Comparison

CSA Buddy vs OBD2 Ninja

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

Head to head
About

CSA Buddy

Features
Read full description

This app is for volunteers at FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC) and FIRST Tech Challenge (FTC) events in the CSA (Control System Advisor) role. It's a small app that shows a quick reference page with some helpful technical tidbits.

About

OBD2 Ninja

Features
Read full description

Check engine light on? Find out whether it's serious before you book a shop visit or drive another mile. OBD2 Ninja reads your car's codes and rates every one Fix Now, Fix Soon, or Monitor for your year, make and model. Then it tells you what to check first. $0.99 once. No subscription, no account, no ads. OBD2 Ninja carries Apple's "Data Not Collected" privacy label, and everything works offline. In a parking garage, on the shoulder, with no signal at all. IS IT SERIOUS? Every code gets an urgency rating, not just a definition: • Fix Now: stop driving or get it looked at today • Fix Soon: safe to drive, book it this week • Monitor: keep an eye on it Plus what usually causes it on your specific vehicle, and the cheapest thing to check first. READY FOR EMISSIONS? See all eight readiness monitors at a glance before you go to the test station. Know whether you'll pass, or how many more miles of driving you need, instead of paying to find out. READ AND CLEAR • Stored, pending and permanent codes • Freeze frame data captured when the fault tripped • Clear codes and reset the light after you fix it • Confirm the fix actually held LIVE DATA Watch coolant temp, fuel trims, O2 sensors, RPM, load and timing in real time. Pin down an intermittent fault the parts-store scanner can't see. WHAT YOU NEED Any ELM327 Bluetooth LE or Wi-Fi adapter, and a car built 1996 or later (2001+ petrol / 2004+ diesel in the EU). Tested and confirmed with: Carista, Vgate iCar Pro BLE, OBDLink MX+. Full list and setup guide at ninja-obd2.com. WHAT IT DOESN'T DO OBD2 Ninja reads the engine and emissions systems that every car is required to expose. That is what turns your check engine light on. It does not read ABS, airbag, transmission or body-module codes, and it can't do dealer-level coding. Those need manufacturer-specific tools. We'd rather tell you that now than after you've paid. PRIVACY No account. No sign-up. No analytics. Nothing leaves your phone. Apple's own privacy label on this page reads "Data Not Collected." Check it. SUPPORT A real person answers every email. support@ninja-obd2.com

Screenshots

CSA Buddy3 screens
OBD2 Ninja4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: CSA Buddy at Free against OBD2 Ninja's $0.99. OBD2 Ninja's advantage is update cadence (every 3 days vs weekly). On ads, in-app purchases, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price Ā· Rating Ā· Positive reviews Ā· Number of ratings Ā· Update frequency Ā· Ads Ā· In-app purchases Ā· Monetization Ā· Best chart rank Ā· Devices Ā· Requires iOS

CostPrice Ā· In-app purchases Ā· Ads Ā· Monetization

CSA Buddy is free to download; OBD2 Ninja costs $0.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

CSA Buddy ships an update weekly, OBD2 Ninja every 3 days. The most recent releases landed on October 12, 2026 and September 22, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences Ā· 4 level
CSA Buddy versus OBD2 Ninja: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterCSA BuddyOBD2 Ninja
PriceFree — better$0.99
Update frequencyWeeklyEvery 3 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
DevicesiPhone, iPad — betteriPhone
Requires iOS17.0 — better18.0
Further details — not scored
Size13 MB3 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperKen SchenkeCory Green

In-app purchases

None

CSA Buddy

No in-app purchases

None

OBD2 Ninja

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is CSA Buddy free?
CSA Buddy is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is OBD2 Ninja free?
OBD2 Ninja costs $0.99, with no in-app purchases.
Do CSA Buddy or OBD2 Ninja have ads?
Neither CSA Buddy nor OBD2 Ninja shows ads.
Which is updated more often, CSA Buddy or OBD2 Ninja?
CSA Buddy ships an update weekly, and OBD2 Ninja every 3 days. Most recently, CSA Buddy was updated on October 12, 2026 and OBD2 Ninja on September 22, 2026.

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