Guide
Vessla vs the Tesla app
Vessla doesn't replace the official Tesla app — it sits alongside it. The Tesla app is the complete tool for everything about your car; Vessla is a fast, hands-free voice layer over the handful of things you do every day, like locking up, warming the cabin, or checking your charge. Both talk to your car through Tesla's official, authorised interface, so using Vessla changes nothing about the official app.
What's the difference?
The official Tesla app is a full dashboard: it shows detailed status, handles settings, scheduling, software updates and service, and covers every feature of the car. Vessla is intentionally narrow — it optimises the everyday actions and makes them a single spoken sentence, so you don't unlock your phone and hunt for a screen for the things you do several times a day.
How they compare at a glance
| Aspect | Official Tesla app | Vessla |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | Full control, monitoring, settings and service — everything about the car. | The handful of things you do most, done fast and hands-free. |
| How you interact | Unlock your phone, open the app, find the right screen, tap. | Press the mic and say it — or type in the field beneath. |
| Hands-free | No — it's a tap-through interface. | Yes — press-and-hold or tap-to-latch, with a spoken reply. |
| Languages | Localised app interface. | Voice in 12 languages; it replies in yours. Typing in any language. |
| Setup | Comes with the car. | One ~2-minute sign-in through Tesla's official consent screen. |
| How it reaches your car | Tesla's official app and services. | Tesla's official, signed Fleet API — the same authorised channel. |
| Cost | Free. | $9.99/mo or $99.99/yr, after a 7-day free trial. |
Which is faster for everyday actions?
For the everyday handful — lock, climate, charge, navigate, find-my-car — Vessla is usually quicker, because it removes the steps before the action: no unlocking the phone, no opening an app, no finding the right control. You press once and speak. For anything deeper — configuring the car, reading detailed status, booking service — the official app is the right tool.
Do I still need the Tesla app?
Yes. Keep the official Tesla app — it's how you set the car up and reach everything Vessla deliberately leaves out. Vessla is an addition for the moments when speaking is faster than tapping, not a replacement for Tesla's own software.
Is Vessla just the Tesla app with voice?
No. Vessla is an independent app from Ehsanti AB, not affiliated with Tesla. It uses the same official, signed Fleet API that Tesla publishes for approved third-party apps, but it's built around one idea — press, speak, done — rather than mirroring the official app. Your speech is transcribed on your device, and it never sees your Tesla password.
New here? See how to set up voice control for your Tesla or the full list of Tesla voice commands. Vessla is independent and not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Tesla, Inc.