# RU Maps vs Drive Smarter

The clearest difference is review sentiment: RU Maps at 100% against Drive Smarter's 24%. RU Maps also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 2) and device support (3 vs 1). Drive Smarter's advantage is rating (4.8 vs 2.0) and ratings volume (22K vs 4). On price and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Drive Smarter sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. RU Maps asks for nothing beyond the download.

Drive Smarter holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 2.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Drive Smarter has 22K ratings behind it against 4, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 100% of RU Maps's written reviews are positive against 24% of Drive Smarter's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

RU Maps ships an update every 3 months, Drive Smarter every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 6, 2026 and October 27, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | RU Maps | Drive Smarter |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [2.0 (4 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ru-maps/id514231057/reviews) | **[4.8 (22K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/drive-smarter/id1498075222/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 4 | **22K** |
| Positive reviews | **100.0% of reviews** | 24.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | **Every 2 weeks** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | — | **#98** |
| Size | 20 MB | 761 MB |
| Requires iOS | **8.0** | 16.6 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Smart's Apps LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/498061040) | [CEDAR ELECTRONICS HOLDINGS CORP.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1565592379) |

## What reviewers say

### RU Maps

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ru-maps/id514231057)

Discover buildings and points of interest with this interactive map application. Navigate campus locations efficiently and find specific points of interest.

**Highlights:** Interactive campus map, Locate buildings, Find points of interest, Navigation assistance

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### Drive Smarter

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/drive-smarter/id1498075222)

**Currently charting:** #98 Top Free · Navigation, #114 Top Grossing · Navigation (US App Store)

This app acts as a companion to compatible connected dashcams, allowing you to manage recordings, share clips, and access emergency features. It offers streamlined reporting for insurance and firmware updates for your devices.

**Highlights:** Manage dashcam recordings, Download and trim video clips, Share recordings with contacts, Insurance claim reporting, Mayday emergency services, Remote snapshot photos, Device firmware updates

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Premium Monthly Subscription | $4.99 | per month |
| Premium Yearly Subscription | $49.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Loyal customer
- 👍 Good app
- 👍 Straight forward
- 👍 Works well when it works
- 👍 Consistent updates have really made the experience so much smoother

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Connection troubles while using CarPlay
- 🐛 Has bugs and flaws to fix immediately
- 🐛 Useless map in apple CarPlay
- 🐛 FAILS CONSTANTLY
- 🐛 Very slow ands buggish

**Reported bugs**

- Spotty WiFi connection
- Inconsistent speed limit display
- Inability to connect to detector
- Frequent disconnects from detector
- Difficulty configuring WiFi hotspot

**Requested features**

- Improve navigation app
- Ability to launch app from CarPlay screen
- Ability to send directions to app from other apps
- Option to orient map in direction of travel
- Ability to delete multiple videos at once


## Frequently asked questions

### Is RU Maps free?

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

### Is Drive Smarter free?

Drive Smarter is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, RU Maps or Drive Smarter?

Drive Smarter is rated higher. RU Maps averages 2.0 out of 5 from 4 ratings, while Drive Smarter averages 4.8 from 22K ratings.

### Do RU Maps or Drive Smarter have ads?

Neither RU Maps nor Drive Smarter shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, RU Maps or Drive Smarter?

RU Maps ships an update every 3 months, and Drive Smarter every 2 weeks. Most recently, RU Maps was updated on October 6, 2026 and Drive Smarter on October 27, 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.*