Comparison

Carby vs PlainAuto

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

Head to head
About

Carby

Features
Read full description

Track every fill-up, service, and expense in one beautifully simple app. Carby gives you maintenance reminders, fuel economy stats, safety recalls, tire records, and a document vault โ€” all without an account or subscription. Your car. Your data. Always private. NEVER MISS A SERVICE Set reminders for oil changes, tire rotations, brakes, and any custom interval. Carby sends you advance notice so you're never caught off guard. Book your appointment inside the app and it shows the date on the reminder. FUEL LOG & REAL ECONOMY TRACKING Log every fill-up in seconds โ€” or scan your gas receipt and Carby fills it in for you (price, volume, total, station). See your true MPG, L/100km, or km/L over time and know exactly what fuel is costing you per month. FULL EXPENSE TRACKING Capture every cost: fuel, repairs, insurance, registration, road tax, emission tests. Split service records into parts and labor. Carby totals your real cost of ownership so you know what your car actually costs to run. SAFETY RECALLS & WARRANTY Carby checks NHTSA's database for open safety recalls on your vehicle โ€” component, consequence, and remedy, right in the app. Track warranty expiry by date and mileage so you never lose coverage without knowing. TIRE & DOCUMENT VAULT Store tire profiles by season, position, tread depth, and change history. Keep insurance cards, registration, title, and service receipts as photos โ€” always on your phone, never lost. WHAT'S INSIDE: - Maintenance reminders โ€” custom intervals, dual advance alerts, appointment booking - Fuel log with receipt scan (OCR), MPG / L100km / km/L, cost per fill - Expense tracker with parts & labor split - Safety recall lookup (NHTSA database) - Tire profiles โ€” season, position, tread, change dates - Document vault โ€” insurance, registration, title, warranty, receipts - Odometer log โ€” standalone readings - Shops & mechanics directory โ€” tap to call, tap to open maps - Vehicle depreciation & current value tracking - Trip log with distance tracking - Siri & Spotlight shortcuts: "Log a fill-up in Carby" - iCloud sync across your iPhone and iPad - No account. Works offline. No ads. Your data stays on your device. FOR YOUR WHOLE GARAGE Add every vehicle โ€” car, truck, motorcycle, van. Each gets its own dashboard, reminders, fuel history, and records. PRIVACY BY DEFAULT No account, no tracking, no subscription required. Your data lives on-device. iCloud sync is optional and always your choice. Download Carby โ€” and finally have your car completely under control. Privacy Policy: https://www.usamanaufer.online/apps/carby/privacy/ Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.usamanaufer.online/apps/carby/terms/

About

PlainAuto

Features
Read full description

PlainAuto explains your car โ€” and the shop โ€” in plain language. Whether you're a driver who wants to understand what that warning light means, or a technician who needs a quick torque spec, PlainAuto has you covered. CAR OWNER MODE โ€ข Warning Lights โ€” what every dashboard light means, color-coded by urgency โ€ข Emergency Guide โ€” flat tire, dead battery, overheating, fluid leaks, and more โ€ข DIY Repair Guides โ€” step-by-step with tool lists and difficulty ratings โ€ข Maintenance Schedule โ€” know exactly what's due and when โ€ข Cost Estimator โ€” typical repair costs so you're never caught off guard โ€ข Mechanic Visit Prep โ€” questions to ask, upsells to decline, your rights โ€ข Service History Log โ€” track all maintenance, repairs, and costs over time โ€ข Seasonal Prep โ€” winterizing, summer prep, pre-road-trip checklists โ€ข Fluids Guide โ€” engine oil, coolant, brake fluid, transmission, and more โ€ข Buying & Selling Guide โ€” pre-purchase inspection, trade-in, private sale tips MECHANIC / TECH MODE โ€ข OBD-II Code Library โ€” 500+ codes with plain-language causes and fixes โ€ข Torque Spec Database โ€” lug nuts, head bolts, drain plugs, suspension, and more โ€ข Repair Procedures โ€” step-by-step with special tools and time estimates โ€ข Diagnostic Decision Trees โ€” symptom-based troubleshooting sequences โ€ข Wiring Color Codes โ€” by manufacturer (GM, Ford, Toyota, Honda, Chrysler) โ€ข Customer Explainer Cards โ€” shareable cards that explain repairs in plain terms โ€ข Labor Time Estimator โ€” standard labor times for common repairs โ€ข Parts Cross-Reference โ€” cross-references across major brands โ€ข Fluid Capacities โ€” by make, model, and year WORKS OFFLINE. No account required. The app shows ads (Google AdMob). Remove them with the one-time Remove Ads purchase; purchases you already own also remove ads in what they unlock..

Screenshots

Carby4 screens
PlainAuto4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is ads: Carby at none against PlainAuto's shown. Carby also leads on update cadence (every 3 days vs every 6 months). On price, in-app purchases, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

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. Carby sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month and PlainAuto sells 4 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Carby ships an update every 3 days, PlainAuto every 6 months. Both last shipped on November 9, 2026.

Scorecard2 real differences ยท 4 level
Carby versus PlainAuto: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterCarbyPlainAuto
PriceFreeFree
Update frequencyEvery 3 days โ€” betterEvery 6 months
AdsNo โ€” betterYes
In-app purchasesYesYes
DevicesiPhoneiPhone, iPad โ€” better
Requires iOS17.017.0
Further details โ€” not scored
Size20 MB8 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperUsama NauferBhim Upadhyaya

In-app purchases

3 purchases

Carby

Subscriptions2
  • Monthly Pro$0.991 Month
  • Yearly Pro$7.991 Year
One-time1
  • Lifetime Pro$24.99
4 purchases

PlainAuto

One-time4
  • Remove Ads$1.99
  • Owner Premium$4.99
  • Pro Unlock$9.99
Show 1 more
  • Complete Bundle$12.99

Questions

Is Carby free?
Carby is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is PlainAuto free?
PlainAuto is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Carby or PlainAuto have ads?
PlainAuto shows ads; Carby does not.
Which is updated more often, Carby or PlainAuto?
Carby ships an update every 3 days, and PlainAuto every 6 months. Most recently, Carby was updated on November 9, 2026 and PlainAuto on November 9, 2026.

Other comparisons