May 15th, 2014 | 1 MIN READ

Mobile Commerce: iBeacon vs. NFC [Infographics]

Written by author_profile_images Linda Bustos

Linda is an ecommerce industry analyst and consultant specializing in conversion optimization and digital transformation.

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Continuing our topic on beacons and in-store tech, this week's infograhic is twice as nice, with contributions form and a graphic of unknown origin found on Pinterest.

Beacons vs. NFC

Both beacons and NFC support mobile payments in-store.
Beacons are small wireless sensors that talk to smartphones via Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE), while NFC uses short-range radio waves to allow two devices to exchange information between each other at a short distance, without the need for battery power.
iBeacons have a 50 meter range, NFC's optimal range is 4 centimeters (164 feet, 1.5 inches).
Beacons can push content, such as offers, location data, or personalized recommendations based on a customer's preferences or shopping history. A customer must initiate interaction with NFC.
Not all phones have NFC, but most have Bluetooth.
NFC supports encryption, and its hacking risk is minimal due to its close proximity between devices.