PlugShare vs ChargePoint: Which Electric Car Charging App Do You Need?

What Does Each App Actually Do?

PlugShare is a charger finder. ChargePoint is a charging network. This is the most important distinction, and it is the reason comparing them side by side is misleading.

Think of it this way: PlugShare is like Google Maps for chargers. ChargePoint is like a gas station chain with its own payment app. One helps you find. The other lets you fuel up.

How Does Station Coverage Compare?

PlugShare shows far more stations because it aggregates every network. With 800,000+ stations listed worldwide, PlugShare covers ChargePoint, Electrify America, EVgo, Tesla Superchargers, Blink, and hundreds of smaller networks and private chargers. It even lists home chargers that owners have shared publicly.

ChargePoint's app shows its own network plus roaming partners. In North America, ChargePoint has tens of thousands of stations, making it the largest Level 2 network. But the app will not show you an Electrify America or Tesla Supercharger station unless those networks have a roaming agreement with ChargePoint.

If you want to see everything available near you, PlugShare gives you the complete picture. If you only charge on ChargePoint stations, the ChargePoint app shows you exactly what you need with real-time availability for its own hardware.

Can You Start a Charge with Each App?

ChargePoint lets you start, stop, and pay for charging sessions. PlugShare does not. This is probably the biggest practical difference between them.

With ChargePoint, you walk up to a station, open the app, tap "Start Charging," and the charger activates. You can also use a ChargePoint RFID card or tap your phone via NFC. The app shows you real-time charging speed, energy delivered, cost so far, and lets you stop the session remotely. If you are at a shared workplace charger, ChargePoint's Waitlist feature even notifies you when a spot opens up.

PlugShare points you to the charger and tells you what other drivers experienced there. But when you arrive, you still need the network operator's own app (or a contactless card) to actually start charging. PlugShare is the research tool. The network app is the transaction tool.

Which App Has Better Community Features?

PlugShare wins on community by a wide margin. Its entire value comes from drivers sharing real-world information about charging stations.

• → Check-ins. Drivers report when they successfully charged (or failed to), creating a real-time reliability picture for each station.
• → Photos. User-uploaded images show you what the station actually looks like, where to park, and whether the cables reach your port.
• → Reviews and tips. Drivers leave notes like "second charger from the left is broken" or "park nose-in, the cable is short." This is information no official app provides.
• → PlugScore. A station reliability rating (1-10) based on community activity and check-in success rates.

ChargePoint has basic station ratings, but the community element is minimal compared to PlugShare. ChargePoint's strength is that it knows the real-time status of its own hardware directly, without relying on user reports.

Which App Is Better for Trip Planning?

Both have trip planners, but neither is the best option for road trip route planning. PlugShare and ChargePoint both let you enter a destination and see chargers along your route. That is useful, but limited.

PlugShare's trip planner shows all available chargers regardless of network. You can filter by connector type and minimum power level. ChargePoint's route planner focuses on its own stations and roaming partners along your path.

The problem with both: neither factors in your specific car's battery capacity, current charge level, energy consumption at highway speed, or weather conditions. For proper route optimization, A Better Route Planner (ABRP) is the tool most drivers rely on. ABRP calculates exactly where you need to stop, how long to charge at each stop, and what your battery level will be throughout the trip. Use PlugShare alongside ABRP to verify station reliability before committing to a charging stop. Read more in our guide to using PlugShare for road trips.

What About Home Charging?

ChargePoint sells and controls home chargers. PlugShare has no home charging features.

ChargePoint's home charger line (ChargePoint Home Flex) connects to the ChargePoint app, letting you schedule charging sessions, track energy usage, and set reminders. If your electricity rate varies by time of day, you can program the charger to run only during off-peak hours. The app gives you a complete history of home and public charging in one place.

PlugShare does not sell hardware or manage home charging. Some PlugShare users list their home chargers as publicly available for other drivers, which is a nice community feature. But it is not a home charging management tool.

The Verdict: Which App Do You Need?

You probably need both, because they solve different problems.

The real answer is that no single app does everything. PlugShare is the best tool for finding and verifying chargers. ChargePoint is the best tool for using ChargePoint chargers. And for route optimization, ABRP fills the gap neither of them covers. Three apps, three different jobs. That is the reality of EV charging in 2026.

Frequently Asked Questions

EVcourse is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by PlugShare, ChargePoint, or any of the charging networks, apps, or companies mentioned on this page. All trademarks and brand names belong to their respective owners. App features, station coverage, and pricing change frequently. Always verify current information with the respective app or network directly.