# Blue Iris vs ANNKE Smart

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Blue Iris at 56% against ANNKE Smart's 9%. Blue Iris also leads on update cadence (every 4 days vs every 29 months) and ratings volume (418 vs 27). ANNKE Smart's advantage is price (Free vs $9.99) and rating (4.3 vs 3.7). On ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

ANNKE Smart is free to download; Blue Iris costs $9.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ANNKE Smart holds the better App Store score, 4.3 against 3.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Blue Iris has 418 ratings behind it against 27, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 56% of Blue Iris's written reviews are positive against 9% of ANNKE Smart's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Blue Iris ships an update every 4 days, ANNKE Smart every 29 months. The most recent releases landed on September 29, 2026 and August 27, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Blue Iris | ANNKE Smart |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $9.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | [3.7 (418 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/blue-iris/id585350145/reviews) | **[4.3 (27 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/annke-smart/id1358314659/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **418** | 27 |
| Positive reviews | **55.8% of reviews** | 9.1% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 4 days** | Every 29 months |
| Monetization | Paid | **Free** |
| Best chart rank | **#46** | — |
| Size | 31 MB | 161 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 | **11.0** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | +4 | 4+ |
| Developer | [Ken Pletzer](https://appshunter.io/developer/585350148) | [Shenzhen Kean Digital co., LTD.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1018160450) |

## What reviewers say

### Blue Iris

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/blue-iris/id585350145)

**Currently charting:** #46 Top Paid · Utilities (US App Store)

Access and manage your home camera network remotely through a secure client for the Blue Iris PC software. View live streams, review recordings, and receive alerts from your cameras. Offers advanced controls and two-way audio for compatible devices.

**Highlights:** Manage multiple Blue Iris installations, Receive push notification alerts, Fast H.264 streaming, Control PTZ and two-way audio, Review and download recordings, Broadcast live video from device, Geofencing alerts

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Reliable and stable
- 🔒 Secure remote access
- 👍 Comprehensive features
- 🚀 Smooth video playback
- 💡 Useful push notifications

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional crashes and bugs
- 🔋 Drains battery on mobile devices
- 👎 Outdated and dated UI design
- 🔍 Difficult to navigate and configure
- 🚫 Requires Blue Iris desktop software

**Reported bugs**

- Inability to save video clips
- Inconsistent behavior when switching between live view and playback
- Push notifications not working reliably
- Cameras sometimes shown as offline when they are not
- Crashes when rotating device or accessing certain features

**Requested features**

- Add support for VPN connections
- Improve video scrubbing and playback controls
- Implement a more modern and responsive UI
- Allow for more granular user permissions and access levels
- Provide better integration with home automation systems


### ANNKE Smart

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/annke-smart/id1358314659)

Access and manage your security devices from anywhere. Receive alerts, view live feeds, and play back recordings remotely. Share access with family and friends for peace of mind.

**Highlights:** Unlimited remote control, Live feed viewing, Remote recording playback, Device sharing with family, Instant alerts

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Blue Iris free?

Blue Iris costs $9.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is ANNKE Smart free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Blue Iris or ANNKE Smart?

ANNKE Smart is rated higher. Blue Iris averages 3.7 out of 5 from 418 ratings, while ANNKE Smart averages 4.3 from 27 ratings.

### Do Blue Iris or ANNKE Smart have ads?

Neither Blue Iris nor ANNKE Smart shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Blue Iris or ANNKE Smart?

Blue Iris ships an update every 4 days, and ANNKE Smart every 29 months. Most recently, Blue Iris was updated on September 29, 2026 and ANNKE Smart on August 27, 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.*