FreeCAN Studio Open App

A free CANalyzer alternative for log analysis

If you need to read CAN logs, decode them with a DBC and plot signals, FreeCAN Studio does that in a browser tab, for free. It opens Vector BLF and ASC logs, MF4 bus logging files, PEAK TRC traces, CSV exports and candump logs.

Free. No account.

Open a log file

Opens FreeCAN Studio. Then choose Open Log… or drop the log file on the window.

Files are processed on your computer and never uploaded.

How to analyse a CAN log in FreeCAN Studio

  1. Open the app

    Go to app.freecanstudio.com in a desktop browser. There is nothing to install and no account to create.

  2. Open the log

    Click Open Log… and choose a BLF, ASC or other log, or drop it anywhere on the window. It is read on your computer, and the format is recognized from the file.

  3. Decode and explore

    Click Open DBC… to add the database for your bus. See every ID in Overview, read frames in Trace and plot signals in Plot.

What it does, and what it doesn’t

FreeCAN Studio works on recorded logs. Here is where it fits.

  • It does

    Open BLF, ASC, MF4, TRC, CSV and candump logs. Decode them with one or more DBC files, including J1939 by PGN. Plot signals with cursors. Show bit activity to reverse-engineer unknown messages. Edit and export DBC files. All of it on your computer, in a browser tab.

  • It doesn’t

    Connect to CAN hardware, so there is no live capture, transmit or replay. It has no scripting, and it reads CAN only, not LIN, FlexRay or Ethernet. A paid desktop app, FreeCAN Studio Pro, is planned for live capture and replay; it is not available yet.

Questions

Can FreeCAN Studio replace CANalyzer?

For reading and decoding recorded logs, it may be all you need. It does not connect to CAN interfaces, so it cannot capture, transmit or replay traffic, and it has no scripting. If you need those, use a tool that connects to your hardware.

Which files from my existing setup can I open?

BLF and ASC logs and DBC databases, as well as MF4, PEAK TRC, CSV and candump logs. FreeCAN Studio reads the CAN frames in a log; LIN, FlexRay and Ethernet traffic is skipped. Other file types, such as tool configurations, are not read.

Is FreeCAN Studio made by Vector?

No. FreeCAN Studio is independent, and is not affiliated with, sponsored by or endorsed by Vector Informatik GmbH.

Are my logs uploaded?

No. FreeCAN Studio runs in your browser: a Rust core compiled to WebAssembly reads the file on your computer. The app loads nothing from third parties, and its Content-Security-Policy makes your browser enforce that. How to check it.

Which browsers does it run in?

Current desktop versions of Chrome, Edge, Firefox and Safari. Phones and tablets are not supported.

Is it free?

Yes. FreeCAN Studio is free and needs no account. FreeCAN Studio Pro, a paid desktop app, is planned separately.

More guides

Want to look around first? The demo opens a 1,000,000-frame log with its DBC.

Try the Demo