$0.99
Questions
Is Smartcard Reader free?
Is NFC Commander free?
Do Smartcard Reader or NFC Commander have ads?
Which is updated more often, Smartcard Reader or NFC Commander?
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