# V1 Companion vs 85Blends

The clearest difference is price: 85Blends at Free against V1 Companion's $9.99. 85Blends also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 4) and update cadence (fortnightly vs monthly). V1 Companion's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and chart position (#111 vs unranked). On device support there is nothing between them.

85Blends is free to download; V1 Companion costs $9.99 up front. V1 Companion sells 4 one-off in-app purchases. 85Blends asks for nothing beyond the download.

V1 Companion ships an update monthly, 85Blends fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on September 23, 2026 and September 18, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | V1 Companion | 85Blends |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $9.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | **[4.7 (480 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/v1-companion/id1529222193/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **480** | — |
| Positive reviews | 81.0% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Monthly | **Fortnightly** |
| Monetization | Free | — |
| Best chart rank | **#111** | — |
| Size | 16 MB | 17 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 17.6 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPod** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Angela Mcarthur](https://appshunter.io/developer/451676466) | [Julian Figueroa](https://appshunter.io/developer/1892612260) |

## What reviewers say

### V1 Companion

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/v1-companion/id1529222193)

**Currently charting:** #111 Top Paid · Utilities (US App Store)

Enhance your radar detector experience with intelligent alerts and advanced muting. This app offers location-based false silencing, customizable notifications, and detailed on-screen information for improved situational awareness while driving.

**Highlights:** Location-based false silencing (SpotLocks™), Modify V1 hardware settings, Dynamic Volume Control for V1 Gen2, Customizable voice announcements, High-resolution signal strength meters, Heads-up display (HUD)

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Snacks - Contribution | $1.99 | one-time |
| Drinks - Contribution | $3.99 | one-time |
| Lunch - Contribution | $6.99 | one-time |
| Super Fan - Contribution | $9.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🎯 Effectively reduces false alerts and noise
- ✨ Spot lock feature eliminates stationary radar sources
- 🔧 Highly customizable settings for personal preferences
- 📊 Excellent logging and real-time data tracking
- 🚀 Consistent updates with new features

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent Bluetooth connectivity issues and disconnections
- 📱 Portrait-only orientation limits dashboard visibility
- 🎨 Poor UI/UX design with cluttered interface
- 🔊 Voice announcements inaudible at high volumes
- 📖 Confusing symbols and lack of explanatory documentation

**Reported bugs**

- Bluetooth disconnection and reconnection loops
- Poor Bluetooth signal strength detection despite close proximity
- Random disconnections during drives
- Multiple false connection/disconnection announcements
- App fails to connect with V1 Gen 1 and Bluetooth dongle

**Requested features**

- Apple CarPlay compatibility
- Landscape mode support
- Speed-based volume adjustment
- KA band user locks
- Crowdsourced alerts database


### 85Blends

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/85blends/id6762037468)

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is V1 Companion free?

V1 Companion costs $9.99, and also offers in-app purchases.

### Is 85Blends free?

85Blends is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Do V1 Companion or 85Blends have ads?

85Blends shows ads; V1 Companion does not.

### Which is updated more often, V1 Companion or 85Blends?

V1 Companion ships an update monthly, and 85Blends fortnightly. Most recently, V1 Companion was updated on September 23, 2026 and 85Blends on September 18, 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.*