Comparison

Viper SmartStart vs CarLock

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

CarLock

This app provides real-time tracking and alerts for your vehicle, monitoring for movement, engine starts, vibrations, and device tampering. It also tracks driving behavior, monitors car battery health, and logs trip history for enhanced security and peace of mind.

Highlights
  • Real-time vehicle tracking
  • Movement and engine start alerts
  • Driving behavior monitoring (acceleration, braking)
  • Car battery health alerts
  • Detailed trip tracking
  • Device tampering alerts
Features
Read full description

Requires hardware sold at carlock.co CarLock - Advanced Real Time Car Tracker & Alert System. WORK & SLEEP WITHOUT WORRY CarLock monitors and alerts you on your phone when your vehicle is moved, when the engine starts, if unusual vibration is detected & even if the device is disconnected! MONITOR YOUR TEENAGER We love our teens but they can be entirely different people behind the wheel. CarLock detects harsh acceleration (drag racing), hard breaking & sharp cornering (stunt driving). VIRTUAL MECHANIC CarLock actively monitors the health of your vehicle and alerts you in advance if your car battery is running dangerously low or is experiencing high battery drain. LIKE GPS ON STEROIDS Included is also a detailed trip tracking which lets you monitor where your car has been. You'll be notified if your car is stolen or a "trusted" driver is going off course! EXTREMELY AFFORDABLE CarLock uses cloud computing, internet storage, GPS tracking and a modern day app. You get all this for only $9.60 per month and the first month is FREE! Work's on AT&T's network. CarLock supports multiple cars on one account. The device is compatible with all cars manufactured after 1996.

Screenshots

Viper SmartStart4 screens
CarLock4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is monetization model: Viper SmartStart at free with in-app purchases against CarLock's subscription. Viper SmartStart also leads on ratings volume (8.1K vs 357) and device support (3 vs 1). CarLock's advantage is review sentiment (86% vs 62%) and update cadence (monthly vs every 3 months). On price, rating, 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

Viper SmartStart holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 4.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Viper SmartStart has 8.1K ratings behind it against 357, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 62% of Viper SmartStart's written reviews are positive against 86% of CarLock'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, CarLock monthly. The most recent releases landed on September 21, 2026 and September 9, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 4 level
Viper SmartStart versus CarLock: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterViper SmartStartCarLock
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.6 (8.1K ratings) — better4.4 (357 ratings)
Positive reviews62.3% of reviews86.1% of reviews — better
Number of ratings8.1K — better357
Update frequencyEvery 3 monthsMonthly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases — betterSubscription
DevicesiPhone, iPod, Apple Watch — betteriPhone
Requires iOS14.0 — better16.0
Further details — not scored
Size179 MB145 MB
Age rating17+17+
DeveloperDirectedProtectus Technologies, Inc

Customer experience

Viper SmartStart

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

CarLock

All ratings357 ratings
Positive86.0%
Neutral4.2%
Negative9.8%
Written reviews273 reviews
Positive86.1%
Neutral4.4%
Negative9.5%

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

CarLock

From 357 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Accurate GPS tracking
  • 🔒 Reliable security features
  • 👍 Easy to use app
  • 💡 Comprehensive vehicle monitoring
  • 🚗 Helpful for fleet management

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Occasional false alarms
  • 🕰️ Delayed notifications
  • 🔧 Inconsistent performance after updates
  • 🤖 Unreliable proximity sensor
  • 💰 Subscription cost concerns

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

CarLock

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • GPS location inaccuracies
  • App crashes and freezes
  • Sync issues between device and app

Requested features

4 requests
  • Faster alert notifications
  • More customizable sensor sensitivity
  • Integration with smart home/voice assistants
  • Improved multi-vehicle management

In-app purchases

None

Viper SmartStart

No in-app purchases

None

CarLock

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Viper SmartStart free?
Viper SmartStart is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is CarLock free?
CarLock is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Viper SmartStart or CarLock?
Viper SmartStart is rated higher. Viper SmartStart averages 4.6 out of 5 from 8.1K ratings, while CarLock averages 4.4 from 357 ratings.
Do Viper SmartStart or CarLock have ads?
Neither Viper SmartStart nor CarLock shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Viper SmartStart or CarLock?
Viper SmartStart ships an update every 3 months, and CarLock monthly. Most recently, Viper SmartStart was updated on September 21, 2026 and CarLock on September 9, 2026.

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