Comparison

ELMCheck vs Signal

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

ELMCheck

Verify the authenticity and functionality of your OBD-II scanner. This app runs comprehensive tests on ELM327 commands to report supported features, ensuring safe and reliable use with your vehicle.

Highlights
  • Authenticity testing for OBD-II scanners
  • Comprehensive ELM327 command test suite
  • Reports actual supported features
  • Ensures safe scanner usage
  • Basic tests are free
  • Unlock full suite with in-app purchase
Features
Read full description

Check the authenticity of your OBD-II scanner with ELMCheck. Most OBD-II scanners on the market use some variation of ELM327, but did you know that many scanners use clones of the original ELM327? It can be hard to tell, because these clones will work well enough for basic use but fail in unexpected scenarios. This is where ELMCheck comes in. ELMCheck offers a comprehensive set of test cases that cover the entire documented set of ELM327 commands. Regardless of which version your scanner says it is, ELMCheck can provide a comprehensive report of the features that are actually supported. Get the confidence you need to use your OBD-II scanner on your vehicle safely. ELMCheck is free to run basic tests. An in-app purchase will unlock the full test suite.

About

Signal

Features
Read full description

A warning light comes on, you are already moving, and the manual is not in the glovebox. Point your camera at the symbol. Signal tells you which light it is, how serious it is, and whether it is safe to keep driving. No dongle. No plugging anything into the port. No scrolling a grid of sixty icons hoping one of them matches. WHY THIS IS DIFFERENT Every other dashboard reference makes you look the symbol up by name. That inverts the problem — if you knew what it was called, you would not need the app. Signal turns the camera into the search box. WHAT YOU GET Identify any light from a photo Point, shoot, and get the symbol named in plain English, with what it actually means for your car. A straight answer on whether to drive Every result is coded red, amber or green, the same way your dashboard codes them. Stop the car, service soon, or nothing urgent — plus what to check right now. The full symbol reference, offline Every standard warning light is stored on your phone. It works on a hard shoulder with no reception, and it is free with no limit. Common causes, ranked The handful of things that usually cause this light, so you can check the cheap one first. A loose fuel cap costs nothing to rule out. A garage that remembers Every scan is filed against the car it came from, with the date, so you can see whether that light has been back. FREE AND PREMIUM Free gives you the complete offline symbol reference with no limit, two camera identifications, full severity verdicts, and one vehicle. Signal Premium adds unlimited identifications, typical repair cost ranges so nobody quotes you blind, and every car you look after in one place. BEFORE YOU RELY ON IT Signal explains what your dashboard is showing you. It is information, not an inspection, and it cannot see anything the lamp is not telling it. If the car feels wrong — noises, smells, smoke, or a change in how it drives — stop and get it looked at, whatever the app says. Terms of Use: https://killex00.github.io/tos2 Privacy Policy: https://killex00.github.io/privacy-policy2

Screenshots

ELMCheck4 screens
Signal4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is device support: ELMCheck at 3 against Signal's 1. On price, ads, in-app purchases and iOS requirement 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. ELMCheck sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Signal sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Scorecard1 real difference · 9 level
ELMCheck versus Signal: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterELMCheckSignal
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (1 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings1 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 2 weeks—
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, Mac — betteriPhone
Requires iOS18.018.0
Further details — not scored
Size14 MB15 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperFearless design, LLCMarek Sokol

In-app purchases

1 purchases

ELMCheck

One-time1
  • Comprehensive testing$2.99
2 purchases

Signal

Subscriptions2
  • Signal Premium Monthly3 Days trial$4.991 Month
  • Signal Premium Yearly3 Days trial$29.991 Year

Questions

Is ELMCheck free?
ELMCheck is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Signal free?
Signal is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do ELMCheck or Signal have ads?
Neither ELMCheck nor Signal shows ads.

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