Comparison

CarPulse vs Cortex OBD2 Diagnostic Scanner

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

Head to head
About

CarPulse

Features
Read full description

CarPulse is an OBD2 diagnostic app that helps car owners read check engine codes, understand what is wrong, and manage vehicle maintenance โ€” using any Bluetooth ELM327 adapter and an iPhone. WHAT DOES CARPULSE DO? CarPulse reads diagnostic trouble codes (DTCs) from your car's onboard computer and translates each code into a plain-English explanation: what the problem is, what caused it, how serious it is, and whether it is safe to keep driving. It covers over 100,000 DTCs across all vehicle makes from 1996 onward. WHO IS CARPULSE FOR? CarPulse is built for everyday drivers, not professional mechanics. If you have ever been told your car needs an expensive repair and had no way to verify it, CarPulse gives you the information to understand the problem yourself before visiting the shop. WHAT CAN I DO FOR FREE? Read and clear check engine codes. Get plain-English explanations with severity ratings. View live sensor data from 20+ engine parameters (RPM, coolant temperature, fuel pressure, throttle position, engine load, and more). Look up any DTC in the offline database. No account, no email, no trial period. WHAT DOES PREMIUM ADD? Repair cost estimates so you know fair prices before the mechanic quotes you. Smart maintenance schedules based on your vehicle, mileage, and driving habits โ€” with reminders for oil changes, brake inspections, tire rotations. Issue forecasting that flags developing problems before they become breakdowns. Freeze frame data, sensor logging, emissions readiness pre-check, unlimited vehicle profiles, and vehicle health reports. WHAT ADAPTER DO I NEED? Any Bluetooth Low Energy ELM327 adapter works โ€” Vgate, Veepeak, BAFX, OBDLink, Konnwei, LELink, and dozens more. Adapters cost $10-25 and plug into the OBD2 port under your dashboard. Every car sold in the United States since 1996 has this port. VEHICLE HEALTH SCORE A single 0-100 score summarizing your car's overall condition, calculated from active fault codes and overdue maintenance items. Track your score over time across multiple vehicles in one garage. CARPLAY SUPPORT CarPulse works with Apple CarPlay, showing live engine data and vehicle health on your car's built-in display while you drive. SUBSCRIPTION OPTIONS Premium: $9.99/year with 7-day trial, or $1.99/month. Premium+: $14.99/year with 7-day trial, or $2.99/month. Adds health reports, data export, extended history, priority support. Payment is charged to your iTunes account at confirmation. Subscriptions auto-renew unless turned off at least 24 hours before the current period ends. Manage subscriptions in your account settings. Privacy Policy: https://www.mobilealchemy.co/privacy-policy.html Terms of Service: https://www.mobilealchemy.co/terms-of-service.html

About

Cortex OBD2 Diagnostic Scanner

Read full description

Turn your iPhone into an advanced automotive scanner and professional diagnostic powerhouse with Cortex OBD2 Diagnostic Scanner. Designed for car enthusiasts, daily drivers, and workshop technicians, Cortex OBD2 connects wirelessly via Bluetooth to your vehicle ECU to deliver instant insights, eliminate mystery dashboard warning lights, and unlock hidden vehicle features. Key Capabilities: - Deep Diagnostic Scanning: Read and clear Diagnostic Trouble Codes across Engine, Transmission, ABS, Airbag, and Body modules. - Advanced DPF Monitoring: Track diesel particulate filter soot mass, regeneration status, and exhaust differential pressure in real time. - Live Telemetry Gauges: Monitor boost pressure, coolant temperature, RPM, fuel rail pressure, and battery voltage with high refresh rates. - AI Doctor Analysis: Instant root cause detection, severity ratings, and actionable repair recommendations for vehicle trouble codes. - Broad Adapter Compatibility: Full support for standard ELM327 Bluetooth, BLE 4.0, vLinker, and OBDLink adapters.

Screenshots

CarPulse4 screens
Cortex OBD2 Diagnostic Scanner4 screens

Verdict

The call

CarPulse and Cortex OBD2 Diagnostic Scanner are too close to call on the numbers: across 6 compared parameters โ€” price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases among them โ€” neither pulls far enough ahead to decide it. What separates them is feature set and interface, not measurable difference.

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

CostPrice ยท In-app purchases ยท Ads ยท Monetization

Both are free to download. CarPulse sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month and Cortex OBD2 Diagnostic Scanner sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

CarPulse ships an update every 2 weeks, Cortex OBD2 Diagnostic Scanner every 10 days. The most recent releases landed on October 12, 2026 and October 20, 2026 respectively.

ScorecardNo meaningful differences
CarPulse versus Cortex OBD2 Diagnostic Scanner: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterCarPulseCortex OBD2 Diagnostic Scanner
PriceFreeFree
Update frequencyEvery 2 weeksEvery 10 days โ€” better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS17.016.0 โ€” better
Further details โ€” not scored
Size29 MB37 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperMOBILE ALCHEMY LTDIsmail Imamoglu

In-app purchases

4 purchases

CarPulse

Subscriptions4
  • Premium Monthly$9.991 Month
  • Premium+ Monthly$14.991 Month
  • Premium Annual7 Days trial$69.991 Year
Show 1 more
  • Premium+ Annual7 Days trial$99.991 Year
3 purchases

Cortex OBD2 Diagnostic Scanner

Subscriptions3
  • MotoCortex PRO Weekly$2.997 Days
  • MotoCortex PRO - Monthly$5.991 Month
  • MotoCortex PRO - Annual$19.991 Year

Questions

Is CarPulse free?
CarPulse is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Cortex OBD2 Diagnostic Scanner free?
Cortex OBD2 Diagnostic Scanner is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do CarPulse or Cortex OBD2 Diagnostic Scanner have ads?
Neither CarPulse nor Cortex OBD2 Diagnostic Scanner shows ads.
Which is updated more often, CarPulse or Cortex OBD2 Diagnostic Scanner?
CarPulse ships an update every 2 weeks, and Cortex OBD2 Diagnostic Scanner every 10 days. Most recently, CarPulse was updated on October 12, 2026 and Cortex OBD2 Diagnostic Scanner on October 20, 2026.

Other comparisons