Comparison

Plate Lookup vs Car Model Identifier

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

Head to head
About

Plate Lookup

Instantly identify vehicles by their license plate. Get details like make, model, year, engine specs, and even a photo. Perfect for car enthusiasts or anyone curious about a vehicle on the road.

Highlights
  • License plate lookup
  • Vehicle make and model
  • Year and trim details
  • Engine specifications
  • Vehicle photos
  • Fuel type information
Read full description

Lookup any car, truck or semi-truck by it's license plate! Returns detailed information about the vehicle: • Make • Model • Year • Trim • Engine Specs • Fuel Type • Photo See a cool car and wanna learn more about it? Look it up! Curious if a vanity plate is available? Check and see! Did you know semi trucks have 12L engines? Search one's front plate to find out more! This app does not display (nor collect) any personal information about the owner of the vehicle.

About

Car Model Identifier

Instantly identify any car by snapping a photo. Get make, model, year, and detailed specs for vehicles, motorcycles, and scooters. Save and organize your discoveries.

Highlights
  • Instant AI car recognition
  • Identify make, model, and year
  • Detailed vehicle specifications
  • Save and organize identified vehicles
  • Recognizes motorcycles and scooters
Features
Read full description

What car is this? Find out instantly — for free! Ever seen a car on the street and wondered, "What model is that?" With Car Model Identifier, the answer is just a tap away! Snap a photo or upload an image, and our advanced AI will instantly identify the make, model, and year of any vehicle. Perfect for car enthusiasts, buyers, mechanics, or anyone who's curious! KEY FEATURES: • Instant Car Recognition — Take a photo of any car and get instant make, model, and year identification. Works with new cars, classic cars, motorcycles, and scooters. • Detailed Vehicle Specs — Get comprehensive engine information, production years, and model history. • Save & Organize — Build your collection of identified vehicles. Filter by brand, body type, or decade. • Beyond Cars — Identifies motorcycles, scooters, and other wheeled vehicles too. Whether you're at a car show, shopping for a used car, or just curious about a vehicle you spotted — Car Model Identifier has you covered. Terms & Conditions for the IAP: https://www.revenuecat.com/terms/

Screenshots

Plate Lookup4 screens
Car Model Identifier3 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Car Model Identifier at 4.3 against Plate Lookup's 3.0. Car Model Identifier also leads on update cadence (every 11 days vs every 10 months) and review sentiment (50% vs 30%). Plate Lookup's advantage is iOS requirement (15.6 vs 26.0). On price, ratings volume, ads and in-app purchases 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. Plate Lookup sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Car Model Identifier sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Car Model Identifier holds the better App Store score, 4.3 against 3.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 44 and 15 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 30% of Plate Lookup's written reviews are positive against 50% of Car Model Identifier's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Plate Lookup ships an update every 10 months, Car Model Identifier every 11 days. The most recent releases landed on October 16, 2026 and October 28, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
Plate Lookup versus Car Model Identifier: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterPlate LookupCar Model Identifier
PriceFreeFree
Rating3.0 (44 ratings)4.3 (15 ratings) — better
Positive reviews29.6% of reviews50.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings44 — better15
Update frequencyEvery 10 monthsEvery 11 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPodiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS15.6 — better26.0
Further details — not scored
Size2 MB25 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperCasey EvanoffRafael Francisco

Customer experience

Plate Lookup

All ratings42 ratings
Positive50.0%
Neutral7.1%
Negative42.9%
Written reviews27 reviews
Positive29.6%
Neutral14.8%
Negative55.6%

Car Model Identifier

All ratings16 ratings
Positive93.8%
Neutral0.0%
Negative6.3%
Written reviews2 reviews
Positive50.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative50.0%

In-app purchases

1 purchases

Plate Lookup

One-time1
  • Unlock Full Version$0.99
3 purchases

Car Model Identifier

Subscriptions2
  • Monthly7 Days trial$3.991 Month
  • Annual$14.991 Year
One-time1
  • Lifetime$49.99

Questions

Is Plate Lookup free?
Plate Lookup is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Car Model Identifier free?
Car Model Identifier is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Plate Lookup or Car Model Identifier?
Car Model Identifier is rated higher. Plate Lookup averages 3.0 out of 5 from 44 ratings, while Car Model Identifier averages 4.3 from 15 ratings.
Do Plate Lookup or Car Model Identifier have ads?
Neither Plate Lookup nor Car Model Identifier shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Plate Lookup or Car Model Identifier?
Plate Lookup ships an update every 10 months, and Car Model Identifier every 11 days. Most recently, Plate Lookup was updated on October 16, 2026 and Car Model Identifier on October 28, 2026.

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