# MBL ESS vs NFC Tools

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: MBL ESS at none against NFC Tools's 5. MBL ESS also leads on update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 4 months) and device support (3 vs 1). On price and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. NFC Tools sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per 7 days. MBL ESS asks for nothing beyond the download.

MBL ESS ships an update every 3 weeks, NFC Tools every 4 months. The most recent releases landed on October 13, 2026 and October 18, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | MBL ESS | NFC Tools |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Positive reviews | — | 0.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 weeks** | Every 4 months |
| Monetization | — | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 29 MB | 30 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.0** | 16.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 17+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Solutions time](https://appshunter.io/developer/1483325864) | [PYTHON DATA CENTERS LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1832442870) |

## What reviewers say

### MBL ESS

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mbl-ess/id6502590777)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### NFC Tools

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nfc-tools-tag-reader-writer-plus/id6749849888)

Easily scan, read, and write information to NFC tags. Manage your tags with a detailed history and share them with others. Unlock advanced features like editing and tag cleaning with the premium version.

**Highlights:** Read NFC tags, Write information to tags, Edit existing tag data, Clear NFC tags, Scan history, Share tags

**In-app purchases (5)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Weekly | $4.99 | per 7 days |
| Weekly-Trial | $4.99 | per 7 days |
| Monthly | $12.99 | per month |
| Yearly | $39.99 | per year |
| Lifetime | $59.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is MBL ESS free?

MBL ESS is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is NFC Tools free?

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

### Do MBL ESS or NFC Tools have ads?

Neither MBL ESS nor NFC Tools shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, MBL ESS or NFC Tools?

MBL ESS ships an update every 3 weeks, and NFC Tools every 4 months. Most recently, MBL ESS was updated on October 13, 2026 and NFC Tools on October 18, 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.*