# Tesla vs Polestar

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Tesla at 61% against Polestar's 32%. Tesla also leads on ratings volume (127K vs 3.5K) and rating (4.7 vs 4.4). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Tesla holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Tesla has 127K ratings behind it against 3.5K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 61% of Tesla's written reviews are positive against 32% of Polestar's.

Tesla ships an update every 2 weeks, Polestar every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 27, 2026 and October 26, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Tesla | Polestar |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (127K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tesla/id582007913/reviews)** | [4.4 (3.5K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/polestar/id1451196635/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **127K** | 3.5K |
| Positive reviews | **60.6% of reviews** | 32.1% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 weeks** | Every 3 weeks |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Best chart rank | **#18** | — |
| Size | 1.0 GB | 221 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | 17.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Tesla, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/582007916) | [Polestar](https://appshunter.io/developer/1403371934) |

## What reviewers say

### Tesla

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tesla/id582007913)

**Currently charting:** #18 Top Free · Lifestyle (US App Store)

Control and monitor your Tesla vehicle and energy products remotely. Manage charging, climate control, security, and navigation. Also track solar energy production and battery usage.

**Highlights:** Real-time charging status and control, Remote climate control, Vehicle lock/unlock and location tracking, Navigation destination sending, Summon vehicle, Software updates, Powerwall energy monitoring

**Features:** Siri integration, Apple Wallet, Apple Watch app, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Excellent integration with iOS
- 🔒 Secure keyless entry
- 👍 Comprehensive car controls
- 👍 Convenient remote access features
- 👍 Helpful for monitoring solar/battery system

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Buggy connectivity and app crashes
- 🔋 High battery drain on mobile device
- 👎 Confusing or cluttered UI design changes
- 👎 Missing key functionality compared to previous versions
- 👎 Unreliable notifications and alerts

**Reported bugs**

- Scheduled charging not working as expected
- Inconsistent connectivity between app and vehicle
- Incorrect data displayed for solar/battery system
- App failing to properly detect and notify power outages

**Requested features**

- Add ability to view and manage sentry mode/dashcam footage
- Improve scheduling and control options for charging and preconditioning
- Provide more detailed energy monitoring and analytics
- Allow customization of app interface and widget
- Integrate with Apple Watch for keyless entry


### Polestar

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/polestar/id1451196635)

Manage your vehicle remotely, controlling climate, locks, and charging status. Access your owner's manual, book service, and stay updated on car software and news. Get support through live chat and FAQs.

**Highlights:** Remote climate control, Door lock management, Car location tracking, Battery and charging status, Software update notifications, Owner's manual access, Service booking

**Features:** Siri integration, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Basic functionality works
- 🚀 Improvements over time
- 💡 Dark mode addition

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent disconnects and sign-outs
- 🔍 Limited functionality compared to competitors
- ⏱️ Slow response times
- 🔒 Unreliable digital key

**Reported bugs**

- Location data issues
- Charging status not updating correctly
- Compatibility problems with new iOS versions
- Frequent errors and crashes

**Requested features**

- Remote trunk/frunk access
- Adjustable climate control settings
- Charging status notifications
- Apple Watch app
- Integrations with iOS features (widgets, Siri)


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Tesla free?

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

### Is Polestar free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Tesla or Polestar?

Tesla is rated higher. Tesla averages 4.7 out of 5 from 127K ratings, while Polestar averages 4.4 from 3.5K ratings.

### Do Tesla or Polestar have ads?

Neither Tesla nor Polestar shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Tesla or Polestar?

Tesla ships an update every 2 weeks, and Polestar every 3 weeks. Most recently, Tesla was updated on October 27, 2026 and Polestar on October 26, 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.*