# Engine Link vs ActiveOBD

The clearest difference is price: ActiveOBD at Free against Engine Link's $5.99. ActiveOBD also leads on rating (3.6 vs 2.9). Engine Link's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1). On review sentiment, ratings volume, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

ActiveOBD is free to download; Engine Link costs $5.99 up front. ActiveOBD sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $4.99 per month. Engine Link asks for nothing beyond the download.

ActiveOBD holds the better App Store score, 3.6 against 2.9. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 62 and 39 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 38% of Engine Link's written reviews are positive against 45% of ActiveOBD's.

Engine Link ships an update every 2 months, ActiveOBD every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on October 20, 2026 and October 15, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Engine Link | ActiveOBD |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $5.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | [2.9 (62 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/engine-link-obd-ii-diagnosis/id591557194/reviews) | **[3.6 (39 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/activeobd/id1524791245/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **62** | 39 |
| Positive reviews | 38.2% of reviews | **45.5% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 months** | Every 3 months |
| Monetization | **Free** | Freemium |
| Size | 10 MB | 24 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.0** | 13.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [K SOLUTION LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/289670447) | [Mykhailo Zolotarov](https://appshunter.io/developer/1524791247) |

## What reviewers say

### Engine Link

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/engine-link-obd-ii-diagnosis/id591557194)

Transform your iPhone into a powerful vehicle diagnostics tool. Monitor real-time performance, read and clear fault codes, and customize your dashboard with detailed sensor data. Supports emission testing and offers a HUD mode for night driving.

**Highlights:** Real-time vehicle monitoring, Read and clear OBD fault codes, Customizable gauges and dashboards, MPG widget and fuel efficiency plotting, Heads up display (HUD) mode, Horsepower, torque, and acceleration metrics, Custom PID support

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Works as expected
- 👍 Flexible and customizable
- 💡 Supports custom PIDs
- 🚀 Reliable connection
- 👍 Good customer support

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Doesn't work with all OBD dongles
- 🐛 Compatibility issues with newer iOS versions
- 👎 Outdated and clunky interface
- 👎 Limited functionality for EVs
- 🐛 Connectivity problems

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes on connection
- Fails to read/clear error codes
- Inaccurate sensor readings
- Compatibility issues with certain OBD dongles

**Requested features**

- Add support for more vehicle types
- Improve user interface and customization options
- Add more PID support, especially for EVs
- Implement language localization
- Improve data logging and export capabilities


### ActiveOBD

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/activeobd/id1524791245)

This app functions as an OBDII scanner, offering specialized support for Subaru vehicles (MY2012+). It provides basic parameter readings for free, with a subscription unlocking advanced features like trouble code reading and data logging.

**Highlights:** OBDII scanning, Subaru-specific support (MY2012+), CVT Oil Temperature reading, AWD duty (%) parameter reading, Trouble code reading (full version), Data logging (full version), Graphs building (full version)

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Full Version Subscription | $4.99 | per month |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Engine Link free?

Engine Link costs $5.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is ActiveOBD free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Engine Link or ActiveOBD?

ActiveOBD is rated higher. Engine Link averages 2.9 out of 5 from 62 ratings, while ActiveOBD averages 3.6 from 39 ratings.

### Do Engine Link or ActiveOBD have ads?

Neither Engine Link nor ActiveOBD shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Engine Link or ActiveOBD?

Engine Link ships an update every 2 months, and ActiveOBD every 3 months. Most recently, Engine Link was updated on October 20, 2026 and ActiveOBD on October 15, 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.*