Comparison

OBD2 Car Diagnostics vs CarIQ

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

Head to head
About

OBD2 Car Diagnostics

Features
Read full description

OBD2 Car Diagnostics puts a professional-grade fault code reference and vehicle maintenance tracker right in your pocket. Whether your check engine light just came on or you want to stay ahead of routine service, this app gives you the clarity you need. INSTANT DTC LOOKUP Search thousands of OBD2 diagnostic trouble codes by code number, description, or vehicle system. Each code entry shows the affected system, plain-English description, and a severity rating — Critical, High, Medium, or Low — so you know exactly how urgent the issue is. FILTER BY SYSTEM AND SEVERITY Quickly narrow results by vehicle system (engine, transmission, ABS, airbag, EVAP, and more) or by severity. Save codes you care about with a single tap and review them anytime in the Saved tab. MULTI-VEHICLE GARAGE Add all your cars, trucks, or motorcycles. Each vehicle shows its current odometer reading and a colour-coded maintenance health ring at a glance. Track make, model, year, and mileage for every vehicle in one place. MAINTENANCE REMINDERS Set odometer-based service reminders for oil changes, tyre rotations, brake inspections, air filters, and more. The Dashboard immediately surfaces any service that is due or overdue so nothing slips through the cracks. SERVICE HISTORY AND COST TRACKING Log every service visit with date, odometer, cost, and notes. View running totals per vehicle and share a full service report as plain text whenever you need it for insurance, resale, or your own records. Key features: - Offline DTC database — no internet connection required - Severity ratings: Critical, High, Medium, Low - Filter by category and severity simultaneously - Save and manage fault codes per vehicle - Odometer-based maintenance reminders - Full service log with cost tracking - Share vehicle reports in plain text - Dark mode support

About

CarIQ

Features
Read full description

Check engine light on? CarIQ tells you exactly what your car's OBD-II code means — in plain English, right on your phone. Search or browse a library of 900+ diagnostic trouble codes covering every generic OBD-II code plus manufacturer-specific codes for dozens of makes. Pick your vehicle once and CarIQ surfaces the codes that actually apply to it. FREE, ALWAYS: • Full code search across the entire catalog • Code title, category, and urgency at a glance • Plain-language description of what the code means • Save favorites and keep a history of recently viewed codes UNLOCK WITH OBD EXPERT PRO: • Possible causes behind the code • Typical symptoms to watch for • Estimated repair cost ranges • On-device AI explanations powered by Apple Intelligence, tailored to the specific code No obligation to guess, no waiting for a shop appointment just to find out what a code means. CarIQ helps you walk into the conversation informed — whether you're doing your own wrenching or deciding if it's worth a trip to the mechanic. Everything runs on your device. AI explanations use Apple Intelligence on-device processing — nothing is sent to a server. CarIQ is not a replacement for a certified mechanic's diagnosis. Repair cost estimates are general guidance, not a quote. OBD EXPERT PRO SUBSCRIPTION: OBD Expert Pro unlocks possible causes, symptoms, repair cost estimates, and on-device AI explanations. Choose Monthly, Annual, or Lifetime at checkout — exact pricing is shown in the App Store before you buy. Monthly and Annual are auto-renewing subscriptions: payment is charged to your Apple ID at confirmation of purchase, and each subscription renews automatically within 24 hours before the end of the current period unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24 hours before the period ends. Manage or cancel anytime in your Apple ID Account Settings. Lifetime is a one-time, non-renewing purchase. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy Policy: https://swiftcodergirl.gitlab.io/cariq/privacy.html

Screenshots

OBD2 Car Diagnostics3 screens
CarIQ4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: OBD2 Car Diagnostics at none against CarIQ's 3. On price, ads, 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

Both are free to download. CarIQ sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. OBD2 Car Diagnostics asks for nothing beyond the download.

Scorecard1 real difference Ā· 4 level
OBD2 Car Diagnostics versus CarIQ: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterOBD2 Car DiagnosticsCarIQ
PriceFreeFree
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
DevicesiPhoneiPhone
Requires iOS17.0 — better17.6
Further details — not scored
Size1 MB5 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperLinh Phan Nhat KhanhAnastasiia Sokolenko

In-app purchases

None

OBD2 Car Diagnostics

No in-app purchases

3 purchases

CarIQ

Subscriptions2
  • OBD Expert Pro Monthly$4.991 Month
  • OBD Expert Pro Annual$19.991 Year
One-time1
  • OBD Expert Pro Lifetime$14.99

Questions

Is OBD2 Car Diagnostics free?
OBD2 Car Diagnostics is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is CarIQ free?
CarIQ is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do OBD2 Car Diagnostics or CarIQ have ads?
Neither OBD2 Car Diagnostics nor CarIQ shows ads.

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