Viper SmartStart vs Smart FM+
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)
Smart FM+
This app helps you locate your parked car using your phone's location and Bluetooth connectivity. It also monitors your car's battery voltage and provides historical data. Simply plug in the transmitter, connect via Bluetooth, and set your car radio to a matching FM frequency.
- Car-seeking positioning
- Voltage detection
- FM frequency settings
- Bluetooth connectivity
- Parking location recording
- Map navigation to car
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Smart FM + is an application based on Bluetooth and mobile location Usage:Plug smart FM+ transmitter into the vehicle's DC 12V or 24V cigarette lighter socket. After the car is started, the transmitter will be automatically turned on. The indicator light flashes blue to enter the Bluetooth pairing mode.Open the Smart FM+ APP and click “Connect” to connect the device via Bluetooth. Once connected, the icon “Connected” appears. Major function: 1、FM Settings:Turn on the car radio, set the frequency between 88.1-107.9 MHZ, plug in the device, adjust the frequency to the same frequency you set on the radio. 2、Voltage Detection:Voltage Detection:\nThis product will automatically detect the battery voltage of your car and the voltage of USB1 and USB2 outputs. The log icon below can check the voltage history of the car. Click the battery voltage to check the battery voltage status of the car. Green/Yellow/Orange icons are to help you determine battery status. 3、Car-seeking positioning:Find My Car:\nWhen your stop the engine, the product will automatically record the location and time of your current parking. When you don't remember the parking position of your car, open the app and follow the direction of the arrow. You can also open the map navigation to help you find the last recorded parking position. When you are close to the car, you will be prompted “The car is close, please unlock your car.“.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: Viper SmartStart at 4.6 against Smart FM+'s 2.3. Viper SmartStart also leads on ratings volume (8.1K vs 15) and review sentiment (62% vs 50%). Smart FM+'s advantage is monetization model (free vs free with in-app purchases) and update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 3 months). On price, ads, in-app purchases 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
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
Viper SmartStart holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 2.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Viper SmartStart has 8.1K ratings behind it against 15, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 62% of Viper SmartStart's written reviews are positive against 50% of Smart FM+'s.
Viper SmartStart ships an update every 3 months, Smart FM+ every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 27, 2026 and June 1, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Viper SmartStart | Smart FM+ |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.6 (8.1K ratings) — better | 2.3 (15 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 62.3% of reviews — better | 50.0% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 8.1K — better | 15 |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | Every 3 weeks — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod, Apple Watch — better | iPhone, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 14.0 | 12.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 179 MB | 17 MB |
| Age rating | 17+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Directed | 桂标 曾 |
Customer experience
Viper SmartStart
Smart FM+
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
Smart FM+
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
Viper SmartStart
No in-app purchases
Smart FM+
No in-app purchases









