# BimmerLink vs Papertrail Auto

BimmerLink and Papertrail Auto both sit at 4.7 stars, but that hides the real split: 83% of Papertrail Auto's written reviews are positive against 54% of BimmerLink's. Papertrail Auto also leads on update cadence (every 4 days vs every 4 weeks) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.0). BimmerLink's advantage is ratings volume (9.1K vs 24) and chart position (#92 vs unranked). On price, rating, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. BimmerLink sells 2 one-off in-app purchases and Papertrail Auto sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $15.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.7 for BimmerLink against 4.8 for Papertrail Auto. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: BimmerLink has 9.1K ratings behind it against 24, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 54% of BimmerLink's written reviews are positive against 83% of Papertrail Auto's.

BimmerLink ships an update every 4 weeks, Papertrail Auto every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on October 17, 2026 and October 9, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | BimmerLink | Papertrail Auto |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.7 (9.1K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bimmerlink/id1065360416/reviews) | **[4.8 (24 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/papertrail-auto/id6444321445/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **9.1K** | 24 |
| Positive reviews | 53.6% of reviews | **83.3% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 4 weeks | **Every 4 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | **#92** | — |
| Size | 131 MB | 149 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | **13.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [SG Software GmbH & Co. KG](https://appshunter.io/developer/441701490) | [Papertrail Technologies LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1653844050) |

## What reviewers say

### BimmerLink

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

**Currently charting:** #92 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


### Papertrail Auto

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/papertrail-auto/id6444321445)

This app helps car owners meticulously document their vehicles, from basic specs to maintenance history and memorable journeys. It offers AI-powered input, secure cloud storage, and the ability to generate presentations or transfer ownership records.

**Highlights:** Detailed vehicle documentation, AI-powered data input, Photo and description uploads, Create car 'Stories', Generate PDF/web presentations, Transfer ownership records, Encrypted cloud storage

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Papertrail Pro | $15.99 | per month |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is BimmerLink free?

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

### Is Papertrail Auto free?

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

### Which has better reviews, BimmerLink or Papertrail Auto?

Papertrail Auto is rated higher. BimmerLink averages 4.7 out of 5 from 9.1K ratings, while Papertrail Auto averages 4.8 from 24 ratings.

### Do BimmerLink or Papertrail Auto have ads?

Neither BimmerLink nor Papertrail Auto shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, BimmerLink or Papertrail Auto?

BimmerLink ships an update every 4 weeks, and Papertrail Auto every 4 days. Most recently, BimmerLink was updated on October 17, 2026 and Papertrail Auto on October 9, 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.*