Viper SmartStart vs BlackVue
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Viper SmartStart
Control your car remotely from your smartphone or smartwatch. Start, lock, unlock, and locate your vehicle from anywhere. Receive real-time status updates and safety notifications.
- Remote start, lock, and unlock
- Vehicle location tracking
- Real-time status updates
- Safety notifications (speeding, geofencing)
- Trunk release
- Apple Watch control
- Roadside assistance
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Start, locate and control your car from virtually anywhere with your iPhone or Apple watch! "Making the cloud-connected car a reality" - Edmunds.com "Without a doubt, one of the coolest apps I've ever seen" - GIZMODO With the release of its all-new 5th generation Viper SmartStart app, connecting with and controlling your vehicle is easier than ever – including real time status via the updated dashboards, and control via your Apple watch! - Add a Viper SmartStart GPS module to the Viper remote start or security system in your car so you can start, lock and unlock your car from virtually anywhere. You can also locate your car, share its location with your friends or family, and get safety notifications if your Viper SmartStart-protected car is speeding or goes where it's not supposed to go. - For the ultimate connected car experience, install a complete Viper SmartStart Digital System and you’ll also get engine runtime and real time status on your choice of app dashboard. Get notified if your vehicle sets a diagnostic code, or check your fuel, battery, or odometer right in the app! - All 4G LTE GPS modules come with a free 30-day GPS trial so you can check out the cool features right away, and there’s even an option for a year of free Basic service. Step up to Secure service to get 2-way control confirmations or add GPS or Small Fleet & Family for the ultimate in car control and monitoring along with extended warranty and theft protection. The sleek, modern dashboards of Viper SmartStart 5.3 mobile app give you fingertip control over the following features of your installed Viper remote start or security/remote start system: - Lock/arm - Unlock/disarm - Remote car starter - Trunk release - Panic - Aux channels Follow these three simple steps to get Viper SmartStart: 1) Download the free Viper SmartStart app 2) Get a SmartStart system installed in your vehicle 3) Set up your account, and start using your SmartStart system Viper SmartStart also includes Viper Motor Club, providing convenient 24/7 access to our nationwide roadside assistance network. Just press a button in the app to get connected for towing due to breakdown or accidents, or assistance with a dead battery or flat tire. Member roadside assistance is free with Secure or higher level service plans and pre-registration. Even if you don’t sign up, you can use the guest program for the same great service at a fixed cost. Latest features: - Real time status on your favorite dashboard! Check the remote start runtime or whether your doors are locked and more instantly just by opening the app! (digital systems only) - Monitor the battery, odometer, and fuel level in the extended Status page (requires a digital system, some features may not be supported on all vehicles) - Convenient widget for one-touch command execution without needing to open the app first - Start, lock, unlock or locate your car using your Apple watch, or send other commands - Receive alert notifications on your phone and Apple watch - Four user-selectable dashboards and launch page settings – now you can customize the app for the way you use it - Modern dashboard "swipe up to start" feature eliminates accidental remote start commands - Map page integrates GPS and SmartPark features seamlessly – locate your vehicle, or track down where you parked - Manage notifications: Each user can select how they want to receive alerts or other notifications. Choose from push alerts with custom sound effects, email, or SMS (SMS alerts may not be available outside North America)
BlackVue
Connect to your dash camera remotely via the cloud to monitor your vehicle's location and surroundings in real-time. Access recorded videos, adjust settings, and perform firmware updates wirelessly. Offers direct Wi-Fi connection for immediate access to stored footage and camera configuration.
- Live View
- Video Playback
- GPS Tracking
- Video Backup
- Firmware Update OTA
- Direct Wi-Fi Connection
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The Official BlackVue Dash Cameras app. Taking advantage of a mobile or car-embedded Internet connection and a BlackVue dashcam, BlackVue Cloud connects you to your car through the Cloud. Using the BlackVue App on your smartphone or tablet, you see in real time where your car is located and what is happening around it. BlackVue APP Features Explore Live View Video Playback GPS Tracking Reports Event Map Voice Call Video Backup / Live Event Upload Firmware update over the air You can access your dashcam through a direct connection via Wi-Fi. Once connected, you can access all the videos stored on the dashcam's microSD card, adjust the camera angle, and modify BlackVue's settings as needed. You can also apply firmware updates wirelessly (FOTA). BlackVue Cloud is a dedicated service for BlackVue users that allows you to access your BlackVue from anywhere at any time. Creating a BlackVue Cloud account is simple and free. After creating an account, you can register your Cloud-compatible BlackVue in the app and configure it to connect to your hotspot. For troubleshooting, visit our Help Center at helpcenter.blackvue.com or email Customer Support at cs@pittasoft.com. For more info and news about BlackVue, visit: Homepage: www.blackvue.com Facebook: www.facebook.com/BlackVueOfficial Instagram: www.instagram.com/blackvueofficial YouTube: www.youtube.com/BlackVueOfficial Twitter: www.twitter.com/BlackVue Terms of Use: https://blackvuesrc3.blackvuecloud.com/policy/terms_app_eng.htm Privacy Policy: https://blackvuesrc3.blackvuecloud.com/policy/terms_personalinfo1_eng.htm
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is review sentiment: Viper SmartStart at 62% against BlackVue's 9%. Viper SmartStart also leads on rating (4.6 vs 3.8) and in-app purchases (none vs 12). BlackVue's advantage is update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 3 months) and chart position (#187 vs unranked). On price, ratings volume, ads and monetization model 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. BlackVue sells 11 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month. Viper SmartStart asks for nothing beyond the download.
Viper SmartStart holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 3.8. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 8.1K and 2.8K respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 62% of Viper SmartStart's written reviews are positive against 9% of BlackVue's.
Viper SmartStart ships an update every 3 months, BlackVue every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 17, 2026 and October 20, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Viper SmartStart | BlackVue |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.6 (8.1K ratings) — better | 3.8 (2.8K ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 62.4% of reviews — better | 9.2% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 8.1K — better | 2.8K |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | Every 3 weeks — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | — | #187 — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod, Apple Watch | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 14.0 — better | 15.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 179 MB | 193 MB |
| Age rating | 17+ | 12+ |
| Developer | Directed | Pittasoft Co., Ltd. |
Customer experience
Viper SmartStart
BlackVue
User reviews
Viper SmartStart
From 8.1K App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 🚀 Years of reliable use
- 🔒 Secure and dependable
- 👍 Convenient remote start and control
- 👍 Helpful in cold/hot weather
- 👍 Easy to use app
Room to improve
- 🐛 Connectivity issues and unreliable performance
- 🐛 Frequent disconnects and errors
- 🐛 Buggy app with crashes and glitches
- 🔋 Battery drain on phone
- 🤔 Lacking key features like temperature monitoring
BlackVue
From 2.8K App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 🚀 Great video quality
- 📱 Convenient mobile app
- 🔋 Long battery life in parking mode
- 🔒 Secure cloud storage
Room to improve
- 🐛 Frequent disconnections and connection issues
- 📱 Clunky and unintuitive app interface
- 💰 Expensive subscription plans
- 🔌 Drains car battery quickly
- 🕰️ Slow video downloads and playback
Bugs and requests
Viper SmartStart
Reported bugs
4 issues- App crashing on map view
- Persistent login issues
- Vehicle status not updating correctly
- Geofencing not working as expected
Requested features
4 requests- Siri/Shortcuts integration
- Customizable dashboard and widgets
- Automatic start/stop based on temperature
- Improved notification system
BlackVue
Reported bugs
3 issues- App crashes and freezes
- Incompatibility with latest iOS versions
- Unreliable cloud connectivity
Requested features
4 requests- Bulk video download and deletion
- Offline access to recorded videos
- Improved camera settings customization
- Seamless integration with mobile devices
In-app purchases
Viper SmartStart
No in-app purchases
BlackVue
- Lite Plan 11 Month trial$3.991 Month
- Lite Plan 21 Month trial$6.991 Month
- Smart Plan 11 Month trial$7.991 Month
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- Basic Plan$9.991 Month
- Lite Plan 31 Month trial$9.991 Month
- Smart Plan 21 Month trial$13.991 Month
- Smart Plan$19.991 Month
- Fleet Plan 1$19.991 Month
- Smart Plan 31 Month trial$19.991 Month
- Smart Plan 41 Month trial$25.991 Month
- Fleet Plan 3$39.991 Month









