# Directed SmartStart vs Achakey

The clearest difference is ads: Directed SmartStart at none against Achakey's shown. Directed SmartStart also leads on rating (2.7 vs 2.3) and ratings volume (123 vs 6). Achakey's advantage is update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 3 months) and review sentiment (40% vs 22%). On price, in-app purchases, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

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

Directed SmartStart holds the better App Store score, 2.7 against 2.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Directed SmartStart has 123 ratings behind it against 6, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 22% of Directed SmartStart's written reviews are positive against 40% of Achakey's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Directed SmartStart ships an update every 3 months, Achakey every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 7, 2026 and October 4, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Directed SmartStart | Achakey |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[2.7 (123 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/directed-smartstart/id393395612/reviews)** | [2.3 (6 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/achakey/id1457930033/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **123** | 6 |
| Positive reviews | 22.0% of reviews | **40.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Ad-supported** |
| Size | 179 MB | 82 MB |
| Requires iOS | **14.0** | 15.2 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod, Apple Watch | iPhone, iPod, Apple Watch |
| Age rating | 17+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Directed](https://appshunter.io/developer/329155615) | [Tuneit Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1409993138) |

## What reviewers say

### Directed SmartStart

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/directed-smartstart/id393395612)

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:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

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

**What reviewers complain about**

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

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes on launch
- Geofencing not working
- Remote start failures
- Incorrect vehicle status

**Requested features**

- Siri/Shortcuts integration
- Improved status indicators
- Scheduled remote start
- Multilingual support


### Achakey

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/achakey/id1457930033)

Control your car's locks remotely using your smartphone. Share digital car keys with trusted individuals and manage all your vehicle access in one place. Supports specific smart box and digital key systems.

**Highlights:** Lock and unlock car doors remotely, Share digital car keys, Store multiple car keys, Supports Achakey Smart Box, Supports KG Mobility Digital Smart Key, Supports Kia AutoQ The Driving App Key

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Directed SmartStart free?

Directed SmartStart is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Achakey free?

Achakey is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Directed SmartStart or Achakey?

Directed SmartStart is rated higher. Directed SmartStart averages 2.7 out of 5 from 123 ratings, while Achakey averages 2.3 from 6 ratings.

### Do Directed SmartStart or Achakey have ads?

Achakey shows ads; Directed SmartStart does not.

### Which is updated more often, Directed SmartStart or Achakey?

Directed SmartStart ships an update every 3 months, and Achakey every 3 weeks. Most recently, Directed SmartStart was updated on October 7, 2026 and Achakey on October 4, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*