In the wireless communication and identification technology system, NFC (Near Field Communication) and RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) are two closely related yet distinct technologies. While sharing core technological principles, they exhibit significant differences in practical applications.
The most obvious difference lies in communication distance: RFID operates at various frequencies, including low-frequency, high-frequency, ultra-high-frequency, and microwave bands, each with significantly different identification distances. NFC's communication distance is strictly limited to within 10 centimeters, and in practical applications, two devices must be brought within 3-5 centimeters to ensure stable transmission.
Regarding operating frequency and functional positioning, RFID has a very wide frequency coverage, with different bands corresponding to different application scenarios: low-frequency signals have strong penetration, while NFC consistently uses the 13.56MHz high-frequency band. RFID typically only allows for "one-way reading of tag information by the reader," while NFC devices can both act as readers to read tags and be read by other devices themselves.
The differences lie in their application scenarios and security designs. RFID's core advantage lies in "efficient identification." In logistics, it tracks cargo transport; in retail, it enables rapid inventory checks; on highways, ETC (Electronic Toll Collection) uses it for vehicle identification and toll deduction; and for animal traceability, it records animal growth and quarantine information by embedding low-frequency RFID tags.
NFC's core advantage lies in "convenient interaction + security protection": mobile payments and smart access control use NFC-enabled phones to replace traditional access cards. Most NFC payments employ "Tokenization technology" and incorporate a two-way authentication process to ensure that every transaction is encrypted. RFID, due to its simpler encryption mechanisms, requires additional encryption modules when dealing with sensitive information; otherwise, there is a risk of data copying and theft.