# Phonitor: Home Security Camera — Old iPhone baby & pet monitor > Repurpose old Apple devices as a smart home security camera with sound alerts. (iPhone/iPad app by 弛 张.) - Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/phonitor-home-security-camera/id6648756122 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`) - Developer: [弛 张](https://appshunter.io/developer/1498872554) - Category: Photo & Video, Utilities - Price: Free with in-app purchases - Rating: 4.20/5 from 19 App Store ratings · 5 written reviews indexed - Age rating: 4+ - Requires: iOS 15.0 · 32 MB - Languages: American English, French (France), German (Germany), Japanese, Korean, Brazilian Portuguese, Russian, Chinese (Simplified, China), European Spanish, Chinese (Traditional, Taiwan) - Released: 2024-09-02 - Data updated: 2026-11-08 - Monetization: freemium - User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/phonitor-home-security-camera/id6648756122/reviews.md ## What is Phonitor? Ever thought your old iPhone or iPad could do more? Phonitor turns your unused devices into a smart monitoring camera — no extra hardware, no extra cost. And now it listens, too: when the camera hears a baby crying, a dog barking or a smoke alarm, you'll know right away. Invite your family to set up and watch cameras together. Simply use your spare iPhone, iPad, or Mac as the camera, and view the live or playback on your everyday device. Place it wherever you need — a shelf, windowsill, the nursery, even outside for an afternoon. No mounts, no drilling: run on the built-in battery for short stints, or plug in for the long haul. Easily keep an eye on your home, yard, office, or stay connected with your baby, pets, and loved ones. An iPhone or iPad used as the camera needs iOS 15 or later. Built with privacy at its core, Phonitor is completely ad-free. It’s made just for Apple devices. Here are the key benefits: SOUND ALERTS: Get a notification the moment the camera hears a baby crying, a dog barking, a smoke alarm, glass breaking and more — even when Phonitor isn't open. Eight kinds of sounds, chosen per camera. Sound recognition runs on the camera itself; no audio is uploaded. (Pro) TAP TO REPLAY: Tap an alert to open that camera and go straight back to the moment it happened. FAMILY GROUP: Invite your family to set up and watch cameras together, up to 6 people. One subscription, and your family pays nothing. Each camera has its own switch. (Pro) REAL-TIME MONITORING: Watch your camera’s live stream anytime, anywhere, on any of your Apple devices. INSTANT PLAYBACK: A new timeline with a clear time ruler and event markers at a glance. Pick a date to find any recording stored on your camera device. EXPORT CLIPS: Trim and save the moments that matter, on the camera or from another device, and share them anywhere. (Pro) TWO-WAY AUDIO: Hear what’s happening and talk as if you’re there. (Pro) NIGHT VISION: Cleaner, steadier video in low light, even under dim bulbs. CRISP VIDEO: Up to 2K at 60fps. Choose the quality that suits your scene. VERY LITTLE DELAY: What happens at home reaches your screen with very little delay. ULTRA-WIDE CAMERA: Capture a broader view with the ultra-wide lens on compatible devices. BUILT FOR LONG STRETCHES: Smart battery use and reduced heat on the camera device. If the phone gets too hot, sound alerts and the torch pause while recording carries on. BACKGROUND PLAY: Continue monitoring while using other apps, or even with the screen locked. (Pro) PRIVATE: Recordings are saved on your camera device. Only your own devices, and family members you share a camera with, can watch. Sound recognition runs on the camera itself; no audio is uploaded. NO NEW ACCOUNT: Your Apple Account is all you need. Cameras you set up show up on your other devices through iCloud. Upgrade to Phonitor Pro for unlimited monitoring, Sound Alerts, Family Group and more exclusive features, with a 7-day free trial. Reusing old devices isn’t just about saving money — it’s a more sustainable, mindful lifestyle. Repurpose your old hardware in a simple, secure, and practical way, rather than letting it gather dust when it’s still fully capable. Terms of Use: https://phonitor.app/terms Privacy Policy: https://phonitor.app/privacy ## Key features - Repurpose old iPhones/iPads as cameras - Sound alerts for crying, barking, alarms - Real-time monitoring and playback - Family sharing for up to 6 people - Night vision and crisp video quality - Two-way audio communication - Export and share video clips ## Pricing and in-app purchases Base price: Free. **Subscriptions** | Subscription | Price | Period | | --- | --- | --- | | Pro | $2.49 | per 7 days | | Pro | $4.99 | per month | | Pro | $35.99 | per year | ## Is Phonitor safe? Not enough ratings yet to assess Phonitor. ## Is Phonitor legit? Phonitor: Home Security Camera appears to be a legitimate app. The AppsHunter Legitimacy Score for Phonitor is 85 out of 100 points across 7 verification signals from App Store and developer data. ## Recent user reviews (5 of 5) All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/phonitor-home-security-camera/id6648756122/reviews.md ### 3/5 — Keep up the good work *2026-05-15, version 2.0.1* Easy to use. Difficult to navigate to a set time period, but then easy once you have found the period and zoomed in. The sound quality on both the live feed and the recording is of poor quality. Volume levels keep changing also ### 1/5 — Not on an old iPhone.. poor execution *2025-12-24* Touted as a use for “old” iPhones.. not quite correct. No place does it state you must use iOS 15 or higher. Cant update older phones to that iOS so it’s useless. It’s somewhat difficult to get them paired and working. Not intuitive, menus are marginal at best. Nothing is explained or defined. Finally did get a phone connected to an iPad but took a while and some experimenting. Not worth the subscription price. Works so so for the free version. Better off just getting a blink or ring. Phone need to be continuously plugged in so it WILL destroy the battery. Great idea but poor execution. ### 5/5 — Impressive *2024-09-21* The video quality is excellent, comparable to like watching YouTube, also the lag is minimal. Great job ### 5/5 — 安全的端对端通信 *2024-09-18* 很棒的产品，不用再担心视频存储在第三方服务器中的安全问题。 **Developer response:** Thanks, Kylo! Yes sure! All footage stays local! 🙌 ### 1/5 — app say live monitoring and recording free and doesn't asks for a subscription *2024-09-10, version 1.0.2* app asks for subscription for live monitoring and recording when app say is free this app accounts and language i dont think accurate to the infomation advertised ## Frequently asked questions about Phonitor ### What devices can I use as a camera with Phonitor? You can use an old iPhone, iPad, or Mac as the camera device. The camera device requires iOS 15 or later for iPhones and iPads. ### Does Phonitor have ads? No, Phonitor is completely ad-free. It was built with privacy at its core and does not contain any advertisements. ### How does Phonitor's sound alert feature work? Phonitor can detect eight types of sounds, including baby crying, dog barking, and smoke alarms. Sound recognition runs directly on the camera device, and no audio is uploaded. ### Can I share my Phonitor cameras with family members? Yes, you can invite up to 6 family members to set up and watch cameras together. One subscription covers the entire family. ### What are the subscription options for Phonitor Pro? Phonitor Pro offers subscription plans including $2.49/week, $4.99/month, and $35.99/year, all with a 7-day free trial. ### How is video quality with Phonitor? Phonitor offers crisp video quality up to 2K at 60fps, with an ultra-wide camera option on compatible devices. It also features night vision for low-light conditions. ### Where are recordings stored with Phonitor? Recordings are saved directly on your camera device. Only your own devices and family members you share a camera with can access these recordings, ensuring privacy. ### How often is Phonitor updated? The latest version, 2.2, was released on November 7, 2026. The app is actively developed, with the last update indicating ongoing support and improvements. ## Version history (last 5 releases) ### 2.2 — 2026-11-07 Family Group is here: invite your family to set up and watch cameras together. • One subscription, and your family pays nothing. Up to 6 people in a group. (Pro) • Each camera has its own switch, and you can see who's watching. • In case you missed it: Sound Alerts tell you when the camera hears a baby crying or a dog barking. (Pro) • An easier-to-read timeline that stays put when you lift your finger. • Plus other improvements and fixes. Thanks for using Phonitor! ### 2.1 — 2026-11-04 Sound Alerts are here. • Sound Alerts: when your camera hears a baby crying, a dog barking, a smoke alarm and more, your phone gets a notification right away, even when Phonitor isn't open. Eight kinds of sounds, chosen per camera. Sound recognition runs on the camera itself; no audio is uploaded. (Pro) • Tap to replay: an alert opens that camera and takes you back to the moment it happened. • A new playback timeline: a clearer time ruler, event markers at a glance, and a calendar to find any recording. • Hear the room as it is: the camera now keeps ambient sound instead of filtering it out as noise. • Easier setup: choose whether this device is the camera or the viewer, then follow the steps. • Delete All Recordings from the camera's settings. • When the camera phone gets too hot, it pauses sound alerts and the torch to cool down. Recording keeps going. • Plus other improvements and fixes. Thanks for using Phonitor! ### 2.0.1 — 2026-05-09 Phonitor 2.0 — our biggest update yet. • Export Clips: trim and share the moments that matter, from local or remote recordings (Pro) • Improved Night Vision: cleaner low-light video with anti-flicker tuning that stays calm under dim bulbs • A fresh look for iOS 26 with Liquid Glass nav bars • More reliable streaming worldwide • Plus dozens of fixes for overall stability Thanks for using Phonitor! ### 2.0 — 2026-05-04 Phonitor 2.0 — our biggest update yet. • Export Clips: trim and share the moments that matter, from local or remote recordings (Pro) • Improved Night Vision: cleaner low-light video with anti-flicker tuning that stays calm under dim bulbs • A fresh look for iOS 26 with Liquid Glass nav bars • More reliable streaming worldwide • Plus dozens of fixes for overall stability Thanks for using Phonitor! ### 1.4.1 — 2025-06-26 This version brings stability improvements and bug fixes. ## Apps similar to Phonitor | App | Rating | Price | Category | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | [AI Security Camera & Viewer](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ai-security-camera-and-viewer/id6755069421) | 5.0 (1) | Free | Photo & Video | | [Homy: Security Camera](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/homy-security-camera/id6746756466) | 4.4 (52) | Free | Photo & Video | | [Faceter Video Surveillance](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/faceter-video-surveillance/id1458596215) | 4.6 (340) | Free | Photo & Video | | [RTSP & RTMP Cam - OctoStream](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/rtsp-and-rtmp-cam-octostream/id6474928937) | 4.5 (11) | Free | Photo & Video | | [Black Screen Camera QuietCam](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/black-screen-camera-quietcam/id6761479258) | 4.6 (55) | Free | Photo & Video | | [myCameraPal - Look Busy!](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mycamerapal-look-busy/id730135375) | 2.7 (26) | Free | Photo & Video | ## More apps by 弛 张 - [WhatsThis: Snap to Learn Words](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/whatsthis-snap-to-learn-words/id6737052050) - [Dogmon - Dog Breed Identifier](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/dogmon-dog-breed-identifier/id6740138007) All apps by 弛 张: https://appshunter.io/developer/1498872554 ## Related topics [manything](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/manything) --- *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 2026-11-08.*