Comparison

HomeSafe View vs Amcrest View Pro 2

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

HomeSafe View

Monitor your Swann CCTV system live from your iPhone or iPad. View up to 16 cameras simultaneously, play back recordings, and control PTZ cameras remotely. Capture video and still images directly to your device.

Highlights
  • Multi-channel live viewing (up to 16 cameras)
  • Playback stored DVR recordings
  • Change DVR/NVR settings
  • Capture live video
  • Capture still images
  • Remote PTZ camera control
Read full description

HomeSafe View: Live Swann CCTV viewing on your iPhone and iPad HomeSafe View supports the following features: Multi-channel viewing with up to 16 cameras on screen at the same time (16ch view works best on iPads) Play back stored recordings from your DVR on your handset or tablet (requires high upload speed internet) Change settings on your DVR or NVR in app Capture video from your camera live view to your iPhone to play back later Capture single and multi still images and save these to your iPhone's picture library Control PTZ (pan, tilt, zoom) cameras remotely Note: Current model handsets and iPads are recommended for high resolution playback and live viewing more than 8 cameras at once. Note: This app uses a data stream that will connect to your Swann DVR via 4G/5G or WiFi. When using 4G/5G, the video from your DVR will likely be considered "downloads" by your phone service provider and will contribute to any download limit your phone data plan may have. If you exceed any plan limits you may incur additional usage charges. Consult with your mobile service provider regarding the use of a video streaming app and how it may affect your plan. For assistance with this app, contact Swann Tech Support – tech@swann.com

About

Amcrest View Pro 2

Monitor your Amcrest IP cameras, DVRs, and NVRs remotely. This application allows you to view live feeds from your security devices directly on your iOS device, providing peace of mind and enhanced home security.

Highlights
  • Live camera viewing
  • Remote access
  • Monitor IP cameras
  • Monitor DVRs
  • Monitor NVRs
  • Home security
Features
Read full description

The Amcrest View Pro 2 app was specifically designed for our Amcrest IP Cameras, HDCVI DVRs, and NVRs. Watch your cameras live using your iOS device! As a leader in the home security space, Amcrest offers products to help you and your loved ones feel safe, no matter where you are. With the Amcrest View Pro 2 app, it's simple to check in on what you care about, from anywhere.

Screenshots

HomeSafe View4 screens
Amcrest View Pro 24 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: HomeSafe View at 2.6 against Amcrest View Pro 2's 2.1. HomeSafe View also leads on ratings volume (1.1K vs 107). On price, review sentiment, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

HomeSafe View holds the better App Store score, 2.6 against 2.1. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: HomeSafe View has 1.1K ratings behind it against 107, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 11% of HomeSafe View's written reviews are positive against 15% of Amcrest View Pro 2's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

HomeSafe View ships an update every 6 months, Amcrest View Pro 2 every 8 months. Both last shipped on October 24, 2026.

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
HomeSafe View versus Amcrest View Pro 2: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterHomeSafe ViewAmcrest View Pro 2
PriceFreeFree
Rating2.6 (1.1K ratings) — better2.1 (107 ratings)
Positive reviews11.3% of reviews14.9% of reviews — better
Number of ratings1.1K — better107
Update frequencyEvery 6 months — betterEvery 8 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFreeFree
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPod
Requires iOS11.0 — better12.0
Further details — not scored
Size108 MB231 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperSwann Communications Pty LtdAmcrest

Customer experience

HomeSafe View

All ratings1,063 ratings
Positive35.1%
Neutral8.1%
Negative56.8%
Written reviews591 reviews
Positive11.3%
Neutral10.8%
Negative77.8%

Amcrest View Pro 2

All ratings84 ratings
Positive22.6%
Neutral9.5%
Negative67.9%
Written reviews67 reviews
Positive14.9%
Neutral9.0%
Negative76.1%

User reviews

HomeSafe View

From 1.1K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Fast live view
  • 👍 Easy setup
  • 🔒 Reliable security system
  • 💡 Helpful technical support

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Frequent disconnections
  • 🐛 Laggy and slow app performance
  • 🐛 Playback issues and missing features
  • 👎 Unintuitive and outdated user interface

Amcrest View Pro 2

From 107 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 👍 Easier to use interface
  • 🚀 Improved camera adding process
  • 👍 Better than previous version
  • 👍 New look is appreciated
  • 👍 Works well with GPU option enabled

Room to improve

  • 🐛 App crashes frequently
  • 🐛 App is unreliable and buggy
  • 🐛 Playback is terrible (stalling, skipping)
  • 🐛 Live view and playback are separate
  • 🐛 iPad app doesn't fill screen

Bugs and requests

HomeSafe View

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • App crashes and freezes
  • Notifications not working as expected
  • Inability to delete recorded videos
  • Compatibility issues with newer iOS versions

Requested features

4 requests
  • Add landscape mode support
  • Improve video playback controls
  • Allow remote camera settings adjustments
  • Integrate with smart home platforms

Amcrest View Pro 2

Reported bugs

50 issues
  • Push notifications stopped working
  • Playback stalling, skipping, jumping to beginning
  • App closes current camera or exits full screen
  • Event notifications not provided
  • Motion sensor enabled but push notifications not working
Show 45 more
  • App will not let user view cameras
  • App keeps timing out when viewing live feed or recordings
  • App won't add camera, says Device SN doesn't exist
  • Cameras seldom connect
  • Continually time-out
  • NVR fails to log cameras in quick view
  • Recording scheduling portion is unintuitive
  • General interface is outdated
  • Audio is unintelligible
  • Intercom mode crashes camera firmware
  • Message in Chinese
  • Cannot find IP address of camera
  • QR code scan failure
  • App doesn't allow remote access
  • Event recording doesn't work
  • Login timeout when not on local Wi-Fi
  • Home screen shows incorrect camera image
  • Maximum connections exceeded error
  • Dual 4K resolution cropped on iPhone 16
  • App doesn't work on M1 Mac
  • App doesn't work with iPhone
  • App doesn't recognize all Amcrest cameras
  • App doesn't accept P2P Amcrest camera with serial starting with Z
  • No P2P Gateway import feature
  • Motion detector playback does not work
  • Smart motion detection (human/vehicle) not working
  • Events don't show up on iPhone event list unless push notification is clicked
  • Unable to add NVR via P2P on iOS version
  • App doesn't load cameras after closing and reopening
  • App constantly crashes
  • App doesn't fill iPad screen
  • Turning device sideways resizes image weirdly
  • Notifications not working
  • App crashes with 4K cameras without GPU option
  • App doesn't connect to streams
  • App is unstable and has numerous bugs/errors
  • App is worse than the first version
  • App requires too many taps for simple tasks
  • App doesn't support self-search for Amcrest cameras
  • App fails to connect to camera
  • App renders camera system unusable
  • No live view or playback after update
  • App is primitive
  • App is a mess
  • Old app is better

Requested features

12 requests
  • Add screen lock feature
  • Add PTZ set point feature
  • Add cloud storage access
  • Add ability to show events and jump to them
  • Add GPU option for iOS app
Show 7 more
  • Add P2P Gateway import feature
  • Allow user choice for password change
  • Improve Mac OSX support
  • Fix dual 4K resolution cropping on iPhone 16
  • Improve iPad app scaling
  • Add timeline under live view for easier playback
  • Fix messages appearing in Chinese

In-app purchases

None

HomeSafe View

No in-app purchases

None

Amcrest View Pro 2

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is HomeSafe View free?
HomeSafe View is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Amcrest View Pro 2 free?
Amcrest View Pro 2 is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, HomeSafe View or Amcrest View Pro 2?
HomeSafe View is rated higher. HomeSafe View averages 2.6 out of 5 from 1.1K ratings, while Amcrest View Pro 2 averages 2.1 from 107 ratings.
Do HomeSafe View or Amcrest View Pro 2 have ads?
Neither HomeSafe View nor Amcrest View Pro 2 shows ads.
Which is updated more often, HomeSafe View or Amcrest View Pro 2?
HomeSafe View ships an update every 6 months, and Amcrest View Pro 2 every 8 months. Most recently, HomeSafe View was updated on October 24, 2026 and Amcrest View Pro 2 on October 24, 2026.

Other comparisons