Smart Start
Depends
Confidence: Medium
Buy only if a court, DMV, or program requires an ignition interlock and Smart Start is an approved vendor in your state . then compare its full quote against rivals first.
New check
Comparison
Smart Start vs Intoxalock
Smart Start and Intoxalock both land on Depends.
Intoxalock
Depends
Confidence: Medium
If your state or court mandates an interlock and Intoxalock is your only approved vendor, you have no choice.
| Compare | Smart Start | Intoxalock |
|---|---|---|
| Verdict | Depends | Depends |
| Best for | Court- or DMV-mandated interlock users | Drivers court- or DMV-ordered to install an IID |
| Who it's not for | Anyone without a court or DMV interlock requirement | Anyone not legally required to have an interlock . this is compliance equipment |
| Privacy | Publishes a product security page and a secure client portal; no known public vulnerabilities found in the sources reviewed.10 | Damaged: a March 2026 cyberattack took Intoxalock's systems down for ~48 hours, stranding drivers in up to 45 states; a class action was reported.15 |
| Support quality | Staff praised, but billing disputes recur | Widespread Reddit and Trustpilot service complaints |
| Public sentiment | Reviews are split: many customers praise staff and service, while a steady stream of complaints targets billing and confusing pricing.¹ | Reviews split sharply: Intoxalock's own pages show praise, while Reddit and Trustpilot skew negative on malfunctions, fees, and support. |
| Biggest gotcha | $1.99/day is a floor with an asterisk; ask about installation, removal, calibration, and monthly fees in writing.⁸ | Base lease rates vary by state; installation, calibration, and removal are billed separately . get the full total in writing12 |
Pick Smart Start when
- Court- or DMV-mandated interlock users
- Drivers in states where Smart Start is approved
- People needing many local service centers
- Non-English speakers (multilingual support claimed)
When Smart Start is not a fit
- Anyone without a court or DMV interlock requirement
- Buyers who just want a voluntary personal breathalyzer
- Employers seeking workplace alcohol-screening programs
- Residents of states where it is not an approved vendor
Pick Intoxalock when
- Drivers court- or DMV-ordered to install an IID
- Residents of states where Intoxalock is the only approved vendor
- People needing service locations across many states
When Intoxalock is not a fit
- Anyone not legally required to have an interlock . this is compliance equipment
- Drivers in states with other approved vendors; compare first
- Anyone who cannot tolerate downtime . the 2026 outage left cars unstartable
- Fee-sensitive buyers unwilling to audit every contract line
Sources
- Smart Start, Inc. Reviews . Trustpilottrustpilot.comreview
- 319 Smart Start Reviews . PissedConsumersmart-start.pissedconsumer.comreview
- Smart Start Reviews . ConsumerAffairsconsumeraffairs.comreview
- Smart start . Reddit r/intoxalockreddit.comreview
- Smart Start Reviews and Complaints . ComplaintsBoardcomplaintsboard.comreview
- Ignition Interlock location page with pricing (Omak, WA)smartstartinc.comofficial
- NYS Qualified Manufacturer Listing for Interlock Devicescriminaljustice.ny.govofficial
- Ontario County interlock program instructions for defendantsontariocountyny.govofficial
- Apollo Impact to Acquire Smart Startir.apollo.comnews
- Smart Start product security pagesmartstartinc.comsecurity
- Intoxalock homepageintoxalock.comofficial
- Intoxalock cost and pricingintoxalock.comofficial
- Intoxalock device is horrible . Redditreddit.comreview
- Do not use Intoxalock . Redditreddit.comreview
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