# NFC vs NFC Mate

The clearest difference is rating: NFC Mate at 4.5 against NFC's 4.0. NFC Mate also leads on ads (none vs shown) and monetization model (free vs free with in-app purchases). NFC's advantage is iOS requirement (12.0 vs 15.0). On price, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. NFC sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month and NFC Mate sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

NFC Mate holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 4.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: NFC Mate has 15 ratings behind it against 3, so its average is the more settled of the two.

NFC ships an update monthly, NFC Mate weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 10, 2026 and October 22, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | NFC | NFC Mate |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.0 (3 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nfc-shortcut-application/id6443559236/reviews) | **[4.5 (15 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nfc-mate-nfc-reader-and-writer/id6738902054/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 3 | **15** |
| Positive reviews | 40.0% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Monthly | **Weekly** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 33 MB | 11 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [ErxiangHeyi Information](https://appshunter.io/developer/1735695526) | [Isitan SENSOY](https://appshunter.io/developer/1782854522) |

## What reviewers say

### NFC

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nfc-shortcut-application/id6443559236)

Quickly launch your favorite apps and read/write NFC data. Store records with iCloud and personalize written data with color markings for easy identification. Make daily tasks more efficient.

**Highlights:** Quick app launching, NFC data reading and writing, iCloud storage for records, Support for various data types on NFC tags, Color marking for written data, Compatibility with NFC devices

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Family Sharing, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly Plus | $0.99 | per month |
| Annual Plus | $6.99 | per year |
| LifeTime | $17.99 | one-time |


### NFC Mate

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nfc-mate-nfc-reader-and-writer/id6738902054)

Manage NFC tags with ease. Read, write, copy, erase, and lock NFC tags quickly. Supports NDEF format and tracks your recent activity for efficient NFC operations.

**Highlights:** Read and write NFC tags, Copy and erase NFC tags, Lock NFC tags to make them read-only, Track recent read/write history, Support for NDEF format

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| NFC Mate Pro | $1.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is NFC free?

NFC is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is NFC Mate free?

NFC Mate is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, NFC or NFC Mate?

NFC Mate is rated higher. NFC averages 4.0 out of 5 from 3 ratings, while NFC Mate averages 4.5 from 15 ratings.

### Do NFC or NFC Mate have ads?

NFC shows ads; NFC Mate does not.

### Which is updated more often, NFC or NFC Mate?

NFC ships an update monthly, and NFC Mate weekly. Most recently, NFC was updated on October 10, 2026 and NFC Mate on October 22, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*