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7 Best Apps to Turn Your iPhone into Security Camera

Are you considering installing a security camera at your home or office? It’s quite natural in places with high crime rates or if you have something valuable in your possession and need that extra safety. Installing a security camera assures you that the trespassers and burglars can be spotted before they arrive at the scene or at least they can be identified later on. The question is, can you use your iPhone as a security camera?

You can repurpose your old iPhone into a security camera thanks to these apps that we have tried and tested below giving you in & out details of the same. Do check out the list of best apps to turn your iPhone into a security camera.

Alfred

Alfred is regarded as one of the best apps for turning your iPhone into a security camera. With more than 25 million families opting for Alfred, this is a cutting-edge security camera app that offers both basic and advanced security features. Easy to set up, Alfred takes just a few minutes to get started with it ensures that the app is reliable and stable. Alfred has a 24/7 live feed with high-quality video resolution, there’s a smart intruder alert on-board as well.

Alfred has advanced features like a 360 camera, walkie-talkie, low-light filter, unlimited cloud storage, and many more. There’s two-way audio in case you want to convey something. The footage is fed onto the cloud storage for 7 days free of charge. Also, you can set up a “trust circle” where your friends can view the footage if required.

Pros:

  • Primary features are free
  • The feed can be viewed on the web
  • Content is uploaded on a free online cloud account
  • 24/7 live streaming

Cons:

  • Some premium features are behind the paywall
  • Requires iOS 8 and above
  • Low-quality footage

Key Features: Two-way communication | Motion Detection | High-resolution video-quality | Trust Circle | Intruder alert and siren system

Price: Free | Offers In-app purchases | Premium subscription starts at $3.99/mo or $29.99/yearly

Download: Alfred

ManyThings

ManyThings is an all-powerful app that transforms your iPhone into a security camera. It takes advantage of both the camera and microphone of your device to deliver optimum security. ManyThings can be used to monitor the office place or home or children’s room as a baby monitor and so on. It is compatible with IFTTT that allows connecting with a huge number of web services and devices connected with it. ManyThings are capable of tracking motion as well that comes in handy in tracking burglars and intruders in your home.

The free version does have Cloud Video Recording (CVR) although in a limited fashion. There are a few shortcomings with ManyThings too such as it faces substantial lag in the live stream when viewed on other smartphones.

Pros:

  • Easy to set up
  • Supports multiple devices

Cons:

  • Compatible with iOS 6 and above
  • Low-quality videos
  • Expensive premium plans
  • A substantial delay in live stream

Key Features: Compatible with IFTTT | Download videos | Adjust detection zones & camera sensitivity | Control cameras remotely

Price: Free | Offers In-app purchases | Pro at $3.99 to $25.99 from 1 camera to 5 cameras setup

Download: ManyThings

Related: How to Disable Camera and Mic Access to iPhone Apps

Presence Video Security Camera

You have an old iPhone that you want to repurpose. Check out the Presence Video Security Camera that transforms your iPhone as a CCTV camera transmitting footage to your primary devices in real-time. It does have a lot of features such as audio and video streaming live, alert when someone’s around, and so on. Two-way communication is available on Presence and it entertains multiple simultaneous viewers as well.

Its Presence Pro is strapped with a lot of features including a camera alarm, faster and longer recordings, 5GB of encrypted cloud storage among others. You also get clear video streams and additional layers of privacy and security with Presence Pro.

Pros:

  • Advanced motion detection
  • Pro version is very powerful
  • Supports multiple simultaneous viewers

Cons:

  • Constant reminders on buying its cloud storage
  • Most features are behind a paywall
  • Limited storage on the free version
  • No IFTTT channel

Key Features: Compatible with Amazon Alexa | Two-way audio communication | Live audio and video feed stream

Price: Free | Offers In-app Purchases | Pro at $1.99/week trial, $4.99/mo, and $49.99/yearly

Download: Presence Video Security Camera

Baby Monitor 3G

This one is a bit different but has many use cases. It is a baby monitor wherein you can convert two iPhones or a combination of iPhone and iPad into a child and a parent station. Watch the live stream of your baby sleeping and keep an eye without actually entering his/her room. Baby Monitor 3G works on a 3G/LTE/Wi-Fi which means you can have an HD video feed anywhere anytime.

It has other features like an adjustable night light, lullabies for babies, 13 languages support among others. You can repurpose it as a security cam in or outside your house just in case. Ensure you are carefully tucking the phone at the right place hidden from intruders if the purpose is security.

Pros:

  • HD video anywhere and anytime
  • Unlimited reach
  • Night Mode
  • Easy to use and set up

Cons:

  • Lacking many security features
  • Connects to only one parent station at a time

Key Features: Setup in 30 seconds | Enhanced Baby Activity log | Discrete Vibration Light | Reliable and secure | Two-way audio communication

Price: Pro at $3.99

Download: Baby Monitor 3G

Related: 7 Best iPhone Apps for Scanning Old Photos

AirBeam Video Surveillance

If you are looking to set up surveillance at your home or in the office, AirBeam Video Surveillance can be of great help. Assuming that you have one or more spare iPhone, you can simply use AirBeam and transmit high-quality videos at 1080p in real-time on the monitoring device. The app doesn’t take much configuration as it automatically detects cameras i.e. your iPhone(s) in this instance.

The list of features includes Multi-Camera and Multi-Monitor setup as well as manual and motion/audio detection. Integrate it with Dropbox and all the recordings will be uploaded directly over Wi-Fi. The app is powerful thanks to the tonne of features it offers including a web interface, full remote control, and two-way audio communication to name a few. The app isn’t free so you will have to pay for it but it’s worth it.

Pros:

  • High-quality videos in real-time
  • Uploads recordings to the cloud automatically
  • Full remote control
  • Multi-Camera & Multi-Monitor setup

Cons:

  • Occasionally lags
  • Port configuration can be tricky to understand

Key Features: Two-way audio communication | Virtual Reality Mode | Dropbox Integration | Manual, motion, & audio detection | Zero Configuration

Price: $3.99

Download: AirBeam Video Surveillance

iCamSource Mobile

Another lesser-known app that converts your iPhone into a security camera, iCamSource Mobile works with iCam Video Streaming app. It feeds footage containing both audio and video recorded using an iOS device such as the iPhone. It is a handy app if you are looking to use it as a spycam, a security cam, or a baby monitor if you have a spare iPhone to use.

The iCam video viewer app is great as a monitoring station as it can collect feeds from multiple cameras at once. Connect it over to Wi-Fi or 4G/LTE/3G/EDGE and it will do its job right away. The app also takes backup of recordings in case needed. Need to watch the live feed or recording without the monitoring device? The app also offers the ability to stream video on the web. It is also compatible with Windows Vista and above, iOS 8.2 and above, and so on.

Pros:

  • Encrypted recording
  • Adjustable frame rate and image quality
  • Motion detection alerts
  • Tutorials for easy configuration

Cons:

  • Requires separate apps for recording & monitoring
  • Requires paying for premium upfront
  • Negligible free storage

Key Features: Multiple multiple audio/video feed | Backs up recordings | Easy to configure | Supports both front/back cameras

Price: $0.99 to $49.99

Download:  iCamSource Mobile | iCam View Streaming

Related: 15 Best Instagram Video Editor Apps for Android and iPhone

IP Cam

IP Cam transforms your iPhone into a portable IP camera that you can access via the WI-Fi network. The app lets you configure your iPhone as an IP Cam capturing both video and audio. You can view all the recordings on a web browser from any computer or you use your Safari or other browsers. The app has Night Vision and Grayscale mode, Apple Watch support, and lets you view recorded devices from any iOS device.

IP Cam uses login and password for utmost protection against intruders. The app has support from viewing recordings using 3rd party apps, has configurable video quality, supports dynamic DNS among others. Not that this is a lesser-known app on iPhones but it is worth giving it a shot.

Pros:

  • Night Vision & Grayscale
  • Supports login & password
  • Remote streaming & recording
  • Web access

Cons:

  • Relative underrated
  • Relies on web browsers for viewing recordings

Key Features: Configurable Video Quality | Supports Dynamic DNS | Back/Front cam support | View on 3rd party apps

Price: Free

Download: IP Cam

If you are looking for popular apps that allow converting your iPhone into security cameras like AtHome and a few others, those are no longer working. We did find some of the best apps including a few unknown ones that would allow using your spare iPhone as a security camera. Let us know which app you found the best based on your use cases.

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