Comparison

SMD vs NFC Arcane

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

Head to head
About

SMD

This tool for Apple Watch detects magnetic fields, offering detailed sensor views and customizable notifications. It provides polarity-specific haptic feedback and is recommended for Series 6 and later models for optimal performance.

Highlights
  • Magnetic field component monitoring (X, Y, Z)
  • Customizable sensitivity
  • Notification interval settings
  • Significant change detection alerts
  • Polarity-specific haptic feedback
  • Analog Watch Mode for optimal performance
Features
Read full description

SMD is a watchOS app that turns Apple Watch into a magnetic detector and provides haptic alerts for nearby magnetic field changes. You can switch between the analog clock screen and the Settings screen with a swipe. SMD offers two operating modes: Manual Mode and Motion Mode. In Manual Mode, detection starts and stops with a tap. In Motion Mode, raising the wrist starts the sensor, and briefly holding still completes the set process and makes the app ready to use. Lowering the wrist stops sensing. Motion Mode also supports tap-based OFF and re-set actions. Detection and alerts become active only after baseline acquisition is complete. Sensitivity can be adjusted from the Settings screen using the Digital Crown. The Settings screen shows ON / OFF status, X / Y / Z values, mode switching, sensitivity, and version information. When magnetic reference is inactive, X / Y / Z values are shown as -.--. Key Features - Magnetic detector functionality using Apple Watch - Haptic alerts - Manual Mode and Motion Mode - Sensitivity adjustment with the Digital Crown - X / Y / Z value display - Automatic polarity detection - Stable single-trigger alert behavior Important Notes - Do not use magnetic watch bands - Strong magnets may temporarily affect sensor readings - Apple Watch Series 10 or later is recommended

About

NFC Arcane

Features
Read full description

NFC Arcan gathers every kind of link you need—normal web URLs, iOS Shortcuts links and custom URL-schemes—in one clear library, so you never have to dig through multiple apps or notes again. Key Features • Save & categorize unlimited web links, Shortcut actions and deep-link URL-schemes, each with a large, recognizable icon • Write / rewrite any link to an NFC tag in seconds, with an optional read-only lock for security • Launch instantly: open websites, trigger Shortcuts or jump straight into another app via its URL-scheme • Scan & generate QR codes for any saved link—share them on the spot or save high-resolution codes straight to your Photo Library • Backup & restore your entire collection with a single file—nothing gets lost From NFC business cards to smart posters and home-automation triggers, NFC Wizard keeps all your URLs—web, Shortcut or deep-link—plus their QR codes—in one place, ready to share and reuse whenever you need them.

Screenshots

NFC Arcane2 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: SMD at weekly against NFC Arcane's every 3 weeks. NFC Arcane's advantage is iOS requirement (18.5 vs 26.0). On price, ads, in-app purchases 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

SMD costs $19.99 and NFC Arcane $19.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

SMD ships an update weekly, NFC Arcane every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 7, 2026 and October 28, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 6 level
SMD versus NFC Arcane: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSMDNFC Arcane
Price$19.99$19.99
Positive reviews50.0% of reviews—
Update frequencyWeekly — betterEvery 3 weeks
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationPaid—
DevicesiPhone, Apple Watch — betteriPhone
Requires iOS26.018.5 — better
Further details — not scored
Size1 MB9 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperYOSHINOBU HONGOMarc Super

In-app purchases

None

SMD

No in-app purchases

None

NFC Arcane

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is SMD free?
SMD costs $19.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is NFC Arcane free?
NFC Arcane costs $19.99, with no in-app purchases.
Do SMD or NFC Arcane have ads?
Neither SMD nor NFC Arcane shows ads.
Which is updated more often, SMD or NFC Arcane?
SMD ships an update weekly, and NFC Arcane every 3 weeks. Most recently, SMD was updated on November 7, 2026 and NFC Arcane on October 28, 2026.

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