# Car Scanner ELM OBD2 vs Live Spec

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Car Scanner ELM OBD2 at 81% against Live Spec's 0%. Car Scanner ELM OBD2 also leads on price (Free vs $9.99) and rating (4.8 vs 3.9). Live Spec's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 5) and ads (none vs shown). On device support there is nothing between them.

Car Scanner ELM OBD2 is free to download; Live Spec costs $9.99 up front. Car Scanner ELM OBD2 sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per 6 months. Live Spec asks for nothing beyond the download.

Car Scanner ELM OBD2 holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 3.9. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Car Scanner ELM OBD2 has 33K ratings behind it against 8, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 81% of Car Scanner ELM OBD2's written reviews are positive against 0% of Live Spec's.

Car Scanner ELM OBD2 ships an update every 5 days, Live Spec monthly. The most recent releases landed on October 25, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Car Scanner ELM OBD2 | Live Spec |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **Free** | $9.99 |
| Rating | **[4.8 (33K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/car-scanner-elm-obd2/id1259933623/reviews)** | [3.9 (8 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/live-spec/id1546303457/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **33K** | 8 |
| Positive reviews | **81.4% of reviews** | 0.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Every 5 days** | Monthly |
| Monetization | **Free with in-app purchases** | Paid |
| Size | 182 MB | 10 MB |
| Requires iOS | 13.0 | **10.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Stanislav Svistunov](https://appshunter.io/developer/1259933622) | [Alphabit Software Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/702178534) |

## What reviewers say

### Car Scanner ELM OBD2

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/car-scanner-elm-obd2/id1259933623)

Monitor your car's performance, diagnose engine issues, and view sensor data in real-time. Customize your dashboard with gauges and charts, and reset fault codes. Supports a wide range of vehicles and offers advanced features for specific car brands.

**Highlights:** Real-time sensor data, OBD fault code reading and resetting, Customizable dashboard with gauges, Extended PID support, Mode 06 test results, Emission test readiness check, Acceleration measurement tool

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Family Sharing

**In-app purchases (5)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Car Scanner Pro (6 months) | $3.99 | per 6 months |
| Car Scanner Pro (1 year) | $4.99 | per year |
| Car Scanner Pro (low price) | $6.99 | one-time |
| Car Scanner Pro (mid price) | $6.99 | one-time |
| Car Scanner Pro (forever) | $7.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Works great with cheap OBD2 adapters
- 👍 Highly customizable dashboard
- 👍 Comprehensive sensor data
- 👍 Helpful error code lookup
- 👍 Frequent updates

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional connection issues
- 🐛 Incorrect sensor readings for some vehicles
- 🐛 Crashes or freezes on some devices
- 🔋 Drains battery when left running

**Reported bugs**

- Unable to connect to certain vehicle models
- Incorrect fuel economy calculations
- Sensor data not updating properly in some cases

**Requested features**

- Add support for more vehicle profiles
- Improve CarPlay integration
- Allow custom dashboard templates
- Add option to automatically save data logs
- Expand sensor coverage, especially for transmissions and ABS


### Live Spec

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/live-spec/id1546303457)

Transform your phone into a real-time car performance tracker and diagnostic tool. Monitor vital sensors, troubleshoot engine codes, and track fuel economy to save money. Features include customizable gauges, graphing, and race track data analysis.

**Highlights:** Real-time sensor tracking, Read and clear trouble codes, Fuel economy tracking, Customizable gauges and graphs, Race track data analysis, Speed limit warnings, HUD mode for night driving

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Car Scanner ELM OBD2 free?

Car Scanner ELM OBD2 is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Live Spec free?

Live Spec costs $9.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Car Scanner ELM OBD2 or Live Spec?

Car Scanner ELM OBD2 is rated higher. Car Scanner ELM OBD2 averages 4.8 out of 5 from 33K ratings, while Live Spec averages 3.9 from 8 ratings.

### Do Car Scanner ELM OBD2 or Live Spec have ads?

Car Scanner ELM OBD2 shows ads; Live Spec does not.

### Which is updated more often, Car Scanner ELM OBD2 or Live Spec?

Car Scanner ELM OBD2 ships an update every 5 days, and Live Spec monthly. Most recently, Car Scanner ELM OBD2 was updated on October 25, 2026 and Live Spec on October 24, 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.*