# SMART BMS vs VESC Tool

The clearest difference is review sentiment: VESC Tool at 57% against SMART BMS's 11%. VESC Tool also leads on rating (3.8 vs 2.1) and chart position (#33 vs unranked). SMART BMS's advantage is price (Free vs $3.99) and update cadence (every 6 weeks vs every 8 months). On ratings volume, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

SMART BMS is free to download; VESC Tool costs $3.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

VESC Tool holds the better App Store score, 3.8 against 2.1. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 76 and 39 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 11% of SMART BMS's written reviews are positive against 57% of VESC Tool's.

SMART BMS ships an update every 6 weeks, VESC Tool every 8 months. The most recent releases landed on September 14, 2026 and September 23, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | SMART BMS | VESC Tool |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **Free** | $3.99 |
| Rating | [2.1 (76 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/smart-bms/id1519968339/reviews) | **[3.8 (39 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/vesc-tool/id1605488891/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **76** | 39 |
| Positive reviews | 11.1% of reviews | **56.8% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 6 weeks** | Every 8 months |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Best chart rank | — | **#33** |
| Size | 65 MB | 48 MB |
| Requires iOS | **11.0** | 12.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [所兵 邱](https://appshunter.io/developer/1519230775) | [Jeffrey Friesen](https://appshunter.io/developer/1605488893) |

## What reviewers say

### SMART BMS

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/smart-bms/id1519968339)

Connect to and manage your lithium battery via Bluetooth. Monitor battery status, query information, and set safety parameters. Receive alerts for battery faults and track their occurrences.

**Highlights:** Bluetooth battery connection, Battery status query, Fault alarm monitoring, Safety parameter settings, Password protection for settings

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Functional app
- 👍 Easy to use
- 🔋 Works with lithium batteries
- 💡 Displays cell balance information

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Connection issues
- 🐛 Crashes and freezes
- 🐛 Unreliable data
- 🐛 Compatibility problems with updates
- 🔋 Drains phone battery

**Reported bugs**

- Bluetooth connectivity problems
- Incorrect series/parallel configuration display
- Firmware update issues
- Inconsistent data readings
- Inability to change settings

**Requested features**

- Dark mode option
- Logging and historical data
- Better parameter customization
- Improved battery monitoring metrics
- Apple Watch support


### VESC Tool

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/vesc-tool/id1605488891)

**Currently charting:** #33 Top Paid · Utilities (US App Store)

Configure your VESC hardware remotely via WiFi or BLE. Log ride data, update firmware, switch profiles, and monitor battery status on the go.

**Highlights:** Configure VESC hardware, Connect via WiFi or BLE, Log ride data, Update firmware, Switch ride profiles, View battery status, Edit settings

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is SMART BMS free?

SMART BMS is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is VESC Tool free?

VESC Tool costs $3.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, SMART BMS or VESC Tool?

VESC Tool is rated higher. SMART BMS averages 2.1 out of 5 from 76 ratings, while VESC Tool averages 3.8 from 39 ratings.

### Do SMART BMS or VESC Tool have ads?

Neither SMART BMS nor VESC Tool shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, SMART BMS or VESC Tool?

SMART BMS ships an update every 6 weeks, and VESC Tool every 8 months. Most recently, SMART BMS was updated on September 14, 2026 and VESC Tool on September 23, 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.*