# Total Car Check vs VIN Check & Decoder

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.

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.

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.

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.

## The numbers

| Metric | Total Car Check | VIN Check & Decoder |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (66 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/total-car-check/id940049120/reviews)** | [4.8 (1.6K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/vin-check-and-decoder/id1524926492/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 66 | **1.6K** |
| Positive reviews | 88.0% of reviews | **95.5% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 5 months | **Every 6 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 43 MB | 32 MB |
| Requires iOS | 13.0 | **12.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Total Car Check](https://appshunter.io/developer/938788397) | [Yerzhan Tleuov](https://appshunter.io/developer/1422506641) |

## What reviewers say

### Total Car Check

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/total-car-check/id940049120)

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:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (6)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Silver Check | $3.99 | one-time |
| 5 x Silver Check Vouchers | $9.99 | one-time |
| Gold Check | $12.99 | one-time |
| 3 x Gold Check Vouchers | $19.99 | one-time |
| 5 x Gold Check Vouchers | $24.99 | one-time |
| 20 x Gold Check Vouchers | $69.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 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

**What reviewers complain about**

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

**Reported bugs**

- 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

**Requested features**

- 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


### VIN Check & Decoder

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/vin-check-and-decoder/id1524926492)

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:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (5)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 1 VIN Check and Report | $14.99 | one-time |
| 5 VIN Checks and Reports | $44.99 | one-time |
| 20 VIN Checks and Reports | $74.99 | one-time |
| 200 VIN Checks and Reports | $149.99 | one-time |
| Lifetime Unlimited Access | $299.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

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

**What reviewers complain about**

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

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes or freezes
- Incorrect vehicle information

**Requested features**

- Support for European vehicles
- Free access to full vehicle history reports


## Frequently asked 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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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*