Home  ·  Help  ·  Privacy  ·  Sign in

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.

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 — Welcome

  1. Enter Driver name or alias and Vehicle name, then Save — or Skip for now. Reopen anytime from Live → gear.
  2. Canada or Australia: units and fuel price are in Help.

Step 2 — 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 3 — 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 4.
OBDLink CX, Veepeak OBDCheck BLE, and Vgate iCar Pro BLE adapters
Tested adapters: Vgate iCar Pro BLE, OBDLink CX, Veepeak OBDCheck 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 4.

Step 4 — Connect OBD2 in GasTab

  1. Open App: Live tab --> tap Start --> Engine-on
  2. Status should go Scanning → Connecting → Ready. Wait until RPM appears, then drive.

Step 5 — Drive and record

  1. Drive. At the end of the trip, tap STOP before ignition off. GasTab saves the trip.

Web dashboard (optional)

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

  1. Submit the token request form. An automatic email sends your token as soon as you submit. Check spam if it is not there in a few minutes.
  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. With Upload trips on, trips saved on the phone upload when GasTab has network access.

Stuck?

Help

Problems connecting? Take a screenshot or Tap Copy on the live screen, then email support@gastab.app.