Car maintenance apps compared: Moterno, Drivvo, Simply Auto and more
Most maintenance apps do one of two jobs: they remind you what is due, or they keep proof of what was done. Which one you need decides which app fits. This guide compares Moterno, Drivvo, Simply Auto, AUTOsist and a plain spreadsheet. Prices and plan limits are as of October 2026 and were read from each company's own site.
Reminders versus records
A reminder says the oil change is due in March. A record says which oil, at what mileage, by which workshop, with the invoice attached. Reminders keep the car running. Records are what a buyer, an insurer or a club registrar actually asks for. Free apps usually cover reminders well; documents and exports are where plans start to differ.
Compared: plans and limits (as of October 2026)
| Option | Free tier | Paid | Strongest at | Worth knowing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Moterno | Yes, no card, no expiring trial. Unlimited vehicles, journal, reminders, clubs, marketplace; 20 MB storage | Premium, optional: $2/month or about $20/year | Documented history, receipts, clubs, registries, sale folder | Web app with a home-screen install prompt; no native iOS app; no OBD-II link |
| Drivvo | $0, up to 2 active vehicles, unlimited fuel logs, expenses and maintenance reminders | Individual $24.90/year (5 vehicles, 100 MB attachments, no ads, CSV/Excel export); PRO $49.90/year or $4.90/month (10 vehicles, 2 drivers) | Fuel, running costs, reports | Android, iPhone and web; export is paid |
| Simply Auto | Free, with ads: up to 4 vehicles, up to 10 services and expenses, no PDF or multiple receipts | Gold $9.99 one-time (7 vehicles); Platinum $9.99/year (unlimited vehicles, email reminders, vehicle documents) | Fuel, mileage and service logging on a phone | Android and iPhone; web access is for paid users |
| AUTOsist | No free tier; 14-day trial, no card | $6 per vehicle/month billed annually ($7 monthly), minimum $59/month for 5 vehicles | Fleet maintenance, work orders, inspections | Aimed at fleets and organisations |
| Spreadsheet | Free | None | Total control of the columns | You build and maintain everything yourself |
CARFAX Car Care and Fuelly are not in the table. We could not load their official pricing pages to confirm current plans, so we make no claims about them. Check their sites before deciding.
Where Moterno fits
Moterno is a digital garage for anything you keep running: cars, motorcycles, boats, tractors. Each vehicle gets a timeline of services, repairs and parts. Entries can carry the invoice, photos and the story behind the work.
- Free for real: no card, no trial that runs out, no limit on vehicles. The journal, reminders, clubs, meets, registries and marketplace are all in the free plan.
- Reminders: oil change, annual service, timing belt, brake fluid, inspection, tire age, battery, seasonal storage or your own, by email or push. For Norwegian plates, Moterno fills in the vehicle from the plate number and keeps the periodic inspection date as a reminder.
- Your data: CSV and JSON export are free. A PDF export of the history is part of Premium.
- Handing over: share a sale folder with the documented history, or transfer the vehicle so the timeline moves to the buyer's account.
- Fuel: a separate fuel app, Moterno Fuel, logs fill-ups in seconds and shows consumption.
What Premium adds: AI scanning of receipts and documents, suggested reminders, listing texts, 1 GB storage instead of 20 MB, unlimited marketplace listings (Free allows one for sale and one wanted) and unlimited history import. Free includes one import of up to 10 files, and CSV import never needs AI.
Honest limits: Moterno does not read data from your car's OBD-II port, and its running-cost reports are simpler than Drivvo's. If you mostly want fuel economy and monthly cost charts, start with Drivvo or Simply Auto.
How to choose
- One daily driver, mainly costs: Drivvo's free plan covers two vehicles with fuel, expenses and reminders. Simply Auto's free tier covers four but caps entries at ten and shows ads.
- A classic, bike or boat you will keep for years: pick the tool where invoices and photos stay attached to the entry and can be exported, then keep a copy of the originals.
- More than one vehicle, club or sale in mind: check what limits apply to vehicles, attachments and export before you enter years of history. Drivvo charges for export and extra vehicles; Simply Auto limits free entries.
- A business fleet: AUTOsist or Drivvo Fleet ($42 per vehicle per year, as of October 2026).
FAQ
Is there a free car maintenance app with reminders?
Yes. Moterno is free with reminders, unlimited vehicles and 20 MB of storage. Drivvo's free plan covers two vehicles with maintenance reminders. Simply Auto is free with ads and a limit on entries.
Do I need a paid plan to export my data?
It depends on the app. Drivvo lists CSV/Excel export under paid plans. Moterno's CSV and JSON export is free and PDF export is Premium. Check before you commit years of records.
Can an app tell me what my car needs?
Not reliably. Use the owner's manual for the schedule and an app to remember, record and find the evidence.