Comparison

OBDPulse OBD2 Car Scanner vs OpenOBD

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

Head to head
About

OBDPulse OBD2 Car Scanner

Transform your iPhone into a professional car diagnostic tool. Scan, diagnose, and clear check engine lights with real-time data and advanced features. Understand your vehicle's performance and potential issues before visiting a mechanic.

Highlights
  • Read & Clear Fault Codes (DTCs)
  • Live Sensor Data (PID Monitoring)
  • Freeze Frame & Mode 6 Data
  • VIN & ECU Information
  • O2 Sensor & Emission Readiness
  • Service Reset & Control Functions
  • Track Mode
Features
Read full description

OBDPulse – Professional OBD2 Car Scanner Turn your iPhone into a powerful OBD2 diagnostic tool. OBDPulse helps you scan, diagnose, and clear your check engine light using a compatible Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) OBD2 adapter. Whether you're troubleshooting a warning light or monitoring your vehicle’s performance, OBDPulse gives you reliable, real-time diagnostics in one easy-to-use app. Understand your vehicle before visiting a mechanic. KEY FEATURES Read & Clear Fault Codes (DTCs)
Access engine and ECU trouble codes. Clear stored codes and reset the check engine light. Live Sensor Data (PID Monitoring)
View real-time data such as RPM, vehicle speed, coolant temperature, fuel trims, O2 sensor readings, throttle position, battery voltage, and more. Freeze Frame & Mode 6
See vehicle conditions at the moment a fault was triggered. Access Mode 6 data for deeper emissions diagnostics. VIN & ECU Information
Retrieve VIN, ECU identifiers, and module information directly from your vehicle. O2 Sensor & Emission Readiness
Monitor O2 sensor activity and check I/M readiness status to prepare for emissions testing. Service Reset & Control Functions
Access supported service reset and control operations based on your vehicle and ECU compatibility. Available functions vary depending on vehicle support. Track Mode
Measure and monitor acceleration and speed-related performance metrics based on available live data. Terminal Mode (Advanced Users)
Send custom OBD commands directly to the vehicle’s ECU. COMPATIBILITY Requires a Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) OBD2 adapter.
Bluetooth Classic adapters are not supported.
Compatible with most OBD2-compliant vehicles (typically 2000 onward, depending on region and manufacturer). PLANS Choose from flexible subscription plans: Plus Plan – Essential diagnostics
Pro Plan – Full diagnostics and advanced functions Available as Monthly, 6-Month, and Annual subscriptions. Limited features available for free. IMPORTANT • A supported BLE OBD2 adapter is required.
• OBDPulse does not support ECU tuning or remapping.
• Feature availability depends on vehicle make, model, year, and ECU support. SUPPORT Need assistance?
Contact us at support@obdpulse.com Terms of Use: https://www.obdpulse.com/terms-of-use 
Privacy Policy: https://www.obdpulse.com/privacy-policy

About

OpenOBD

Transform your iPhone into a real-time car dashboard. Connect an OBD2 adapter to monitor live engine data, track your trips with GPS, and diagnose fault codes with clear explanations. Explore all features in demo mode without hardware.

Highlights
  • Live engine data monitoring
  • Real-time speed, RPM, temperature gauges
  • Trip logging with GPS mapping
  • Read and clear diagnostic trouble codes (DTCs)
  • Vehicle information display
  • Demo mode for exploration
Features
Read full description

OpenOBD turns your iPhone into a real-time car dashboard. Connect any ELM327 OBD2 adapter (Bluetooth or Wi-Fi) and see what your car is really doing — live. LIVE ENGINE DATA • Speed, RPM, coolant temperature, intake, throttle, engine load, battery voltage and more • 50+ sensors with gauges you pick and reorder yourself • Instant and average fuel consumption • Tap any gauge for a live 60-second chart CARPLAY • A live 8-tile dashboard on your car's built-in screen • Start and stop trip recording without touching your phone DIAGNOSTICS • Read and clear fault codes (DTCs) with plain-language explanations • For common codes: what it means, how urgent it is, what to do next • Emissions readiness monitors before an inspection • Freeze frame — the sensor values from the moment the fault occurred • Vehicle info: VIN, fuel type, supported sensors TRIP LOGGING • Automatically record your drives with the GPS route on a map • Keeps recording in the background, even with the screen locked • Distance, duration, speed and fuel for every trip • Export any trip as CSV or GPX CAR HEALTH TOOLS • Battery and charging test: state of charge, alternator and cranking check • Diesel and DPF pre-check from standard, read-only OBD evidence • Used car check before you buy • Measure 0-100 km/h acceleration and 100-0 km/h braking • Live alerts for overheating and low voltage, in plain language BUILT FOR DRIVERS • Beautiful dark interface designed for the car • Over 40 languages, metric and imperial units • Works with affordable ELM327 adapters — no subscription, no account, no ads • Your data stays on your phone TRY IT WITHOUT HARDWARE • Tap Connect, then Demo Mode, to explore every feature with simulated live data OpenOBD is not affiliated with any car manufacturer. An OBD2 adapter (sold separately) is required to read data from your vehicle. Most petrol cars built after 2001 and diesels after 2004 are supported. The battery, diesel and used-car results are read-only pre-checks and do not replace a professional inspection.

Screenshots

OBDPulse OBD2 Car Scanner4 screens
OpenOBD4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: OpenOBD at none against OBDPulse OBD2 Car Scanner's 6. OpenOBD also leads on ratings volume (4 vs 1). OBDPulse OBD2 Car Scanner's advantage is rating (5.0 vs 4.8). On price, update cadence, ads and device support 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. OBDPulse OBD2 Car Scanner sells 6 in-app purchases, starting at $1.49 per month. OpenOBD asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

OBDPulse OBD2 Car Scanner holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.8. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 1 and 4 respectively.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

OBDPulse OBD2 Car Scanner ships an update every 8 days, OpenOBD every 5 days. The most recent releases landed on October 22, 2026 and October 25, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
OBDPulse OBD2 Car Scanner versus OpenOBD: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterOBDPulse OBD2 Car ScannerOpenOBD
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (1 ratings) — better4.8 (4 ratings)
Positive reviews—100.0% of reviews
Number of ratings14 — better
Update frequencyEvery 8 daysEvery 5 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree — better
DevicesiPhone, iPodiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS15.0 — better16.4
Further details — not scored
Size74 MB49 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperPushkal TechnologiesOsman Cengeri

Customer experience

OBDPulse OBD2 Car Scanner

All ratings1 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

OpenOBD

All ratings4 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

6 purchases

OBDPulse OBD2 Car Scanner

Subscriptions6
  • Plus$1.491 Month
  • Pro$2.991 Month
  • Plus$5.496 Months
Show 3 more
  • Plus$8.991 Year
  • Pro$14.991 Year
  • Pro$21.496 Months
None

OpenOBD

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is OBDPulse OBD2 Car Scanner free?
OBDPulse OBD2 Car Scanner is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is OpenOBD free?
OpenOBD is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, OBDPulse OBD2 Car Scanner or OpenOBD?
OBDPulse OBD2 Car Scanner is rated higher. OBDPulse OBD2 Car Scanner averages 5.0 out of 5 from 1 ratings, while OpenOBD averages 4.8 from 4 ratings.
Do OBDPulse OBD2 Car Scanner or OpenOBD have ads?
Neither OBDPulse OBD2 Car Scanner nor OpenOBD shows ads.
Which is updated more often, OBDPulse OBD2 Car Scanner or OpenOBD?
OBDPulse OBD2 Car Scanner ships an update every 8 days, and OpenOBD every 5 days. Most recently, OBDPulse OBD2 Car Scanner was updated on October 22, 2026 and OpenOBD on October 25, 2026.

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