# Beacon Tap vs Boltcard NFC Programmer

The clearest difference is iOS requirement: Boltcard NFC Programmer at 12.4 against Beacon Tap's 15.1. On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Beacon Tap ships an update every 2 months, Boltcard NFC Programmer every 5 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 11, 2026 and August 11, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Beacon Tap | Boltcard NFC Programmer |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | — | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/boltcard-nfc-programmer/id6450968873/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | — | **1** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Every 5 weeks** |
| Monetization | — | Free |
| Size | 30 MB | 23 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.1 | **12.4** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 17+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [mrtsos](https://appshunter.io/developer/1693784246) | [Ones and Zeros Technology Limited](https://appshunter.io/developer/1435743209) |

## What reviewers say

### Beacon Tap

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/beacon-tap/id6450535100)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### Boltcard NFC Programmer

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/boltcard-nfc-programmer/id6450968873)

This tool allows you to program blank NFC cards to function as personal Boltcards, enabling a contactless payment experience for the Lightning network. It requires prior setup of a Boltcard instance on GitHub.

**Highlights:** Program NTAG424DNA NFC cards, Create personal Boltcards, Contactless Lightning network payments, Compatible with Lightning PoS terminals, Works with Breez wallet PoS App

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Beacon Tap free?

Beacon Tap is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Boltcard NFC Programmer free?

Boltcard NFC Programmer is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Do Beacon Tap or Boltcard NFC Programmer have ads?

Neither Beacon Tap nor Boltcard NFC Programmer shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Beacon Tap or Boltcard NFC Programmer?

Beacon Tap ships an update every 2 months, and Boltcard NFC Programmer every 5 weeks. Most recently, Beacon Tap was updated on September 11, 2026 and Boltcard NFC Programmer on August 11, 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.*