# YI Home vs 5 Alive

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: 5 Alive at none against YI Home's 10. 5 Alive also leads on ads (none vs shown). YI Home's advantage is chart position (#67 vs unranked). On price, update cadence, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. YI Home sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. 5 Alive asks for nothing beyond the download.

YI Home ships an update every 2 weeks, 5 Alive every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 4, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | YI Home | 5 Alive |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.3 (72K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/yi-home/id1011626777/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **72K** | — |
| Positive reviews | 12.6% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 weeks** | Every 3 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Best chart rank | **#67** | — |
| Size | 285 MB | 25 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 14.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [ZK (HK) LIMITED](https://appshunter.io/developer/1769973640) | [5 Alive LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1894028724) |

## What reviewers say

### YI Home

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/yi-home/id1011626777)

**Currently charting:** #67 Top Grossing · Lifestyle (US App Store)

Monitor your home 24/7 with live video streaming from your cameras. Enjoy two-way audio, motion detection alerts, and HD video with night vision. Remotely pan, tilt, and zoom to get a full view of your surroundings.

**Highlights:** 24/7 live video streaming, Two-way audio communication, Motion detection alerts, Pan, tilt, and zoom controls, 1080p HD video, Day and night vision, Micro SD card video security

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Apple Wallet

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 7d. Loop(30d.), 1 Cam | $4.99 | per month |
| 7d. Loop(30d.), 1 Cam, CVR | $7.99 | per month |
| 15d. Loop(30d.), 5 Cam | $11.99 | per month |
| 5 cams,15 days history, motion | $11.99 | per month |
| 30d. Loop(30d.), 5 Cam | $14.99 | per month |
| Kami Cloud Entry Plan | $15.99 | per month |
| Kami Cloud CVR Plan | $18.99 | per month |
| Kami Cloud Standard Plan | $22.99 | per month |
| Kami Cloud Plus Plan | $25.99 | per month |
| Kami Cloud Entry Plan | $59.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Affordable and amazing camera system
- 🔒 Robust security features
- 👍 Easy setup and intuitive app
- 🔍 Clear video and audio quality
- 🔍 Excellent night vision

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Buggy app with crashes and freezes
- 🔒 Privacy concerns with data sharing
- 💰 Aggressive push for paid cloud subscription
- 🔒 Difficult to cancel subscription
- 🔍 Downgraded functionality in recent updates

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes on launch
- Inability to view recordings beyond 24 hours
- Cameras randomly going offline
- Issues with connecting to new WiFi networks

**Requested features**

- Add iPad app with multi-camera view
- Improve video playback controls and timeline
- Allow more flexible motion detection zones
- Provide option to disable motion alerts but still record
- Add background audio support for baby monitor use


### 5 Alive

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/5-alive/id6762391868)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is YI Home free?

YI Home is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is 5 Alive free?

5 Alive is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Do YI Home or 5 Alive have ads?

YI Home shows ads; 5 Alive does not.

### Which is updated more often, YI Home or 5 Alive?

YI Home ships an update every 2 weeks, and 5 Alive every 3 weeks. Most recently, YI Home was updated on November 4, 2026 and 5 Alive on October 24, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*