The best license plate game app depends on two things: which phone you have and where you drive. For iPhone families on U.S. roads, PlateSpot is the most established pick. On Android, Plates – Family Travel Game is the well-reviewed option. If you drive in Europe, or want a separate score for each kid on one phone, Convoi is built for that. Here are the five apps side by side, with what each does best and where it falls short.
Full disclosure: Convoi is our app. To keep this comparison fair, every figure below comes from the public App Store and Google Play listings as of October 2026 — ratings, platforms, prices and last update dates — not from our own opinion. Convoi is new and has no ratings yet, and we say so in the table.
License plate game apps at a glance
| App | Platforms | Price | Rating (Oct 2026) | Plates covered | Last update |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PlateSpot | iPhone, iPad | Free + in-app purchases | 4.7 ★ (17,000+ on the App Store) | 50 states, Canada, Mexico | April 2026 |
| Plates – Family Travel Game | iPhone, Android | Free + in-app purchases | 4.8 ★ App Store (≈1,000) · 4.7 ★ Google Play (≈900) | U.S., Canada, Mexico, Australia + 108 car logos | August 2026 |
| License Plate Game (Zaffles) | iPhone, iPad | Free + in-app purchases | 4.8 ★ (3,200+ on the App Store) | 50 states, optional Canada | September 2026 |
| States & Plates | iPhone | Free or $0.99 | 4.5 ★ free version (≈800) | 50 states | 2016 |
| Convoi | iPhone, Android | Free + in-app purchases | No ratings yet (new) | 50 states, Canada, 25+ European countries | October 2026 |
PlateSpot: the most popular on iPhone
PlateSpot has the largest following of any license plate game app, with more than 17,000 ratings averaging 4.7 stars. It covers all 50 states plus Canadian provinces and Mexican states, shows a clear picture of each plate to match against the car in front of you, and adds background on each state as you claim it. A recent update added saved trips and a map of where each plate was spotted.
Best for: iPhone families who drive in the U.S. and want a polished, proven checklist. Keep in mind: we found no Android version, so a mixed iPhone/Android family can't share it.
Plates – Family Travel Game: the pick on Android
Plates is one of the few license plate game apps on both stores, with strong ratings on each (4.8 on the App Store, 4.7 on Google Play, 50,000+ Android downloads). Beyond plates from the U.S., Canada, Mexico and Australia, it adds a twist: 108 car logos to spot. Games can run for a single trip or continue for months, and a map shows where each find happened.
Best for: Android users and families who want the car-logo variant. Keep in mind: one shared list per game rather than a score per child.
License Plate Game (Zaffles): simple and recently updated
Zaffles' License Plate Game sticks to the classic: tap a state when you spot it and watch the collection grow, with fun facts about each state and up-to-date plate designs. Canadian provinces can be added. It's free with ads, and a one-time purchase removes them. With a 4.8 rating from more than 3,200 reviews and an update in September 2026, it's well maintained.
Best for: families who want the simplest possible app. Keep in mind: iPhone and iPad only as far as we could find.
States & Plates: a classic that stopped updating
States & Plates was one of the first apps of its kind, with a map of found plates, distance metrics like "farthest plate found" and vanity-plate puzzles. Its free version still holds a 4.5 rating from about 800 reviews, but both versions were last updated in 2016, so expect older plate designs and no support for recent iPhone features.
Best for: fans of the vanity-plate puzzles. Keep in mind: nearly ten years without an update.
Convoi: for families with several kids, and for Europe
Convoi is the one app here that goes beyond North America: alongside all 50 states and Canada's 13 provinces and territories, it recognizes plates from 25+ European countries, and plates from farther away score more. Each child gets their own profile and score on the same phone, with a crown for the day's leader, and every new country ticks its flag in a Plates of the world album, with the capital, the language and how to say hello. Off the highway, the game switches to a city safari (taxis, buses, fire trucks). It works offline.
Best for: families with more than one child in the back seat, and anyone driving in Europe. Keep in mind: it's new and doesn't have ratings yet; the free version shows ads, and a one-time lifetime pass removes them.
How to choose
- Android in the family? Plates or Convoi — the only two we found on Google Play.
- One child, U.S. roads, iPhone? PlateSpot or Zaffles' License Plate Game; both are proven and simple.
- Two or three kids sharing one phone? Convoi keeps a separate score for each without accounts.
- Driving in Europe, or seeing European plates? Convoi is the only one that covers them.
- No phone in the back seat at all? Print our free 50-state license plate game checklist — it works with a pencil.
Whichever you pick, the rules stay the same, and the game works best alongside a few other screen-free ideas — see our 15 car games for kids.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best license plate game app?
For iPhone families who play on U.S. roads, PlateSpot is the most established option, with a 4.7-star rating from more than 17,000 reviews and all 50 states, Canadian provinces and Mexican states. On Android, Plates – Family Travel Game is the well-reviewed choice. If you drive in Europe or want a separate score for each child, Convoi covers 25+ countries and adds kid profiles on one phone.
Is there a free license plate game app?
Yes. PlateSpot, Plates – Family Travel Game, Zaffles' License Plate Game and Convoi are all free to download, with optional in-app purchases. Most show ads in the free version and sell a one-time upgrade to remove them.
Is there a license plate game app for Android?
Yes. Plates – Family Travel Game is on Google Play (4.7 stars, 50,000+ downloads) and Convoi is on both Google Play and the App Store. In October 2026 we found no Google Play listing for PlateSpot or Zaffles' License Plate Game.
Do license plate game apps work without cell service?
The apps in this comparison store your checklist on the phone, so ticking off a plate works in dead zones. Convoi is explicitly built to play offline and syncs your finds once you're back in coverage.
Can several kids play on one phone?
Most apps keep one shared list per game. Convoi lets you add a profile for each child on the same phone, with their own daily score and a crown for the leader; kids' profiles stay on the device with no account or email.