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NTAG213 vs NTAG215 vs NTAG216: which byte count you need

Updated: 23 October 2026

You already want a 13.56 MHz NFC sticker, and the titles say NTAG213, NTAG215, or NTAG216: 144, 504, or 888 bytes. The larger figure is only more user memory, on the same radio, and only if the chip matches the title. Prices and review counts stay on the [RFID chip comparison](/hub/electronic-surveillance/rfid-chip). Peter F. updated this on 21 October 2026 from NXP's datasheet, Seritag's comparison of 213 and 216, and the chip claims on the kept amazon.co.uk listings. The silicon was not opened. A qualifying purchase can earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

You already want a 13.56 MHz NFC sticker, and the titles say NTAG213, NTAG215, or NTAG216: 144, 504, or 888 bytes. The larger figure is only more user memory, on the same radio, and only if the chip matches the title.

Our top picks

InnoHHustle InnoHHustle NTAG216, 30 rounds

Best overall

InnoHHustle InnoHHustle NTAG216, 30 rounds
8.0/10about £5.69
View offer
InnoHHustle InnoHHustle NTAG215, 50 rounds

Rank 2

InnoHHustle InnoHHustle NTAG215, 50 rounds
8.5/10about £6.99
View offer
OFFCUP OFFCUP round tags, 50 pack

Best value

OFFCUP OFFCUP round tags, 50 pack
7.8/10about £5.99
View offer
On this page
  1. 1.Same radio, different user memory
  2. 2.What you can store
  3. 3.Why Amiibo stays on NTAG215
  4. 4.When the packet and the scan disagree

Same radio, different user memory

NXP sells NTAG213, NTAG215, and NTAG216 as one Type 2 family at 13.56 MHz. User memory is 144, 504, and 888 bytes. The datasheet's 100,000 cycles and range up to about 100 mm describe the family, not the £5.69 or £6.99 packs. Seritag's comparison says NTAG216 does not scan better than NTAG213. A larger payload can feel slower. The InnoHHustle NTAG213 rectangles print 13.56 MHz, 144 bytes, and 0–10 cm. Most NTAG215 and NTAG216 rows leave frequency as n/a. Treat the name as a hypothesis until an app reports 144, 504, or 888. Earlier checks are on the RFID chip buying guide.

What you can store

A short URL is an NTAG213 job. Seritag's table, a rule of thumb rather than a test of these ASINs, puts about 136 characters on NTAG213 and about 872 on NTAG216. The pack that prints 144 bytes beside a frequency is the InnoHHustle 40 rectangles at about £5.99, 4.9 from 10 reviews, with clashing size rows. NTAG215's 504 bytes cover a longer record or the layout some game tools expect. The large sample is the £6.99 50-pack, 4.5 from 594, and it still clashes on PVC versus paper. Choose NTAG216 only when a scan confirms 888 bytes and the record needs more than 504. The kept listings say Amiibo wants 504 bytes instead.
InnoHHustle InnoHHustle NTAG216, 30 rounds

Testsieger

InnoHHustle InnoHHustle NTAG216, 30 rounds
8.0/10about £5.69
View offer

Why Amiibo stays on NTAG215

Amiibo tools expect NTAG215's page map. Public dump notes describe about 540 bytes on that chip. NTAG213 is too small, and NTAG216 is the wrong map even though it is larger. The £5.69 30-pack says not for Amiibo even when a title mentions TagMo. An Amiibo write on the NTAG215 pages is once. The OFFCUP pack is titled NTAG213, yet UK reviews split between a 492-byte scan where Amiibo failed and reviews that wrote Amiibo. That does not make 446 ratings a guaranteed blank. Buy a pack titled NTAG215 and stop if the scan is not the 504-byte class. Metal is a separate failure: NFC sticker on metal.

When the packet and the scan disagree

B0H6X1H44V is fifty transparent rounds at about £5.99, titled NTAG216, 3.0 from two ratings. The UK review says they are not NXP NTAG216 and names Shanghai Feiju silicon that does not use the same commands. B0GRGSL7BG says 144 bytes in the title and UK reviews also report 492. Trust the scan for that sticker. Write a record that fits the smallest chip you will accept, then read the capacity the app shows. Do not average a 144-byte title and a 492-byte scan. NXP's three user memories stay 144, 504, and 888. Quoting 100,000 cycles as a reason to prefer 216 misreads the datasheet.

Common questions

How many bytes can you use on each chip?
NXP states 144 bytes of user memory for NTAG213, 504 for NTAG215, and 888 for NTAG216. That is the space for your NDEF record, not the entire silicon. A shop title that repeats those numbers is claiming the chip, not proving it. Confirm with a writer app if the job depends on the figure.
Does NTAG216 scan further than NTAG213?
No. Seritag's comparison says the scan is not better, and a larger payload can feel slower. NXP's range note, up to about 100 mm, applies to the family and depends on the antenna. Listings in this set that print a range say 0–10 cm. UK reviews still describe the phone sitting on the sticker.
What fits in 144 bytes?
A short URL. Seritag's table suggests about 136 characters as a rule of thumb for NTAG213, and about 872 for NTAG216. A long query string, several vCard fields, or a file stored on the tag will not fit in 144 bytes. For most phone shortcuts, a link to a page you control is the better use of a small chip.
Why do Amiibo tools ask for NTAG215?
They expect NTAG215's page map. Public dump notes describe about 540 bytes on that chip. NTAG213 is too small, and NTAG216 does not share the map, so a larger chip is still rejected. Listings for the 888-byte packs in this set say Amiibo wants the 504-byte layout. An Amiibo write on the NTAG215 pages is once only.
Can you put a 504-byte layout on an NTAG216?
Not if the tool is checking for NTAG215's map. Spare bytes do not convert 216 into 215. Use 216 for a long ordinary NDEF record that you have confirmed fits in 888 bytes. Use 215 when the tool names 215. Use 213 for a short URL that fits in 144.
What if TagWriter reports a different size from the title?
Trust the scan for that sticker. On the OFFCUP pack, one UK review saw 492 bytes against a 144-byte title. On the £5.99 transparent rounds, a UK review says the chip is not NXP NTAG216. Either result means the packet is the wrong specification to build a workflow on until you read more of the pack.
Are write cycles different between these three?
NXP's family datasheet cites about 100,000 cycles for these NTAG parts. It does not give 216 a higher endurance than 213 as a reason to upgrade. The OFFCUP listing repeats over 100,000. That line is not a test of the amazon pack, and it should not decide the purchase if the byte count is already wrong for your record.

Related pages

Best RFID chip

How to program an NFC tag

RFID chip

RFID chip buying guide: frequency, memory, surface

NFC sticker on metal: why steel shelves kill the tap

Sources

Public UK and manufacturer sources from the digest first, then the amazon.co.uk listings compared on this page. Prices and stars were taken on 21 October 2026. Affiliate links use tag pcuk26-21.

  1. NXP NTAG213/215/216 datasheet (retrieved 21 October 2026)
  2. NXP MIFARE Classic (retrieved 21 October 2026)
  3. NXP on phasing out MIFARE Classic (retrieved 21 October 2026)
  4. Ofcom IR 2030 (retrieved 21 October 2026)
  5. Wireless Telegraphy (Exemption) Regulations 2021, regulation 4 (retrieved 21 October 2026)
  6. ICO, identifiers and related factors (retrieved 21 October 2026)
  7. Apple, background tag reading (retrieved 21 October 2026)
  8. Seritag, on-metal NFC tags (retrieved 21 October 2026)