Comparison

Viewu vs Swiftcam

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Viewu

Monitor and manage your Frigate security system with this open-source iOS app. View live camera streams, review past events on an intuitive timeline, and receive customizable push notifications. It offers seamless integration with Frigate Video NVR for enhanced home or office security.

Highlights
  • Event timeline navigation
  • Live RTSP stream viewing
  • Customizable push notifications
  • Frigate NVR integration
  • Privacy-focused data handling
  • Community-driven development
Features
Read full description

Discover the ultimate way to monitor and manage your Frigate security with Viewu, the free, open-source iOS app that seamlessly integrates with Frigate Video. Whether you're keeping an eye on your home, office, or any other important location, Viewu offers robust features to keep you connected and informed. Key Features: - Event Timeline: Easily view and navigate through past events with an intuitive timeline. - Live RTSP Streams: Watch live camera feeds directly from your iOS device for real-time monitoring. - Customizable Notifications: Set up and control push notifications to stay alerted to specific events. - Frigate Integration: Support for Frigate versions 13, 14, 15, and 16 ensuring compatibility and smooth operation. - Privacy First: Your data is yours alone. Viewu does not collect or store any user information, ensuring your privacy is always protected. Viewu is designed with the community in mind. As a community-driven project, it evolves based on user feedback, ensuring it meets your needs and expectations. With its user-friendly interface and powerful features, Viewu makes security management accessible to everyone. Become a part of the Viewu community and help shape the future of the app. Your feedback and feature requests drive our development. Note - Viewu app only supports Frigate Video NVR and no others.

About

Swiftcam

Features
Read full description

Live home-camera viewing, without the lag. Swiftcam is a fast, privacy-focused viewer for self-hosted camera systems. Connect to Frigate NVR, go2rtc, MediaMTX, or another WHEP-compatible server and get to your live feeds with minimal delay. Open your camera grid quickly, jump into a stream in one tap, and see what is happening close to real time. Swiftcam is designed around speed: less waiting, less friction, and a more responsive view of your home cameras. Extensive view transforms help you make unusual camera feeds usable, including oddly sized, rotated, mirrored, or imperfectly framed streams. Keep a stream playing in Picture in Picture while you use other apps, so you can stay aware without staying in the app. Swiftcam requires an existing self-hosted Frigate NVR, go2rtc, MediaMTX, direct JPEG/HTTP snapshot source, or compatible WHEP server installation. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy Policy: https://docs.swiftcam.app/privacy/

Screenshots

Viewu4 screens
Swiftcam4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Viewu at none against Swiftcam's 2. On price, update cadence, ads 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Swiftcam sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month. Viewu asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Viewu ships an update every 3 days, Swiftcam every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on September 21, 2026 and October 7, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard1 real difference · 9 level
Viewu versus Swiftcam: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterViewuSwiftcam
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (7 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews70.6% of reviews—
Number of ratings7 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 3 days — betterEvery 4 days
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree—
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, Apple Watch — better
Requires iOS17.6 — better18.0
Further details — not scored
Size63 MB45 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperMatthew EhrhartAlexander Klautke

In-app purchases

None

Viewu

No in-app purchases

2 purchases

Swiftcam

Subscriptions2
  • Swiftcam Pro (monthly)7 Days trial$0.991 Month
  • Swiftcam Pro (yearly)7 Days trial$8.991 Year

Questions

Is Viewu free?
Viewu is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Swiftcam free?
Swiftcam is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Viewu or Swiftcam have ads?
Neither Viewu nor Swiftcam shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Viewu or Swiftcam?
Viewu ships an update every 3 days, and Swiftcam every 4 days. Most recently, Viewu was updated on September 21, 2026 and Swiftcam on October 7, 2026.

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