VI Mobile ID vs Merv
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
VI Mobile ID
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Vanderbilt’s range of Bluetooth Readers is a secure & flexible identification solution bringing the access credential onto your smartphone. For more information on how to use the app or how to set-up a Bluetooth credential, please visit our website at https://www.vanderbiltindustries.com/bluetooth-card-readers. VI Mobile ID is a mobile access control solution. This app uses your smartphone’s Bluetooth® Smart technology as an alternative to keys and contactless access credentials. It connects and transmits data to compatible Bluetooth card readers to unlock doors. VI Mobil ID offers multiple ways of identification for easy access control: Show to Go: In this mode, the smart phone will simulate a traditional proximity card and need to be hold close to the reader. Shake to Go: When you shake the smart phone, it triggers a connection to the Bluetooth reader. The door will be unlocked if the user has been authorized successfully. Manual Button: You can unlock a door by tapping the button on your smart phone app. Hands-free: In this mode, you can unlock the door by passing infront of the reader without having to present the smart phone. Other functions: - Background mode to allow user to unlock the door without unlocking the smart phone - Direct mode to allow automatic unlocking when user is walking towards the door - Password protection for sensitivity and RSSI value setting - Real time Bluetooth signal strength and display searched reader's name The app will only be useful to you once your organization has been set up with compatible readers and your security administrator can issue Mobil IDs. If you would like to start using VI Mobile ID in your organization and require further information on how to set-up a Bluetooth credential on your phone, please visit our website at https://www.vanderbiltindustries.com/bluetooth-card-readers.
Merv
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Know where you're exposed — and what to do about it. Merv turns everything — your accounts, devices, apps, and online footprint — into one clear score you can actually understand. BUILT FOR APPLE INTELLIGENCE Merv runs its intelligence on your device, so it's designed for iPhones with Apple Intelligence (iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 or later). WHAT MERV DOES See your exposure — find out where your accounts show up in known breaches Map your digital life — your accounts, services, and devices in one place Get your score — see exactly where you stand across five areas of your security Build from there — short, guided steps that move your score and teach as you go YOUR DATA NEVER LEAVES YOUR iPHONE Merv runs entirely on your device. We don't keep a server full of your secrets — because we never collect them. Checks happen locally; only anonymous threat lists come down to your phone. Nothing personal ever goes up. That's not a promise — it's how Merv is built. CLARITY, NOT ALARM Merv shows you where you stand and helps you get safer — with clear explanations, not scare tactics. Understand your exposures, fix what matters, and stay independent online. WHY PEOPLE TRUST MERV "Data Not Collected" — check our App Store privacy label Common Sense Privacy Seal Built on established national cybersecurity (NIST) standards FROM PERSONAL TO HOUSEHOLD Today, Merv gives you your personal score. Through 2026 we're adding partners, teens, and elders — so your whole household can see its exposures and get safer, together. Smart, focused, and yours alone — start with your profile today. EULA: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is in-app purchases: VI Mobile ID at none against Merv's 2. VI Mobile ID also leads on iOS requirement (15.6 vs 26.5). Merv's advantage is update cadence (fortnightly vs every 4 months). On price, ads and device support 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
Both are free to download. Merv sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month. VI Mobile ID asks for nothing beyond the download.
VI Mobile ID ships an update every 4 months, Merv fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on October 7, 2026 and October 25, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | VI Mobile ID | Merv |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Update frequency | Every 4 months | Fortnightly — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 — better | 26.5 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 3 MB | 103 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | Vanderbilt, LLC | Protective IQ Limited |
In-app purchases
VI Mobile ID
No in-app purchases
Merv
- All Access (1 Month)$9.991 Month
- All Access (1 Year)7 Days trial$99.991 Year
Questions
Is VI Mobile ID free?
Is Merv free?
Do VI Mobile ID or Merv have ads?
Which is updated more often, VI Mobile ID or Merv?
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