Woman sitting at a table with her hand on an open book. A white cane rests against the table. The woman's hand is petting a yellow lab. She is wearing sunglasses and looks relaxed.

How do WayAround® and PenFriend™ Compare?

When it comes to finding an accessibility device that works best for you, you are likely weighing the many solutions out there for your unique accessibility needs. WayAround is happy to provide accessibility solutions with our WayTag NFC tag system at a low, affordable cost. Let’s take a look at another popular labeling device and how it stacks up to WayAround...

Several jars of sauces, boxes of soup and broth, and glass containers of rice or beans organized on a pantry shelf. Each item is tagged with a WayClip and elastic band, or a round WayTag sticker.

WayAround’s WayTag NFC tagging system is unique. WayTags come in a variety of shapes and sizes to fit your individual organizational needs. That means that WayTags need to be tough – you won’t see WayTags falling apart in the wash. We build our WayTags to be rugged and durable, including tags that are waterproof and can withstand high temperatures. Different types of WayTags can be used outside, in the garden, in the pantry, and can even be sewn into articles of clothing and washed over and over again without worrying about losing your label.

Cellphone with a red case on it laying on a wooden table with a blank notebook to the left of it. On the cellphone, the WayAround app is open. Next to the phone is a white porcelain cup with a latte in it, decorated with latte art. Above the phone and coffee cup is an opened book.

Recovering Your Information

Everyone loses things. However, misplacing your accessibility device can be not only frustrating, but also disturb your whole schedule. We know that you don’t want to keep tabs on another device, which makes WayAround perfect for those who sometimes misplace devices. Since WayAround’s WayTags are all stored on the cloud, tags can easily be accessed by any device with NFC enabled. That means that if you lose or even break your phone or your tablet, you won’t lose all of your information, too. Simply redownload the WayAround – Tag and Scan app, log in, and all of your information will be waiting for you.

Comparing WayAround® WayTags & PenFriend™

PenFriend™

WayAround

Type of device Standalone Android & iOS app
Type of record made Voice recording Text - can be broken up across multiple fields. Add clickable links for URLs, emails, and phone numbers.
Accessibility requirements Relies on hearing to listen to voice recordings Relies on your phone’s unique accessibility settings - can be VoiceOver, large fonts, inverted colors, etc
Device cost $149.95 for the device including 130 labels and badges Free - Works with your existing Android or iOS device
Additional tag cost $37.95 for 48 Washable Laundry Labels $26.99 for 25 Washable Button WayTags
Ease of purchase Must be purchased from a distributor Can be purchased directly from WayAround.com or distributor
Works with refreshable braille displays No Yes
Requires tags in a specific order Yes No
Backups Difficult to backup - Information can be lost if PenFriend is lost or destroyed Information stored safely on the cloud - all information can be accessed by anyone with the account username and password
Internet access required for use No Internet required for backups
Storage 8 GB (Expandable to 16 GB) Internal Memory for 250+ hours of audio recordings Unlimited storage on the cloud
Tag type Circle and square stickers Clothing buttons, stickers, magnets, and clips

"I like the WayAround system 1000% over the PenFriend! First of all, you have to change those little AAA batteries quite frequently. I really got tired of hearing the “battery low“ alert once a week. Also, I had to listen to my entire recording of what was on each PenFriend sticker depending on how much information I needed. With the WayAround system, I can flick through until I find the actual data I need."

- Brian Henderson, WayAround User

How do WayTags compare to PenFriend labels?

Type of Tag

PenFriend Audio Laundry Labels

On-Metal WayTag Stickers

On-Metal WayTag Plastic Clips

WayTag Buttons

WayTag Magnets

WayTag Stickers

Type Sticker Sticker Plastic Clip Button Magnet Sticker
Waterproof Yes No No Yes No No
Heatproof Up to 122 degrees F No No Up to 200 degrees F No No
Requires sewing No No No Not required No No
Works with metal Yes Yes Yes No Yes No
Works outside Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Small plastic bag with various types of WayTags

Get Started

Ready to get started tagging with WayAround? We’ll show you how easy it is to use with our set up guide! Not sure which tags to get? Try our sampler pack to see which WayTag NFC tags you like best.