How can we help?
Answers to what people actually ask. If yours is not here, write to beta@dents.co and a person answers.
Devices
Which iPhones work?
iPhone 12 Pro and Pro Max, and every Pro model since. iPad Pro models with a LiDAR scanner work as well. The app needs iOS 17 or later.
Why not the regular iPhone?
Only the Pro models carry the LiDAR scanner, and that sensor is what measures depth. A standard iPhone camera produces a photo, and a photo has no depth in it to read. There is nothing we can do in software to make up the difference.
Does it work without a signal?
Yes. Scanning, measuring, pricing and PDF export all run on the device. The only part that needs a connection is decoding a VIN, which looks the vehicle up with NHTSA. You can always type the vehicle details in by hand.
Getting a good scan
How far from the panel should I stand?
Between 20 and 45 centimetres. The reticle turns green when you are in that range and the distance readout tells you where you are. Closer than 20 and the sensor loses the panel; further than 45 and the depth data thins out.
Why does it say hold steady?
The shutter captures roughly eight tenths of a second of LiDAR frames and averages them to cancel noise. Moving during that burst is the single most common cause of a soft measurement.
What does the confidence rating actually mean?
Good, Fair or Low, built from your shot distance, the angle you held the phone at, how much LiDAR coverage the dent got, and how noisy the frames were. Tap it and the app names which of those let you down. A Low rating is the app telling you not to trust that number, which is a feature rather than a failure.
Will a body line or a curve read as damage?
No. The app reconstructs what the undamaged panel surface would have been across curves and character lines, then measures the dent against that. Curvature and body lines measure as zero, so only the damage counts.
The number looks wrong to me.
Re-shoot it square to the panel at about 30 centimetres and compare. If it is still wrong, send it. During the beta, shake the phone to open a report, or export the diagnostic scan from the dent detail screen. That scan is what lets us reproduce the miss.
Repair orders and estimates
How do I start a job?
Add a repair order from the home screen, then scan the VIN with the camera. The year, make and model decode automatically. Add dents to the order one at a time, picking the panel each one sits on.
How do I send an estimate?
Share estimate from the repair order. The PDF carries the vehicle, a per-panel breakdown, each dent with its photo and depth heatmap, the measurement table and the totals.
Can I put my shop on it?
Yes, on Pro. Your shop name, phone number and estimator go in Settings and print on every estimate. On the free tier the PDF carries a generic Dents.co header and a watermark instead.
The VIN will not decode.
The lookup needs a connection. Without one, or if the plate is damaged, type the vehicle in by hand. Nothing else in the app depends on the decode.
Pricing and your rates
How is the price worked out?
Labor hours come from the dent size through hours = (a·x)^b, with multipliers for a dent on a body line and for aluminum panels. Hours times your labor rate gives the price. It is a formula you can see and change, not a black box.
Can I use my own numbers?
That is the intent. Your labor rate and the coefficients both live in Settings. Set them to match what you actually charge and every estimate follows from there.
What if I disagree with the curve?
Tell us during the beta. Tuning the default curve against what experienced estimators actually bill is one of the main things we are trying to learn, and you are the person who can grade it.
Subscription and billing
What does the free tier include?
Five dent scans a month, one repair order, and estimate PDFs with a generic header and watermark. Measurement itself is never limited or degraded.
What does Pro cost?
$29.99 a month or $299 a year. It unlocks unlimited scans and repair orders, your own shop identity on every estimate, and iCloud sync. During the TestFlight beta all of it is on for free.
How do I cancel?
In your Apple Account subscription settings, not in the app. Apple sells the subscription, so cancellation and refunds go through them. Cancelling stops the renewal and Pro stays on until the period you paid for ends.
Do I lose anything when Pro ends?
No. Your dents and repair orders stay exactly where they are. The free tier limits come back for new work, and new estimate PDFs carry the generic header again.
Sync, backup and data
Where do my scans live?
On your phone. There is no account to create. In the background the app also sends a backup copy of your scans, measurements and repair orders to us, with customer names removed, which we use only to improve the app. Your rates and other settings stay on your phone. The Privacy Notice has the details.
What does sync do?
Pro can sync across your own devices through CloudKit. The data goes into the private database of your iCloud account, which means Apple stores it for you and we have no access to it. It is off until you turn it on.
How do I back things up?
Turn on sync, or export the estimate PDF for any job you need to keep. Deleting the app removes everything it stored locally, so export first.
Who sees my data if I send a report?
We do, and only what you attached. A diagnostic export carries the depth data and photo for that one scan. If a vehicle is sensitive, do not send it.
The TestFlight beta
I asked for access. What happens now?
Invitations go out in small batches. The mail comes from Apple rather than from us, so watch for that, and accept it on the iPhone you actually use in the shop.
The build stopped working.
TestFlight builds expire ninety days after upload, which is a rule from Apple rather than from us. Open TestFlight and install the current build.
How do I report a problem?
Shake the phone inside the app. The report goes straight to the people writing the code. For a measurement that looks wrong, attach the diagnostic scan so we can reproduce it.
Can I add a coworker?
Write to beta@dents.co. Do not pass your own invitation on, since TestFlight ties it to your address.
What happens to my work at launch?
Your dents, repair orders and rate settings carry over to the released app. Nothing is wiped. Read the beta terms for the rest.