# BimmerLink vs J1939OBD

The clearest difference is update cadence: BimmerLink at every 4 weeks against J1939OBD's every 41 months. BimmerLink also leads on chart position (#132 vs unranked). J1939OBD's advantage is iOS requirement (12.1 vs 15.0). On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. BimmerLink sells 2 one-off in-app purchases and J1939OBD sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

BimmerLink ships an update every 4 weeks, J1939OBD every 41 months. The most recent releases landed on October 16, 2026 and September 18, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | BimmerLink | J1939OBD |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (9.1K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bimmerlink/id1065360416/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **9.1K** | — |
| Positive reviews | 53.6% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 4 weeks** | Every 41 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Best chart rank | **#132** | — |
| Size | 131 MB | 14 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | **12.1** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [SG Software GmbH & Co. KG](https://appshunter.io/developer/441701490) | [S.Koepge](https://appshunter.io/developer/340731168) |

## What reviewers say

### BimmerLink

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bimmerlink/id1065360416)

**Currently charting:** #132 Top Grossing · Productivity (US App Store)

This app provides direct access to your BMW or MINI vehicle's systems. Read and clear trouble codes from all control units, monitor real-time sensor values, and control features like exhaust flaps and active sound design. It also supports battery registration, DPF regeneration, and service resets.

**Highlights:** Read and clear trouble codes from all control units, Display real-time sensor values, Remote control of exhaust flap, Mute Active Sound Design, DPF regeneration, Battery registration, Service reset

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Family Sharing

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| CarPlay Add-On | $9.99 | one-time |
| BimmerLink full version | $39.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Easy to use
- 👍 Useful features
- 💡 Helpful for DIY maintenance
- 🚀 Saved money on repairs
- 🚀 Cleared error codes

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Connectivity issues
- 🐛 Inaccurate sensor readings
- 🐛 Doesn't work as advertised
- 💰 Expensive for limited functionality
- 🐛 Resets settings after car turned off

**Reported bugs**

- Unable to connect to OBD adapter
- Fails to clear error codes
- Battery registration not working
- Sensor values not updating properly

**Requested features**

- Add support for more BMW models
- Improve exhaust flap control functionality
- Add option to change units (Celsius/Fahrenheit, MPH/KPH)
- Improve CarPlay integration
- Add more customization options for dashboard


### J1939OBD

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/j1939obd/id1453435912)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Get full access for 1939OBD | $3.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is BimmerLink free?

BimmerLink is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is J1939OBD free?

J1939OBD is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Do BimmerLink or J1939OBD have ads?

Neither BimmerLink nor J1939OBD shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, BimmerLink or J1939OBD?

BimmerLink ships an update every 4 weeks, and J1939OBD every 41 months. Most recently, BimmerLink was updated on October 16, 2026 and J1939OBD on September 18, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*