# V1 Companion — user reviews > 59 indexed App Store user reviews of V1 Companion by Angela Mcarthur, rated 4.70/5 from 461 ratings. - Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/v1-companion/id1529222193/reviews - App overview in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/v1-companion/id1529222193.md - Rating breakdown: 5★ 390 · 4★ 33 · 3★ 14 · 2★ 7 · 1★ 17 ## What do users think of V1 Companion? Overall sentiment: positive **Pros** - 🎯 Effectively reduces false alerts and noise - ✨ Spot lock feature eliminates stationary radar sources - 🔧 Highly customizable settings for personal preferences - 📊 Excellent logging and real-time data tracking - 🚀 Consistent updates with new features - 👂 Dynamic volume control based on signal confidence - 💪 Transforms V1 Gen2 into a much more usable device - 🤝 Responsive developer support and feedback implementation - 🎓 Learning mode effectively trains out false positives - 📍 GPS-based frequency profiling capabilities **Cons** - 🐛 Frequent Bluetooth connectivity issues and disconnections - 📱 Portrait-only orientation limits dashboard visibility - 🎨 Poor UI/UX design with cluttered interface - 🔊 Voice announcements inaudible at high volumes - 📖 Confusing symbols and lack of explanatory documentation - 🖼️ Cartoonish appearance and unprofessional design aesthetic - 🔤 Comic Sans-like fonts detract from credibility - ⚙️ Small, hard-to-see settings buttons at bottom of screen - 🚗 Not compatible with Apple CarPlay - 🔋 Requires phone to stay powered and visible while driving **Commonly reported bugs** - Bluetooth disconnection and reconnection loops - Poor Bluetooth signal strength detection despite close proximity - Random disconnections during drives - Multiple false connection/disconnection announcements - App fails to connect with V1 Gen 1 and Bluetooth dongle - Interface elements not fitting on screen properly - V1 Gen2 front lights up despite stealth mode enabled - Vehicle speed reading 3-5 mph faster than actual odometer - Unreadable photo radar options on iPhone Pro Max - Unavoidable overwhelming prompts on startup **Most requested features** - Apple CarPlay compatibility - Landscape mode support - Speed-based volume adjustment - KA band user locks - Crowdsourced alerts database - Red light and speed camera database - Log file export functionality - Trip meter display instead of compass - Option to disable connection/disconnection announcements - Simplified frequency display (e.g., 34.7 instead of 34.700) - Ability to disable car audio lowering on alerts - Vehicle speed calibration adjustment ## Newest reviews (14 of 59) ### 4/5 — Game changer *2025-09-29, version 3.23.39* Works great. Wish there were more features but for what it is def awesome ### 4/5 — Great app *2025-09-28, version 3.23.39* Newest version has unreadable options for photo radar on the iPhone pro max. Also a CarPlay app or widget would be much appreciated! Great work keep it up. ### 4/5 — Feature request *2025-08-02* Please add an option to silence laser alerts at a designated speed. ### 5/5 — Honest Opinion *2025-03-27* 1. I truly believe that this application should be a mandated install on purchase of the V1 Gen2. In my local area, this is a game changer! 2. I feel that there should be an export function for the log file. I’d like to parse that for frequencies to modify my custom frequency profile. ### 5/5 — Must have application! *2025-01-16* The application seamlessly works with the Valentine 1 Gen 2. I never used it prior to my purchase of the Gen 2. It adds so much more to my detector. I love the ability to do user spot locks. This app is running on my phone every single time I get in my truck! It would be nice to see this support landscape format in a future release. ### 4/5 — Great app but no landscape or CarPlay *2024-12-18, version 3.20.8* App works great, however wish it supported landscape as this is how my phone best fits in my car or supported CarPlay, the latter I'd prefer ;) ### 5/5 — N,S,E,W *2024-10-26* Best app for Valentine. Don’t care a lot for the compass. would rather have the trip meter in its place to see distance away from alert. Where it’s at now is to small for me. ### 5/5 — Consistent updates keep making it better and better *2024-07-26, version 3.16.12* I can’t say enough good things about this app. The developer listens to feedback on forums and is constantly working to make it the best iOS app available for radar detector enthusiasts. I never have to worry about BSM or false alerts and can just focus on driving and paying attention to my V1G2 when there’s an actual police threat. I wish they had it for Android! ### 5/5 — Great Companion App For My V1 *2024-05-03* Ditto to all of the latest raves about this app. I've had it for less than a week and truly love it. Two concerns that I have: 1. The vehicle speed is randomly off by posting 3-5 mph faster than my odometer speed. The same happens on both of my vehicles. Is there a way to calibrate to correct? 2. Is there a setting so that my car audio is not lowered when I receive a radar alert? I'm using a iPhone 14 pro max for the app. Thank You! ### 4/5 — Almost perfect *2024-04-21* This app is awesome. The only thing preventing the v1 gen 2 from being the best detector on the market is false alerts. This fixes everything. I would just say KA band user locks would be nice - I have two falses I drive by every day. Overall worth $10 instead of buying an escort detector for $200 more than a v1g2. ### 5/5 — Constant disconnect *2024-04-14, version 3.14.11* The app tend to disconnect from V1 for t unknown reason. We need a fix ### 5/5 — V1 Companion *2024-03-10* Keeps getting better with every update. Thank you for listening. By far the best V1 app ever made. Thank you once again. ### 5/5 — V1 companion *2024-02-23, version 3.11.1* Excellent App, Thank you developer, Makes using the V1 gen 2 a breeze and adds so Much extra functionality to the V1 ### 5/5 — Works to make a quiet ride *2024-02-16* A really sensitive detector can be so annoying it’s useless. I get very few false hits and yet it warns me when there really is a problem. Not “perfect” but very useful. It’s the best by far and keeps getting better! ## Most critical reviews (10 lowest-rated) ### 1/5 — Disconnected *2026-02-13, version 3.26.5* Non stop disconnection on my V1Gen2 with iPhone 16 ### 1/5 — Bluetooth Connectivity is Reprehensible *2025-08-10, version 3.22.6* Really? My IPhone 16 pro max is less than 19 unobstructed inches away from my V2 and it indicates that the Bluetooth signal strength is poor? It continues to lose Bluetooth and reconnect throughout the drive. I’m sorry I purchased this app. There are better ones out there. ### 1/5 — Doesn’t work, and no service *2025-03-13, version 3.21.5* Won’t stay connected with Bluetooth on a brand new V1Gen2, then I tried to contact them and no response. But they got my money..figures 🙄 ### 1/5 — No Landscape Mode, worthless *2023-09-22, version 3.08.8* No landscape mode available ### 1/5 — Won’t fit *2020-11-16, version 1.09.6* Won’t fit on my screen. I cannot access controls or menu options. I was excited by Vortex Radar about this app but now I’m disappointed. ### 2/5 — Needs work-Feb 2026 review update *2026-02-16, version 3.26.5* Update 2/2026: Would LOVE the ability to set volume increases based on speed. As is, alerts can be too loud or too quiet. Really don’t know or care why Valentine 1 doesn’t buy this app and sell it as their own. This app transforms my V1G2 from unusable in city to works really good. Either way, I’m grateful to have controls and love that the app has consistently been updated. Looking forward to the increased functionality and features! ### 2/5 — Like it but *2024-09-13, version 3.17.5* Hi there Love the app BUT it keeps disconnecting from BT and sometimes reconnects but appears random. Phone is in my riding pants about 2’ from V1 gen2. Help!!!!! Starting 2k trip Sunday morning. ### 2/5 — UI Disaster *2023-09-25* I reeeally want to like this app, but the user interface is a poorly designed visual disaster, lacking any basic organization, information hierarchy, and professional design. The developer has clearly forgotten that you will be DRIVING when using this app. Instead, it seems like the intent is to impress us with how many alert and pieces of information can be thrown on the screen all at once, sometimes using plain English sentences, with bright contrasting colors. The initial splash screen – using what looks like comic sans – is your first clue that this will not be a good user experience. You’re then BOMBARDED by an unavoidable, overwhelming and infuriating wave of prompts that you CAN NOT STOP. Once you finally get past that, you’re presenting with a poorly designed UI/UX that any first year design student could dramatically improve in five minutes of casual work while drinking a cup of coffee. This app’s functionality might be amazing, but its UI and UX are just too sophomoric to even try. What a shame. **Developer response:** Howdy, Thank you for your feedback. There is a bug in the initial tool tip display that will be corrected in the next version 3.09. Thanks for reporting this. Regarding the main screen alert information, you can simply go into settings and turn ON/OFF the elements you like/dislike to customize the alert experience to your liking. They are all turned on by default, so you will know they are available. ### 2/5 — Won’t connect *2020-11-15, version 1.09.6* I have one of the latest V1 Gen 1 detectors, along with the Bluetooth dongle that works for both Android and IOS, but this app fails to connect. ### 3/5 — Amateur UX *2025-07-24, version 3.22.6* this is as scrappy as it gets folks. i’m gonna give this app as much of a chance as I can, but man, developers need to hire somebody who knows how to design a user interface. It is horrendous. sorry to be blunt, but it has to be said. ## Most praised reviews (10 highest-rated) ### 5/5 — The Best! *2026-07-13, version 3.30.2* Simply great! Always use it as soon as I’m in my automobile ### 5/5 — Car play support! *2026-07-11, version 3.30.2* Wonderful app. And car play support puts it over the top. I’d give it 6 stars if that was possible ### 5/5 — Just the best‼️ *2026-06-08, version 3.28.9* Best app for Valentine 1. Keeps getting better with every new update. Kudos‼️ ### 5/5 — Great App for the V1 Gen2 *2026-05-30, version 3.26.5* I have been using radar detectors for over 40 years, and a Valentine One since introduction in 1992/1993. V1 Companion unlocks the full potential of the V1 Gen2. This is an excellent and easy to use App. I highly recommend V1 Companion !! ### 5/5 — Second app from this developer *2026-05-24* I previously had the R8 Companion app and loved it. So when I changed radar detectors, I of course purchased the new companion app. The ability to spot lock alerts and have voice notifications for alerts, is great. I would like to thank the developer for taking the time to create some great user friendly apps. **Developer response:** Thanks for your support and kind words! A new free update will be available the first week of June that will have a bunch of new features including full navigation (in preparation for CarPlay support) and an alternate new alert screen presentation that also supports landscape mode amongst many other new features. ### 5/5 — The best experience, full stop *2026-03-10* Once you've used this app, you will actually like your V1. After a couple weeks of learning mode detecting false positives, it only makes noise when there is an actual threat source. ### 5/5 — Excellent! CarPlay??? *2025-12-23* I have been using V1 Companion for a few weeks now and I think it’s great! What could make it greater though? The only thing that I would suggest is possibly making it CarPlay compatible so that my phone doesn’t have to be on the whole entire time. But great job! **Developer response:** Thanks for your support and review. CarPlay is on the list, but will require Apple to loosen their strict CarPlay requirements. Basically you have to implant a navigation app to qualify. We want this as much as anyone, so we will keep pushing for it. -Mark ### 5/5 — V1G2 must have! *2025-09-25, version 3.23.39* This application was great before, but with the new software release (release date 9/25/25) it is incredible! I sure coincidence, I updated the app while in Santa Monica, California departing to the Santa Ynez Valley. The features work like they did before, but there’s an addition of a bar near the top of the screen that shows the confidence percentage of signals detected. Every time I got an X or K band, it displayed a confidence level of zero. But as soon as I got a Ka signal, I checked the screen and it said 100% confidence. Sure enough, about 3/4 of a mile in front of me was a highway patrol unit on the side of the road running radar. This occurred multiple times over the course of my hour drive. It would be nice to have the app work in landscape format as well, but other than that one small complaint, this gets a strong 5/5. If you have a V1 G2, you need this app!. ### 5/5 — Almost there! *2025-05-23* A great app that adds a ton of functionality to the V1 Gen 2. The logging and real time data are fantastic. The ONLY thing it needs is porting to car play so my phone can sit tucked out of the way. Any way we can get this added? ### 5/5 — Stealh mode not stealthy *2025-03-29, version 3.21.5* Whenever you get an alert the front of my V1g2 lights up. --- *Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-08-26.*