# Blue Iris vs Amcrest View Pro 2

The clearest difference is price: Amcrest View Pro 2 at Free against Blue Iris's $9.99. Amcrest View Pro 2 also leads on iOS requirement (12.0 vs 15.6). Blue Iris's advantage is rating (3.7 vs 2.1) and review sentiment (56% vs 15%). On ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Amcrest View Pro 2 is free to download; Blue Iris costs $9.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Blue Iris holds the better App Store score, 3.7 against 2.1. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 418 and 93 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 56% of Blue Iris's written reviews are positive against 15% of Amcrest View Pro 2's.

Blue Iris ships an update every 4 days, Amcrest View Pro 2 every 8 months. Both last shipped on September 23, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Blue Iris | Amcrest View Pro 2 |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $9.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | **[3.7 (418 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/blue-iris/id585350145/reviews)** | [2.1 (93 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/amcrest-view-pro-2/id1603166166/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **418** | 93 |
| Positive reviews | **55.8% of reviews** | 14.9% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 4 days** | Every 8 months |
| Monetization | Paid | **Free** |
| Best chart rank | **#35** | — |
| Size | 31 MB | 231 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 | **12.0** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | +4 | 4+ |
| Developer | [Ken Pletzer](https://appshunter.io/developer/585350148) | [Amcrest](https://appshunter.io/developer/930807300) |

## What reviewers say

### Blue Iris

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

**Currently charting:** #35 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


### Amcrest View Pro 2

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/amcrest-view-pro-2/id1603166166)

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:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

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

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 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

**Reported bugs**

- 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

**Requested features**

- 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


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Blue Iris free?

Blue Iris costs $9.99, 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, Blue Iris or Amcrest View Pro 2?

Blue Iris is rated higher. Blue Iris averages 3.7 out of 5 from 418 ratings, while Amcrest View Pro 2 averages 2.1 from 93 ratings.

### Do Blue Iris or Amcrest View Pro 2 have ads?

Neither Blue Iris nor Amcrest View Pro 2 shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Blue Iris or Amcrest View Pro 2?

Blue Iris ships an update every 4 days, and Amcrest View Pro 2 every 8 months. Most recently, Blue Iris was updated on September 23, 2026 and Amcrest View Pro 2 on September 23, 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.*