iOBD2 vs Steer
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
iOBD2
Transform your iPhone or iPad into a powerful vehicle diagnostic tool. Read engine data, check for issues, and monitor real-time performance metrics like fuel consumption and acceleration. Customize your dashboard to display only the information you care about.
- Read and clear diagnostic trouble codes (DTCs)
- Access live engine data
- View freeze frame data
- Monitor readiness test status
- Read vehicle information (VIN, CALID, CVN)
- Perform O2 sensor and EVAP system tests
- Customize real-time dashboards
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iOBD2 is an app for your car. It makes your iPhone/iPod touch/iPad into a cool vehicle diagnostic tool to read your engine data. 1. When you are driving and MIL is on, you can check your car and know whether you can go on or not. 2. When there are troubles with your car, you can check it yourself and know what the problems are, and then ask for help by twitter or facebook from others. 3. You can know real time information such as fuel consumption, torque, acceleration, etc from iOBD2 on your iPhone/iPod touch/iPad. 4. iOBD2 can customized your gauge and after select the data that you are interested in, it will show you only the data which you concern. 5. You can share the record what you get from the car by iOBD2 on twitter and facebook. !!Attention: 1.Please make sure that your vehicle is with OBD-II/EOBD compliance before purchasing! 2.You can upgrade your general iOBD2 to iOBD2-BMW or iOBD2-VAG when you only have iOBD2 hardware , and you only need to pay $80.00 for iOBD2-BMW or $30.00 for iOBD2-VAG without paying extra money for hardware. Buy multiple gauges iOBD2 with scream and best price! (Note: Not all OBD-II compliant vehicles support all these parameters) DISCLAIMER: After buy our iOBD2 hardware interface, and download iOBD2 App, then your iPhone/iPod touch/iPad can communicate with the vehicle. You can buy it on our ebay shop or amazon shop or contact our sales. Function: 1. Diagnostic [Read DTC]: Read the current DTC that engine has stored, and show DTC info. [Clear DTC]: Clear all the current DTC. [Live data]: Read all the running parameters that related to the ECU. [Freeze frame data]: When OBD system sets the DTC, it will record the system running parameters related to the malfunction at the same time. And these parameters are called freeze frame data. [Readiness test]: Readiness reflects the status that all the valid diagnostic functions. [Read vehicle info]: Read vehicle info such as Vehicle Identification Number (VIN), Calibration IDs (CALID) and Calibration Verification Number (CVN). [O2 Sensor test]: It allows access to the on-board oxygen sensor monitoring test results. The same information may be obtained by the use of [Mode 6 test]. [Mode 6 test]: It allows access to the results for on-board diagnostic monitoring tests of specific components/systems that are not continuously monitored. [EVAP System Test]: The purpose of this service is to enable the external test equipment to control the operation of an on-board system, test or component. 2. My dashboard [Idle mode]: engine rotational speed, water temperature, battery voltage, mass air flow, instant fuel consumption (static), ignition timing, ever wished you had your own customizable gauges, showing only the data you were interested in. [Cruise mode]: vehicle speed, vehicle travel time, vehicle travel average speed, continuous running mileage, avg. fuel consumption., ever wished you had your own customizable gauges, showing only the data you were interested in. [Sport mode]: engine rotational speed, vehicle speed, water temperature, ins. fuel consumption(dynamic), acceleration speed, ever wished you had your own customizable gauges, showing only the data you were interested in. [Performance mode]: engine rotational speed, vehicle speed, power, torque, horsepower, ever wished you had your own customizable gauges, showing only the data you were interested in. 3. Performance test [Accelerate/Decelerate test]: Test acceleration / deceleration process time and distance. [0 to 400m acceleration test]: Test spends time from 0 to 400 meters. 4. Settings You can set units, alarms, coefficient and also customized the dashboard here. 5. History After record the history data, you can share the record what you get from the car by iOBD2 on Twitter and facebook. Package Hardware: iOBD2 unit Software: iOBD2 client software on app store Visit the iOBD2 product page for more info: www.iobd2.com
Steer
Transform your smartphone into a powerful OBD2 diagnostic tool. Read and clear fault codes, monitor real-time performance metrics, and test your vehicle's acceleration and emissions. Compatible with a wide range of car brands and OBD2 scanners.
- Universal OBD2 scanner compatibility
- Read and erase fault codes
- Real-time performance metrics
- Acceleration and performance testing
- Emission compliance checks
- Supports various car brands
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Your car has been trying to tell you something. Steer translates it. Plug the Steer sensor into the port under your steering wheel and the app reads what your car already knows — then explains it the way an honest mechanic would: in plain language, with no jargon and nothing to upsell you. WHAT YOU GET: ■ AI MECHANIC Ask anything about your car and get a straight answer. Send a photo of a warning light, a leak on the driveway or a part you don't recognize, or just describe the noise it makes. It knows your exact car and your latest scan. ■ ONE NUMBER, 0 TO 100 Your Steer Score answers "how is my car right now?". No trouble codes to look up, no tables to read. Watch it move over time. ■ PROBLEMS IN PLAIN LANGUAGE Every issue comes with what it means, whether it is safe to keep driving, and what the repair usually costs. Not "P0420 — Catalyst System Efficiency Below Threshold". ■ DEEP SCAN 21 systems and 126 live parameters, across every module your car will talk to. Start it, lock your phone, and get a notification when it is done. ■ DASHBOARD LIGHT LIBRARY Every warning light on your dashboard — check engine, ABS, airbag, TPMS, oil, battery — what it actually means, and how urgent it really is. ■ MAINTENANCE THAT KNOWS YOUR CAR Service intervals based on your VIN and your real mileage, not a generic checklist. Oil changes, filters, brakes, belts. ■ SAFETY RECALLS We check your VIN against the manufacturer recall database and tell you if your car is affected. ■ EVERY OBD2 CAR SINCE 1996 80 makes and thousands of models, 1996 to 2026. TRY IT BEFORE YOU BUY Open the app and tap "Try a real scan". You get the whole experience on a demo car — scan, results, AI Mechanic — with no sensor, no account and no card. WHAT YOU NEED Steer works with the Steer OBD2 sensor, available at steer.so. It is not compatible with third-party adapters. MEMBERSHIP Free forever: live codes, battery alerts and basic diagnosis. Steer Plus unlocks the unlimited AI Mechanic, full explanations for every issue, predictive maintenance and every car in the household — $99/year with a 14-day free trial, or $14.99/month. Terms of Use: https://steer.so/terms Privacy Policy: https://steer.so/privacy Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is in-app purchases: iOBD2 at none against Steer's 2. iOBD2 also leads on iOS requirement (6.0 vs 26.1). Steer's advantage is review sentiment (40% vs 23%). On price, update cadence, ads and monetization model 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
Both are free to download. Steer sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month. iOBD2 asks for nothing beyond the download.
iOBD2 ships an update every 5 weeks, Steer every 2 months. Both last shipped on October 20, 2026.
| Parameter | iOBD2 | Steer |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 2.9 (85 ratings) — better | — |
| Positive reviews | 23.4% of reviews | 40.0% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 85 — better | — |
| Update frequency | Every 5 weeks — better | Every 2 months |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Freemium |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 6.0 — better | 26.1 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 90 MB | 26 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Shenzhen Yunjia Intelligence Technology Co., Ltd. | Smarters Engineered |
Customer experience
iOBD2
Steer
Bugs and requests
iOBD2
Reported bugs
4 issues- Crashes when checking DTCs
- Fails to connect to Bluetooth/WiFi adapters
- Incorrect sensor readings
- Compatibility issues with newer vehicles
Requested features
5 requests- Update for newer iOS versions
- More frequent updates
- Support for more vehicle makes/models
- Customizable dashboards
- Live data for more sensors
Steer
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
iOBD2
No in-app purchases
Steer
- OBD2 Pro$9.991 Month
- OBD2 Pro$19.991 Year
Questions
Is iOBD2 free?
Is Steer free?
Do iOBD2 or Steer have ads?
Which is updated more often, iOBD2 or Steer?
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