CarVector vs Smartcar

CarVector decodes VINs and license plates into specs, images, recall notices, and OBD-II DTC codes for vehicles spanning model years 1925 to 2029. A live unauthenticated GET against its real API host, api.carvector.io/v1/vehicles/{id}, returned a 401 "missing_api_key" JSON error over HTTPS — reconfirming auth "API Key" and https true — with no Access-Control-Allow-Origin header on either that request or a follow-up OPTIONS preflight, resolving the stored "yes" cors to "no". Its pricing page lists a $0 Free tier alongside paid $39/mo and $79/mo plans plus a custom Enterprise tier — freemium.

Smartcar's Vehicle API lets apps lock/unlock vehicles and read odometer, location, and other telematics data from most late-model cars through a single OAuth2 integration across dozens of automaker backends. A live unauthenticated GET and OPTIONS preflight against api.smartcar.com/v2.0/vehicles both returned no Access-Control-Allow-Origin header — resolving the stored "yes" cors to "no", consistent with Smartcar's own docs, which say API calls must be made from a backend, never a browser; auth "OAuth" and https were reconfirmed via a 401 AUTHENTICATION error. Its pricing page offers a Free plan (1 connected vehicle, no credit card) alongside paid Growth/Enterprise tiers — freemium.