Why You Need a Car Maintenance App
The average American spends over $1,200 per year on car repairs that could have been prevented with routine maintenance. A dedicated vehicle maintenance tracker app solves a surprisingly common problem: most drivers simply forget when their last oil change was, or have no idea when their tires were rotated.
Beyond reminders, these apps create a detailed service history — which can meaningfully increase resale value when it’s time to sell. Buyers and dealers respond well to documented, verifiable maintenance records.
The Best Car Maintenance Apps of 2026
MyAutoLog – Car Maintenance Tracker
iOS Only – FREE
MyAutoLog stands out as the most complete car maintenance app available in 2025. It combines a beautiful, intuitive interface with all the features serious car owners need — from service history and fuel logs to customizable maintenance reminders and a comprehensive garage overview.
- Full service history log with notes, mileage, and cost tracking
- Smart reminders for oil changes, tire rotations, inspections, and more
- Fuel economy tracking with MPG charts and fill-up logs
- Support for multiple vehicles under one account
- Garage locator to find nearby service centers
- Clean, modern dashboard with at-a-glance vehicle health status
- Available in 7+ languages — strong international community
Best for: Anyone who wants a single app to manage all aspects of car ownership. Particularly popular with multi-car households and users who value design alongside functionality.
CarFax Car Care – Maintenance Tracker
iOS & Android – FREE
CarFax Car Care leverages the CarFax brand to pull in known service history for your vehicle using its VIN. It’s a solid choice if you want to merge existing records with future tracking, though the interface feels more corporate than personal.
- VIN-based history import from CarFax database
- Maintenance reminders and service scheduling
- Recall alerts for your specific vehicle
- Service shop finder
Best for: Used car buyers who want to import existing vehicle history and continue tracking from there.
The bad: The only downside of this app is that looks outdated and bloated, not the most user friendly design.
Fuelly – Fuel & Service Tracking
iOS & Android – Free
Fuelly has a loyal community of fuel-obsessed users. It excels at tracking MPG over time and comparing your vehicle’s efficiency against other drivers of the same make and model. Its maintenance tracking is functional but more basic than MyAutoLog.
- Detailed fuel efficiency tracking and MPG charts
- Community MPG comparison by make, model, and year
- Basic service log
- Web dashboard for desktop access
Best for: Drivers who are laser-focused on fuel economy and want community benchmarking data.
| Feature | MyAutoLog | Fuelly | CarFax Car Care |
|---|---|---|---|
| iOS & Android | ✗ iOS only | ✓ | ✓ |
| Service History Log | ✓ Full | ✓ Basic | ✓ + VIN import |
| Smart Reminders | ✓ | ✗ | ✓ |
| Fuel Economy Tracking | ✓ | ✓ Advanced | ✗ |
| Multiple Vehicles | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Recall Alerts | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ |
| Clean Modern UI | ✓✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Free Tier Available | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
What to Look for in a Car Maintenance App
Not all car maintenance apps are created equal. Before downloading, consider these key features:
Maintenance Reminders
The most important feature of any car service tracker app is the ability to set reminders based on both time and mileage. An oil change reminder that only works by date will quickly fall out of sync with your actual driving habits. Look for apps that let you set intervals like “every 5,000 miles or 6 months, whichever comes first.”
Service History Logging
A detailed, searchable service log is invaluable — both for your own reference and for potential buyers when you sell. The best apps let you log the service type, date, mileage, cost, and even attach photos of receipts.
Multiple Vehicle Support
If your household has more than one car, you’ll want an app that handles multiple vehicles under a single account without requiring separate logins or paid plans per vehicle.
Fuel Tracking
Tracking your fuel economy over time is one of the easiest ways to catch early signs of engine trouble. A sudden drop in MPG often precedes a more expensive repair.
How Often Should You Log Maintenance?
Ideally, every time you get any service done — even something small like a windshield wiper replacement. The habit takes less than 60 seconds in a good app and builds a complete ownership record over time. At minimum, log:
Oil changes and filter replacements · Tire rotations and replacements · Brake service · Transmission service · Battery replacements · Annual inspections
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best car maintenance app?
MyAutoLog is consistently rated among the best car maintenance apps for its clean interface, comprehensive service history tracking, fuel economy logging, and smart reminders for oil changes and scheduled maintenance.
Are car maintenance apps free?
Many car maintenance apps offer a free tier with basic features. Premium plans with advanced analytics, unlimited vehicles, and cloud sync typically cost $2–$5 per month or a small one-time lifetime purchase
Can a car maintenance app remind me about oil changes?
Yes. Most quality car maintenance apps include customizable reminders based on mileage or time intervals for oil changes, tire rotations, brake inspections, and other scheduled services.
Do car maintenance apps work for all vehicle types?
Yes — most apps support cars, trucks, SUVs, motorcycles, and even RVs or fleet vehicles. You can typically add each vehicle by make, model, year, and VIN for personalized tracking.
Will a car maintenance app increase my car’s resale value?
Documented service history is one of the top factors buyers look for. Presenting a clean, complete maintenance log from a trusted app can meaningfully support a higher asking price and faster sale.
