Comparison

xDelete vs R8 Companion

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

Head to head
About

xDelete

Configure your car's xDrive system to switch between AWD, AWD Sport, and RWD modes instantly. Customize power distribution with an easy slider and set individual presets for different driving modes. This app allows for on-the-fly adjustments without triggering fault codes or requiring additional hardware.

Highlights
  • Switch between AWD, AWD Sport, and RWD
  • Instant mode switching while driving
  • Customizable power distribution slider
  • Individual presets for DSC modes
  • Real-time data and current AWD mode display
  • Compatible with BMW E, F, and G-Series (MY 2004-2021)
Features
Read full description

xDelete will enable you to switch between AWD, AWD Sport and RWD in your xDrive equipped car! Or go custom and change the power distribution with an easy slider! With xDelete Live, you can now switch your xDrive mode instantly while driving! Flash once and then switch between 4WD, 2WD and 4WD Sport on the fly — directly from your smartphone or with a simple in-car gesture. You can even choose individual presets for every DSC mode (ON, OFF and Traction) and view real-time data and your current AWD mode directly in xDelete. xDelete Live is currently available for BMW E and F-Series, with support for G-Series in development. xDelete supports most BMW from MY 2004 up to MY 2021! (E, F and G-Series BMW) Please go to https://www.xautomotive.com/pages/supported-cars for details! Facts: * Smartphone/Tablet App to configure your xDrive-System * Switch between 4WD, 2WD and 4WD Sport * xDelete Live: Switch modes instantly while driving * Individual xDrive presets for every DSC mode * 100% safe for your car * Not detectable by the dealer * No additional hardware to install * No fault codes triggered * Steering Assist, ABS & DSC stay fully functional * You can leave your car in RWD mode forever, or change between AWD and RWD whenever you like * You can manage unlimited vehicles on one device (Licenses are per vehicle) More Information on our website: https://www.xautomotive.com/products/xdelete

About

R8 Companion

Enhance your radar detector experience with intelligent alerts, advanced muting, and location-based false silencing. This app optimizes your detector's performance and provides detailed real-time information for a safer drive.

Highlights
  • Location-based false silencing (SpotLocks)
  • Intelligent voice announcements
  • Customizable heads-up display (HUD)
  • Proximity meter for signal source
  • Advanced false muting for K & X bands
  • Remote detector settings adjustment
  • Customizable audio announcements
Read full description

Works with CarPlay! The R8(w) Companion™ app leverages 6+ years of historical data in its acclaimed 'Advanced False Assist' filtering engine, detector optimizations and shared features from the Radar Companion™ series of apps. (Available separately for owners of the V1, R4, R9, & DS1 radar detectors). The filtering engine is updated on a regular basis from accumulated real world usage data for better filtering against falses, and protection against real threats. R8 Companion™ is a feature rich app, designed to give you the most out of your R8, while enhancing your driving experience along the way. It is extremely easy to get up and running. Featuring intelligent alerts and advanced muting! R8 Companion™ is the COMPLETE solution to enjoying your R8. NOTE: R8 Companion™ requires a Uniden R8 or R8w radar detector with US Version 145 (R8) or 143 (R8w) firmware (OR EARLIER) to function correctly. R8 Companion will NOT function correctly without the appropriate firmware for each detector. Enhanced GPS location based 'false muting' via SpotLocks - All future updates to this app are free to purchasers of R8 Companion. R8 Companion's alerting and muting systems are fully optimized for the R8 platform. Intelligent voice announcements and on-screen visuals will always keep you informed and aware of the situation around you. R8 Companion full feature list: • SpotLocks - Location based false silencing has never been this good or easy. Turn on the intelligent location-based learning and let R8 Companion™ do the rest. Or you can manually 'lock' or 'unlock' locations with ease from the main alert screen. • SpotLocks works seamlessly with your R8’s built in 'auto mute memory' locations. If you create or delete a location from the app it will apply the changes to your R8 at the same time. • Option to play detector tones in app. • 'Proximity' meter - leverages the high resolution signal strength and direction information provided by the detector to show you a better representation of the signal's source. • 'K & X falses in area' meter shows you how many possible false alerts exist in the area you are travelling based on the accumulated SpotLock data™. • 'Custom Phrases' for a given threat's audio announcements. • High resolution meter for the priority alert (Not limited to the # of bars on the R8 display). • Customizable heads-up display (HUD). • HUD displays the priority alert's band, signal strength, frequency, & direction. • HUD of the secondary alerts' bands, signal strengths, frequencies, bogey counts & directions. • Mute rear K & X band signals independently. • Advanced BSM/CAS/Ka False Muting (Optimized for the R8 platform). • Ability to set the R8’s internal detector settings from within the app. No need for different apps to modify your detector settings. Do it all from the companion app. • 'Ghost' muting quiets false alerts when you are stuck traveling near a false emitting vehicle. • "Passive Mute™"- Quiets the R8 below user set speeds & during weak K & X signals. • Bogey count display showing total number of threats. • Vehicle speed (MPH or KMH) display. Speed is color coded for each alert type. • Mute status with the ability to manually mute/unmute alerts as you need. • Detailed & intelligent voice announcements of direction, band, frequency, strength, number of alerts, occurrences of mixed signals and more. • Automatic muting of Ka, K, and X bands ('Time before mute' set for each band). • 'Reduce Speed' notification for user set speed. • ‘Urgency Alerts™’ - Unmutes growing threats & announces these alerts via voice & notifications. • ‘Alert History’ - View your past alerts with detailed information about each encounter. • Compass heading. • Imperial/metric units. • Detailed trip summary at the end of your ride including duration, distance, alerts, muting stats, battery, and more. • iPhone & Apple Watch notifications of direction, band, & frequency. • Help system. Speed limit data © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL)

Screenshots

xDelete4 screens
R8 Companion4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: xDelete at Free against R8 Companion's $9.99. xDelete also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 4). R8 Companion's advantage is chart position (#21 vs unranked) and review sentiment (83% vs 73%). On rating, update cadence, 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

xDelete is free to download; R8 Companion costs $9.99 up front. R8 Companion sells 4 one-off in-app purchases. xDelete asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.7 for xDelete against 4.8 for R8 Companion. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 501 and 1.6K respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 73% of xDelete's written reviews are positive against 83% of R8 Companion's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

xDelete ships an update every 10 days, R8 Companion every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 3, 2026 and November 7, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 5 level
xDelete versus R8 Companion: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterxDeleteR8 Companion
PriceFree — better$9.99
Rating4.7 (501 ratings)4.8 (1.6K ratings) — better
Positive reviews73.0% of reviews82.9% of reviews — better
Number of ratings5011.6K — better
Update frequencyEvery 10 days — betterEvery 2 weeks
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree — betterPaid
Best chart rank—#21 — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPod
Requires iOS15.015.0
Further details — not scored
Size263 MB16 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperxAutomotive GmbHAngela Mcarthur

Customer experience

xDelete

All ratings499 ratings
Positive93.6%
Neutral1.0%
Negative5.4%
Written reviews89 reviews
Positive73.0%
Neutral4.5%
Negative22.5%

R8 Companion

All ratings1,554 ratings
Positive95.4%
Neutral2.1%
Negative2.5%
Written reviews129 reviews
Positive82.9%
Neutral8.5%
Negative8.5%

User reviews

xDelete

From 501 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Works as described
  • 👍 Easy to use
  • 👍 Great customer service
  • 👍 3 years strong
  • 👍 Wonder app

Room to improve

  • 🐛 No support, account deleted after refund request
  • 🐛 App wont load
  • 🐛 Has not been working
  • 🐛 Not compatible BMW X62014
  • 🐛 Glitches

R8 Companion

From 1.6K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Great functionality
  • 👍 Customizable settings
  • 👍 Responsive developer
  • 👍 Helps quiet the R8
  • 👍 Useful features

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Bluetooth disconnection issues
  • 🔊 Audio volume issues
  • 🔧 Needs better UI organization
  • 🔧 Lacks granular audio control

Bugs and requests

xDelete

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • Login screen freezes
  • Incompatible with older devices
  • App becomes completely unresponsive until reinstalled
  • Cannot switch back to xdrive after flashing to rwd

Requested features

3 requests
  • Add 2WD only setting
  • Dark mode option
  • Advanced analytics dashboard

R8 Companion

Reported bugs

2 issues
  • Bluetooth disconnection on mute button press
  • Automatic speed limit setting changes

Requested features

6 requests
  • Option to control push notifications
  • Wireless/Bluetooth firmware updates for R8
  • CarPlay support
  • Background app functionality
  • Home screen widget
Show 1 more
  • Speed camera alerts

In-app purchases

None

xDelete

No in-app purchases

4 purchases

R8 Companion

One-time4
  • Snacks - Contribution$1.99
  • Drinks - Contribution$3.99
  • Lunch - Contribution$6.99
Show 1 more
  • Super Fan - Contribution$9.99

Questions

Is xDelete free?
xDelete is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is R8 Companion free?
R8 Companion costs $9.99, and also offers in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, xDelete or R8 Companion?
R8 Companion is rated higher. xDelete averages 4.7 out of 5 from 501 ratings, while R8 Companion averages 4.8 from 1.6K ratings.
Do xDelete or R8 Companion have ads?
Neither xDelete nor R8 Companion shows ads.
Which is updated more often, xDelete or R8 Companion?
xDelete ships an update every 10 days, and R8 Companion every 2 weeks. Most recently, xDelete was updated on November 3, 2026 and R8 Companion on November 7, 2026.

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