App & Remote Controlled

An app controlled vibrator is any toy whose motor is run from a phone instead of a button. The toy itself can be a wearable, an egg, a G spot vibrator or a plug; what the app adds is distance, a partner's hand from anywhere, and control that does not need reaching for. This guide is about what actually matters in that kind of toy, and what is marketing.

What the app is for

Three things. A partner across the room, or across the world, controls the toy from their phone. The wearer controls it without touching it, which is the point of anything worn under clothes. And the app offers more than a button can: patterns you draw with a finger, sound or music that drives the motor, and video calls where the other person runs the toy. Everything else in the app is decoration.

Bluetooth and range

The toy talks to the phone over Bluetooth, which reaches a few metres through clothing and a body. For control across the room, that is plenty. For long distance, the wearer's phone relays the connection over the internet, so both people need the app and a signal; expect the connection to drop now and then, and choose a toy that keeps its last setting rather than stopping when it does. Claims of control across a restaurant rely on the wearer's phone being nearby, not on Bluetooth reaching that far.

The toy comes first

The app cannot fix a weak motor or a bad shape. Choose the toy as you would any other: a rumbly motor rather than a buzzy one, a shape that suits where it goes, a slim neck for anything worn, and a body that is fully waterproof. Then check the app. A toy with a great app and a poor motor is a poor toy.

Wearables, eggs and plugs

Wearables sit in the underwear with a curved arm inside and a motor over the clitoris; they are the toy people buy for a night out and the one where fit matters most, because a wearable that shifts does nothing. Eggs are the simplest and the most discreet, and the cord or a retrieval loop is essential. Plugs with app control are for wearing longer, and need a slim neck and a base that sits flat. G spot and rabbit vibrators with an app are mainly for home and partner use.

Noise

Under clothes in a quiet room, a good toy on low is inaudible; in a bar it is inaudible on any setting. Motors buzz against hard chairs, so sit on something soft. Rumbly motors are quieter than buzzy ones for the same strength.

Battery and charging

App toys use more power than button toys because the Bluetooth radio is always on. Expect one to two hours of use from a charge, and charge before a night out. Magnetic charging points are the standard and easiest to keep clean.

The app itself

Look for an app that works without an account for solo use, that lets you set a pattern and close the phone, and that keeps the toy running if the connection drops. Read the privacy policy: the app knows when and how the toy is used, and the better brands say plainly what they collect. A toy that also has buttons on the body is worth more than one that is app only.

Care

Wash with warm water and mild soap, keeping soap out of the charging contacts. Water based lubricant only. Charge fully before storing and top up every few months.

Frequently asked questions