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Which NFC Chip Do You Need?

Interactive

Answer a few questions and we tell you which chip to buy

At a glance

Interactive guide to choose the right NFC chip. Compare NTAG213, NTAG215, NTAG216, and specialty chips for your specific use case.

SEE THE IDEA IN ACTION

A closer look

Which NFC Card Should You Choose?

Step 1 of 5
Q1Select one

What will you use the NFC tags for?

The Problem

There are a dozen NFC chip types with different memory sizes, security levels, and phone compatibility. Pick the wrong one and your URL won't fit, or your tags won't scan on iPhones, or you overpay for memory you don't need.

Who This Is For

  • First-time NFC buyers unsure which chip to choose
  • Developers building NFC-enabled applications
  • Businesses planning bulk NFC deployments
  • Anyone upgrading from generic/unknown chips

Quick Decision Rules

  • 1
    URL length under 100 charactersNTAG213 (144 bytes) is sufficient
  • 2
    URL length 100-490 charactersNTAG215 (504 bytes) recommended
  • 3
    URL length over 490 characters or vCard storageNTAG216 (888 bytes)
  • 4
    Need guaranteed compatibilityChoose NXP genuine chips
  • 5
    Budget-conscious bulk ordersCompatible chips work fine for simple URLs
  • 6
    Tamper detection neededNTAG213 TT or DNA series
  • 7
    High-security applicationsDESFire or ICODE SLIX2

Common Mistakes to Avoid

  • Buying generic chips without knowing the memory size
  • Assuming all NFC chips work the same way
  • Not accounting for NDEF overhead in memory calculations
  • Choosing chips based only on price, ignoring compatibility
  • Using non-NXP chips for applications requiring high read reliability

Recommended Products

NTAG213 (NXP)

Most popular choice. 144 bytes, perfect for URLs under 100 characters.

NTAG215 (NXP)

504 bytes for longer URLs and small data payloads.

NTAG216 (NXP)

Maximum memory (888 bytes) for vCards and complex data.

Starter Kits

Try multiple chip types before committing to bulk orders.

Frequently Asked Questions

NXP chips are genuine chips from the original manufacturer with guaranteed specs and quality control. Compatible chips are third-party chips that follow the same protocol but may have variations in read range, memory organization, or reliability.

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