# Canary - Smart Home Security > Smart home security with live video, alerts, and environmental monitoring. (iPhone/iPad app by Canary Connect.) - Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/canary-smart-home-security/id939760559 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`) - Developer: [Canary Connect](https://appshunter.io/developer/939760558) - Category: Lifestyle, Utilities - Price: Free with in-app purchases - Rating: 4.20/5 from 5,278 App Store ratings · 609 written reviews indexed - Age rating: 4+ - Requires: iOS 17.6 · 157 MB - Languages: American English, French (France), German (Germany), European Spanish - Released: 2014-12-18 - Data updated: 2026-08-27 - Monetization: free with in-app purchases - User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/canary-smart-home-security/id939760559/reviews.md ## What is Canary? Canary is home security made simple. The Canary app works with our security devices to connect your home to your phone, allowing you to view and protect those that matter most. Monitor your home: Watch live or recorded HD videos day or night. Access Canary’s timeline for a living history of your home. Save and bookmark your favorite clips. Intelligent notifications: When Canary identifies something out of the ordinary, you’ll get a notification with recorded HD video of the event, as well as the option to watch live. Automatic arming: Canary changes modes when you come and go. No complicated keypads or codes to remember. - Away When all members are away Canary monitors for activity and sends notifications - Home When a member is home Canary is customizable. You can set notification and privacy preferences. - Night Schedule Canary to monitor for activity while you sleep. - Privacy Camera and microphone are completely off. Emergency Options: Respond to incidents directly from the Canary app. Trigger the 90 decibel siren, or be connected directly to your home’s local emergency responders. A healthier home: Canary’s HomeHealth Technology™ monitors indoor air quality, temperature, and humidity. It all adds up to a smarter and safer home. Love your Canary? We read and appreciate every single review. Want to suggest a feature? Get in touch! -- Email: support@canary.is Facebook: Canary Twitter: @canary Instagram: @caughtbycanary From time to time, the Canary auto-mode switching feature may briefly access your GPS in order to have high confidence in your location. Battery life is very important to us and we do many things to ensure we use it sparingly. Please be aware that continued use of GPS services running in the background can dramatically decrease battery life. ## Key features - Live and recorded HD video monitoring - Intelligent motion notifications with video clips - Automatic arming/disarming based on location - Emergency siren and direct connection to responders - Indoor air quality, temperature, and humidity monitoring - Customizable Home and Night modes ## Pricing and in-app purchases Base price: Free. **Subscriptions** | Subscription | Price | Period | | --- | --- | --- | | Premium Service | $12.99 | per month | | Professional Monitoring | $19.99 | per month | | Premium Service | $249.00 | per year | | Premium Service | $7.99 | per month | | Premium Service | $249.00 | per year | | Premium Service | $7.99 | per month | | Premium Service | $7.99 | per month | | Premium Service | $24.99 | per month | | Premium Service | $79.99 | per year | | Premium Service | $7.99 | per month | | Premium Service | $24.99 | per month | | Premium Service | $24.99 | per month | ## Chart rankings - #150 in Top Grossing · Lifestyle (US App Store) ## What do users think of Canary? Overall sentiment: neutral **Pros** - 🚀 Easy to set up - 🔒 Reliable security system - 📊 Comprehensive dashboard and data - 🌡️ Monitors temperature, humidity, and air quality - 💬 Two-way audio communication - 🔊 Loud alarm **Cons** - 🐛 Frequent disconnections and offline issues - 🔍 Poor motion detection and false alerts - 🕰️ Limited video history without subscription - 🔒 Subscription required for essential features - 📺 Slow video loading and playback - 🔌 Unreliable charging and battery life - 🤖 Buggy app with frequent crashes **Commonly reported bugs** - App crashes on launch - Inability to delete or remove cameras - Inaccurate temperature and air quality readings - Inconsistent live view and recording functionality **Most requested features** - Ability to move and reposition cameras - Longer video history for free users - Improved geofencing and automatic mode switching - Better motion detection and person identification - Easier multi-camera management ## Recent user reviews (10 of 609) All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/canary-smart-home-security/id939760559/reviews.md ### 1/5 — Stupid adverts pop-up *2026-08-13, version 9.0.0* The app is basic and surely can’t cost much to manage. The cameras are not cheap, yet they Plaster the app in adverts of which you can’t even close without restarting the whole app. The desperation for a little extra income through in app advertising is pathetic and low. ### 5/5 — Fixed the Issue Quickly *2026-08-10, version 9.0.0* Customer Service responded promptly, clearly explained the issue I was experiencing, and resolved it quickly. The individual was knowledgeable, professional, and made the entire process easy. ### 1/5 — This thing is TRASH *2026-08-07, version 9.0.0* This is the worst camera and app of all time. It’s really the software that’s the problem - the hardware is decent enough but when you need to check on your dogs in your RV in the middle of a heat emergency, be prepared to wait for EXTREMELY LONG (and laggy) ads for trashy pay to pay phone games for AGES before being able to check if your pets are in danger. There is no way to exit out until at least a full minute or more has passed and not until You’ve tapped into the App Store 2 or 3 times by being forced to look at the advertised game app in the store before being able to finally move on to see your camera. Usually the app has enough juice in it to show you the ads no problem, but the second it tries to load the camera it just crashes out. What an absolute piece of trash nightmare. Worst thing I’ve ever bought. ### 1/5 — Its a trap *2026-07-31, version 8.18.0* Avoid this scam. They have punished there early adapters by changing to a subscription model after promoting a change to the typical business model by being a free after buying the device service. Nothing but ad’s now. Edit: The app is almost completely useless. Between the ads and just how it functions if you do not pay for a monthly subscription, you basically would have to be looking at the app 24/7 to see anything. By the time you check the app to see what any notification was about, it is either gone, as they do not save them, or what ever trigger the alarm is not in frame anymore. Then you respond with a giant ad that does not address any issue. At least the device holds doors open quite well, the only feature you do not have to pay for monthly. ### 1/5 — Non functioning app *2026-07-31, version 8.18.0* This app crashes when opened. Literally non functioning app. I feel bad for the poor saps who buy this atrocious product. ### 5/5 — Awesome app *2026-07-25, version 8.18.0* Great app, but lots of ads ### 1/5 — Crashes on Launch *2026-07-08, version 8.18.0* The app crashes on launch on my iPad Pro and my iPhone Air. I cannot access the Canary View at all. I messaged Customer Support and was told to do a password reset. I did, to no avail. I then asked to delete my account, but was informed the app was the only way to do so. Eventually, I bought another company’s camera since the Canary software would not work. As for the hardware, it became for me obsolete e-waste destined for Apple’s recycling program. This camera once was the workhorse of my smart home security system (and I am grateful for what it offered then), but unfortunately the developers turned the app into a clunky, unpleasant experience where a “free” 30-second view of your home arrives between ads. Even if I could tolerate the ad-based “free” experience to access my Canary View (and I was willing to accept that bargain, at least initially), the broken app forced me to move on. ### 1/5 — Worst security camera company *2026-07-05, version 8.18.0* Their app is so dumb. If yiu enable face id, you also have to put passcode. Why. It should just work on your face id. Their showing the ads in free model is absolute terrible. These are > 1 min ad you have to sit through. No wonder with these types of functions they have trouble making sale. I will never buy their device again. ### 3/5 — Never works anymore *2026-07-01, version 8.18.0* Canary is great when it works. But now my camera doesn’t connect and the app crashes instantly when I try to open it. I’ve offloaded. Redownloaded. Nothing. I’ve always had issues with these camera. They just stop working. ### 2/5 — Beware of automatic subscription fees *2026-06-24, version 8.18.0* The app and camera products work fine. Be very careful of the annual premium subscription renewal. It automatically renews and has increased by almost $100 every year. They will not refund the subscription fees unless you cancel before the renewal date. They clearly are desperate for the subscription fees. ## Frequently asked questions about Canary ### What does the Canary app do? The Canary app works with Canary security devices to provide live and recorded video monitoring of your home. It sends intelligent notifications with video clips for unusual activity, offers automatic arming and disarming, and includes emergency response features. It also monitors indoor air quality, temperature, and humidity. ### What are the key features of the Canary app? Key features include live and recorded HD video viewing, intelligent notifications with video evidence, automatic mode switching (Away, Home, Night), privacy controls, the ability to trigger a siren, and direct connection to emergency responders. It also monitors your home's environment. ### Is the Canary app free to use? The app itself is free to download and use. However, it requires Canary security devices to function. There may be in-app purchases available for additional features or services, and the app may display advertisements. ### What devices is the Canary app compatible with? The app is designed to work with Canary's range of smart home security devices. Specific compatibility details for different Canary device models can typically be found on the manufacturer's website or within the app's store listing. ### How does the automatic arming feature work? The automatic arming feature uses your phone's GPS to determine when you leave or return home. When all members are away, it enters 'Away' mode for monitoring. When a member is home, it can be customized to 'Home' mode, and you can schedule 'Night' mode for sleep. The 'Privacy' mode turns off the camera and microphone. ## Version history (last 5 releases) ### 9.0.0 — 2026-08-05 Introducing
24h Continuous Video Recording. Capture up to 24 hours of uninterrupted video with Premium Service. See what happened before, during, and after every event. Bug fixes and optimizations. ### 8.18.0 — 2026-05-19 - Bug fixes and optimizations. ### 8.17.0 — 2026-04-27 - Introducing Event Summary for Premium Service. The new Event Summary widget highlights recent activity right on your Dashboard—so you always know what happened. - Bug fixes and optimizations. ### 8.16.1 — 2026-02-11 - You can now add, rearrange, and remove widgets on your dashboard. - Bug fixes and optimizations. ### 8.16.0 — 2026-02-09 - You can now add, rearrange, and remove widgets on your dashboard. - Bug fixes and optimizations. ## Apps similar to Canary | App | Rating | Price | Category | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | [SimpliSafe Home Security App](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/simplisafe-home-security-app/id555798051) | 4.8 (323,244) | Free | Lifestyle | | [Alfred Camera: Home Security](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/alfred-camera-home-security/id966460837) | 4.8 (110,529) | Free | Lifestyle | | [Kangaroo: Simple Home Security](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/kangaroo-simple-home-security/id1388241447) | 4.6 (7,386) | Free | Lifestyle | | [Arlo Secure: Home Security](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/arlo-secure-home-security/id1459289784) | 4.2 (389,433) | Free | Lifestyle | | [ZoomOn Home Security Camera](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/zoomon-home-security-camera/id1259276120) | 4.2 (1,560) | Free | Lifestyle | | [eufy](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/eufy/id1424956516) | 4.6 (71,242) | Free | Lifestyle | ## Related topics [canary](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/canary) · [canary camera](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/canary-camera) · [bammel](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/bammel) · [smart apple](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/smart-apple) --- *Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-08-27.*