Rivian vs Milpitas SMART
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Rivian
Control and manage your electric vehicle with your smartphone. Use your phone as a key, monitor charging, plan trips with charging stops, and access vehicle support and service. Keep your vehicle updated and ready for your next adventure.
- Phone as vehicle key
- Remote lock/unlock
- Remote climate control
- Trip planning with charging stops
- Charger and point of interest map
- Vehicle status monitoring
- Service and roadside assistance
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The Rivian app works with your R1T and R1S to make driving and owning your Rivian simple. Use your phone as a key, manage charging sessions, tap into support and so much more: • Accept delivery of your Rivian • Make your phone a key to your R1T or R1S • Lock and unlock your vehicle remotely • Warm up or cool down your vehicle before you get in • Plan trips in the app to see recommended routes and charging stops based on your preferences • Search the map for points of interest and nearby chargers—and send any destination to your vehicle • Check your Rivian's range and current charging status • Connect with our support team to ask questions and troubleshoot • Request and track vehicle service and roadside assistance • Start available vehicle software updates from the app • Connect with your home Rivian Wall Charger Keep the World Adventurous Forever.
Milpitas SMART
Book personalized, express transit rides within Milpitas, CA. This app offers convenient and affordable on-demand connections between various city locations and key transit hubs. It combines ride-hailing flexibility with shuttle service capacity.
- Personalized express transit booking
- On-demand connections
- Affordable fares
- Multiple transit stops
- Ride-hailing convenience
- Shuttle service capacity
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Milpitas SMART lets you book personalized, express transit in Milpitas, CA. Milpitas SMART provides convenient, affordable, and on-demand connections between the entire City of Milpitas and the Great Mall, City Hall, Milpitas Transit Center, and VTA light rail stops. The program combines the convenience of a ride-hailing service like Uber or Lyft with the capacity and affordability of a more traditional shuttle or vanpool service. Riders can request service through the app and be picked up at one of many transit stops throughout Milpitas and dropped off at one of four hubs, and vice versa. Riders select their own pickup and drop-off locations from all the available stops in service. The regular adult fare is $2.50 per ride and youth, disabled, and low-income populations receive a reduced fare of $1.00 per ride.
Screenshots
Verdict
Rivian and Milpitas SMART both sit at 4.4 stars, but that hides the real split: 87% of Milpitas SMART's written reviews are positive against 45% of Rivian's. Milpitas SMART also leads on iOS requirement (15.0 vs 18.0). Rivian's advantage is ratings volume (1.4K vs 85) and monetization model (free with in-app purchases vs paid). On price, rating, update cadence and ads 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. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.4 for Rivian against 4.4 for Milpitas SMART. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Rivian has 1.4K ratings behind it against 85, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 45% of Rivian's written reviews are positive against 87% of Milpitas SMART's.
Rivian ships an update every 3 weeks, Milpitas SMART monthly. The most recent releases landed on October 20, 2026 and October 22, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Rivian | Milpitas SMART |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.4 (1.4K ratings) — better | 4.4 (85 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 45.1% of reviews | 87.1% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 1.4K — better | 85 |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks — better | Monthly |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases — better | Paid |
| Devices | iPhone, Apple Watch | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | 15.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 419 MB | 32 MB |
| Age rating | 17+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Rivian | RideCo Inc. |
Customer experience
Rivian
Milpitas SMART
User reviews
Rivian
From 1.4K App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 🚀 Great app design
- 👍 Useful features like climate control and charging management
- 💎 Continuously improving with updates
- 🔒 Secure phone-as-a-key functionality
Room to improve
- 🐛 Connectivity and reliability issues
- 🔍 Limited functionality compared to Tesla app
- 🔋 High battery drain on phone
- 🕰️ Slow app response times
Milpitas SMART
From 85 App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 👍 Convenient and easy to book rides
- 💰 Affordable and cost-effective
- 🚗 Reliable and punctual service
- 🧑✈️ Nice and polite drivers
- 👵👴 Great service for seniors and disabled individuals
Room to improve
- ❌ Unable to register/create account
- ⏳ Sometimes wish for more time options
- 🚫 No refunds for unused rides when paid by card
- ⚠️ Drivers sometimes miss pickups or don't stop
- 📱 App can be buggy
Bugs and requests
Rivian
Reported bugs
3 issues- Widgets disappearing after app updates
- Inconsistent phone-as-a-key performance
- Charging status not updating correctly
Requested features
4 requests- Remote access to cameras and Gear Guard videos
- Ability to control more vehicle functions like windows, frunk, and charge port
- Integration with Apple Watch and other smart devices
- Customizable charge scheduling and energy cost tracking
Milpitas SMART
Reported bugs
4 issues- Checkbox not clickable during registration
- App is buggy
- Cannot create an account
- Driver passed by and did not stop
Requested features
2 requests- Increase the number of vehicles during peak hours
- Expand service to Evergreen San Jose area
In-app purchases
Rivian
No in-app purchases
Milpitas SMART
No in-app purchases





