U vs ARI (Auto Repair Software)
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
U
This app allows users to diagnose vehicle issues using their smartphone and a compatible adapter. It provides access to check engine, ABS, and airbag codes, along with definitions and potential solutions. Users can also view live data and clear diagnostic trouble codes.
- Read and erase OBD II codes
- View live vehicle data
- ABS and Airbag code access
- Automatic vehicle identification
- Vehicle history log
- Powertrain enhanced data
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U-Scan provides DIYers and Professional Technicians with access to vehicle diagnostics using their smartphone when paired to the available U-Scan vehicle adapter. Developed by the Global leader in DIY and professional diagnostic scan tools. U-Scan provides essential information to diagnose vehicles fast while saving money. •Get the probable solution to a check engine, ABS, or Airbag light. Simply connect the adapter to the vehicle and pair with your smartphone to start the diagnostic process. •QuickCheck™ - Review vehicle emissions status (I/M Monitors, Codes). •Read Codes - Read Global OBD II codes and display the definition. •Erase Codes - Erase Global OBD II codes. •AutoID™ - Automatically identifies most 2000 and newer vehicles for error proof diagnostics. •TrueLink™ - U-Scan will link to all 1996 and newer vehicles. •MyGarage™ - Library of all previous diagnosed vehicles. •Vehicle Activity Log – Detailed history of your U-Scan activities. •Screen shot sharing via Facebook and email •Optional App Enhancements - For access to more advanced diagnostic capabilities. Powertrain Enhanced Data •Get access to Powertrain codes and definitions related to the check engine light for most 1996 and newer GM, Ford, Chrysler, Honda, Hyundai, Nissan and Toyota vehicles via the manufacturer specific Read Codes Powertrain diagnostic commands. •Manufacturer specific code definitions for GM, Ford, Chrysler, Toyota, Honda, Nissan, Hyundai, Audi, BMW, Daewoo, Isuzu, Jaguar, Kia, Land Rover, Mazda, Mercedes Benz, Mitsubishi, Porsche, Saab, Subaru, Suzuki, Volkswagen, and Volvo. •Freeze Frame data - Details the conditions of the vehicle at the time the trouble code was set. •View and Graph LIVE Data - View RPMs, coolant temperature, oxygen sensor readings and more for a faster diagnosis. Over 300 sensor and data items are available as supported by vehicle. •Unlock CodeConnect™ and access the most likely cause of the check engine light. Get manufacturer specific powertrain DTC fixes. (If CodeConnect™ is owned.) • Enable manufacturer specific Erase Codes Powertrain diagnostic commands. Optional App Enhancements include: ABS Codes and Definitions - $5.99 per vehicle or $29.99 all manufacturers listed below •Get access to the ABS brake codes and definitions related to the ABS warning light for most 1996 and newer GM, Ford, Chrysler, Honda, Hyundai, Nissan and Toyota vehicles via the manufacturer specific Read Codes ABS diagnostic command. •Unlock CodeConnect™ ABS fixes and access the most likely cause of the ABS warning light (If CodeConnect™ is owned.) • Enable manufacturer specific Erase Codes ABS diagnostic command. Airbag Codes and Definitions - $7.99 per vehicle or $39.99 all manufacturers listed below •Get access to the Airbag codes and definitions related to the Airbag warning light for most 1996 and newer GM, Ford, Chrysler, Honda, Nissan and Toyota vehicles via the manufacturer specific Read Codes Airbag diagnostic commands. •Unlock CodeConnect™ Airbag fixes and access the most likely cause of the Airbag warning light (If CodeConnect™ is owned.) • Enable manufacturer specific Erase Codes Airbag diagnostic commands. CodeConnect™- First vehicle included free with purchase of adapter. Additional vehicles access $12.99 per vehicle or $39.99 all vehicles •Get the next step in diagnosing your vehicle. Access over 4.3 Million Fixes that tell you what is wrong with your vehicle with CodeConnect™. CodeConnect™ is a comprehensive database of over 4.3 million verified fixes for the trouble codes that cause the check engine and ABS warning lights to illuminate. These actual vehicle fixes have been reported and then verified by our team of ASE certified technicians. •Note: You must purchase Powertrain Enhanced Data and/or ABS Codes and Definitions to access respective CodeConnect coverage for manufacture specific Powertrain and ABS warning lights
ARI (Auto Repair Software)
Manage your auto repair business efficiently with this comprehensive mobile application. Track clients, vehicles, inventory, and finances. Streamline invoicing, estimates, and job management for mechanics and shop owners.
- Client and vehicle management
- VIN decoder and license plate reader
- Service history retrieval
- Inventory tracking (parts, tires, services)
- Expense and income logging
- Job card creation and management
- Customizable invoices and estimates
- Service reminders
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ARI is one of the most renowned auto repair software on the automotive market. Thousands of shop owners and mechanics trust ARI with their repair activities and daily tasks. The app is designed for mobile mechanics, auto shop owners, independent technicians, auto dealers, or anyone who needs to manage their auto repair business efficiently. Main Features: 1. Client Management Keep record of all your clients. Generate billing statements, assign vehicles and create invoices and estimates instantly. 2. Vehicle Management - VIN decoder: decode any vehicle identification number so you can easily add vehicle details to your database. Get info such as make, model, year, trim type, engine, and much more. - license plate reader: leverage CarFax integration to get info about a vehicle from its license plate - car service history: retrieve previous service history from almost any vehicle by using CarFax history reports. - advanced diagnosis: get information such as OBD port locator, upcoming maintenance items, DTC errors, TSB info, full maintenance reports and recommendations, repair labor times, and vehicle labor estimates. 3. Inventory Management ARI comes with a list of 400+ default car parts; however, you can create your own inventory. There are no limits on how many items you can add to your inventory. - parts: keep track of part numbers and stock data. Use barcode scanner to add, edit, or remove parts from your inventory; - tires: are you selling tires in your auto repair shop? Use ARI to manage your tire inventory. - services: keep track of all your labor items by adding descriptions and price per hour. - canned services: group parts and labor items to create easy-to-use packages when building your jobcards or auto repair invoices 4. Accounting - expenses: log all your auto repair shop's expenses such as employee salaries, vendor payments, utility bills, and more - purchases: create purchase orders for your auto parts. Send the order to your parts suppliers and update your inventory automatically when parts are received. - income: keep track of all your income and never miss a payment or invoice. 5. JobCards Assign work, track labor times, and approve or deny service items right from your favorite auto repair software. 6. Estimates/Quotes Send professional-looking vehicle repair estimates to your clients and upsell your services with our deferred services program. 7. Invoices a). 7 fully-customizable invoicing templates b).Signature support c). Logo d). Print mobile e). Multiple tax values. You can add up to 3 types of taxes and customize their name and values. f). Payment Options The app accepts Cash, Check, Credit Card, and PayPall payment options. You can collect payments from your clients on the spot. 8. Service Reminders - Schedule service reminders and the app will send automatic emails to your clients reminding them when the service is due. 9. Vehicle Inspections - Upsell your clients with detailed inspection reports 10. Online booking - Allow your clients to book your auto repair services online. View all appointments inside the ARI's calendar. 3. Reporting - Income & Expense - Sales & Purchases - Inventory & Net Profit - Employees & Salaries MULTIPLE languages supported (EN, RU, PL, SPA, RO, IND, GR, DA, GER, IT, JPN, ) CUSTOMER SUPPORT: - available 24/7 via email Payment will be charged to iTunes Account at confirmation of purchase Subscription automatically renews unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24-hours before the end of the current period The account will be charged for renewal within 24-hours prior to the end of the current period, and identify the cost of the renewal Subscriptions may be managed by the user and auto-renewal may be turned off by going to the user's Account Settings after purchase Terms and conditions and privacy policy, visit http://www.utilitymobileapps.com/terms_conditions/
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is review sentiment: ARI (Auto Repair Software) at 95% against U's 11%. ARI (Auto Repair Software) also leads on rating (4.7 vs 1.9) and update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 4 months). U's advantage is iOS requirement (8.0 vs 13.0). On price, ratings volume, ads and in-app purchases 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. U sells 10 one-off in-app purchases and ARI (Auto Repair Software) sells 9 in-app purchases, starting at $19.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
ARI (Auto Repair Software) holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 1.9. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 124 and 287 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 11% of U's written reviews are positive against 95% of ARI (Auto Repair Software)'s.
U ships an update every 4 months, ARI (Auto Repair Software) every 3 weeks. Both last shipped on November 6, 2026.
| Parameter | U | ARI (Auto Repair Software) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 1.9 (124 ratings) | 4.7 (287 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 10.9% of reviews | 95.0% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 124 | 287 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 4 months | Every 3 weeks — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better |
| Requires iOS | 8.0 — better | 13.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 85 MB | 92 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Service Solutions US LLC | Constantin Coutun |
Customer experience
U
ARI (Auto Repair Software)
Bugs and requests
U
Reported bugs
15 issues- Bluetooth connection drops frequently and won't reconnect
- App fails to recognize connected Bluetooth device
- Firmware update process freezes and becomes unresponsive
- False motion detection errors preventing app operation
- VIN entry not working or not submitting to garage
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- App crashes during scanning or data retrieval
- Device won't pair after firmware update
- App takes 2+ minutes to recognize connected device
- Bluetooth pairing requires manual connection in settings
- Vehicle module detection fails or shows incorrect modules
- App forces landscape mode without option to change
- Live data display limited to only two screens of information
- App won't function without mandatory vehicle garage entry
- Connection errors persist despite correct Bluetooth pairing
- App becomes unresponsive during update process
Requested features
10 requests- Enable live data monitoring while vehicle is in motion
- Improve Bluetooth auto-detection and automatic connection
- Add support for Australian vehicle models (Holden, Ford)
- Expand vehicle compatibility beyond 2013 models
- Implement dark mode for app interface
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- Add customizable data display options
- Improve app responsiveness and reduce connection delay
- Provide comprehensive manual and troubleshooting guides
- Add support for more vehicle modules (ABS, airbag, transmission)
- Implement automatic firmware updates without user intervention
ARI (Auto Repair Software)
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
U
- ABS Codes and definitions for Single Vehicle$5.99
- ABS Code Vehicle 2$5.99
- Live Data and Manufacturer Specific Codes Vehicle 1$7.99
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- Airbag codes and definitions for vehicle 1$7.99
- CodeConnect Repair Solutions for a Vehicle$12.99
- Live Data and Manufacturer Specific Codes All Makes$15.99
- CodeConnect Repair Solutions 1 Vehicle Upgrade to All$27.99
- ABS Codes and Definitions All Vehicles$29.99
- CodeConnect Repair Solutions All Vehicles$39.99
- Airbag Codes and Definitions for All Makes$39.99
ARI (Auto Repair Software)
- ARI Monthly subscription$19.991 Month
- ARI monthly subscription$29.991 Month
- ARI Monthly subscription$29.991 Month
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- ARI Pro Monthly 39$39.991 Month
- ARI Pro Plus 59$59.991 Month
- ARI Annual subscription2 variants$299.991 Year
- Credit 100$3.99
- credit 200$6.99
- ARI Full Unlimited$799.99
Questions
Is U free?
Is ARI (Auto Repair Software) free?
Which has better reviews, U or ARI (Auto Repair Software)?
Do U or ARI (Auto Repair Software) have ads?
Which is updated more often, U or ARI (Auto Repair Software)?
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