VictronConnect vs CBP ROAM
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
VictronConnect
Access live status information and configure compatible Victron devices. View historical data, update firmware, and explore features through a demo mode. Requires Bluetooth Low Energy.
- Live status data
- Read history records
- Configure settings
- Update firmware
- Demo mode
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VictronConnect lets you get live status info and configure Victron products with built-in bluetooth support or using a VE.Direct Bluetooth LE dongle. LIVE DATA: Get instant data from your solar charger or battery monitor. READ HISTORY RECORDS*: Makes it easy to diagnose your installation. With BlueSolar MPPT chargers you’ll get thirty days history records at one glance. CONFIGURE SETTINGS: Most exciting feature! Configure your device with just a few taps on your phone screen. Simplifies all, navigate through the configuration pages, edit settings and changes will be sent instantly to your device. UPDATE FIRMWARE: Be always up to date. VictronConnect includes the latest firmware versions, when outdated firmware is detected you'll be prompted to update. It is also possible to update firmware manually. DEMO MODE: Select a product from the built-in demo library and discover all the features. This app requires Bluetooth Low Energy, which is supported on the iPhone 4S and up, iPad Air and iPad Mini (3rd and 4th generation). Supported Victron products: * BMV 70x Battery Monitors * BlueSolar & SmartSolar MPPT Chargers** * VE.Direct Phoenix Inverters * Blue Smart IP22 Chargers * Blue Smart IP65 Chargers * Blue Smart IP67 Chargers * Peak Power Pack * MultiPlus and Quattro with VE.Bus Bluetooth Smart Dongle ---- * Only on products with history support ** BlueSolar 70/15 excluded
CBP ROAM
This app allows pleasure boaters and eligible travelers arriving at remote locations to report their arrival online. It facilitates trip creation and may offer video inspections with a CBP Officer for eligible users.
- Online arrival reporting
- Create trip details
- Add travelers
- Specify mode of travel
- Report location
- Video inspection eligibility
- Push notifications for video chat
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The official CBP ROAM App (formerly OARS) from U.S. Customs and Border Protection allows pleasure boaters and other eligible travelers who arrive at remote locations to report their arrival online. In addition to submitting a report of arrival, pleasure boaters who are not currently enrolled in a Trusted Traveler Program, Local Boater Option, or I-68 program who are currently required to report in person may be eligible for a video inspection. Disclaimer: This is a pilot version only for use in limited areas. Contact your local Port of Entry for guidance. Create a trip by adding travelers, your mode of travel, your location, and contact information. After you submit a trip, you may receive a push notification on your device to start a video chat with a CBP Officer to finish reporting your entry into the United States.
Screenshots
Verdict
VictronConnect and CBP ROAM both sit at 3.3 stars, but that hides the real split: 43% of VictronConnect's written reviews are positive against 27% of CBP ROAM's. CBP ROAM's advantage is iOS requirement (15.2 vs 17.0). On price, rating, ratings volume and update cadence 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
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 3.3 for VictronConnect against 3.3 for CBP ROAM. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 292 and 126 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 43% of VictronConnect's written reviews are positive against 27% of CBP ROAM's.
VictronConnect ships an update monthly, CBP ROAM every 3 weeks. Both last shipped on November 6, 2026.
| Parameter | VictronConnect | CBP ROAM |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 3.3 (292 ratings) — better | 3.3 (126 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 43.5% of reviews — better | 26.5% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 292 — better | 126 |
| Update frequency | Monthly | Every 3 weeks — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | 15.2 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 189 MB | 291 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Victron Energy | US Customs and Border Protection |
Customer experience
VictronConnect
CBP ROAM
User reviews
VictronConnect
From 292 App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 👍 Works perfectly well
- 🚀 Intuitive logic with its operation
- 🚀 Excellent bit of kit
- 🚀 Great app and products
- 👍 Simple and (mostly) reliable app
Room to improve
- 🐛 Buggy
- 🐛 Repeated software issues
- 🐛 Impossible to contact
- 🐛 Alpha quality software
- 🐛 Bluetooth range isn't very good
CBP ROAM
From 126 App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 👍 Simplifies entry process
- 👍 Works well when functional
- 👍 Good for local boaters
- 👍 Video chat clearing works well
- 👍 Easy to use
Room to improve
- 🐛 Crashes frequently
- 🐛 App will not open
- 🐛 Login issues
- 🐛 Update issues
- 🐛 Not supported/removed from AppStore
Bugs and requests
VictronConnect
Reported bugs
8 issues- Trends data lost
- Bluetooth disconnects when app is closed
- Firmware update broke it
- App doesn't work after update
- Can't connect to device after update
Show 3 moreShow fewer
- Doesn't work on iPhone 15
- Doesn't work on iPad
- Pairing issues after update
Requested features
14 requests- CarPlay support
- Apple Watch app
- Ability to turn inverter on/off more accessible
- Show battery percentage
- Time till full charge
Show 9 moreShow fewer
- Ability to rename devices
- Ability to view historical data offline
- Ability to export data
- Ability to see current being drawn
- Ability to track data while app is in background
- Ability to view data from multiple devices in one place
- Ability to set default device to connect to
- Shortcuts/Siri integration
- Home screen widget
CBP ROAM
Reported bugs
34 issues- App crashes after update
- App will not open
- App crashes within one second of opening
- App closes immediately after opening
- App not letting user login
Show 29 moreShow fewer
- App crashes when trying to enter a change of port of call
- One-time verification codes never worked
- Latest update fails to submit arrivals
- Update forces user to update, causing crash after login
- App keeps sending user to the same place despite logging in
- Waiting for agent for over two days
- App says waiting, cannot cancel or navigate
- Unable to report 'port of call'
- Port of call button missing
- Latest update dumps previously configured travelers and vessels
- No account info comes over when adding app to new device
- Updated version on App Store downloads incomplete or old version
- No copy-and-paste for phone numbers or other info
- No ability to change traveler info after initial edit
- Cannot paste existing passport photo
- Tedious manual entry of numbers
- Authentication failed on own phone, but works on others'
- Facial recognition takes multiple tries
- Stuck on login screen, does not advance to verification code
- Switching apps for PIN code results in blank screen on return
- App quits when editing or manually entering a traveler
- Cannot find support for security key setup
- Stuck in a loop requiring backup authentication setup
- Won't go past the accept button
- New update no longer works, fails to open
- App won't load
- Gets frozen on a screen
- Misspelled 'Received' on Video Chat info page
- App crashes when trip page is displayed
Requested features
11 requests- Add port of call button
- Allow letters in flight number
- Allow copy-paste for numbers
- Allow sharing travelers between users
- Add more instructions for numbers needed
Show 6 moreShow fewer
- Allow submission and approval prior to US waters entry
- Allow users to remain logged in
- Use fingerprint recognition for login
- Consider alternatives to Zoom for video calls
- Add Spanish language support (already present, but caused bugs)
- Invite users to TestFlight beta program
In-app purchases
VictronConnect
No in-app purchases
CBP ROAM
No in-app purchases
