ConTess vs TeslaMate: data ownership without the server
Last checked: 9 October 2026
In short: ConTess gives TeslaMate's data ownership without Docker, PostgreSQL or a server, and it controls the car too. It costs €24.99 once. TeslaMate is free and logs 24/7 if you already run an always-on server.
TeslaMate is one of the best things in the Tesla world: free, open source, and your data never leaves your house. Its Grafana dashboards are superb. The price is not money but maintenance: it needs an always-on machine running Docker, PostgreSQL and Grafana, plus the updates, backups and occasional breakage that come with them.
ConTess keeps the part people love, your data on your own machine, and drops the server. It is a Mac app.
| ConTess | TeslaMate | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | €24.99 once (one Mac), €39.99 for three | Free and open source |
| What you run | A Mac app | Docker, PostgreSQL and Grafana on an always-on server |
| Where your data lives | A local file on your Mac, exportable to CSV | Your own database |
| Controls the car | Yes: climate, locks, frunk and trunk, windows, charge port, Sentry, HomeLink and more | No, it is a logger |
| Menu bar | Yes | No (browser dashboards) |
| Logging | While the Mac is awake, never wakes the car, gaps reported | 24/7 while the server runs |
| Costs and battery health | Your tariff with day and night rates, phantom drain, degradation over time | Yes, in Grafana |
| Wall Connector | Live telemetry over your home network | No |
Stay with TeslaMate if
- you already run a home server and enjoy it;
- you need every minute logged, including while your computers are off;
- you want to query the raw data with SQL and build your own dashboards.
Choose ConTess if
- you want TeslaMate's privacy without being a sysadmin;
- you want to control the car from your Mac, not only read history;
- you want running costs priced at your actual tariff and Wall Connector data, out of the box.
ConTess runs on your own free Tesla developer app, so no company sits between your Mac and the car apart from Tesla. Setup takes about ten minutes once; the setup guide covers it. ConTess needs macOS 14 or later on Apple silicon.
Questions
Is there a TeslaMate alternative without Docker?
Yes. ConTess is a native Mac app that keeps your Tesla data on your own machine like TeslaMate does, but needs no Docker, database or server. It is a one-time purchase.
Can ConTess control the car, unlike TeslaMate?
Yes. TeslaMate is a data logger. ConTess logs trips and charges and also sends commands: climate, locks, frunk and trunk, windows, charge port, Sentry Mode and more.
Does ConTess log 24/7 like TeslaMate?
No. ConTess logs while your Mac is awake, without waking the car, and reports any gap honestly. A TeslaMate server that is always on logs continuously.
Prices and availability of other apps were checked on 9 October 2026 and can change; check each vendor's own site before you buy. Spotted something out of date? Email support@contess.app and we will fix it.
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