Comparison

Plaid Dash vs CapDrive

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

Head to head
About

Plaid Dash

Read full description

Give your drive a display of its own. Plaid Dash turns your iPhone or iPad into a clear GPS speed display, with four distinct themes: • VECTOR — a quiet amber dial. Free to use. • CYCLE — a cycling display with speed, altitude and direction of travel. Included in the paid theme pack. • PLAID — a flowing starfield. Included in the paid theme pack. • RACING — a red speed ring and a bold competition dial. Included in the paid theme pack. Preview all themes for free. A single, optional non-consumable purchase unlocks PLAID, RACING and CYCLE for driving and cycling. Existing pack owners receive CYCLE at no additional cost. MAKE IT YOURS Choose km/h or mph, switch between system, day, and night appearance, and try Mirror Display for windshield reflection on driving themes. CYCLE supports portrait and landscape mounting with a high-contrast daytime display and does not mirror its readings. Preview any theme before using it. Tap the screen to reveal controls, and let brightness follow your device or adjust it manually in Drive Mode. SIMPLE AND PRIVATE No registration, ads, or subscriptions. Purchases are handled by Apple; Restore Purchases is available in the theme pack screen. GPS location is processed on your device, without saving or uploading location history. Your preferences stay on your device. Cockpit shows local time and date, plus an approximate elevation snapshot when location permission has already been granted. MOTION WHEN YOU WANT IT Turn off decorative motion in Settings. The PLAID starfield pauses when stationary or without a valid speed. Instrument accents follow speed changes. Decorative motion is disabled in Low Power Mode or under serious thermal pressure. BEFORE YOU DRIVE Mount your device securely and configure the display before setting off. GPS speed can lag or become unavailable with poor signal; Plaid Dash clears stale readings. It supplements your vehicle’s instruments and does not replace them. Windshield reflection quality depends on your device, glass, mounting position, and lighting. Requires iOS or iPadOS 17.0 or later and a device capable of reliable GPS speed readings. Some iPad models do not have built-in GPS. No vehicle connection or Tesla account is needed; this version does not integrate with Tesla Fleet API and is not affiliated with Tesla.

About

CapDrive

Transform your iPhone into a customizable driving dashboard. View speed, G-force, and vehicle attitude, with an optional HUD mode for windshield display. Record and review your trips with detailed data and route maps.

Highlights
  • Customizable driving dashboard
  • GPS speed and G-force display
  • Vehicle attitude and heading
  • HUD mirror mode
  • Automatic trip recording
  • Route and driving data review
Read full description

Turn your iPhone into a customizable driving dashboard. View GPS speed, G-force, vehicle attitude, heading and altitude. Arrange your instruments in portrait or landscape, record trips automatically and review routes and driving data. Trip records stay on your device and are not uploaded automatically. HUD on your windshield Switch to HUD mirror mode to reflect instrument readings onto the windshield, using your dashboard layout. Choose whether HUD automatically raises screen brightness in Settings. Visibility depends on ambient light, glass and device. Secure your phone and finish setup before driving. Find trips by date, explore every drive Browse your trip history in a calendar. Review a full-screen route map and drag the data panel to explore trip summaries, the timeline and readings after you park. Basic instruments and trip review are free. CapDrive Plus unlocks more instrument styles and detailed G-force, attitude and driving-event playback. Choose a monthly auto-renewing subscription or a one-time lifetime unlock. See in-app pricing. Purchases and restoration require internet access; restoring purchases does not restore local trip records. Secure your phone and configure the app before driving. Readings depend on the device, mounting and GPS reception; they are for reference and do not replace vehicle instruments. Background location may increase battery use. Manage or cancel your subscription in your Apple account settings. Privacy Policy: https://legal.capdrive.app Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

Plaid Dash4 screens
CapDrive4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is ads: Plaid Dash at none against CapDrive's shown. On price, update cadence, in-app purchases 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. Plaid Dash sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and CapDrive sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $3.00 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Plaid Dash ships an update every 3 days, CapDrive every 2 days. The most recent releases landed on October 9, 2026 and October 20, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard1 real difference · 9 level
Plaid Dash versus CapDrive: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterPlaid DashCapDrive
PriceFreeFree
Rating—5.0 (2 ratings) — better
Positive reviews—100.0% of reviews
Number of ratings—2 — better
Update frequencyEvery 3 daysEvery 2 days — better
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesYesYes
Monetization—Free with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad — betteriPhone
Requires iOS17.017.0
Further details — not scored
Size17 MB36 MB
Age rating4+4+
Developer鹏 杨官朝 吴

In-app purchases

1 purchases

Plaid Dash

One-time1
  • Atmosphere Theme Pack$2.99
2 purchases

CapDrive

Subscriptions1
  • CapDrive Plus Monthly$3.001 Month
One-time1
  • CapDrive Plus Lifetime$20.00

Questions

Is Plaid Dash free?
Plaid Dash is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is CapDrive free?
CapDrive is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Plaid Dash or CapDrive have ads?
CapDrive shows ads; Plaid Dash does not.
Which is updated more often, Plaid Dash or CapDrive?
Plaid Dash ships an update every 3 days, and CapDrive every 2 days. Most recently, Plaid Dash was updated on October 9, 2026 and CapDrive on October 20, 2026.

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