RFID vs. NFC: A Ten-Year Comparison

In our industry, we haven’t discussed the RFID vs. NFC argument in ten years. It’s time to go back and review the 2013 Techradar.com piece we wrote.

Considering that there are currently over 100 million RFID wristbands in use for cashless payments and access control at live events across the globe, it raises the question, “What insights have we gained in the past 10 years?”

Let’s take a moment to review the fundamentals that form the foundation of our knowledge.

RFID technology: what is it?

RFID, or radio frequency identification, is a wireless technology that uses electromagnetic fields to track and identify items. It is made up of a chip that stores data about the object it is attached to and an antenna. The tag reacts with its stored data when a reader provides it an electromagnetic signal. RFID is used in many different areas, including manufacturing, shipping, retail, and healthcare. For example, it ensures proper inventory management by tracking items in retail stores and medical equipment in hospitals. It can also be used as an access control mechanism, replacing traditional paper tickets for digital ones at live events.