Comparison

Viper SmartStart vs DroneMobile

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

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.

Highlights
  • Remote start, lock, and unlock
  • Vehicle location tracking
  • Real-time status updates
  • Safety notifications (speeding, geofencing)
  • Trunk release
  • Apple Watch control
  • Roadside assistance
Features
Read full description

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)

About

DroneMobile

Control and track your vehicle remotely from your smartphone or smartwatch. Lock/unlock doors, start the engine, and receive alerts for security and maintenance. Requires hardware installation.

Highlights
  • Remote start
  • Lock/unlock doors
  • GPS tracking
  • Widget control
  • Apple Watch app
  • Security alerts
  • Maintenance reminders
Features
Read full description

YOUR CAR, CONNECTED DroneMobile is the award-winning smartphone solution for staying connected to your vehicle from anywhere in the world. Using the DroneMobile iPhone app, you can lock your doors, remote start your engine, and even track your vehicle’s exact location. WIDGET + FORCE TOUCH ENABLED Remote start, lock and unlock your vehicle without even opening the DroneMobile app. Force touch the DroneMobile app icon, or swipe to your widgets, to quickly access these basic control features for your vehicle. NOW WORKS WITH APPLE WATCH Remote start, secure, and GPS track your vehicle from your Apple Watch using the DroneMobile watch app. Simply download the smartphone app and the watch app will automatically download onto your watch. INSTALLATION REQUIRED In order to use DroneMobile on your vehicle, a DroneMobile module and compatible remote start or security system must be installed onto your vehicle. To find an authorized DroneMobile retailer, visit www.dronemobile.com UPDATED INTERFACE We’ve completely revamped our control interface to make it easier to connect to your vehicle! As you lock/start your car using DroneMobile, AVA 1.0, the Animated Vehicle Assistant, will animate and change states to show your vehicle’s status. Also, upload profile pictures to get the most customizable experience in the Connected Car Industry! FEATURES • Widget vehicle control • Siri voice-control keyless entry • Remote start • Remote start shutdown • Keyless entry • Trunk release • Security system activation/deactivation • 2 Customizable auxiliary functions • GPS tracking • Push notifications for security alerts • Regular maintenance reminders • Low battery alerts • Geofence and curfew alerts for driver monitoring • Speeding alerts for driver safety OUR COMPANY CES Innovations Honoree for In-Vehicle Accessories (2015) CES Best of Innovations for In-Vehicle Accessories (2011) 4X TOP VENDOR of Security, Convenience, and Safety Products (Mobile Electronics Retailers - 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017) COMPATIBILITY DroneMobile can be added to any of the following brands of remote start and/or security systems: • Compustar • Compustar PRO • Arctic Start • NuStart • FTX APP USER'S MANUAL Visit https://support.dronemobile.com/hc/en-us/categories/360001278852-DroneMobile-4-User-Guide to download our App User's Guide.

Screenshots

Viper SmartStart4 screens
DroneMobile4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is monetization model: DroneMobile at free against Viper SmartStart's free with in-app purchases. DroneMobile also leads on rating (4.8 vs 4.6) and ratings volume (27K vs 8.1K). Viper SmartStart's advantage is review sentiment (62% vs 38%). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

DroneMobile holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.6. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 8.1K and 27K respectively. Written reviews complicate that: 62% of Viper SmartStart's written reviews are positive against 38% of DroneMobile's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Viper SmartStart ships an update every 3 months, DroneMobile every 6 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 21, 2026 and September 24, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
Viper SmartStart versus DroneMobile: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterViper SmartStartDroneMobile
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.6 (8.1K ratings)4.8 (27K ratings) — better
Positive reviews62.3% of reviews — better38.0% of reviews
Number of ratings8.1K27K — better
Update frequencyEvery 3 monthsEvery 6 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree — better
DevicesiPhone, iPod, Apple WatchiPhone, iPod, Apple Watch
Requires iOS14.0 — better15.6
Further details — not scored
Size179 MB228 MB
Age rating17+4+
DeveloperDirectedFirstech, LLC

Customer experience

Viper SmartStart

All ratings8,057 ratings
Positive92.8%
Neutral2.8%
Negative4.4%
Written reviews390 reviews
Positive62.3%
Neutral9.7%
Negative27.9%

DroneMobile

All ratings27,325 ratings
Positive94.4%
Neutral1.9%
Negative3.7%
Written reviews368 reviews
Positive38.0%
Neutral16.0%
Negative45.9%

User reviews

Viper SmartStart

From 8.1K App Store ratings

What 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

DroneMobile

From 27K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Remote start/control from anywhere
  • 🔒 Security features (alarm, GPS tracking)
  • 👍 Convenient app and Apple Watch integration
  • 💡 Useful features (battery status, maintenance)
  • 🚗 Works great when it does

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Connectivity issues, app not always responsive
  • ⏱️ Limited remote start duration
  • 🔑 Requires multiple steps for basic functions
  • 🔋 Battery drain issues
  • 🤖 Unreliable notifications/alerts

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

DroneMobile

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • Doors show incorrect locked/unlocked status
  • GPS not accurately tracking vehicle location
  • Login/password issues after app updates
  • Frequent server downtime/outages

Requested features

4 requests
  • Add NFC/local control for when out of cell range
  • Implement winter timer/remote start automation
  • Allow customizable alert sounds
  • Make single car the default for all commands

In-app purchases

None

Viper SmartStart

No in-app purchases

None

DroneMobile

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Viper SmartStart free?
Viper SmartStart is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is DroneMobile free?
DroneMobile is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Viper SmartStart or DroneMobile?
DroneMobile is rated higher. Viper SmartStart averages 4.6 out of 5 from 8.1K ratings, while DroneMobile averages 4.8 from 27K ratings.
Do Viper SmartStart or DroneMobile have ads?
Neither Viper SmartStart nor DroneMobile shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Viper SmartStart or DroneMobile?
Viper SmartStart ships an update every 3 months, and DroneMobile every 6 weeks. Most recently, Viper SmartStart was updated on September 21, 2026 and DroneMobile on September 24, 2026.

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