Chips and technology
NTAG213 vs NTAG215 vs NTAG216: which NFC chip do you need?
By James Keltner, Owner · Last reviewed
The short answer
NTAG213, NTAG215 and NTAG216 are the same NXP NFC chip with different memory: 144, 504 and 888 bytes of user memory. All three are NFC Forum Type 2 tags that phones read, with the same password protection and security features. NTAG213 is enough for a single web link such as a review page; choose NTAG215 or 216 for contact cards (vCards) or longer data.
The three chips side by side
The NTAG21x chips are one design in three memory sizes. They run at 13.56 MHz, follow ISO/IEC 14443 Type A and comply with the NFC Forum Type 2 Tag specification, which is why phones read them so readily. Once a chip is sealed inside a sticker, card or table tag, nothing on the outside shows which one it is.
NTAG213, NTAG215 and NTAG216, from the NXP NTAG213/215/216 datasheet. URL lengths are approximate
User memory
- NTAG213
- 144 bytes
- NTAG215
- 504 bytes
- NTAG216
- 888 bytes
Total memory
- NTAG213
- 180 bytes (45 pages of 4 bytes)
- NTAG215
- 540 bytes (135 pages)
- NTAG216
- 924 bytes (231 pages)
Web link it can hold
- NTAG213
- About 130 characters
- NTAG215
- About 490 characters
- NTAG216
- About 850 characters
Standard
- NTAG213
- NFC Forum Type 2 Tag, ISO/IEC 14443A
- NTAG215
- NFC Forum Type 2 Tag, ISO/IEC 14443A
- NTAG216
- NFC Forum Type 2 Tag, ISO/IEC 14443A
Unique ID (UID)
- NTAG213
- 7 bytes
- NTAG215
- 7 bytes
- NTAG216
- 7 bytes
Password protection
- NTAG213
- 32-bit
- NTAG215
- 32-bit
- NTAG216
- 32-bit
Originality signature
- NTAG213
- Yes
- NTAG215
- Yes
- NTAG216
- Yes
NFC counter
- NTAG213
- Yes
- NTAG215
- Yes
- NTAG216
- Yes
Read by phones
- NTAG213
- Yes
- NTAG215
- Yes
- NTAG216
- Yes
| Feature | NTAG213 | NTAG215 | NTAG216 |
|---|---|---|---|
| User memory | 144 bytes | 504 bytes | 888 bytes |
| Total memory | 180 bytes (45 pages of 4 bytes) | 540 bytes (135 pages) | 924 bytes (231 pages) |
| Web link it can hold | About 130 characters | About 490 characters | About 850 characters |
| Standard | NFC Forum Type 2 Tag, ISO/IEC 14443A | NFC Forum Type 2 Tag, ISO/IEC 14443A | NFC Forum Type 2 Tag, ISO/IEC 14443A |
| Unique ID (UID) | 7 bytes | 7 bytes | 7 bytes |
| Password protection | 32-bit | 32-bit | 32-bit |
| Originality signature | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| NFC counter | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Read by phones | Yes | Yes | Yes |
The only real difference is memory. Read range, phone compatibility and security features are the same across the three, so the choice comes down to how much data you want to store on the tag.
How long a web link each chip holds
Most tags store a web link as an NDEF record, the format phones look for. The common start of a link, the “https://www.” part, is stored as a single code byte, and a few more bytes go on the record's header and wrapper. What is left is roughly the number of characters you can use for the rest of the address:
- NTAG213: about 130 characters. That covers almost any review page, menu, booking or social link, including most links with tracking tags on the end.
- NTAG215: about 490 characters. Room for very long links, or a link plus a short text record.
- NTAG216: about 850 characters. Room for a full contact card or several records on one tag.
These figures are approximations worked out from the user memory and the NFC Forum record format. The exact number depends on the link and how it is encoded. If your link is long, a short redirect address on your own domain keeps it well inside NTAG213 and lets you change where it points later without rewriting the tags.
Which to choose
Matching the NTAG chip to what the tag stores
A review page, menu, booking or social link
- Usual choice
- NTAG213
- Why
- A single web link fits comfortably in 144 bytes, and the phone does the rest
A contact card (vCard) with name, phone, email, company and website
- Usual choice
- NTAG215 or NTAG216
- Why
- Contact details stored on the tag take far more room than a link; extra fields such as an address or a second phone number push toward NTAG216
Several records, such as a link plus a text record
- Usual choice
- NTAG215 or NTAG216
- Why
- Each extra record adds its own data and header
A link that should count or identify each tap
- Usual choice
- Any of the three
- Why
- All three can add the chip's UID or NFC counter to the link when it is read, so your web page can tell tags apart
| What the tag stores | Usual choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| A review page, menu, booking or social link | NTAG213 | A single web link fits comfortably in 144 bytes, and the phone does the rest |
| A contact card (vCard) with name, phone, email, company and website | NTAG215 or NTAG216 | Contact details stored on the tag take far more room than a link; extra fields such as an address or a second phone number push toward NTAG216 |
| Several records, such as a link plus a text record | NTAG215 or NTAG216 | Each extra record adds its own data and header |
| A link that should count or identify each tap | Any of the three | All three can add the chip's UID or NFC counter to the link when it is read, so your web page can tell tags apart |
For NFC business cards there are two approaches. You can store the contact card on the chip, which needs NTAG215 or 216, or store a link to an online profile, which fits on NTAG213 and can be updated without touching the card.
Security features the three share
- Lock bits: once a tag is written, it can be locked so its content can no longer be changed. Locking is permanent.
- 32-bit password: instead of locking, you can protect writing, and optionally reading, from a chosen page onward with a password, so the link can still be changed by whoever holds the password.
- Originality signature: NXP programs each chip with a signature tied to its UID, so an app can check that the chip is a genuine NXP NTAG.
- NFC counter: an optional counter that goes up each time the tag is read, which can be mirrored into the link along with the UID.
These features protect the data on the tag. They do not hide it: anyone with a phone can read an unprotected link, which is what a review or menu tag is for. NTAG chips are not designed to act as door keys or payment cards; for those, see MIFARE Classic vs Ultralight.
Which of our products carry them
Each of these products can be made with NTAG213, 215 or 216. We write your link or contact card before shipping and can lock or password-protect it, or leave the tags blank for you to program.
- NFC stickers for menus, posters, products and equipment.
- NFC review cards, acrylic NFC counter stands and round NFC table tags for review, menu and booking taps.
- NFC business cards and wooden NFC business cards for contact details.
- Epoxy NFC tags for key rings, lanyards and lockers.
- NFC and MIFARE smart cards for membership and loyalty cards a phone can tap.
Not sure whether you need NFC or another kind of RFID? Our RFID vs NFC guide covers the difference and which tags a phone can read.
MIFARE, MIFARE Classic, MIFARE Ultralight and NTAG are trademarks of NXP B.V. Band and Key is not affiliated with NXP.
Questions buyers ask
Do iPhones and Android phones read NTAG213, 215 and 216?
Yes. All three are NFC Forum Type 2 tags, the type modern iPhones and Android phones are built to read. A tag holding a web link opens it on most current phones without a separate app.
Is NTAG215 better than NTAG213?
Only if you need the memory. NTAG215 holds 504 bytes against 144 for NTAG213, but read range, phone support and security features are the same. For a single web link, NTAG213 does the job.
Can NTAG tags be reprogrammed?
Yes, until they are locked. A tag that has not been locked can be rewritten with a phone app or encoder. A password protects the tag while still allowing changes by whoever holds the password; locking makes the content permanent.
Does a bigger NTAG chip read from further away?
No. Read range depends on the phone and the size of the tag's antenna, not on the chip's memory. With a phone, NTAG tags typically read at a few centimeters.
