First vs PowerDrive Plus
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
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.
- 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
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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.
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.
- Remote inverter control
- Monitor battery voltage
- Monitor output power
- Monitor product temperature
- Set protection alarms
- Adjust personal settings
- Test battery
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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
Verdict
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
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
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.
First ships an update every 5 months, PowerDrive Plus fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on October 17, 2026 and October 16, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | First | PowerDrive Plus |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 2.3 (16 ratings) — better | 1.9 (38 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 16.7% of reviews — better | 13.0% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 16 | 38 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 5 months | Fortnightly — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better | iPhone, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 11.0 | 9.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 128 MB | 3 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Snap-on Inc. | DAS Companies Inc |
Customer experience
First
PowerDrive Plus
In-app purchases
First
No in-app purchases
PowerDrive Plus
No in-app purchases








