# Elari SmartDrive vs U8

The clearest difference is rating: U8 at 4.1 against Elari SmartDrive's 2.3. U8 also leads on review sentiment (64% vs 33%). Elari SmartDrive's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1) and ads (none vs shown). On price, ratings volume, update cadence and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. U8 sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Elari SmartDrive asks for nothing beyond the download.

U8 holds the better App Store score, 4.1 against 2.3. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 4 and 10 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 33% of Elari SmartDrive's written reviews are positive against 64% of U8's.

Elari SmartDrive ships an update every 2 months, U8 every 6 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 5, 2026 and October 10, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Elari SmartDrive | U8 |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [2.3 (4 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/elari-smartdrive/id1091480629/reviews) | **[4.1 (10 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/u8-disk/id1554732742/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 4 | **10** |
| Positive reviews | 33.3% of reviews | **64.3% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Every 6 weeks** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 22 MB | 26 MB |
| Requires iOS | **8.0** | 12.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Shenzhen Feitianxia Technology Co, Ltd.](https://appshunter.io/developer/536103551) | [ErxiangHeyi Information](https://appshunter.io/developer/1735695526) |

## What reviewers say

### Elari SmartDrive

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/elari-smartdrive/id1091480629)

Manage files on a dual-connector USB drive. Transfer data between your iOS device and computer, back up photos and contacts, and play media directly from the drive.

**Highlights:** Browse files on USB drive, Browse files within the app, Transfer files between devices, Backup photos and contacts, Independent music playback, Independent movie playback

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### U8

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/u8-disk/id1554732742)

Transfer and back up any file wirelessly between your mobile devices and computers without using mobile data. Experience ultra-fast speeds for seamless file management and sharing across different platforms.

**Highlights:** Zero-flow wireless file transfer, Ultra-fast transmission speeds (up to 30MB/s), File backup and management, Cross-platform compatibility, Supports various file formats

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| LifeTime | $3.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Elari SmartDrive free?

Elari SmartDrive is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is U8 free?

U8 is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Elari SmartDrive or U8?

U8 is rated higher. Elari SmartDrive averages 2.3 out of 5 from 4 ratings, while U8 averages 4.1 from 10 ratings.

### Do Elari SmartDrive or U8 have ads?

U8 shows ads; Elari SmartDrive does not.

### Which is updated more often, Elari SmartDrive or U8?

Elari SmartDrive ships an update every 2 months, and U8 every 6 weeks. Most recently, Elari SmartDrive was updated on October 5, 2026 and U8 on October 10, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*