Comparison

DS cam vs FilterMyCalls

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

FilterMyCalls

Features
Read full description

Upgrade your phone with AI call screening. Know who's calling and why before you answer. FilterMyCalls gives you a personal AI call screener. When an unknown number calls your screening line, the AI answers first and asks who's calling and the reason for the call. You get the caller's name and reason in plain language — then you decide whether to answer, ignore, or follow up later. Fewer interruptions, more context, and less time wasted on mystery numbers. HOW IT WORKS When an unknown number reaches your screening line, the AI politely asks: "May I ask who's calling and the reason for the call?" The caller responds — for example, "This is John from ABC Roofing calling about your estimate." The AI passes that along, and you see who called and why, so you can act on your own terms instead of guessing. WHAT YOU GET • Know who's calling and why — see the caller's stated name and reason before you decide. • Fewer interruptions — let the AI handle unknown callers so you are not pulled away by every unexpected ring. • More context, less guessing — a clear reason beats an unknown number every time. • Your call, your choice — answer, ignore, or follow up later. You stay in control. • Manage your plan and account — check your subscription status and account details right in the app. • Sign in your way — passwordless magic link or email and password. • Face ID unlock — require Face ID or your passcode to open the app so your call details stay private. • Push notifications — get notified when a screened call comes in. Notification previews are kept generic; sensitive caller details are not shown on the lock screen. SUBSCRIPTION PRICING • FilterMyCalls Monthly — United States: $8.00/month. Canada: CA$10.00/month. • FilterMyCalls Annual — United States: $80.00/year. Canada: CA$100.00/year. Subscribe in the app with Apple In-App Purchase. Payment is charged to your Apple ID at confirmation of purchase. Subscriptions renew automatically unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24 hours before the end of the current period, and your Apple ID is charged for renewal within 24 hours before the current period ends. You can manage your subscription or turn off auto-renew in your Apple ID settings. Restore Purchases is available in the app at any time. AVAILABLE IN THE U.S. AND CANADA FilterMyCalls is available to customers in the United States and Canada. PRIVACY YOU CAN TRUST There is no third-party advertising and no cross-app tracking in this app. Your data is encrypted in transit, your session is stored securely on your device, and you can delete your account at any time from the app. Purchases are handled by Apple, and the app never sees or stores your payment details. GOOD TO KNOW FilterMyCalls helps you screen unknown callers, but it is not an emergency service and does not guarantee that every unwanted call will be stopped or blocked. Always use your phone's built-in emergency calling for urgent situations. LEGAL Privacy Policy: https://filtermycalls.com/privacy Terms of Use (EULA): https://filtermycalls.com/terms Questions? Visit filtermycalls.com/support.

Screenshots

DS cam4 screens
FilterMyCalls4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: DS cam at none against FilterMyCalls's 2. DS cam also leads on device support (3 vs 1). FilterMyCalls's advantage is update cadence (every 2 days vs every 4 months). On price, ads 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. FilterMyCalls sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. DS cam asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

DS cam ships an update every 4 months, FilterMyCalls every 2 days. The most recent releases landed on September 24, 2026 and September 10, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
DS cam versus FilterMyCalls: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterDS camFilterMyCalls
PriceFreeFree
Rating3.0 (172 ratings) — better
Positive reviews31.8% of reviews
Number of ratings172 — better
Update frequencyEvery 4 monthsEvery 2 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone
Requires iOS15.0 — better16.4
Further details — not scored
Size85 MB36 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperSynology Inc.LTI Group LLC

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

FilterMyCalls

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

None

DS cam

No in-app purchases

2 purchases

FilterMyCalls

Subscriptions2
  • FilterMyCalls Monthly$4.991 Month
  • FilterMyCalls Annual$39.991 Year

Questions

Is DS cam free?
DS cam is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is FilterMyCalls free?
FilterMyCalls is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do DS cam or FilterMyCalls have ads?
Neither DS cam nor FilterMyCalls shows ads.
Which is updated more often, DS cam or FilterMyCalls?
DS cam ships an update every 4 months, and FilterMyCalls every 2 days. Most recently, DS cam was updated on September 24, 2026 and FilterMyCalls on September 10, 2026.

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