If you’re setting up TappRFID for the first time, one of your first questions is probably: what NFC tags should I buy? There’s a surprising amount of variation in quality, format, and suitability depending on where you’re placing them.
This guide covers everything you need to know to buy the right tags and place them in a way that makes your daily habits actually stick.
The short version
If you don’t want to read the full guide:
- Buy NTAG213 tags for most use cases — they’re cheap, widely available, and hold more than enough data for TappRFID
- Get the round coin format (25mm or 30mm) for walls and furniture
- Get cards (credit card size) if you want something more durable for frequently handled locations
- Buy at least 10 so you have spares to experiment with placement
- Avoid no-name “NFC sticker” packs with no chip type specified — quality is inconsistent
NFC chip types explained
NTAG213
- Memory: 144 bytes (usable: 137 bytes)
- Price: Cheapest
- Range: ~1–3cm read distance
- Best for: Most TappRFID use cases. Each TappRFID tag stores a UUID (36 bytes) — NTAG213 handles this easily.
NTAG215
- Memory: 504 bytes
- Price: Slightly more expensive
- Range: ~1–3cm
- Best for: If you’re using tags for multiple purposes (e.g. also storing a URL alongside the TappRFID ID), the extra memory is useful. Amiibo fans will recognise this chip — it’s the most common format for Amiibo cards.
NTAG216
- Memory: 888 bytes
- Price: Most expensive of the three
- Range: ~1–4cm
- Best for: Not necessary for TappRFID alone. If you have other tag use cases that need more memory, fine.
For TappRFID use only, NTAG213 is the right choice. The extra memory in 215 and 216 is wasted capacity for a UUID-only write.
Physical formats
Round stickers (coin tags)
The most common format. 25mm diameter fits neatly on most surfaces without being obvious. 30mm is slightly easier to scan because the antenna is larger.
Good for: walls, door frames, appliance surfaces, furniture, inside cupboard doors.
Not ideal for: locations where the tag gets physically handled a lot — stickers wear over time with repeated contact.
Square/rectangular stickers
Same chip, different form factor. Slightly easier to align on square surfaces like light switches or desk edges. No functional difference from round.
Credit card format (PVC cards)
Durable, doesn’t peel, survives humidity and being grabbed repeatedly. More expensive per unit but lasts much longer.
Good for: gym bag, wallet, car, keys, anywhere the tag gets touched or carried.
Not ideal for: wall mounting (cards don’t adhere as cleanly as stickers without a proper holder).
Keyring tags
Injection-moulded plastic with a keyring loop. Indestructible. Use for keys, bags, or gym lockers.
Epoxy-coated tags
Stickers with a hard epoxy dome over the chip. More expensive, very durable, look slightly more polished. Good for locations that see wear (door handles, light switches).
What to avoid
No-name tag packs with no chip type listed. These are sold in bulk on Amazon and AliExpress with descriptions like “NFC sticker 13.56MHz” and no other specs. Chip quality is inconsistent — some won’t program reliably, some have shorter ranges, some fail after a few months. The price savings aren’t worth the reliability issues.
ISO 14443B chips. These won’t work with iOS CoreNFC, which only supports ISO 14443A (which NTAG213/215/216 all are). Some cheap tags use 14443B — avoid them.
Ferrite-backed tags for metal surfaces. These are more expensive than regular stickers and necessary only if the tag will be mounted directly on metal (metal disrupts the NFC antenna). For most household locations, you don’t need them. If you’re tagging a metal appliance casing, a gap of a few millimetres (even a piece of thick tape) is usually enough to work around the interference.
How many to buy
A starter pack for TappRFID use:
| Location type | Recommended tags |
|---|---|
| Bathroom (mirror, medicine cabinet, toothbrush holder) | 3–4 |
| Kitchen (coffee maker, vitamin cabinet, fridge) | 2–3 |
| Bedroom (nightstand, wardrobe) | 2–3 |
| Gym bag / gym locker | 2 |
| Home office desk | 1–2 |
| Spares for experimentation | 3–5 |
Total: ~15–20 tags for a fully set-up home. At 50–100 tags for £10–15, the economics are very favourable. Don’t buy just 5 — you’ll want to experiment with placement and you’ll find new locations you didn’t expect.
Where to buy
United Kingdom
- Amazon.co.uk — search “NTAG213 sticker” — GoToTags and Seritag are reliable sellers
- Seritag — UK-based NFC specialist, high quality, good range of formats
United States
- Amazon.com — GoToTags, TagsForDroid, and TagXplosion are reliable brands
- GoToTags — USA-based, wide format selection
Europe
- NFC-Tags.eu — German supplier, ships EU-wide, excellent quality
Globally
- AliExpress — works but buy from sellers that specifically state NTAG213 and show technical specs. Avoid listings with vague descriptions.
Placement principles
Put the tag where the behaviour happens
The sticker should be in the exact location where you do the thing, not nearby. If you take vitamins from a cabinet, the tag goes on the inside of that cabinet door, not on your kitchen wall. The scan happens in the moment of the behaviour.
Make it visible but not decorative
A tag that’s hidden requires a conscious decision to go and find it. A tag that’s in your sightline in the right context becomes an automatic prompt. You don’t need to see it constantly — just when you’re near it.
Height matters
For wall tags, place at approximately the height you’d naturally hold your phone. For most people, that’s 90–110cm from the floor. Too high or too low and the scan feels effortful.
Test placement before committing
Use a temporary sticker or tape for the first few days. Once you know the position works well for your natural movement in the space, apply the permanent tag.
Bathroom vs. kitchen vs. bedroom
- Bathroom mirror: top left or top right corner is a natural scan position while looking in the mirror
- Coffee maker: side panel at counter height, or the base
- Medicine cabinet: inside door at eye level
- Nightstand: top surface, back corner — you reach there naturally when putting your phone down
- Gym bag: inside the top pocket or on the outer panel near the handle
Programming the tags
TappRFID handles all tag programming from within the app. You don’t need a separate NFC writer app.
- Create the task or log you want to associate with a tag.
- In the task detail view, tap Assign NFC Tag.
- Hold your iPhone over the tag. The app writes the TappRFID UUID to the tag.
- Test by returning to the app home screen and tapping the tag again — the task should complete.
Tags can be reprogrammed indefinitely. If you change a task or want to reassign a tag, just write to it again.
See NFC Tags in the docs for full setup instructions and troubleshooting.