Comparison

DS cam vs DSLoad Station

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

Head to head
About

DS cam

Monitor and receive alerts from your Synology surveillance cameras. Control PTZ, patrols, and lens functions in real-time. Easily filter recordings and manage essential tasks like disabling cameras or deleting snapshots.

Highlights
  • Real-time camera monitoring
  • Alert notifications
  • PTZ, patrol, and lens control
  • Advanced recording filters
  • Essential management tasks
  • Snapshot management
Features
Read full description

You must own a Synology NAS or NVR to run this app, and be running the latest Surveillance Station to get the complete set of features. DS cam makes it possible to monitor and receive alert notifications from all your surveillance cameras set up on a Synology DiskStation. Smart features such as PTZ, patrols or lens control allow for perfect control of your cameras in real-time, while advanced filters make it easy to pinpoint any specific event from large lists of recordings. You can even perform all essential management tasks, from disabling a camera to unlocking and deleting a snapshot. Find all detailed features about the app on our website: www.synology.com > Solutions > Surveillance > Surveillance Mobile > Specifications https://www.synology.com/dsm/7.2/software_spec/surveillance_station

About

DSLoad Station

Manage your Synology Download Station securely and privately from your mobile device. Control downloads, browse files, monitor your NAS, and automate tasks with an intuitive interface and seamless iOS integration.

Highlights
  • Secure and private connection
  • Full download task control
  • Add tasks via URLs, files, or browser
  • Real-time background notifications
  • Built-in file browser
  • RSS feed manager
  • Manage multiple NAS servers
Features
Read full description

DSLoad Station is the ultimate mobile client for managing your Synology Download Station. Take full control of your downloads with a secure, private, and feature-rich interface for DSM 6.0 and DSM 7.0+. SECURE & PRIVATE CONNECTION • End-to-end encryption for your credentials • Your data never leaves your device and your NAS • No tracking, no ads, complete privacy guaranteed • Connect seamlessly on your local network or remotely via QuickConnect • Full support for SSL/TLS encryption & 2-Factor Authentication (2FA) POWERFUL DOWNLOAD MANAGEMENT • Full control over your tasks: start, pause, resume, delete, and clear • Add tasks from URLs, files, or directly from your browser with the Share Extension • Advanced filtering to sort and find your downloads easily • Get real-time updates with background notifications • Select specific files within a task before downloading ADVANCED NAS FEATURES • Built-in file browser to navigate your Synology Diskstation files • Monitor your NAS storage, VPN status, and system health • Integrated RSS feed manager to automate your downloads • Powerful search to find new content from your configured sources • Manage multiple Synology NAS servers from one app SEAMLESS iOS INTEGRATION • Home Screen Widgets: Keep an eye on your tasks, storage, and VPN status. • Live Activities: Track your active downloads on the Lock Screen and in the Dynamic Island. • Face ID & Touch ID: Secure your app and your saved connections. • Dark Mode: A beautiful interface that’s easy on the eyes. • Shortcuts & Intents: Automate your download workflow. EASY TO USE • Quick setup in minutes - no technical knowledge required • Intuitive and modern interface designed for iOS • Manage your favorite servers and accounts with ease • In-app browser for easy navigation and task creation Whether you're at home or on the go, DSLoad Station provides the most complete and secure way to manage your Synology Download Station. Made by the Synology community for Synology users. Need help? Have a suggestion or feature request? Email me at contact@dsload.app! --- Some features require a subscription (annual) or a lifetime purchase. A free trial is available. DSLoad Station is not affiliated with Synology Inc. Terms of use: https://dsload.app/resources/terms.html

Screenshots

DS cam4 screens
DSLoad Station4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: DSLoad Station at 4.5 against DS cam's 3.0. DSLoad Station also leads on review sentiment (60% vs 32%) and update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 4 months). DS cam's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 9). On price, ads, device support and iOS requirement 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. DSLoad Station sells 9 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. DS cam asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

DSLoad Station holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 3.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 172 and 559 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 32% of DS cam's written reviews are positive against 60% of DSLoad Station's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

DS cam ships an update every 4 months, DSLoad Station every 2 weeks. Both last shipped on September 24, 2026.

Scorecard6 real differences · 4 level
DS cam versus DSLoad Station: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterDS camDSLoad Station
PriceFreeFree
Rating3.0 (172 ratings)4.5 (559 ratings) — better
Positive reviews31.8% of reviews60.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings172559 — better
Update frequencyEvery 4 monthsEvery 2 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree — betterFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS15.015.0
Further details — not scored
Size85 MB88 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperSynology Inc.Thomas Le gravier

Customer experience

DS cam

All ratings172 ratings
Positive41.3%
Neutral14.0%
Negative44.8%
Written reviews283 reviews
Positive31.8%
Neutral18.0%
Negative50.2%

DSLoad Station

All ratings559 ratings
Positive87.8%
Neutral2.3%
Negative9.8%
Written reviews195 reviews
Positive60.0%
Neutral7.2%
Negative32.8%

User reviews

DS cam

From 172 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Works great
  • 👍 Good and useful app
  • 🚀 Fast and stable
  • 👍 Completely control camera recordings
  • 👍 Toggle through events easily

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Regular app crashing
  • 🐛 Crashes frequently
  • 🐛 Cannot scroll back in timeline without issues
  • 🐛 Event viewer rarely works
  • 🐛 Slow and clunky

DSLoad Station

From 559 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Great app and great support
  • 🚀 Reliable and stable
  • 👍 Excellent layout, features, and functionality
  • 👍 Convenient to use
  • 👍 Responsive developer

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Occasional login issues and authentication problems
  • 🐛 Search not working at times
  • 🔒 Concerns about security and data privacy
  • 💰 Paid app when previous app was free
  • 💰 Expensive subscription model

Bugs and requests

DS cam

Reported bugs

16 issues
  • Regular app crashing
  • Cannot scroll back in timeline without issues
  • Event viewer rarely works
  • Keeps buffering
  • Crashes constantly
Show 11 more
  • Battery drain
  • Push notifications not reliable
  • Cannot click on push notifications
  • Cannot download h265 videos
  • Notifications missing thumbnails
  • Slow login process
  • Loses remembered connections
  • Slow to connect
  • Notifications stopped working
  • Crashes iPhone 14 Pro
  • Incompatible with older Surveillance Station versions

Requested features

11 requests
  • Selective motion notifications
  • Custom notification sounds
  • Ability to categorize alerts
  • Live scrubbing on timeline
  • Bookmarks and advanced filtering
Show 6 more
  • Ability to download h265 videos
  • Faster login process
  • Ability to retain remembered connections
  • Apple TV app
  • Dark mode for all screens
  • Ability to quickly switch between cameras

DSLoad Station

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Crashes and freezes on iPad
  • Unreliable connection to NAS
  • Inconsistent performance and functionality

Requested features

4 requests
  • Custom user-agent for specific sources
  • Ability to save default download folder
  • Integration with browser to push downloads directly
  • Support for more advanced download management features

In-app purchases

None

DS cam

No in-app purchases

9 purchases

DSLoad Station

Subscriptions7
  • Full access - Monthly$2.991 Month
  • Full access - Yearly7 Days trial$3.491 Year
  • Full access - Yearly7 Days trial$4.491 Year
Show 4 more
  • Full access - Yearly7 Days trial$5.991 Year
  • Full access - Yearly3 Days trial$6.991 Year
  • Full access - Yearly7 Days trial$7.991 Year
  • Full access - Yearly7 Days trial$9.991 Year
One-time2
  • Full access - Lifetime$17.99
  • Full access - Lifetime$24.99

Questions

Is DS cam free?
DS cam is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is DSLoad Station free?
DSLoad Station is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, DS cam or DSLoad Station?
DSLoad Station is rated higher. DS cam averages 3.0 out of 5 from 172 ratings, while DSLoad Station averages 4.5 from 559 ratings.
Do DS cam or DSLoad Station have ads?
Neither DS cam nor DSLoad Station shows ads.
Which is updated more often, DS cam or DSLoad Station?
DS cam ships an update every 4 months, and DSLoad Station every 2 weeks. Most recently, DS cam was updated on September 24, 2026 and DSLoad Station on September 24, 2026.

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