# mytesla.io vs TeslaMate

> How mytesla.io compares with TeslaMate and hosted MyTeslaMate: a data logger you study versus an AI assistant that acts on your car. What each does best, and why many owners run both.

TeslaMate is the beloved open-source Tesla data logger: it records every drive
and charge, graphs efficiency and battery health in Grafana, and costs nothing
but a server to run it on. MyTeslaMate is the best-known hosted version (from
about EUR 4.99/month per vehicle) for people who want TeslaMate without running
Docker themselves. mytesla.io is a different kind of product: an
[AI assistant for your Tesla](/tesla-ai-assistant), not a logger. One records
what your car did; the other lets your AI do things with your car. The real
question isn't which is better, it's which job you're hiring for.

> mytesla.io is not affiliated with TeslaMate, MyTeslaMate, or Tesla, Inc.
> This comparison is our own summary of publicly documented features; check
> each product's site for current details.

## The one-line difference

- **TeslaMate** watches your car and writes everything down. It's a rearview
  mirror: drives, charges, efficiency, and battery health, beautifully graphed.
- **mytesla.io** puts your AI's hands on the car. You describe an outcome,
  "make sure it's charged for my 7am drive", and Claude or ChatGPT issues the
  real commands.

## Side by side

| | TeslaMate / MyTeslaMate | mytesla.io |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | Data logger + Grafana dashboards | MCP server your AI operates the car through |
| Primary interface | Dashboards you study | Claude, ChatGPT, Cursor, or any MCP client |
| Commands & automations | TeslaMate logs only; MyTeslaMate adds an API proxy you script against | Plain-English requests your AI turns into real commands, no scripting |
| Drive & charge history | The core strength: everything, kept forever | Not stored, by design: live status only |
| Setup | Docker on your own hardware, or MyTeslaMate hosts it | Nothing to install or run: sign up, connect, done |
| Credentials | Onboarding asks you to supply Tesla API tokens | Tesla's own sign-in page (OAuth); no tokens to extract or paste |
| Background connection | Stays connected to record (with careful sleep logic) | Touches the car only when you ask something |
| Smart home | MQTT + Home Assistant integration | Composes with whatever your AI is connected to |
| Price | Free self-hosted; MyTeslaMate from EUR 4.99/mo per vehicle | $4.99/mo (Driver), $9.99/mo (Driver Max) |

## When TeslaMate (or MyTeslaMate) is the better pick

- You want a **complete record** of every drive and charge, for expense
  tracking, resale evidence, or plain curiosity.
- You care about **long-term battery-health and efficiency trends**, graphed
  properly.
- You enjoy dashboards, MQTT, and Home Assistant wiring, or you want
  MyTeslaMate to host all of that for you.

If a lifetime logbook of your Tesla is what you want, run TeslaMate. It is
excellent at being exactly that.

## When mytesla.io is the better pick

- You want the car to **do things**: precondition before a meeting, hit 100%
  by 7am on off-peak rates, lock up and arm Sentry at night.
- You **already live in Claude or ChatGPT** and want your car in that surface.
- You want requests **composed with your calendar and the weather** without
  writing rules or scripts.
- You want **nothing to host** and a credential story where you never handle
  an API token: you sign in on Tesla's own page, and access is revocable from
  your Tesla account.
- You'd rather **nothing keep a record**: we don't store your drives, charges,
  or location history.

## Can I use both?

Yes, and it's a genuinely good pairing, arguably better than either alone.
TeslaMate writes the history; mytesla.io handles the "do it now" and the
routines. They don't conflict: nothing about connecting one prevents the
other, and plenty of owners will want both a logbook and a driver's seat for
their AI.

## FAQ

**Is mytesla.io a replacement for TeslaMate?**
No. They do different jobs: TeslaMate is a logger you study, mytesla.io is an
assistant that acts. If you're choosing exactly one, choose by job: records or
actions.

**Does mytesla.io log my drives and charges like TeslaMate?**
No. We deliberately don't store your drive or charge history; that's a privacy
choice. If detailed logging is your priority, TeslaMate is the better fit.

**Do I have to paste Tesla API tokens into mytesla.io?**
No. You connect on Tesla's own sign-in page through official OAuth. We never
see your Tesla password, there are no tokens to extract or paste, and you can
revoke access anytime from your Tesla account.

**Will mytesla.io keep my car awake?**
No. It contacts the car only when you, or a routine you asked for, request
something. There is no background polling, and waking a sleeping car is an
explicit, deliberately priced action rather than something that happens
quietly in the background.

## Next steps

- [The AI assistant for your Tesla](/tesla-ai-assistant)
- [mytesla.io vs Tessie](/mytesla-vs-tessie)
- [Best third-party Tesla apps compared](/best-ai-tesla-app)
- [Get started at mytesla.io →](https://mcp.mytesla.io/signup?src=guide-vs-teslamate&plan=driver)