Passive Vs. Active RFID: What’s The Difference?

Have you ever felt bamboozled by all the jargon in the RFID industry? You don’t need to be a rocket scientist to understand all the terminology. There are just a few things you need to know to make an informed decision as to whether you need passive or active RFID tags.

More usually referred to as a passive tag, a passive RFID tag lacks an internal battery. Rather, it runs on all the energy of the radio wave coming from the reader’s antenna, then sends back to the reader.

Since no battery is needed, the lowest RFID tag cost comes from a passive RFID tag that will last roughly 20 years. Usually covering 3-5 meters in range, a passive tag’s read range is enough to cover a normal door, dock door or shop floor environment.

Usually used synonymously with EPC Gen2 tags is the term passive RFID tag. Passive RFID systems use the generally accepted EPC Gen2 standard. Here’s a great paper for you to review if you would want further, much more specific understanding of RFID’s operation.

Your particular requirements will determine which of passive vs. active RFID systems you need. When you want a reasonably priced solution and must monitor assets over limited distances, passive RFID tags are most suited. These tags are perfect for indoor settings, warehouses, or retail environments where there is little interference.

RFID passive vs. active systems provide flexibility if you are looking for a dependable method to track inventory or monitor goods as they pass through supply chains. Passive RFID tags are particularly useful in inventory control, supply chain management, and RFID asset tracking systems where frequent item status updates are not required. They are ideal for rapidly and effectively tracking huge numbers of products since they allow one to scan several tags at once. If you want to know more, you can read about RFID asset tracking explained.

• Cost-Effective: Passive RFID tags cost far less than active ones. This makes them perfect for uses requiring hundreds or thousands of tags, such as retail inventory control. One can cut running expenses without compromising effectiveness.

• Small and Lightweight: Smaller and lighter than active tags, passive tags do not need an onboard power source. This lets them be fastened to a great range of objects, from little gadgets to clothes, without adding weight.

• Long Lifespan: Under normal circumstances, passive RFID tags can run practically indefinitely without a battery. A major benefit of long-term projects or when used in environments where tag access is restricted is that you won’t have to be concerned about maintenance or battery replacement.

• Wide Range of Applications: Retail, transportation, and manufacturing are just a few of the sectors where passive RFID tags find application. Passive tags provide flexibility and adaptation for tracking goods in warehouses or through a supply chain.

• Shorter Read Range: Passive RFID tags’ shorter read range is one of their primary drawbacks. Usually, one can only read them from a few metres’ distances. This makes them less suitable for uses requiring long-range monitoring or tracking.
• Signal Interference: Passive RFID tags may find performance hampered by interference from metal objects, liquids, and other materials. These environmental elements restrict their usefulness in some contexts, such as tracking liquid containers or metal products. 
• Limited Data Storage: The limited memory capacity of passive RFID tags limits the amount of data the tag can store directly. In situations where thorough information must be connected to the tracked asset, this could be a drawback.

Tracking assets across great distances is best done with active RFID tags, especially in cases when real-time updates are absolutely vital. Active RFID tags are perfect for tracking valuable assets or items in movement. Their long read range—sometimes reaching hundreds of metres—makes them appropriate for outdoor settings, big warehouses, requiring continuous monitoring, such those in logistics or vehicle tracking.

How to use RFID? Active RFID systems are typically used in industries where assets must be tracked over vast distances—such as building sites, hospitals, or shipping yards. This is so because, compared to RFID passive vs. active alternates, they offer more solid tracking solutions.

• Extended Read Range: The ability of active RFID tags to be read from distances of up to hundreds of metres is one of their main benefits This makes them perfect for monitoring high-value goods en route across great distances or tracking assets in big open areas.

• Real-Time Tracking: Because they have their own power source, active RFID tags can constantly broadcast signals. Real-time asset tracking made possible by this capacity is essential for fleet management, logistics, and environments needing daily updates on asset locations.

• Greater Data Storage: Usually speaking, active RFID tags have more memory than passive ones. This allows them to retain more thorough knowledge about the asset they are linked to, which can be especially helpful for high-value items needing more sophisticated data tracking.

• Suitable for Harsh Environments: Active RFID tags are made to function in demanding conditions. Active tags keep good performance whether tracking assets in high-humidity environments or metal containers, whereas passive tags may fail from interference.

• Higher Cost: Because active RFID tags include a battery and other capabilities, they cost more than passive ones. For companies needing to use lots of tags, this can make them less appealing.

• Limited Battery Life: Active RFID tags have limited lifetime since they run on batteries. Periodic battery replacement can raise maintenance expenses, particularly in cases when tags are used in difficult-to-reach areas.

• Larger Size: Because of their built-in battery, active RFID tags are often heavier and less suited for delicate or small objects. Their greater weight might also restrict their placement choices, particularly in settings with limited space.

Operating on a battery, an active RFID tag can constantly broadcast its presence even in the absence of a readership. Given it has a battery, this will have to be routinely replaced. Depending on its size, a battery might run for a few days or several years. Active RFID tags can transmit over quite large distances.

Active RFID tags are usually used in industrial settings either for open-yard tracking or active RTLS tracking inside a factory. Since almost no guidelines exist for their usage, active RFID is only used in particular niche industrial applications. Price-wise, this kind of tag can range greatly, costing anything from tens of dollars to hundreds of dollars for every tag.

Although an active tag can transmit at a far longer range, a passive RFID tag is still the recommended choice as it is much less expensive with lots of options to choose from due of its generally adopted standards. Operationally, it is also less costly to maintain since passive tags do not call for battery replacements.

Generally speaking, a shorter read range is a benefit; this will help you to be sure the tagged item is right in front of the reader or you. Using a handheld RFID reader, this is especially helpful when doing a quick stock check across several tagged items.

Bluetooth beacons, or BLE tags, are a type of active RFID tag, but somewhat confusingly, they are typically not referred to as such. BLE tags are much more consumer-oriented and can communicate with most modern smartphones. By utilising the smartphone as the reader, this significantly reduces the cost and complexity of the entire infrastructure. However, BLE technology is still in its infancy and requires a significant drop in cost for it to become ubiquitous.

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