Comparison

ECU Connect vs Redtail Installer

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

Head to head
About

ECU Connect

This app allows you to program tuned files directly to your car's ECU using your phone. It also provides real-time engine performance monitoring and customizable dashboards. A Bluetooth interface is required for full functionality.

Highlights
  • Program tuned ECU files wirelessly
  • Real-time engine performance monitoring
  • Customizable parameter dashboards
  • Log engine data with GPS coordinates
  • Adjust RaceROM features on the fly
  • Connects via Bluetooth Vehicle Interface
Read full description

IMPORTANT This app requires an EcuTek Bluetooth Vehicle Interface to connect to your car's ECU. These are available from EcuTek Tuners. Find your nearest one at www.ecutek.com/dealers. If you don't have an interface, run the demo mode within the app to see ECU Connect in action. ECU Connect is the free companion app to the new pocket-size Bluetooth Vehicle Interface produced by specialist tuning firm EcuTek Technologies. Once you have purchased your EcuTek Vehicle Interface, plug it into your car's OBD vehicle diagnostic socket, pair it with your phone in the app and you will open up a whole new world of enjoyment with your car. With ECU Connect, you can receive and program in a tuned file from one of our EcuTek Master Tuners just with your phone. No laptop, no wires, no fuss. Just create an account in the app, select the tuner you want to work with, and you are ready to receive the tuned file. Discuss with your tuner what you want to achieve from the tune and once the file has been created, you will receive a notification that the file is ready. Go to Program ECU, select the file and follow the on-screen instructions. It's as easy as that. All that's left is for you to enjoy the car! For more details on programming your car’s ECU with ECU Connect go to www.ecutek.com/phone-flash Your EcuTek Tuner can also set up some unique RaceROM features which allows you to control and adjust some aspects of the tune with your phone: Launch RPM; Traction Control settings; boost and torque levels; switch between different set ups such as track mode, economy mode, fast road and flexfuel on the fly. These are just some of the example set ups. Speak to your EcuTek Master Tuner and discuss with them what you'd like. There are lots of options to choose from. For a list of supported models together with their ECU Connect Features go to www.ecutek.com/ecu-connect Whether your car is tuned on EcuTek or not, with ECU Connect you can instantly see how your engine is performing as you drive it (even if the car is not officially supported, ECU Connect provides basic support for most cars using generic OBD2 CAN communication protocol available on nearly all vehicles manufactured from 2008 onwards). You can view and log any parameter the ECU records and even create unlimited personalised dashboards if you want to monitor specific groups of parameters. Save and send these logs direct from the app to your tuner. You can also record GPS coordinates in the log files, so you can see what was happening at any given point on your logging run (very useful on track days).

About

Redtail Installer

Read full description

If you install Redtail Telematics' VAM devices, you can use this app to: • Quickly check whether a Redtail device is communicating with Redtail Telematics' system; • Log and review details of a Redtail device installation into a vehicle; • See an overview of the activity of your managed installers.

Screenshots

ECU Connect4 screens
Redtail Installer4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: ECU Connect at every 3 weeks against Redtail Installer's every 5 months. On price, 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

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

ECU Connect ships an update every 3 weeks, Redtail Installer every 5 months. The most recent releases landed on September 17, 2026 and September 18, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard1 real difference · 9 level
ECU Connect versus Redtail Installer: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterECU ConnectRedtail Installer
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.0 (87 ratings) — better
Positive reviews63.2% of reviews
Number of ratings87 — better
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeks — betterEvery 5 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFree
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPod
Requires iOS15.014.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size83 MB91 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperEcuTek Technologies LtdRedtail Telematics Ltd

In-app purchases

None

ECU Connect

No in-app purchases

None

Redtail Installer

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is ECU Connect free?
ECU Connect is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Redtail Installer free?
Redtail Installer is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do ECU Connect or Redtail Installer have ads?
Neither ECU Connect nor Redtail Installer shows ads.
Which is updated more often, ECU Connect or Redtail Installer?
ECU Connect ships an update every 3 weeks, and Redtail Installer every 5 months. Most recently, ECU Connect was updated on September 17, 2026 and Redtail Installer on September 18, 2026.

Other comparisons