Intoxalock vs Smart Start (2026): Published Prices, Side by Side
Both install court-approved car breathalyzers nationwide and both can usually book you within days. The difference is what each one publishes in writing, and what that adds up to over your term.
Intoxalock publishes the lower entry price — installation from $65 and a lease from $54.99 — and claims the largest service-center network in the country. What it doesn’t publish is a rate for your state, so the number you pay only appears when you call.
Smart Start is the opposite trade. Installation starts at $150 and leases start around $89.99 depending on the state, but those figures are printed on its site before you speak to anyone, and there’s no long-term contract.
Both quote by state, vehicle and service center. The spread between two quotes for the same car is often wider than the spread between the brands, so make both calls.
Side by side
Published rates only. Where a company doesn’t publish a figure, this table says so rather than filling the gap.
| Compare | Intoxalock | Smart Start |
|---|---|---|
| 6 months | $395–$918 | $690–$810 |
| 12 months | $725–$1,686 | $1,230–$1,470 |
| 24 months | $1,385–$3,222 | $2,310–$2,790 |
| Monthly lease | From $54.99; $55–$128 nationally | From $89.99, by state |
| Installation | From $65, typically $70–$150 | From $150 |
| Calibration | About $20 per visit | From $25 per visit |
| Removal | Not published | Not published |
| Other fees | Lockout $75 · vehicle switch $30 · late return $2 a day | Not published |
| Contract | Adjustable term; some offers need a six-month minimum | No long-term contract |
| Coverage | Says 5,500+ locations nationwide | Statewide networks; the one brand on every state list we could read |
| Paying | Monthly or bi-weekly | Monthly, via client portal |
| Free quote | Call | Call |
Totals are installation plus monthly lease across the term, at published rates. They exclude calibration visits, removal, state fees and violation charges, and none of them is a quote. Run your own numbers →
What the numbers don’t show
The published floor isn’t your price
Both quote per vehicle and per service center. A 2012 sedan with standard wiring installs at the bottom of the range; a hybrid, a diesel truck or anything with an aftermarket alarm takes longer to wire and costs more. Ask each for the all-in monthly, the install fee for your vehicle, and the removal fee — that last one is the number people forget to ask about and argue over later.
Where you’ll drive every month or two
Calibration visits fall every 30 to 90 days depending on your state, for the whole term. Ten extra miles each way, a dozen times over, outweighs a few dollars of monthly difference. Ask each company for the nearest service center to your ZIP and how far out it’s booking.
Fees that appear later
Lockout resets, vehicle transfers, missed appointments and late device returns are where surprise bills come from, and not every provider publishes them. Get the removal process and the final month’s billing in writing before installation.
The devices themselves
Both use fuel-cell sensors, both require a startup test and rolling retests while driving, and both report failed tests and missed calibrations to your monitoring authority. Day to day there is little practical difference. Price and distance are the decision.
Which one to call
Call Intoxalock if…
- Upfront cash is tight and the lower install matters
- You want the widest choice of nearby shops
- Bi-weekly payments suit your pay cycle
Call Smart Start if…
- You want a published rate you can budget against
- You’d rather avoid a minimum-term commitment
- Its shop is closer than the alternative
Common questions
Is Intoxalock or Smart Start cheaper?
How much will the whole term cost?
Can I switch providers partway through my term?
Do the devices work differently?
How fast can I get installed?
- Intoxalock published pricing (installation from $65, lease from $54.99, calibration about $20, $75 lockout, $30 vehicle switch, $2 a day late return): www.intoxalock.com
- Intoxalock cost and lease pages (national lease range $55–$128): www.intoxalock.com
- Smart Start state cost pages (installation from $150; lease from $89.99 in Texas, $99.99 in Pennsylvania, $109.99 in Washington; service from $25): www.smartstartinc.com