# OBD2 Expert vs OBD Mate

The clearest difference is rating: OBD2 Expert at 4.1 against OBD Mate's 1.8. OBD2 Expert also leads on ratings volume (735 vs 115) and iOS requirement (9.3 vs 13.0). OBD Mate's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 4). On price, review sentiment, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. OBD2 Expert sells 4 one-off in-app purchases. OBD Mate asks for nothing beyond the download.

OBD2 Expert holds the better App Store score, 4.1 against 1.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: OBD2 Expert has 735 ratings behind it against 115, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 8% of OBD2 Expert's written reviews are positive against 9% of OBD Mate's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

OBD2 Expert ships an update every 2 months, OBD Mate every 5 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 22, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | OBD2 Expert | OBD Mate |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.1 (735 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/obd2-expert/id1142156521/reviews)** | [1.8 (115 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/obd-mate/id1405374762/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **735** | 115 |
| Positive reviews | 8.0% of reviews | **9.4% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Every 5 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 17 MB | 365 MB |
| Requires iOS | **9.3** | 13.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Michael Lauer](https://appshunter.io/developer/300205595) | [Autophix Tech Co., Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/650288249) |

## What reviewers say

### OBD2 Expert

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/obd2-expert/id1142156521)

Diagnose and monitor your vehicle's health by connecting an OBD2 adapter. View sensor data, read and reset trouble codes, and analyze diagnostic information. Developers can use it as a hardware simulator or protocol bridge.

**Highlights:** Vehicle diagnostics and monitoring, Read and reset diagnostic trouble codes (DTC), View current sensor data, Analyze Mode 6 diagnostics, Load vehicle status files for testing, Share vehicle status data, BLE/WiFi OBD2 ScanTool simulator for developers, OBD2 protocol communication bridge

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Operation Mode Bridge | $0.99 | one-time |
| Operation Mode ScanTool | $2.99 | one-time |
| Operation Mode Simulator | $4.99 | one-time |
| All Features | $5.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Works well
- 🚀 Fast and responsive
- 💡 Useful features

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Crashes frequently
- 🔒 Requires payment to unlock core functionality
- ⚠️ Doesn't detect/connect to OBD2 adapter
- 🤖 Lacks instructions/documentation
- 💸 Overpriced for limited functionality

**Reported bugs**

- Freezes during use
- Fails to recognize compatible OBD2 adapters
- Inaccurate vehicle information detection

**Requested features**

- Add support for more vehicle models
- Implement live data monitoring
- Include ability to clear diagnostic codes
- Provide free trial period to test functionality


### OBD Mate

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/obd-mate/id1405374762)

Diagnose vehicle faults and receive driving assistance using your smartphone or tablet. Connect via Bluetooth to read and clear error codes, monitor sensor data, and view custom dashboards for a better driving experience.

**Highlights:** Fault diagnosis, Driving assistance, Read and clear codes, Freeze frame data, O2 sensor monitoring, Customizable dashboard

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is OBD2 Expert free?

OBD2 Expert is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is OBD Mate free?

OBD Mate is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, OBD2 Expert or OBD Mate?

OBD2 Expert is rated higher. OBD2 Expert averages 4.1 out of 5 from 735 ratings, while OBD Mate averages 1.8 from 115 ratings.

### Do OBD2 Expert or OBD Mate have ads?

Neither OBD2 Expert nor OBD Mate shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, OBD2 Expert or OBD Mate?

OBD2 Expert ships an update every 2 months, and OBD Mate every 5 weeks. Most recently, OBD2 Expert was updated on October 24, 2026 and OBD Mate on October 22, 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.*