What is NFC?
NFC stands for “Near Field Communications”. It refers to the technology that allows you to make secure payments between two close electronic devices.
It allows for you to make contactless payments with your smartphone or smartwatch, rather than cash or card. All you have to do is set up a mobile wallet and hover your device over the payment terminal.
NFC is automatically enabled on iPhones 7 and above, but it’s not always built into Android devices. To check, go to: Settings > More networks > NFC.
Best phones with NFC
Find your next best NFC-compatible phone from our recommendations below.
Samsung Galaxy S21 range
Released in 2021, the Samsung Galaxy S21 range are all NFC-compatible. They also boast some of the largest screens, most impressive cameras, and biggest batteries out there.
|
Phone |
Samsung Galaxy S21 |
Samsung Galaxy S21+ |
Samsung Galaxy S21 ultra |
|
Price |
|||
|
Display |
6.2 inches |
6.7 inches |
6.8 inches |
|
Camera |
Rear 64MP 12MP 12MP
Front 10MP |
Rear 64MP 12MP 12MP
Front 10MP |
Rear 108MP 12MP 10MP 10MP
Front 40MP |
|
Battery |
4,000mAh |
4,800mAh |
5,000mAh |
|
Storage |
128GB or 256GB |
128GB or 256GB |
128GB or 256GB |
|
5G |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Take a look at the full range of Samsung phones in our shop.
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 |
iPhone 12 range
Released near the end of 2020, the iPhone 12 range is currently Apple’s second-newest family.
|
Phone |
iPhone 12 |
iPhone 12 Pro |
iPhone 12 Pro Max |
iPhone 12 Mini |
|
Price |
||||
|
Display |
6.1 inches |
6.1 inches |
6.7 inches |
5.4 inches |
|
Camera |
Rear 12MP 12MP
Front 12MP |
Rear 12MP 12MP 12MP
Front 12MP |
Rear 12MP 12MP 12MP
Front 12MP |
Rear 12MP 12MP
Front 12MP |
|
Battery |
2,815mAh |
2,815mAh |
3,678mAh |
2,227mAh |
|
Storage |
64GB, 128GB, or 256GB |
128GB, 256GB, or 512GB |
128GB, 256GB, or 512GB |
64GB, 128GB, or 256GB |
|
5G |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
iPhone 13 range
Released in Autumn 2021, the iPhone 13 is currently Apple’s flagship range. The iPhone 14 family will succeed it near the end of 2022.
|
Phone |
iPhone 13 |
iPhone 13 Pro |
iPhone 13 Pro Max |
iPhone 13 Mini |
|
Price |
||||
|
Display |
6.1 inches |
6.1 inches |
6.7 inches |
5.4 inches |
|
Camera |
Rear 12MP 12MP 12MP
Front 12MP |
Rear 12MP 12MP 12MP 12MP
Front 12MP |
Rear 12MP 12MP 12MP 12MP
Front 12MP |
Rear 12MP 12MP 12MP
Front 12MP |
|
Battery |
3,095mAh |
3,095mAh |
3,095mAh |
3,095mAh |
|
Storage |
128GB |
128GB |
128GB |
128GB |
|
5G |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Take a look at the full range of iPhones in our shop.
Google Pixel range
If you’re a fan of Google, NFC is available in all their modern handsets. Take a look at the Pixel 5, 5a, and 6 below.
|
Phone |
Google Pixel 5 |
Google Pixel 5a |
Google Pixel 6 |
|
Price |
£600 |
£500 |
£600 |
|
Display |
6 inches |
6.34 inches |
6.4 inches |
|
Camera |
Rear 12.2MP 16MP
Front 8MP |
Rear 12.2MP 16MP
Front 8MP |
Rear 50MP 12MP
Front 8MP |
|
Battery |
4,080mAh |
4,680mAh |
4,641mAh |
|
Storage |
128GB |
128GB |
128GB or 256GB |
|
5G |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
If you like the specs on these phones, why not see if any other Google models could be right for you?
OnePlus 9 range
The OnePlus 9 range came out in April 2021, sporting NFC, high-tech features and advanced hardware. Compare the 9 and 9 Pro below.
|
Phone |
OnePlus 9 |
OnePlus 9 Pro |
|
Price |
£629 |
£829 |
|
Display |
6.55 inches |
6.7 inches |
|
Camera |
Rear 48MP 50MP 2MP
Front 16MP |
Rear 48MP 50MP 8MP 2MP
Front 16MP |
|
Battery |
4,500mAh |
4,500mAh |
|
Storage |
128GB or 256GB |
128GB or 256GB |
|
5G |
Yes |
Yes |
Bonus - Xiaomi and OPPO
Both of these NFC handsets from 2021 have huge screens - ideal for playing games, video-chatting, or vlogging. They also have great cameras for the avid photographer, and big battery capacities to last all day and more.
|
Phone |
Xiaomi Mi 11T |
OPPO Find X3 Pro |
|
Price |
£495.99 |
£1,099 |
|
Display |
6.67 inches |
6.7 inches |
|
Camera |
Rear 108MP 16MP 8MP 2MP
Front 16MP |
Rear 50MP 50MP 13MP 3MP
Front 32MP |
|
Battery |
5,000mAh |
4,500mAh |
|
Storage |
256GB |
128GB |
|
5G |
Yes |
Yes |
Take a look at the full range of Xiaomi phones in our shop.
Discover more
Keep reading for more smartphone recommendations:
- Best dual SIM phones with good battery life
- Best Android phones with Gorilla Glass
- Best phones with Wi-Fi calling
- Best mobile phones with a headphone jack
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