Comparison

NVH vs First

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

NVH

Diagnose vehicle vibration issues with this tool. It uses your device's sensors to analyze vibrations, identify their type, and suggest potential causes. Generate detailed reports and share findings.

Highlights
  • Automatic vibration type detection
  • Analysis of vibration sources
  • Live vibration measurement displays
  • Detailed PDF diagnostic reports
  • Record and review road tests
  • Extensive vehicle database
Read full description

Does your vehicle have a vibration problem? NVH takes the guesswork out of diagnosing it! Just follow the road test instructions in the tutorial, and the NVH app can automatically detect the type of vibration your vehicle is experiencing. - There are 14 types of vibrations: - Tire speed-related (3 types) - Driveshaft speed-related (3 types) - Engine speed-related (7 types) - Electric Motor Speed Related (1 type) - Each type of vibration has unique causes. A vibration type is not the same thing as a vibration source. There are many possible causes (sources) for each vibration type. Just follow the app's diagnostic steps to identify the source of vibration. - There are almost 300 possible causes of vibration concerns in today's vehicles. - Tire speed-related (77 Possible Causes) - Driveshaft speed-related (123 Possible Causes) - Engine speed-related (76 Possible Causes) - Electric Motor Speed Related (Several Causes) More than "Just an App," this is a tool for professional service technicians and anyone with a vibration concern on their vehicle. KEY FEATURES: - QUICK, ACCURATE, AND PRECISE: The NVH App can be set up and ready to begin diagnosis in as little as 30 seconds! - VIBRATION DIAGNOSIS: Place or mount your device against a solid surface in your vehicle, and the internal sensors will measure and analyze your vehicle's vibration problem. - LIVE RESULTS: Watch one of three different displays that show you live measurements of your vibration in various ways to ensure you have all the information you need. - MULTI-PART ANALYSIS: - AUTOMATIC: Not sure how to interpret your results? NVH will analyze your road test for you and tell you which type of vibration problem your vehicle has. - TOTALS: Want to get into the numbers yourself? NVH shows you statistics for each type of vibration detected and breaks them down by vehicle speed to give you even more information. - PDF REPORT: print, email, or save a PDF diagnostic report showing all the analysis details. - RECORD: Record your road test and watch it again in real-time, or pause and go through it step by step. - SHARE: Want another field service engineer, mechanic, or friend to see your test and give their opinion? Export your recordings to an NVH file to import them into their device and view your recordings and their analyses. You can also print or send a PDF report detailing the recording analysis. - VEHICLE DATABASE: NVH has an extensive database of 45,184 vehicles to choose from, so that you can pick your vehicle and go! Can't find your vehicle in the database? Not a problem! You can manually enter your vehicle's information and save it for future use. To see a list of supported vehicles in the NVH vehicle database or what information you will need to know about your vehicle if it is not in the database, visit http://www.vibratesoftware.com/nvh/database.htm. - DIAGNOSTIC HELP AND VIDEOS: Whether you are a seasoned field service engineer, experienced technician, or a self-made mechanic, NVH's comprehensive diagnostic help file has something for everyone. Read through detailed instructions and information accompanied by hundreds of photos and dozens of videos. With over 28 years of vibration diagnostic expertise built into the troubleshooting steps, you will be in good hands. - SUPPLEMENTARY TOOLS: NVH contains a suite of extra tools to help with various automotive tasks: - Measure driveshaft angles - Check the accuracy of your speedometer - Measure raw vibration frequencies and amplitudes OPTIONAL BLUETOOTH OBD-II DLC INTERFACES: - OBDLink MX+ - Nexiq Blue-Link 2 These tools will read the engine RPM directly from the vehicle and use it for engine speed-related vibration diagnosis. NOTE: This application is intended to be used by a passenger in a vehicle, not the driver. You assume total responsibility and risk from using this application.

About

First

Connect your mobile device to a commercial vehicle's diagnostic port to monitor its health status. Understand fault codes, view vehicle specifications, and track trip data to improve uptime and aid in service and repair.

Highlights
  • Connect to vehicle diagnostic port
  • Monitor vehicle health status
  • View active and inactive fault codes
  • Display vehicle specifications (VIN, ECU info)
  • Track trip data (fuel, miles, speed, hours)
  • Generate and share vehicle reports
Features
Read full description

NEXIQ First-Link™ is an application that provides important features to the drivers and service technicians of commercial vehicles and equipment. These features help the driver connect the mobile device to the diagnostic port; they also monitor the vehicle's health status and increase the vehicle's uptime. If a Check Engine Light is illuminated, the application assists the driver to understand the cause so that he can seek assistance (i.e., service and repair), if needed. Service technicians can utilize the information gathered by the application to aid in vehicle service and repair. Features include: • Faults – Active and Inactive fault codes present at the time of connection are displayed. • Vehicle Specs – Vehicle information including VIN, ECU software and hardware information is displayed. • Life / Trip – Displays trip-specific information related to fuel usage, miles, maximum speed, cruise control speed, hours of operation, etc. • Parameters – Displays parameters specific to the modules on the vehicle (e.g., engine, transmission, etc.) • Report – Generates a session-specific report containing vehicle information (i.e., faults, vehicle specs, parameters, and life/trip information); can be uploaded to the cloud, emailed, etc. • Sharing - Enables the driver to share vehicle information gathered to dispatch, service providers, etc. • OnCommand® Support - Optional feature to allow users to upload health reports to the OnCommand® servers. • Blue-Link Mini firmware update to v1.09, if the adapter has older firmware.

Screenshots

NVH4 screens
First2 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: NVH at 81% against First's 17%. NVH also leads on rating (4.2 vs 2.3) and update cadence (weekly vs every 5 months). First's advantage is price (Free vs $99.99) and iOS requirement (11.0 vs 17.0). On ratings volume, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

First is free to download; NVH costs $99.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

NVH holds the better App Store score, 4.2 against 2.3. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 24 and 16 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 81% of NVH's written reviews are positive against 17% of First's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

NVH ships an update weekly, First every 5 months. The most recent releases landed on October 8, 2026 and October 17, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 4 level
NVH versus First: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterNVHFirst
Price$99.99Free — better
Rating4.2 (24 ratings) — better2.3 (16 ratings)
Positive reviews81.0% of reviews — better16.7% of reviews
Number of ratings24 — better16
Update frequencyWeekly — betterEvery 5 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationPaidFree — better
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS17.011.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size87 MB128 MB
Age rating12+4+
DeveloperVibrate Software, Inc.Snap-on Inc.

Customer experience

NVH

All ratings24 ratings
Positive83.3%
Neutral0.0%
Negative16.7%
Written reviews21 reviews
Positive81.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative19.0%

First

All ratings16 ratings
Positive25.0%
Neutral12.5%
Negative62.5%
Written reviews12 reviews
Positive16.7%
Neutral16.7%
Negative66.7%

In-app purchases

None

NVH

No in-app purchases

None

First

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is NVH free?
NVH costs $99.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is First free?
First is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, NVH or First?
NVH is rated higher. NVH averages 4.2 out of 5 from 24 ratings, while First averages 2.3 from 16 ratings.
Do NVH or First have ads?
Neither NVH nor First shows ads.
Which is updated more often, NVH or First?
NVH ships an update weekly, and First every 5 months. Most recently, NVH was updated on October 8, 2026 and First on October 17, 2026.

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