# i vs XMEye

The clearest difference is ads: i at none against XMEye's shown. i also leads on review sentiment (46% vs 11%) and monetization model (free vs ad-supported). XMEye's advantage is ratings volume (886 vs 126). On price, rating, update cadence and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

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

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 2.8 for i against 3.0 for XMEye. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: XMEye has 886 ratings behind it against 126, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 46% of i's written reviews are positive against 11% of XMEye's.

i ships an update every 6 weeks, XMEye every 5 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 22, 2026 and October 26, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | i | XMEye |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [2.8 (126 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/i-smart-viewer/id399765847/reviews) | **[3.0 (886 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/xmeye/id884006786/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 126 | **886** |
| Positive reviews | **46.3% of reviews** | 11.4% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 6 weeks | **Every 5 weeks** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Ad-supported |
| Size | 6 MB | 161 MB |
| Requires iOS | **8.0** | 13.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [GNET SYSTEM CO., LTD.](https://appshunter.io/developer/399765850) | [HANGZHOU JF SOFTWARE CO., LTD.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1788454307) |

## What reviewers say

### i

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/i-smart-viewer/id399765847)

View your DVR system in real-time directly from your iPhone or iPod. Monitor live feeds with options for single or quad screen display, and capture still images directly to your device.

**Highlights:** Real-time DVR access, Live monitoring, 1/4 screen division, Capture still images

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Works well for some users
- 👍 Connects quickly on Wi-Fi/4G (historical)
- 👍 Faster after bug fix (historical)
- 👍 Works on iPhone and iPad (historical)

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Constantly hangs on connection
- 🐛 Connect failed notice
- 🐛 Settings not saving
- 🐛 Does not work with iOS updates
- 🐛 App freezes

**Reported bugs**

- Connect Failed Notice
- Settings not saving
- Constantly hung on connection screen
- App freezes and timed out when connecting
- App not functioning, stuck on 'connecting'

**Requested features**

- Update app for iOS compatibility
- Add voice feature
- Add audio on the app
- Add more viewing configurations
- Add video recording method


### XMEye

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/xmeye/id884006786)

Monitor your security cameras remotely with live video feeds and playback. This app allows you to manage your devices, record footage locally, and even communicate through bidirectional talk.

**Highlights:** Real-time live view, Remote playback, Local recording, Bidirectional talk, PTZ control, QR code scanning for device add

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Lightning-fast app
- 🔒 Robust security features
- 👍 Simple and easy to use

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes and bugs
- 🔋 High battery consumption
- 📺 Poor video quality
- ⏱️ Slow loading times
- 🙈 Intrusive ads

**Reported bugs**

- Login issues and password problems
- Inability to access cameras remotely
- Playback and recording not working
- Compatibility issues with iOS updates

**Requested features**

- Dark mode option
- Remote access from anywhere
- Improved video playback controls
- Better motion detection alerts


## Frequently asked questions

### Is i free?

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

### Is XMEye free?

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

### Which has better reviews, i or XMEye?

XMEye is rated higher. i averages 2.8 out of 5 from 126 ratings, while XMEye averages 3.0 from 886 ratings.

### Do i or XMEye have ads?

XMEye shows ads; i does not.

### Which is updated more often, i or XMEye?

i ships an update every 6 weeks, and XMEye every 5 weeks. Most recently, i was updated on October 22, 2026 and XMEye on October 26, 2026.

---

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