Tessie and TeslaMate solve the same problem in opposite ways. Tessie is a beautifully polished mobile app you pay a premium for. TeslaMate is the open-source data logger with unlimited Grafana dashboards — and MyTeslaMate is that same TeslaMate, hosted for you. Here’s an honest comparison.
Quick comparison table
| TeslaMate (self-hosted) | MyTeslaMate | Tessie | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hosting | Self-hosted | Cloud (EU) | Cloud |
| Setup | Technical | None | None |
| Price | Free + your hosting | €4.99/mo (€3.75 billed yearly) | $6.99–$19.99/mo per vehicle |
| Open source | Yes | Built on TeslaMate | No |
| Dashboards | Grafana | Grafana | Built-in app |
| Native mobile app | No | No (responsive web) | Yes — iOS, Android, Apple Watch |
| Siri / widgets | No | No | Yes |
| Tesla Fleet API proxy | Manual | Included, free | No |
| Home Assistant integration | Manual | Free proxy included | No |
| AI / LLM chat assistant | No | Yes | No |
| Sentry break-in alerts | No | Yes (even when Sentry is off) | No |
| Data export / ownership | Full | Full (downloadable backups) | Limited |
1. Platform type
- TeslaMate — an open-source platform you self-host: extensive customization, but you manage the server.
- MyTeslaMate — a cloud-hosted TeslaMate, same power, no maintenance.
- Tessie — a mobile-first app built around a polished, convenient user experience.
2. Setup & ease of use
Both Tessie and MyTeslaMate are turnkey — connect your Tesla and you’re done. Self-hosted TeslaMate needs a server, database and upkeep.
3. Features & dashboards
TeslaMate/MyTeslaMate use Grafana for deep, customizable analytics (drives, charging, efficiency, battery health). Tessie’s strength is a native mobile experience — an excellent iPhone/Android app, Apple Watch support, Siri Shortcuts and home-screen widgets.
MyTeslaMate brings several things Tessie doesn’t:
- A free Tesla Fleet API proxy for commands, automations and Home Assistant.
- An AI chat assistant to command and query your Tesla in plain language (no LLM subscription).
- Sentry Guard break-in alerts on Telegram — you’re pinged even when Tesla’s Sentry Mode is turned off to save battery.
- Open-source foundations (TeslaMate) and full data ownership.
4. Cost
- TeslaMate — free to run, plus hosting and your time.
- MyTeslaMate — €4.99/month per vehicle, or €3.75/month billed yearly, 14-day free trial. Fleet API included.
- Tessie — $6.99 to $19.99/month per vehicle depending on the plan; the tier comparable to MyTeslaMate (full features) is $19.99/month. (Check current rates on tessie.app.)
5. Data privacy & ownership
MyTeslaMate is open-source at its core and lets you download full backups whenever you want. Tessie stores your data on its servers with more limited export.
When Tessie is the better choice
Tessie is genuinely excellent at what it does. Choose it if:
- You want the best native mobile app — iPhone, Android, Apple Watch, widgets and Siri Shortcuts.
- You value a single, refined interface over Grafana’s flexibility.
- Mobile-first control and notifications matter more to you than open-source dashboards.
When MyTeslaMate is the better choice
- You want TeslaMate’s Grafana dashboards and open-source transparency, without self-hosting.
- You want full data ownership with downloadable backups.
- You need a free Tesla Fleet API proxy and Home Assistant integration.
- You want the AI chat assistant and Sentry Guard break-in alerts (even when Sentry Mode is off).
- You’re tracking multiple vehicles and want much lower pricing (€3.75 vs $19.99 for the comparable tier).
How to migrate from Tessie to MyTeslaMate
TeslaMate’s data model is richer than a Tessie export, and we make the switch easy:
- Export your data from Tessie.
- Convert it with our free tool: make a Tessie export compatible with the TeslaMate import here.
- Start your MyTeslaMate trial and send us the file via chat — we’ll import your history.
Conclusion
Tessie wins on native mobile experience. Self-hosted TeslaMate wins on control for the technically inclined. MyTeslaMate gives you TeslaMate’s dashboards, full data ownership and a free Fleet API — hosted for you — which makes it the best value for most Tesla owners and fleets.