Comparison

Carista OBD2 vs ShieldGPS

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

Head to head
About

Carista OBD2

This app acts as a DIY car mechanic, allowing you to customize features, diagnose warning lights, monitor live data, and perform maintenance. Save time and money by handling common car tasks yourself.

Highlights
  • Customize car behavior and unlock hidden features
  • Diagnose and reset dashboard warning lights
  • Monitor real-time vehicle parameters
  • Perform simple DIY car maintenance procedures
  • Access advanced electronic diagnostics
Features
Read full description

Carista lets you diagnose warning lights, read and reset fault codes, monitor live vehicle data, customize your car, and perform DIY service procedures - all from your phone. Save hours and thousands of dollars in unnecessary workshop visits, and take control of your car's maintenance, diagnostics, and personalization. Trusted by 3+ million users worldwide, Carista supports 30+ car brands, offers SFD & SFD2 compatibility, and brings 10+ years of leadership in the OBD2 industry. CUSTOMIZE YOUR CAR (PRO) Unlock hidden features and personalize how your car behaves. • Gauge needle sweep at startup • Start screen logo • Virtual instrument cluster themes • Daytime running lights • Coming-home and leaving-home lights • Throttle response behavior And many more ADVANCED DIAGNOSTICS (PRO) Go beyond the Check Engine Light. Diagnose multiple electronic control modules, including ABS, airbag, SRS, Engine, Transmission, and manufacturer-specific systems. Read and clear diagnostic trouble codes before visiting a workshop. SEE YOUR CAR'S LIVE DATA (PRO) Monitor real-time vehicle parameters and see what's happening inside your car. Depending on your vehicle, live data can include: • Engine and turbo information • Launch control count • Mileage information • Airbag crash count • Service interval information • Engine RPM and other performance parameters With supported vehicles, Apple CarPlay lets you view basic OBD2 live data on your car's screen while driving. PERFORM DIY SERVICE PROCEDURES (PRO) Handle simple maintenance yourself and avoid workshop visits. Depending on your vehicle, Carista offers: • Electronic parking brake (EPB) service • Service due indicator reset • Tire pressure sensor (TPMS) registration • Diesel particulate filter (DPF) regeneration • Battery registration And other vehicle-specific service functions SUPPORTED CAR BRANDS Carista supports Acura, Audi, BMW, Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, Cupra, Dacia, Ford, Genesis, GMC, Holden, Honda, Hyundai, Infiniti, Jaguar, Kia, Land Rover, Lexus, Lincoln, MAN, Mazda, Mini, Nissan, Opel/Vauxhall, Pontiac, Renault, Saab, Scion, SEAT, Skoda, Toyota, Volkswagen and Volvo. Feature availability varies by vehicle, model year and hardware: https://carista.com/apps/supported-cars BASIC OBD2 FEATURES FOR MOST 2005/2008+ CARS (FREE) Compatible vehicles with an OBD port also get basic OBD2 diagnostics, live data, and emissions readiness tools. EASY TO USE: Locate the OBD2 port • Plug in the scanner • Turn on ignition • Open the app • Pair it with the scanner HARDWARE For the best experience, pair the app with the Carista EVO Scanner. Carista also works with selected compatible OBD2 scanners, including OBDLink CX, OBDLink MX Bluetooth, OBDLink LX, Kiwi3, and genuine Bluetooth ELM327 v1.4 scanners. The Carista OBD Scanner (white) is not compatible with Ford vehicles or SFD/SFD2-protected 2020+ Volkswagen Group vehicles. Check compatibility before purchasing a scanner. WHY CARISTA? • 3M+ users worldwide — Trusted by millions of drivers to understand, maintain, and personalize their cars. • 10+ years of automotive expertise — Over a decade of experience in vehicle diagnostics and customization. • Official Volkswagen Group partner — Trusted automotive technology with advanced capabilities for supported VW Group vehicles. • 300+ customizations — Hundreds of ways to personalize your car and unlock hidden features. • SFD & SFD2 support — Unlock supported SFD- and SFD2-protected features and customizations on compatible Volkswagen Group vehicles. • 30+ car brands supported — One app for a wide range of popular manufacturers. • One subscription. All Pro features. — Access every Pro feature for your vehicle without buying individual credits. • Regularly updated — New vehicles and features added frequently. Learn more: https://carista.com/ Supported vehicles: https://carista.com/apps/supported-cars Privacy Policy: https://carista.com/policies/privacy-policy

About

ShieldGPS

Monitor the real-time location and history of your GPS trackers. Receive alerts for movement, speed, and status changes, and set up geofences for important area notifications. Some devices also offer mileage and driving behavior tracking.

Highlights
  • Real-time GPS tracker location
  • Location history with playback
  • Map and satellite views
  • Movement and speed alerts
  • Geofence creation and alerts
  • Mileage and driving behavior tracking
Features
Read full description

Access your ShieldGPS GPS tracker(s) realtime location and location history with playback. Switch between map and satellite views. Receive notifications when your GPS tracker moves, speeds or changes its status. Create geofences to mark important areas that alert you when your tracker enters or exits somewhere important. Select devices also support mileage, dangerous driving and trip tracking.

Screenshots

Carista OBD24 screens
ShieldGPS4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: ShieldGPS at none against Carista OBD2's 14. ShieldGPS also leads on ads (none vs shown) and rating (5.0 vs 4.6). Carista OBD2's advantage is ratings volume (4.3K vs 20) and update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 2 months). On price 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. Carista OBD2 sells 6 in-app purchases, starting at $19.99 per month. ShieldGPS asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

ShieldGPS holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Carista OBD2 has 4.3K ratings behind it against 20, so its average is the more settled of the two.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Carista OBD2 ships an update every 3 weeks, ShieldGPS every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 29, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard8 real differences · 3 level
Carista OBD2 versus ShieldGPS: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterCarista OBD2ShieldGPS
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.6 (4.3K ratings)5.0 (20 ratings) — better
Positive reviews34.2% of reviews—
Number of ratings4.3K — better20
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeks — betterEvery 2 months
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree — better
Best chart rank#159 — better—
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPod
Requires iOS16.413.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size142 MB13 MB
Age rating17+4+
DeveloperPrizmosOG Systems, LLC (CA)

Customer experience

Carista OBD2

All ratings4,223 ratings
Positive89.5%
Neutral2.2%
Negative8.3%
Written reviews816 reviews
Positive34.2%
Neutral9.6%
Negative56.3%

ShieldGPS

All ratings17 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Bugs and requests

Carista OBD2

Reported bugs

5 issues
  • App crashes and freezes
  • Subscription issues and billing problems
  • Incompatibility with certain OBD2 adapters
  • Customization features not working as expected
  • Inaccurate fault code detection

Requested features

5 requests
  • Support for more vehicle makes and models
  • Offline diagnostics and customization
  • Ability to save customization settings
  • More detailed error code information
  • Improved user interface and navigation

ShieldGPS

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

6 purchases

Carista OBD2

Subscriptions5
  • Basic$19.991 Month
  • Pro$19.991 Month
  • 1 month Pro4 variants$19.991 Month
Show 2 more
  • 3 month Pro2 variants$29.993 Months
  • Pro5 variants$59.991 Year
One-time1
  • One-Time Diagnostic & Reset$9.99
None

ShieldGPS

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Carista OBD2 free?
Carista OBD2 is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is ShieldGPS free?
ShieldGPS is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Carista OBD2 or ShieldGPS?
ShieldGPS is rated higher. Carista OBD2 averages 4.6 out of 5 from 4.3K ratings, while ShieldGPS averages 5.0 from 20 ratings.
Do Carista OBD2 or ShieldGPS have ads?
Carista OBD2 shows ads; ShieldGPS does not.
Which is updated more often, Carista OBD2 or ShieldGPS?
Carista OBD2 ships an update every 3 weeks, and ShieldGPS every 2 months. Most recently, Carista OBD2 was updated on October 29, 2026 and ShieldGPS on October 24, 2026.

Other comparisons