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Getting started

What you need

  • An iPhone with GasTab — Free on the App Store.
  • A gasoline vehicle with an OBD2 port (U.S. light-duty vehicles from 1996 onward).
  • An OBD2 BLE adapter plugged into your car’s OBD2 port (OBD-II). ~$32 / ~$80.

Tested: OBDLink CX, Veepeak OBDCheck BLE, and Vgate iCar Pro BLE. Other BLE adapters may work. OBDLink CX is often unreliable on GM and Ford — use a Veepeak or Vgate there.

Step 1 — Install GasTab

  1. On your iPhone, open GasTab on the App Store and tap Get. Or search GasTab.

Step 2 — Welcome

  1. Enter Driver name or alias and Vehicle name, then Save — or Skip for now. Reopen anytime from Live → gear.
  2. Canada: km, litres, L/100km, and CAD. Details: Help → Canada.
  3. Australia: km, litres, L/100km, and AUD. Details: Help → Australia.

Step 3 — Allow iPhone permissions

  1. Location: allow While Using the App or Always. Always is better for background recording.
  2. Turn Bluetooth on in iPhone Settings, but do not tap Connect next to the adapter — GasTab connects from Live → Start.

Step 4 — Plug in the OBD2 BLE adapter

  1. Plug the adapter into the OBD2 port under the driver-side dash (often near the hood release). Wide edge toward the floor. Engine can stay off until Step 5.
OBDLink CX, Veepeak OBDCheck BLE, and Vgate iCar Pro BLE adapters
Tested adapters. OBDLink CX, Veepeak OBDCheck BLE, Vgate iCar Pro BLE.
Empty OBD2 port under the dash next to the hood release lever
Find the port. Driver-side dash, often near the hood release.
Empty OBD2 port showing trapezoid shape with wide edge toward the floor
Orientation. Wide edge toward the floor.
OBDLink CX adapter fully plugged in with power and link lights on
Plugged in. Seat fully. Lights on means it is ready for Step 5.

Step 5 — Connect OBD2 in GasTab

  1. Open Live, tap Start, then start the engine. Start-first usually connects faster.
  2. Status should go Scanning → Connecting → Ready. Wait for RPM (up to 90 seconds the first time).

Step 6 — Drive and record

  1. Drive, then tap Stop.
  • Trips shorter than one minute are not saved.
  • Keep GasTab on Live with the screen on until you tap Stop. Locking the phone or using CarPlay can end the trip early.
  • Stop is red while recording; grey means tap Start again.
  • After a few reliable trips, you can switch apps while GasTab stays in the background.

Step 7 — Confirm the trip on your phone

  1. Open Trips — your drive should be there. Tap it for map, fuel, and scores.

Step 8 — Web dashboard (optional)

Log fill-ups for receipt-based trip costs, plus maps, Trip Mileage, and CSV export.

  1. Request a token with the token request form — we email it right away.
  2. In Live → gear: paste the token and turn on Upload trips.
  3. Sign in at gastab.app, open Gas Receipts, and log a fill-up. Following trips use that price.
  4. Completed trips upload when you have network access.

Stuck?

Problems connecting? Tap Copy Info on Live, then email support@gastab.app the paste or a screenshot.