# Assistant+ vs CarKit

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Assistant+ at none against CarKit's 3. Assistant+ also leads on ads (none vs shown) and iOS requirement (10.0 vs 17.0). CarKit's advantage is update cadence (every 3 days vs every 3 weeks). On price and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. CarKit sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $6.99 per 7 days. Assistant+ asks for nothing beyond the download.

Assistant+ ships an update every 3 weeks, CarKit every 3 days. The most recent releases landed on October 6, 2026 and October 14, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Assistant+ | CarKit |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | — | **[3.7 (12 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/carkit-car-widget-maps-drive/id6796657054/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | — | **12** |
| Positive reviews | — | 28.6% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | **Every 3 days** |
| Monetization | — | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 2 MB | 83 MB |
| Requires iOS | **10.0** | 17.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPod** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [CARMAX CO., LTD.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1527718609) | [Quvarte](https://appshunter.io/developer/1737277200) |

## What reviewers say

### Assistant+

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/assistant-plus/id1548427654)

**In-app purchases:** none


### CarKit

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/carkit-car-widget-maps-drive/id6796657054)

This app transforms your iPhone into a car dashboard, displaying speed, maps, music, and custom shortcuts. It automatically starts and ends drives, saving your parking location and trip history.

**Highlights:** GPS speedometer, Heading-up map, Now-playing card, Customizable quick tiles, Automatic drive start/end, Parked car pin, Trip history

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Weekly - Pro | $6.99 | per 7 days |
| Weekly - Pro | $6.99 | per 7 days |
| Yearly - Pro | $39.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Assistant+ free?

Assistant+ is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is CarKit free?

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

### Do Assistant+ or CarKit have ads?

CarKit shows ads; Assistant+ does not.

### Which is updated more often, Assistant+ or CarKit?

Assistant+ ships an update every 3 weeks, and CarKit every 3 days. Most recently, Assistant+ was updated on October 6, 2026 and CarKit on October 14, 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.*