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Printed NFC Stickers Custom Print NFC Tags White NFC Tags Clear NFC Tags On Metal NFC Tags NFC Disc Tags NFC Wristbands NFC Keyfobs & Hang Tags NFC Cards & Tickets Promotional NFC Products NFC Smart Packs NFC Starter Packs
NFC Encoding
You can encode our NFC tags yourself or we can do it for you. Have a look at our NFC tag encoding pages for more info.
Encoding NFC Tags >
Delivery
RapidNFC deliver worldwide and we offer a variety of delivery options and prices.
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Which NFC Chip ?

The NFC Chip

At the heart of every NFC tag, sticker or product is an NFC 'chip' or 'IC' (integrated circuit). These tiny electronic devices store your information and control how it can be accessed.

NFC IC Types

Different NFC chips have different sizes of memory and different memory configurations. This affects the amount of information you can store on certain chips but it also affects how the chip can be locked and other very important factors.

RapidNFC only stock products containing chips manufactured by NXP Semiconductors. These are market leading, industry standard IC's.

Choosing your NFC IC

RapidNFC stock Ultralight, Ultralight C, Standard (Classic) 1K, Desfire 4k and the new NTAG203 chips. The table below should give you some idea of which is best for your needs. For more information on each item, scroll down the page.

Of course, if you aren't sure what's best for your application, then don't hesitate to contact us.

 
Ultralight
Ultralight C
Standard 1K
NTAG203
Memory Size 1
64 bytes
192 bytes
1024 bytes
168 bytes
User Memory 2
46 bytes
137 bytes
716 bytes
137 bytes
URL Length 3
41 chars
132 chars
256 chars
132 chars
Text Length 4
39 chars
130 chars
709 chars
130 chars
Mobile Comp. 5
Yes
Yes
No
Yes
Best Use
Cost effective, short URL, smart poster and general NFC use.
For applications required encryption tech only.
Recommended for specific high capacity usage and vCards only.
Latest chip, best performance. Great for everything from marketing to task launcher apps.
NFC Forum T2 6
Yes
Yes
No
Yes
Serial Number 7
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Cryptography 8
No
3DES
Crypto-1
No
ScanStrength 9
7
4
6
9
1 - Memory Size : this is the total amount of memory within the chip. Some of this will be one time programmable (OTP), some will be for locking features and so on. Most will be for user read/write.
2 - User Memory : this is generally the bit that's important to you. This is the available memory for you to store your data.
3 - URL Length : this is generally the maximum length of URL you can store on this chip, excluding the http:// or http://www parts
4 - Text Length : this is generally the maximum length of plain text you can store on the chip.
5 - Mobile Compatability : if you are using an Android App to self-encode your NFC tags, then certain locking features will not work with the 1k. Since Mifare 1k tags follow a proprietary format, they are incompatible with BlackBerry devices, which read only approved open standard tags defined by the NFC Forum.
6 - NFC Forum Type 2 : Compatible with NFC Forum Type 2 specifications.
7 - Serial Number : Chip contains a unique serial number for identification purposes. Note that a specific 'App' would be required to access this information.
8 - Cryptography : A security feature on the chip which can help prevent cloning. This is a very advanced feature which requires specialist knowledge and is rarely required under regular use.
8 - ScanStrength : The average RapidNFC ScanStrength of current products sold on RapidNFC. This is an indication of the relative scanning distances of the chip. More information on ScanStrength.
Still not sure ?

Then get in touch, we are always happy to give advice and help.

As a general bit of advice, we'd usually recommend that you go for the NTAG203. If you are using a Task Launcher app, then NTAG203 works great. If you need a product (such as a wristband or keyfob), then ultralight is your next best option.