Comparison

OpenOBD vs BIM DPF GUARD

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

Head to head
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.

About

BIM DPF GUARD

Features
Read full description

BIM DPF GUARD monitors your BMW diesel's particulate filter (DPF) regeneration in real time — right from your phone, in the background, without ever touching your car's settings. HOW IT WORKS Connect a Bluetooth OBD-II adapter to your car's diagnostic port, pair it once in the app, and BIM DPF GUARD takes it from there. Every time you get in the car, it reconnects automatically — no need to open the app. REAL-TIME REGENERATION ALERTS Get a clear voice announcement the moment DPF regeneration starts, and another when it finishes — even with the app closed, even over your music or car radio. No more wondering whether a regeneration completed, or cutting a drive short right when your filter needed those extra minutes. TRACK YOUR DPF'S HEALTH Watch soot mass build up in real time, see your regeneration history, average interval between regenerations, distance since the last one, and an estimated distance to the next. WORKS WITH YOUR CAR, NOT AGAINST IT BIM DPF GUARD only ever reads data from your vehicle — it never sends any command, write, or control instruction. It cannot trigger a regeneration or change any setting. The app is also designed from the ground up to avoid triggering your car's anti-theft alarm, using the car's own Bluetooth connection as a signal to know exactly when it's safe to reconnect. WHAT YOU NEED • A genuine ELM327-based Bluetooth OBD-II adapter (Carista and Vgate vLinker are confirmed to work well) — sold separately, not included • A supported BMW diesel: F/G-series models on the B47/B47D engine family SUBSCRIPTION BIM DPF GUARD is available as an annual subscription (€9.99/year), shareable with up to 6 family members via Family Sharing. Manage or cancel anytime from your iPhone's Settings. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Questions? Visit dpfguard.app/faq or get in touch — we're a small team and read every message.

Screenshots

OpenOBD4 screens
BIM DPF GUARD4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: OpenOBD at none against BIM DPF GUARD's 1. 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. BIM DPF GUARD sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $9.99 per year. OpenOBD asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

OpenOBD ships an update every 5 days, BIM DPF GUARD every 3 days. The most recent releases landed on October 25, 2026 and October 26, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard1 real difference · 9 level
OpenOBD versus BIM DPF GUARD: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterOpenOBDBIM DPF GUARD
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.8 (4 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings4 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 5 daysEvery 3 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree—
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPod
Requires iOS16.415.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size49 MB3 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperOsman CengeriDia Amadores srl

In-app purchases

None

OpenOBD

No in-app purchases

1 purchases

BIM DPF GUARD

Subscriptions1
  • BIM DPF GUARD Premium14 Days trial$9.991 Year

Questions

Is OpenOBD free?
OpenOBD is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is BIM DPF GUARD free?
BIM DPF GUARD is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do OpenOBD or BIM DPF GUARD have ads?
Neither OpenOBD nor BIM DPF GUARD shows ads.
Which is updated more often, OpenOBD or BIM DPF GUARD?
OpenOBD ships an update every 5 days, and BIM DPF GUARD every 3 days. Most recently, OpenOBD was updated on October 25, 2026 and BIM DPF GUARD on October 26, 2026.

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