# Plate Lookup vs VIN decoder & VIN code scanner

Plate Lookup and VIN decoder & VIN code scanner both sit at 4.7 stars, but that hides the real split: 100% of VIN decoder & VIN code scanner's written reviews are positive against 52% of Plate Lookup's. VIN decoder & VIN code scanner also leads on iOS requirement (13.0 vs 16.6). Plate Lookup's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and ratings volume (3.7K vs 112). On price, rating, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Plate Lookup sells 9 in-app purchases, starting at $7.99 per month and VIN decoder & VIN code scanner sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.7 for Plate Lookup against 4.7 for VIN decoder & VIN code scanner. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Plate Lookup has 3.7K ratings behind it against 112, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 52% of Plate Lookup's written reviews are positive against 100% of VIN decoder & VIN code scanner's.

Plate Lookup ships an update every 8 days, VIN decoder & VIN code scanner every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 23, 2026 and September 16, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Plate Lookup | VIN decoder & VIN code scanner |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (3.7K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/plate-lookup-vin-check/id1476862366/reviews)** | [4.7 (112 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/vin-decoder-and-vin-code-scanner/id6446398420/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **3.7K** | 112 |
| Positive reviews | 52.0% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 8 days** | Every 3 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 170 MB | 39 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.6 | **13.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Plate Lookup LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1444803041) | [Vitaliy Mischenko](https://appshunter.io/developer/1661516195) |

## What reviewers say

### Plate Lookup

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/plate-lookup-vin-check/id1476862366)

Instantly access comprehensive vehicle information by entering a license plate or VIN. Get details on specs, history, market value, damage, and recalls. Ideal for professionals in the auto industry and buyers researching used cars.

**Highlights:** VIN Decoder, License Plate Lookup, VIN Scanner, License Plate Scanner, Vehicle History Report, Market Value Check, Damage Marking Tool

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Apple Wallet

**In-app purchases (9)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly Lite | $7.99 | per month |
| Monthly | $24.99 | per month |
| 3 Months | $59.99 | per 3 months |
| 1 Vehicle History Report | $9.99 | one-time |
| 50 credits | $9.99 | one-time |
| 3 Vehicle History Reports | $19.99 | one-time |
| 150 credits | $19.99 | one-time |
| 10 Vehicle History Reports | $49.99 | one-time |
| 500 credits | $49.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Accurate information
- 🚀 Helpful for work
- 👍 Great app
- 👍 Very useful

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Paid service
- 💰 Expensive
- 🐛 Doesn't work
- 🐛 Unreliable
- 🔒 Privacy concerns

**Reported bugs**

- Errors and server issues
- Compatibility problems
- Inconsistent functionality

**Requested features**

- Add Canadian provinces
- Add more countries
- Allow deleting search history


### VIN decoder & VIN code scanner

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/vin-decoder-and-vin-code-scanner/id6446398420)

Instantly decode any vehicle's VIN with this app. It offers both manual input and a VIN scanner for quick, accurate vehicle information, including auction history and average pricing.

**Highlights:** VIN code decoding, Real-time VIN scanner, VIN code recognition from text, Auction participation check, Average vehicle price estimation, VIN code validation

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Premium Access for a month | $4.99 | per month |
| Premium Access for a year | $49.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Plate Lookup free?

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

### Is VIN decoder & VIN code scanner free?

VIN decoder & VIN code scanner is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Plate Lookup or VIN decoder & VIN code scanner?

Plate Lookup is rated higher. Plate Lookup averages 4.7 out of 5 from 3.7K ratings, while VIN decoder & VIN code scanner averages 4.7 from 112 ratings.

### Do Plate Lookup or VIN decoder & VIN code scanner have ads?

VIN decoder & VIN code scanner shows ads; Plate Lookup does not.

### Which is updated more often, Plate Lookup or VIN decoder & VIN code scanner?

Plate Lookup ships an update every 8 days, and VIN decoder & VIN code scanner every 3 weeks. Most recently, Plate Lookup was updated on September 23, 2026 and VIN decoder & VIN code scanner on September 16, 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.*