Comparison

XKmax vs CL7

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

Head to head
About

XKmax

Transform your vehicle with advanced addressable RGBW LED lighting. Customize colors, create chasing effects, and sync lights to music or vehicle speed. Control your lighting with programmable sensors and a remote fob.

Highlights
  • Addressable LED chasing effects
  • RGBW and RGB color channels
  • Music and vehicle speed sync
  • Programmable sensor control
  • RF remote fob operation
Features
Read full description

Revolutionize your automotive experience with XKmax, our ultimate 3rd gen app with RGBW addressable technology. XKmax connects seamlessly to a Bluetooth controller, transforming your vehicle into a dazzling display of customizable LED lighting. Key Features: -Addressable LED Technology: Witness the mesmerizing chasing effect as XKmax takes control of your lights. -RGBW Brilliance: Illuminate your ride with red, green, blue, and dedicated white channels. Plus, enjoy compatibility with RGB lighting for endless color possibilities. -Sync to Music: Let your vehicle dance to the beat! XKmax syncs light movement and colors to your favorite tunes, turning every drive into a music-infused spectacle. Light can also sync to vehicle acceleration and speed. - Programmable Sensor and Remote: Take control with 3 programmable sensor wires and an 4-key RF remote fob, allowing you to tailor your lighting experience to perfection. Upgrade your ride, stand out from the crowd – download XKmax now and redefine automotive lighting excellence!

About

CL7

Control your car remotely from anywhere. Start the engine, check status, locate your vehicle, and receive alerts. Offers advanced features like trip tracking and geofencing for enhanced vehicle management.

Highlights
  • Remote engine start/shutdown
  • Vehicle location tracking
  • Door lock/unlock
  • Real-time status monitoring
  • Smart alerts and notifications
  • Trip tracking and route mapping
  • Geofencing and zone monitoring
Features
Read full description

# CARLINK™ 7 — Control Your Car from Virtually Anywhere **THE FUTURE OF VEHICLE CONNECTIVITY** CARLINK™ 7 is the fastest, easiest, and most complete telematics system designed to keep you connected with your vehicle from anywhere in the world. Start your engine remotely, check vehicle status, or locate it in busy parking lots. **REQUIREMENTS** - Hardware purchase and professional installation required - Compatible CARLINK™ 7 device with supported remote-starter system - Active internet connection via cellular or Wi-Fi - Find authorized resellers at: https://carlink.voxxelectronics.com/dealer-locator/index ## NEW FOR 2025 **APPLE WATCH SUPPORT** Control key features from your wrist — start, lock, unlock, GPS locate, and get walking directions. **MYBRANDED APP** White-label branding for authorized retailers with custom logos, contact info, and promotions. **BLE COMMANDS (LOCAL CONTROL MODE)** Use Bluetooth Low Energy for essential functions (remote start, lock/unlock, trunk release) when cellular signal is unavailable. Perfect for underground parking or remote areas. *Note: Requires latest firmware update.* ## PREMIUM SERVICE FEATURES (INCLUDED WITH DEVICE) **CONTROL YOUR VEHICLE** - Remote Start/Shutdown with True Runtime - Door Lock/Unlock with status - Trunk Release or motorized hatch control - Up to 4 Auxiliary functions - Extend Runtime (on supported starters) **REAL-TIME STATUS** - Battery Voltage monitoring - GPS Location (instant locate) - Walk Me to My Vehicle with Apple/Google Maps directions **CUSTOMIZATION** - Unlimited users, devices, and vehicles per account - Customizable app layout and vehicle image picker ## PREMIUM PLUS UPGRADE Upgrade anytime with 30-day free trial included after installation. Premium Plus includes all Premium features plus smart alerts, driving reports, and enhanced notifications. **ALERTS & NOTIFICATIONS** - Low & Critical Battery Alerts - Excessive Speed Alerts - Movement notifications for unauthorized usage **TRIP TRACKING** - Detailed route mapping and recording - Playback feature for past journeys **ZONE MONITORING** - Zones of Interest: Up to 10 circular alert zones per vehicle - Guard Alerts: Up to 10 high-priority zones per vehicle - Curfew Alerts: Restrict driving during specific days/times - Geofences: Up to 4 advanced custom zones (circular, rectangular, or polygonal) **COMPATIBILITY** Supports major digital remote-starter brands: ADS, Directed, Eurostart, Firstech, Fortin, Mid City Engineering, Omega, Polarstart, and Voxx. Full compatibility list: https://www.voxxelectronics.com/security/carlink/ **HELP & SUPPORT** See in-app Help section for Owner's Guide or contact your authorized CARLINK™ 7 retailer. © 2025 Automobility Distribution Inc. All Rights Reserved. CARLINK™ 7 is a trademark of Automobility Distribution Inc.

Screenshots

XKmax4 screens
CL74 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: XKmax at 100% against CL7's 15%. XKmax also leads on rating (4.8 vs 2.3) and ads (none vs shown). CL7's advantage is ratings volume (71 vs 6). On price, in-app purchases, device support and iOS requirement 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

XKmax holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 2.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: CL7 has 71 ratings behind it against 6, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 100% of XKmax's written reviews are positive against 15% of CL7's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

XKmax ships an update every 3 weeks, CL7 every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on September 11, 2026 and July 30, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 4 level
XKmax versus CL7: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterXKmaxCL7
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.8 (6 ratings) — better2.3 (71 ratings)
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews — better14.8% of reviews
Number of ratings671 — better
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeks — betterEvery 2 months
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFree — betterFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPod, Apple Watch
Requires iOS15.0 — better15.5.0
Further details — not scored
Size90 MB131 MB
Age rating4+17+
DeveloperXKGLOW LLCDistribution Automobilite Inc

Customer experience

XKmax

All ratings6 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews9 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

CL7

All ratings64 ratings
Positive25.0%
Neutral14.1%
Negative60.9%
Written reviews61 reviews
Positive14.8%
Neutral16.4%
Negative68.9%

Bugs and requests

XKmax

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

CL7

Reported bugs

19 issues
  • App constantly crashing
  • App going offline
  • Login and account creation issues
  • App not receiving signal from module
  • System requires frequent reboots by company
Show 14 more
  • GPS connection loss
  • App not communicating with vehicle after updates
  • Face ID continuously triggering
  • On/Off start button not showing
  • Position button showing instead of start button
  • Vehicle status not updating correctly (e.g., engine off while driving)
  • App not always updating car status accurately
  • Command timeouts reported
  • Security settings (Face ID) broken and difficult to disable
  • App not opening to main screen after update
  • Inability to delete or edit vehicle information
  • Face authentication in infinity loop
  • App signed out and cannot log back in
  • Communication error on forgot password feature

Requested features

9 requests
  • Apple Watch app integration
  • Siri control integration
  • Alexa support
  • Google Assistant support
  • Widgets for iOS
Show 4 more
  • Ability to delete vehicles
  • Notification for unlocked doors
  • Siri shortcut integration
  • Automatic selection of favorite car

In-app purchases

None

XKmax

No in-app purchases

None

CL7

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is XKmax free?
XKmax is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is CL7 free?
CL7 is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, XKmax or CL7?
XKmax is rated higher. XKmax averages 4.8 out of 5 from 6 ratings, while CL7 averages 2.3 from 71 ratings.
Do XKmax or CL7 have ads?
CL7 shows ads; XKmax does not.
Which is updated more often, XKmax or CL7?
XKmax ships an update every 3 weeks, and CL7 every 2 months. Most recently, XKmax was updated on September 11, 2026 and CL7 on July 30, 2026.

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