RFID and NFC are called modern technologies, maybe you have a smartphone equipped with NFC. So, what is the difference between RFID and NFC technology?

RFID and NFC are global wireless or contactless communication technologies. RFID stands for Radio Frequency Identification. RFID technology can realize the communication between the non-electric tag and the active reader.

The RFID system consists of a reader with an antenna and a wet inlay rfid tag. It is either active, that is to say has its own power supply, or passive. Passive tags do not have their own power supply and must be powered by the electromagnetic field generated by the reader.

Passive transponders or tags have three different RFID frequency ranges: low frequency (LF), high frequency (HF) and ultra high frequency (UHF). The reading range of LF and HF systems is usually only a few centimeters. However, UHF tags are usually readable at a distance of more than one meter. RFID is most suitable for asset tracking and positioning in logistics functions.

NFC stands for Near Field Communication, and NFC is also based on the RFID protocol. The main difference from RFID is that NFC devices can not only act as readers, but also as tags. In peer-to-peer mode, information can also be transferred between two NFC devices.

The operating frequency of the NFC system is the same as the HF RFID (13.56 MHz) system. Therefore, only the short reading range is limited. Due to the limitation of reading range, NFC devices must be very close, which is why NFC is usually used for secure communication, especially for access control or contactless payment in the consumer field.