Blue Iris vs VideoLink
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Blue Iris
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.
- 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
Read full descriptionHide full description
This app is a CLIENT for the Blue Iris Windows PC software. In order to make use of this app, you must have Blue Iris version 6 installed and running on a Windows PC or VM. Instructions for connecting this app to the PC software are found in the Remote Access chapter of its Help file. This app provides a single point of contact to your home camera network. There is no need to insecurely open individual cameras to the Internet. This app connects using a secure and session-based protocol--no passwords are transmitted in plain text. Remote access does require router configuration or NGROK, which you can test without the app by using Safari. You should see your Blue Iris login page. Key features include: - Manage multiple Blue Iris installations - Geofencing: set status, send alerts, and more in response to device location * - Control the shield icon, schedule and profile selection - Receive iOS push notification alerts when a Blue Iris camera is triggered or there is a critical status message - Fast H.264 streaming - Control PTZ, IR and more for any camera that’s also controllable at the Blue Iris PC - Listen to and talk to any camera that’s also supported at the Blue Iris PC - Navigate cameras by tapping and swiping - Review recordings as stored on the Blue Iris PC, up to 64x speed - Download recorded video from the Blue Iris PC to the iOS device - Selectively delete recordings from the Blue Iris PC - Broadcast live video from the iOS device directly into a Blue Iris PC camera window - Remote control DIO output signals on compatible devices - Baby monitor functionality: continue to listen to audio with app closed or device in standby ** * Note that continued use of GPS running in the background can dramatically decrease battery life. ** Note that continued use of audio streaming running in the background can dramatically decrease battery life.
VideoLink
Remotely connect and manage your home's intelligent webcams and video recorders. View real-time video, capture footage, record, and communicate with two-way audio. Receive intelligent alarm notifications for enhanced home security.
- Remote camera connection
- Real-time video viewing
- Video recording
- Voice call and intercom
- Intelligent alarm push
Read full descriptionHide full description
VideoLink is a tool application for remotely connecting and managing home intelligent webcam, intelligent video recorder and other products. It can uniformly manage security products in the WIFI or mobile network environment, and can realize real-time video viewing, capture, video recording, voice call, real-time intercom, intelligent alarm push and other functions
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is review sentiment: Blue Iris at 56% against VideoLink's 5%. Blue Iris also leads on rating (3.7 vs 1.8) and update cadence (every 4 days vs monthly). VideoLink's advantage is price (Free vs $9.99) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.6). On ads, in-app purchases and device support 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
VideoLink 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 1.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Blue Iris has 418 ratings behind it against 40, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 56% of Blue Iris's written reviews are positive against 5% of VideoLink's.
Blue Iris ships an update every 4 days, VideoLink monthly. The most recent releases landed on October 1, 2026 and October 2, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Blue Iris | VideoLink |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $9.99 | Free — better |
| Rating | 3.7 (418 ratings) — better | 1.8 (40 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 55.8% of reviews — better | 5.3% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 418 — better | 40 |
| Update frequency | Every 4 days — better | Monthly |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Paid | Free — better |
| Best chart rank | #41 — better | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better | iPhone, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 | 13.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 31 MB | 81 MB |
| Age rating | +4 | 4+ |
| Developer | Ken Pletzer | 强 李 |
Customer experience
Blue Iris
VideoLink
Bugs and requests
Blue Iris
Reported bugs
5 issues- 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
5 requests- 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
VideoLink
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
Blue Iris
No in-app purchases
VideoLink
No in-app purchases
