Comparison

Open Lap vs Smartrace for Scalextric ARC

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Open Lap

Manage your slot car races with this app, offering practice, qualifying, and race modes. Customize car settings, track intermediate times, and receive voice alerts for events like low fuel. Supports Carrera DIGITAL 124/132 systems.

Highlights
  • Race management modes (practice, qualifying, race)
  • Individual car settings (speed, brake, fuel)
  • Intermediate/sector time tracking
  • Personalized voice alerts
  • Pace car and yellow flag control
  • Bluetooth connectivity via Carrera AppConnect
Features
Read full description

Open Lap is a simple, no-nonsense slot car race management app for Carrera® DIGITAL 124/132 systems. In a nutshell, Open Lap lets you - connect your mobile device via Bluetooth using Carrera AppConnect®, or a suitable serial to USB On-The-Go adapter cable. - take it easy during free practice, go for fastest lap in qualifying, or compete in lap or time based race sessions. - get informed about important events, such as fastest laps or low fuel conditions, by personalized voice messages. - adjust vehicle speed, brake force and fuel tank size for each car individually. - measure up to three intermediate or sector times (S1, S2, S3) using Carrera® Check Lane or compatible equipment. - send out the pace car in case of emergency, or temporarily disable lap counting during a "yellow flag" phase. Some features, such as the start light and pace car buttons, will require Carrera® Control Unit firmware version 3.31 or higher. Carrera® Check Lane support generally requires at least firmware version 3.36.

About

Smartrace for Scalextric ARC

Enhance your Scalextric ARC racing experience with detailed race data, driver and car management, and realistic ambient sounds. Track personal records, share results, and enjoy features like weather changes, penalties, and fuel management.

Highlights
  • Detailed racing screen with driver/car data
  • Driver, car, and track database with records
  • Extensive statistical data collection
  • Speech output for race events
  • Ambient sounds and weather changes
  • Fuel management and car setup
  • Subscription for add-ons
Features
Read full description

Bring the racing action directly to your living room with the SmartRace Race App for Scalextric ARC! Just turn on your ARC One, ARC Air or ARC Pro track and start SmartRace on your tablet or smartphone. SmartRace is an alternative to the official Hornby/Scalextric app and the Magic ARC app. SmartRace features: * Clear racing screen with all the important data for all drivers and cars. * Database for drivers, cars and tracks with photos and tracking of personal records. * Gathering of extensive statistical data with all driven laps, leader changes and pitstops in races and qualifyings. * Sharing, sending, saving and printing of results (depends on third party apps). * Speech output with the driver's name for important events. * Ambient sounds to make the driving experience even more intensive and realistic. * Weather Changes * Penalties * Damages * Fuel feature with exact display of the current amount left in the fuel tank. * Straightforward setup for cars using sliders. * Straightforward assignment for drivers and cars to controllers * Assignment of individual colors to each controller for easy distinction. * Many configuration options for all segments of the app. * Fast and free support for all questions and issues. If you have any questions, are experiencing issues or have new ideas, please get in touch via info@smartrace-arc.com. ——— In-App Purchases and Subscriptions ——— You may want to subscribe to the SmartRace Champions Club to get immediate access to all available add-ons, available as a subscription from within the app. - 1 month costs €2.99 - 1 year costs €29.99 Should you choose to subscribe to the SmartRace Champions Club, the purchase will be charged to your iTunes account. The subscription will be auto-renewed 24 hours prior to it running out and you can manage it from User Settings in iTunes after purchasing it, and you'll also be able to cancel the auto-renewing subscription from there. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy Policy: https://www.smartrace.de/tos

Screenshots

Open Lap1 screens
Smartrace for Scalextric ARC4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Open Lap at none against Smartrace for Scalextric ARC's 4. Open Lap also leads on iOS requirement (11.0 vs 13.0). Smartrace for Scalextric ARC's advantage is update cadence (fortnightly vs every 13 months). On price, rating, review sentiment and ratings volume there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Smartrace for Scalextric ARC sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. Open Lap asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for Open Lap against 5.0 for Smartrace for Scalextric ARC. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 4 and 2 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 100% of Open Lap's written reviews are positive against 92% of Smartrace for Scalextric ARC's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Open Lap ships an update every 13 months, Smartrace for Scalextric ARC fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on June 1, 2026 and September 21, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
Open Lap versus Smartrace for Scalextric ARC: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterOpen LapSmartrace for Scalextric ARC
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (4 ratings)5.0 (2 ratings)
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews — better92.3% of reviews
Number of ratings4 — better2
Update frequencyEvery 13 monthsFortnightly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree — betterFreemium
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS11.0 — better13.0
Further details — not scored
Size23 MB64 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperPhilipp AnnéMarc Bonsels

Customer experience

Open Lap

All ratings4 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews2 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Smartrace for Scalextric ARC

All ratings2 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews13 reviews
Positive92.3%
Neutral0.0%
Negative7.7%

In-app purchases

None

Open Lap

No in-app purchases

4 purchases

Smartrace for Scalextric ARC

Subscriptions4
  • Monthly7 Days trial$2.991 Month
  • Yearly7 Days trial$24.991 Year
  • Commercial Use$34.991 Month
Show 1 more
  • Commercial Use$199.991 Year

Questions

Is Open Lap free?
Open Lap is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Smartrace for Scalextric ARC free?
Smartrace for Scalextric ARC is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Open Lap or Smartrace for Scalextric ARC?
Open Lap and Smartrace for Scalextric ARC are both rated 5.0 out of 5 on the App Store, from 4 and 2 ratings respectively.
Do Open Lap or Smartrace for Scalextric ARC have ads?
Neither Open Lap nor Smartrace for Scalextric ARC shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Open Lap or Smartrace for Scalextric ARC?
Open Lap ships an update every 13 months, and Smartrace for Scalextric ARC fortnightly. Most recently, Open Lap was updated on June 1, 2026 and Smartrace for Scalextric ARC on September 21, 2026.

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