Comparison

DroneMobile vs Directed SmartStart

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

Head to head
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.

About

Directed SmartStart

Control your car remotely from your smartphone or smartwatch. Start, lock, unlock, and locate your vehicle, with advanced features like real-time status and safety notifications. Includes roadside assistance access.

Highlights
  • Remote start, lock, unlock
  • Vehicle location tracking
  • Real-time vehicle status
  • Safety notifications (speeding, geofencing)
  • Trunk release and panic button
  • Roadside assistance access
  • Apple Watch control
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 Directed 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 Directed SmartStart GPS module to the Directed 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 Directed SmartStart-protected car is speeding or goes where it's not supposed to go. - For the ultimate connected car experience, install a complete Directed 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 Directed 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 Directed SmartStart: 1) Download the free Directed SmartStart app 2) Get a SmartStart system installed in your vehicle 3) Set up your account, and start using your SmartStart system Directed SmartStart also includes Directed 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)

Screenshots

DroneMobile4 screens
Directed SmartStart4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: DroneMobile at 4.8 against Directed SmartStart's 2.7. DroneMobile also leads on monetization model (free vs free with in-app purchases) and ratings volume (27K vs 123). 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 2.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: DroneMobile has 27K ratings behind it against 123, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 38% of DroneMobile's written reviews are positive against 22% of Directed SmartStart's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

DroneMobile ships an update every 6 weeks, Directed SmartStart every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on September 24, 2026 and September 15, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
DroneMobile versus Directed SmartStart: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterDroneMobileDirected SmartStart
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.8 (27K ratings) — better2.7 (123 ratings)
Positive reviews38.0% of reviews — better22.0% of reviews
Number of ratings27K — better123
Update frequencyEvery 6 weeks — betterEvery 3 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFree — betterFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPod, Apple WatchiPhone, iPod, Apple Watch
Requires iOS15.614.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size228 MB179 MB
Age rating4+17+
DeveloperFirstech, LLCDirected

Customer experience

DroneMobile

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

Directed SmartStart

All ratings123 ratings
Positive39.0%
Neutral10.6%
Negative50.4%
Written reviews132 reviews
Positive22.0%
Neutral11.4%
Negative66.7%

User reviews

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

Directed SmartStart

From 123 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Works great
  • 🔒 Robust security features
  • 💡 Convenient remote start
  • 🗺️ Useful GPS tracking

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Unreliable connectivity
  • 🔋 Battery drain issues
  • ⚠️ Inconsistent performance
  • 🕰️ Slow response times

Bugs and requests

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

Directed SmartStart

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • App crashes on launch
  • Geofencing not working
  • Remote start failures
  • Incorrect vehicle status

Requested features

4 requests
  • Siri/Shortcuts integration
  • Improved status indicators
  • Scheduled remote start
  • Multilingual support

In-app purchases

None

DroneMobile

No in-app purchases

None

Directed SmartStart

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is DroneMobile free?
DroneMobile is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Directed SmartStart free?
Directed SmartStart is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, DroneMobile or Directed SmartStart?
DroneMobile is rated higher. DroneMobile averages 4.8 out of 5 from 27K ratings, while Directed SmartStart averages 2.7 from 123 ratings.
Do DroneMobile or Directed SmartStart have ads?
Neither DroneMobile nor Directed SmartStart shows ads.
Which is updated more often, DroneMobile or Directed SmartStart?
DroneMobile ships an update every 6 weeks, and Directed SmartStart every 3 months. Most recently, DroneMobile was updated on September 24, 2026 and Directed SmartStart on September 15, 2026.

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