Comparison

First vs PowerDrive Plus

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

Head to head
About

First

Connect your mobile device to a commercial vehicle's diagnostic port to monitor its health status. Understand fault codes, view vehicle specifications, and track trip data to improve uptime and aid in service and repair.

Highlights
  • Connect to vehicle diagnostic port
  • Monitor vehicle health status
  • View active and inactive fault codes
  • Display vehicle specifications (VIN, ECU info)
  • Track trip data (fuel, miles, speed, hours)
  • Generate and share vehicle reports
Features
Read full description

NEXIQ First-Link™ is an application that provides important features to the drivers and service technicians of commercial vehicles and equipment. These features help the driver connect the mobile device to the diagnostic port; they also monitor the vehicle's health status and increase the vehicle's uptime. If a Check Engine Light is illuminated, the application assists the driver to understand the cause so that he can seek assistance (i.e., service and repair), if needed. Service technicians can utilize the information gathered by the application to aid in vehicle service and repair. Features include: • Faults – Active and Inactive fault codes present at the time of connection are displayed. • Vehicle Specs – Vehicle information including VIN, ECU software and hardware information is displayed. • Life / Trip – Displays trip-specific information related to fuel usage, miles, maximum speed, cruise control speed, hours of operation, etc. • Parameters – Displays parameters specific to the modules on the vehicle (e.g., engine, transmission, etc.) • Report – Generates a session-specific report containing vehicle information (i.e., faults, vehicle specs, parameters, and life/trip information); can be uploaded to the cloud, emailed, etc. • Sharing - Enables the driver to share vehicle information gathered to dispatch, service providers, etc. • OnCommand® Support - Optional feature to allow users to upload health reports to the OnCommand® servers. • Blue-Link Mini firmware update to v1.09, if the adapter has older firmware.

About

PowerDrive Plus

Control your inverter's full settings remotely using your connected device. Monitor battery voltage, output power, and temperature, and set protection alarms from a distance. Easily adjust personal settings and test your battery.

Highlights
  • Remote inverter control
  • Monitor battery voltage
  • Monitor output power
  • Monitor product temperature
  • Set protection alarms
  • Adjust personal settings
  • Test battery
Features
Read full description

The PowerDrive Plus APP allows you to control full inverter settings with your connected devices. Main features: 1.Keeps user updated on battery voltage, output power and product temperature of the inverter. 2.Offers the ability to set up protection alarms from a distance. 3.Easily adjust personal settings and test battery.

Screenshots

First2 screens
PowerDrive Plus4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: First at 2.3 against PowerDrive Plus's 1.9. PowerDrive Plus's advantage is update cadence (fortnightly vs every 5 months) and iOS requirement (9.0 vs 11.0). On price, review sentiment, ratings volume and ads 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.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

First holds the better App Store score, 2.3 against 1.9. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 16 and 38 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 17% of First's written reviews are positive against 13% of PowerDrive Plus's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

First ships an update every 5 months, PowerDrive Plus fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on October 17, 2026 and October 16, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
First versus PowerDrive Plus: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterFirstPowerDrive Plus
PriceFreeFree
Rating2.3 (16 ratings) — better1.9 (38 ratings)
Positive reviews16.7% of reviews — better13.0% of reviews
Number of ratings1638 — better
Update frequencyEvery 5 monthsFortnightly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFreeFree
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPod
Requires iOS11.09.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size128 MB3 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperSnap-on Inc.DAS Companies Inc

Customer experience

First

All ratings16 ratings
Positive25.0%
Neutral12.5%
Negative62.5%
Written reviews12 reviews
Positive16.7%
Neutral16.7%
Negative66.7%

PowerDrive Plus

All ratings33 ratings
Positive15.2%
Neutral0.0%
Negative84.8%
Written reviews23 reviews
Positive13.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative87.0%

In-app purchases

None

First

No in-app purchases

None

PowerDrive Plus

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is First free?
First is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is PowerDrive Plus free?
PowerDrive Plus is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, First or PowerDrive Plus?
First is rated higher. First averages 2.3 out of 5 from 16 ratings, while PowerDrive Plus averages 1.9 from 38 ratings.
Do First or PowerDrive Plus have ads?
Neither First nor PowerDrive Plus shows ads.
Which is updated more often, First or PowerDrive Plus?
First ships an update every 5 months, and PowerDrive Plus fortnightly. Most recently, First was updated on October 17, 2026 and PowerDrive Plus on October 16, 2026.

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