Comparison

BimmerLink vs DIY Garage

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

Head to head
About

BimmerLink

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
Read full description

BimmerLink is the direct link to your BMW, MINI, or Toyota Supra. Read and clear trouble codes, monitor live sensor data, and perform maintenance functions from your phone. A supported OBD adapter or cable is required. Feature availability depends on your vehicle and its equipment. READ AND CLEAR TROUBLE CODES Read and clear diagnostic trouble codes from all control units in your car. LIVE SENSOR DATA Monitor values such as oil temperature and boost pressure in real time. Create a personalized dashboard to keep the readings that matter to you in view. DATA LOGGING Record sensor values in CSV log files for detailed analysis. CONTROL UNIT FUNCTIONS Access live data and diagnostic functions for individual control units in your car. EXHAUST FLAP CONTROL Choose whether your car's exhaust flap is open or closed. Requires a factory-installed exhaust flap. ACTIVE SOUND DESIGN Mute the artificial engine sound generated by Active Sound Design (ASD). Requires factory-installed ASD. SOUND TUNING Disable exhaust burble on cars equipped with the S55 engine (M2 Competition, M3, and M4). DPF REGENERATION Check the condition of your diesel particulate filter and request a regeneration when needed. Available on supported diesel vehicles equipped with a DPF. CARPLAY ADD-ON Use CarPlay to view live sensor data from your car's engine control units and control the exhaust flap and Active Sound Design, all from your car's display. Additional in-app purchase required. BATTERY REGISTRATION Register a new battery after replacement directly from the app. PARKING BRAKE SERVICE MODE Activate service mode for your car's electromechanical parking brake. SERVICE RESET Reset service indicators after completing maintenance, such as an engine oil change or brake pad replacement. RESET SHORT-CIRCUIT LOCKS Reset short-circuit locks in the lighting control unit. TRANSMISSION ADAPTATION VALUES View adaptation values for your car's ZF 8HP automatic transmission. REQUIRED ACCESSORIES BimmerLink requires a supported Bluetooth or Wi-Fi OBD adapter or cable. Visit bimmerlink.app for supported accessories and vehicle information. SUPPORTED VEHICLES Feature availability varies by model and equipment. - 1 Series, 1 Series M Coupé (2004+) - 2 Series, 2 Series Coupé, M2 (2013+) - 2 Series Gran Coupé (2020+) - 2 Series Active Tourer (2014+) - 2 Series Gran Tourer (2015+) - 3 Series, M3 (2005+) - 4 Series, M4 (2013+) - 5 Series, M5 (2003+) - 6 Series, M6 (2003+) - 7 Series (2008+) - 8 Series, M8 (2018+) - X1 (2009+) - X2 (2018+) - X3, X3 M (2010+) - X4, X4 M (2014+) - X5, X5 M (2006+) - X6, X6 M (2008+) - X7 (2019+) - XM (2022+) - Z4 (2009+) - i3 (2013+) - i4 (2021+) - i5 (2023+) - i7 (2022+) - i8 (2013+) - iX (2021+) - iX1 (2022+) - iX2 (2024+) - iX3 (2021+) - MINI (2006+) - Toyota Supra (2019+)

About

DIY Garage

Manage your vehicle's maintenance and repairs with this comprehensive app. Track service history, set reminders, and get AI-powered diagnostic help. Organize all your car's information in one place.

Highlights
  • Track multiple vehicles
  • Log maintenance and repairs
  • Store vehicle specifications
  • Set service reminders
  • AI-powered diagnostics (CRANK)
  • In-app support forum (INFOCHAT)
Features
Read full description

DIY Garage — Your Personal Vehicle Maintenance Companion Take control of your vehicle maintenance with DIY Garage, the all-in-one app built for DIY car owners who want to track, manage, and understand their vehicles with confidence. No Ads. Clean. Focused. Built for DIY Car Enthusiasts. DIY Garage is designed to give you clarity, control, and confidence—without distractions. Just the tools you need to take care of your vehicle the right way. Meet CRANK — Your AI Mechanic Built directly into the app, CRANK helps you diagnose issues, understand trouble codes, and guide your repairs with clear, practical insights. Whether you're troubleshooting a problem or planning your next service, CRANK is there every step of the way. Track Everything About Your Vehicle Manage multiple vehicles in one place Log maintenance and repairs with mileage and dates Store key specs like oil type, filters, tire sizes, and more Keep a complete service history Stay Ahead of Maintenance Set reminders for upcoming services Track mileage-based intervals Never miss important maintenance again Smarter Conversations Chat with CRANK for help with diagnostics and repairs Navigate conversations easily with smooth, intuitive controls Start Simple. Unlock More. Get started with essential tracking features, and expand your garage as your needs grow. Take Control Take the guesswork out of car maintenance and keep your garage organized with DIY Garage. DIY Garage v1.1.117 introduces INFOCHAT, a new in-app support forum that allows users to communicate directly with the DIY Garage support team. Users can: * Create support conversations * Exchange messages with support * Upload photos * Receive support notifications * View support conversation history Additional updates include OCR workflow improvements, vehicle notes enhancements, pre-inspection checklist improvements, and overall stability updates. The application is intended for vehicle owners to track maintenance, repairs, inspections, parts, service history, and vehicle documentation. SUBSCRIPTION TERMS Payment will be charged to your Apple ID account at confirmation of purchase. Subscriptions automatically renew unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. Your account will be charged for renewal within 24 hours prior to the end of the current period. You can manage and cancel your subscriptions by going to your account settings on the App Store after purchase. Terms of Use (EULA) https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy Policy https://www.johnnyshendino.com/privacy-policy

Screenshots

BimmerLink4 screens
DIY Garage4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: DIY Garage at 100% against BimmerLink's 53%. DIY Garage also leads on rating (5.0 vs 4.7) and update cadence (every 8 days vs every 4 weeks). BimmerLink's advantage is ratings volume (9.1K vs 2) and chart position (#126 vs unranked). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model 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

Both are free to download. BimmerLink sells 2 one-off in-app purchases and DIY Garage sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

DIY Garage holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: BimmerLink has 9.1K ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 53% of BimmerLink's written reviews are positive against 100% of DIY Garage's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

BimmerLink ships an update every 4 weeks, DIY Garage every 8 days. The most recent releases landed on September 26, 2026 and September 10, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 6 level
BimmerLink versus DIY Garage: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterBimmerLinkDIY Garage
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.7 (9.1K ratings)5.0 (2 ratings) — better
Positive reviews53.1% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings9.1K — better2
Update frequencyEvery 4 weeksEvery 8 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFreemium
Best chart rank#126 — better—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS15.0 — better15.1
Further details — not scored
Size131 MB47 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperSG Software GmbH & Co. KGJohn Alfano

Customer experience

BimmerLink

All ratings9,088 ratings
Positive91.6%
Neutral2.1%
Negative6.3%
Written reviews539 reviews
Positive53.1%
Neutral10.8%
Negative36.2%

DIY Garage

All ratings2 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews3 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Bugs and requests

BimmerLink

Reported bugs

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

Requested features

5 requests
  • 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

DIY Garage

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

2 purchases

BimmerLink

One-time2
  • CarPlay Add-On$9.99
  • BimmerLink full version$39.99
2 purchases

DIY Garage

Subscriptions2
  • DIY Garage Premium – Monthly3 Days trial$3.991 Month
  • DIY Garage Premium – Annually$19.991 Year

Questions

Is BimmerLink free?
BimmerLink is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is DIY Garage free?
DIY Garage is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, BimmerLink or DIY Garage?
DIY Garage is rated higher. BimmerLink averages 4.7 out of 5 from 9.1K ratings, while DIY Garage averages 5.0 from 2 ratings.
Do BimmerLink or DIY Garage have ads?
Neither BimmerLink nor DIY Garage shows ads.
Which is updated more often, BimmerLink or DIY Garage?
BimmerLink ships an update every 4 weeks, and DIY Garage every 8 days. Most recently, BimmerLink was updated on September 26, 2026 and DIY Garage on September 10, 2026.

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