# OBD Mate vs ActiveOBD

The clearest difference is rating: ActiveOBD at 3.6 against OBD Mate's 1.8. ActiveOBD also leads on review sentiment (45% vs 9%). OBD Mate's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1) and update cadence (every 5 weeks vs every 3 months). On price, ratings volume, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. ActiveOBD sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $4.99 per month. OBD Mate asks for nothing beyond the download.

ActiveOBD holds the better App Store score, 3.6 against 1.8. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 115 and 39 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 9% of OBD Mate's written reviews are positive against 45% of ActiveOBD's.

OBD Mate ships an update every 5 weeks, ActiveOBD every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on October 16, 2026 and October 15, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | OBD Mate | ActiveOBD |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [1.8 (115 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/obd-mate/id1405374762/reviews) | **[3.6 (39 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/activeobd/id1524791245/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **115** | 39 |
| Positive reviews | 9.4% of reviews | **45.5% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 5 weeks** | Every 3 months |
| Monetization | **Free** | Freemium |
| Size | 365 MB | 24 MB |
| Requires iOS | 13.0 | 13.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Autophix Tech Co., Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/650288249) | [Mykhailo Zolotarov](https://appshunter.io/developer/1524791247) |

## What reviewers say

### 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


### ActiveOBD

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/activeobd/id1524791245)

This app functions as an OBDII scanner, offering specialized support for Subaru vehicles (MY2012+). It provides basic parameter readings for free, with a subscription unlocking advanced features like trouble code reading and data logging.

**Highlights:** OBDII scanning, Subaru-specific support (MY2012+), CVT Oil Temperature reading, AWD duty (%) parameter reading, Trouble code reading (full version), Data logging (full version), Graphs building (full version)

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Full Version Subscription | $4.99 | per month |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is OBD Mate free?

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

### Is ActiveOBD free?

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

### Which has better reviews, OBD Mate or ActiveOBD?

ActiveOBD is rated higher. OBD Mate averages 1.8 out of 5 from 115 ratings, while ActiveOBD averages 3.6 from 39 ratings.

### Do OBD Mate or ActiveOBD have ads?

Neither OBD Mate nor ActiveOBD shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, OBD Mate or ActiveOBD?

OBD Mate ships an update every 5 weeks, and ActiveOBD every 3 months. Most recently, OBD Mate was updated on October 16, 2026 and ActiveOBD on October 15, 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.*