Comparison

Total Car Check vs VIN Check & Decoder

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

Head to head
About

Total Car Check

This app helps you uncover hidden vehicle history before purchasing a used car. It offers free checks for stolen status, MOT, and road tax expiry, with in-app purchases for more in-depth reports including finance and write-off status.

Highlights
  • Free stolen vehicle check
  • Free MOT and mileage history
  • Free road tax expiry check
  • Purchase full vehicle history reports
  • Check for outstanding finance
  • Reveal write-off and scrapped status
Features
Read full description

Total Car Check - Get peace of mind before you buy a used vehicle • Free: Check if a vehicle is stolen AND full MOT and mileage history • Free: Check when a vehicles MOT & Road Tax expire • Purchase full vehicle history. Total Car Check allows you to discover any hidden vehicle history before you decide to buy a vehicle. Don't make an expensive mistake, download today. Free Check ========= Total Car Check lets you reveal the following vehicle details just by entering the vehicle registration plate: - Stolen - MOT status and history - Mileage from MOT's - Road Tax Status - Exported - VIC Marker - Make - Model - Colour - Fuel Type - Engine Size - Registered Date - Vehicle Age - CO2 Output and Rating In-App Purchase ============= For a small fee, via in-app purchase you can uncover more vehicle history including: - Outstanding Finance (Gold Check Only) - Written Off - Stolen - Scrapped - Unscrapped - Imported - Exported - VIC Inspected - Previous Number Plates - Previous Keepers - Previous Colours - VIN (Last two digits) - Engine Number - 50+ Data Fields Included ... Information is provided by the DVLA, UK Police, Association of British Insurers (ABI), SMMT and outstanding finance data is provided by Experian Plc. Sometimes we will be unable to provide full vehicle details as the source data holders do not hold complete records..If you have an specific questions please get in touch using the details below. Questions? We are here to help, so if you have any questions drop us an email to enquiries@totalcarcheck.co.uk and we will always do our best to get back to you quickly and help resolve any queries you have.

About

VIN Check & Decoder

Get comprehensive vehicle reports by entering a VIN or scanning a barcode. Access detailed information including history, specs, photos, and expert reviews to make informed decisions when buying a used car.

Highlights
  • VIN lookup by plate number
  • Vehicle history reports
  • Technical specifications and photos
  • Equipment and options decoder
  • IIHS crash test ratings
  • Camera VIN barcode scanning
Features
Read full description

Using the search by plate number (VIN) you get complete information about the car! If you were planning to buy a car, do a full check before buying. VIN CHECK INFORMATION: • Vehicle Basic Information • Vehicle History Report • Equipment & Options of your car by VIN (only for Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Mini) • Full Tech Specs and Photos • Interior & Exterior Photos • Auto Expert Reviews • IIHS Crash Test Ratings • Useful Wikipedia Links VEHICLE BASIC INFORMATION: • Class Auto • Country af Assembly • Vehicle Age • Date and Year • Make and Model • Calculated Owners • Style/Body • Engine • Manufacturer Name • Plant City • Vehicle Type • Doors • Wheel Base Type • Gross Vehicle Weight Rating • Trailer Type Connection • Trailer Body Type • Number of Wheels • ... • 100+ other params if available! VEHICLE HISTORY REPORT: • Vehicle Summary • Vehicle Ownership History • Vehicle Usage • State Title Brand Check • Accident Check • Damage Check • Specific Event Check • Odometer Check • Open Recall Check • Detailed Vehicle History • Glossary on Your Report FEATURES AND FUNCTIONALITY: • Camera Scan VIN Barcode • Generating a Real Barcode by VIN • Full Information About VIN • List of Your Recent requests • 10 Examples of Reports by VIN • High-quality Zoom Photos • Optimized for LED Screens • Support Tactics Engine • 3D Touch for Home Screen Icon • Widget Today Extension • Copy, Share and Translate TECH SPECS FOR ALL CARS: • 65 Auto Brands • 22 466 Photos • 3 406 Models • 5 629 Generations • 72 614 Modification • 2 178 816 Tech Specs TECH SPECS CAR MANUFACTURERS: Acura, Alfa Romeo, Aston-Martin, Audi, Bentley, BMW, Bugatti, Buick, Cadillac, Chery, Chevrolet, Chrysler, Citroen, Dacia, Daewoo, Daimler, Dodge, FAW, Ferrari, Fiat, Ford, Geely, Genesis, GMC, Great Wall, Honda, Hummer, Hyundai, Infiniti, Isuzu, Jaguar, Jeep, KIA, Lamborghini, Land Rover, Lexus, Lincoln, Maserati, Mazda, Mclaren, Mercedes-Benz, MG, Mini, Mitsubishi, Moskvich, Nissan, Opel, Peugeot, Pontiac, Porsche, RAM, Renault, Rolls-royce, Seat, Skoda, Smart, Ssangyong, Subaru, Suzuki, Tesla, Toyota, UAZ, VAZ (Lada), Volkswagen, Volvo. -- SUPPORT & QUESTIONS: mobile.auto.apps@gmail.com

Screenshots

Total Car Check4 screens
VIN Check & Decoder4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: VIN Check & Decoder at every 6 weeks against Total Car Check's every 5 months. VIN Check & Decoder also leads on ratings volume (1.6K vs 66). On price, rating, review sentiment and ads 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. Total Car Check sells 6 one-off in-app purchases and VIN Check & Decoder sells 5 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.8 for Total Car Check against 4.8 for VIN Check & Decoder. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: VIN Check & Decoder has 1.6K ratings behind it against 66, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 88% of Total Car Check's written reviews are positive against 95% of VIN Check & Decoder's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Total Car Check ships an update every 5 months, VIN Check & Decoder every 6 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 21, 2026 and October 20, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
Total Car Check versus VIN Check & Decoder: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterTotal Car CheckVIN Check & Decoder
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.8 (66 ratings) — better4.8 (1.6K ratings)
Positive reviews88.0% of reviews95.5% of reviews — better
Number of ratings661.6K — better
Update frequencyEvery 5 monthsEvery 6 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS13.012.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size43 MB32 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperTotal Car CheckYerzhan Tleuov

Customer experience

Total Car Check

All ratings65 ratings
Positive93.8%
Neutral4.6%
Negative1.5%
Written reviews150 reviews
Positive88.0%
Neutral2.7%
Negative9.3%

VIN Check & Decoder

All ratings1,552 ratings
Positive96.2%
Neutral0.8%
Negative3.0%
Written reviews177 reviews
Positive95.5%
Neutral1.1%
Negative3.4%

User reviews

Total Car Check

From 66 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 👍 Comprehensive vehicle information in one place
  • 💰 Free basic checks with valuable data
  • 🚀 Quick and easy to use interface
  • 📊 Detailed MOT history and tax status
  • 🔍 Accurate vehicle details and specifications

Room to improve

  • 💸 Premium reports require additional payment
  • 🐛 VPN compatibility issues
  • ⏱️ Slow MOT and tax detail updates
  • 🔄 Requires repayment for previous searches
  • 📱 Poor optimization for larger screens

VIN Check & Decoder

From 1.6K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 👍 Easy to use
  • 🚀 Convenient
  • 🚀 Informative
  • 🚀 Detailed reports
  • 👍 Helpful for buying/selling vehicles

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Inaccurate vehicle information
  • 💰 Paid reports required for full details

Bugs and requests

Total Car Check

Reported bugs

7 issues
  • VPN blocking prevents app usage
  • Registration field input issues on iPhone XS Max
  • Plate input field not clearing between searches
  • Keyboard input field difficult to tap on larger screens
  • Incorrect vehicle information displayed for swapped number plates
Show 2 more
  • Charged twice for single check
  • MOT pass rate information not displaying

Requested features

6 requests
  • Dark mode icon for home screen
  • In-app insurance verification check
  • Persistent search history without repayment
  • Motor trade unlimited access option
  • Better app optimization for larger devices
Show 1 more
  • Clearer explanations of technical information

VIN Check & Decoder

Reported bugs

2 issues
  • App crashes or freezes
  • Incorrect vehicle information

Requested features

2 requests
  • Support for European vehicles
  • Free access to full vehicle history reports

In-app purchases

6 purchases

Total Car Check

One-time6
  • Silver Check$3.99
  • 5 x Silver Check Vouchers$9.99
  • Gold Check$12.99
Show 3 more
  • 3 x Gold Check Vouchers$19.99
  • 5 x Gold Check Vouchers$24.99
  • 20 x Gold Check Vouchers$69.99
5 purchases

VIN Check & Decoder

One-time5
  • 1 VIN Check and Report$14.99
  • 5 VIN Checks and Reports$44.99
  • 20 VIN Checks and Reports$74.99
Show 2 more
  • 200 VIN Checks and Reports$149.99
  • Lifetime Unlimited Access$299.99

Questions

Is Total Car Check free?
Total Car Check is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is VIN Check & Decoder free?
VIN Check & Decoder is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Total Car Check or VIN Check & Decoder?
Total Car Check is rated higher. Total Car Check averages 4.8 out of 5 from 66 ratings, while VIN Check & Decoder averages 4.8 from 1.6K ratings.
Do Total Car Check or VIN Check & Decoder have ads?
Neither Total Car Check nor VIN Check & Decoder shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Total Car Check or VIN Check & Decoder?
Total Car Check ships an update every 5 months, and VIN Check & Decoder every 6 weeks. Most recently, Total Car Check was updated on October 21, 2026 and VIN Check & Decoder on October 20, 2026.

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