Distant Surveillance vs Astral Capture
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Distant Surveillance
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Turn your iPhone and iPad into surveillance cameras that send you notifications with videos anytime they detect some changes, so you can feel safe at your place and can leave your house, rental, Airbnb with the mind at peace. Contrary to the other surveillance, security and CCTV apps, with Distant Surveillance you don't need to own several iPhone/iPad devices, to purchase another camera, nor need to download any third party software to watch your surveillance cameras; you already have everything you need! Just install the app on your iPhone/iPad, and you are ready to go! Absolutely no setting required to start the surveillance! Open the address internet provided by the surveillance camera, using any web browser on any platform, to watch it! Get notified of any change and receive videos of what has been detected on your iPhone/iPad, on any phones, tablets and computers. Download the videos and use them as evidence in case something happens. Special features: - Turn any iPhone and iPad into a video surveillance camera. Keeping an eye on your house, your baby sleeping or your pets has never been so easy. - Zero setting required to start the video surveillance wherever you are: just connect your device to internet and you are ready to go! - Watch your surveillance camera using any web browsers on any platform, or using app on another iPhone/iPad. - See all your surveillance cameras currently online at once. - Get notified on any platform of any change and receive videos of what has been detected. To receive notification on your iPhone/iPad, just scan the QR code of the camera using the app. If you use another device, share the QR code with your computer, or scan it with your phone or tablet camera and register, its web browser so it will be notified. - Select which devices the surveillance camera will send notifications to - The app record videos anytime it detects changes during the surveillance; the videos are saved locally in the device camera roll and also sent to the notified devices so they can also keep copies as eventual evidences. - Secure the connection to the surveillance camera with your own password - Up to Full HD 1080P video surveillance with audio If you have a question, an issue or a suggestion, just drop us an email at support@seb-appstore.com Notes: - it is recommended to keep your device plugged and charging while doing video surveillance, as it could drain its battery - the app detects all changes even the very subtile ones: the app detects fire flames, electric arcs but also curtains and trees/plants movements - the recorded videos are accessibles remotely with the web browsers only when the camera is currently doing surveillance.
Astral Capture
This app allows you to set live wallpapers and widgets featuring recent images from Earth observation satellites and Mars rovers. Images update automatically, offering fresh views of our planet and beyond.
- Live wallpapers from satellites
- Home screen widgets
- Automatic image updates
- Images from Mars rovers
- Multiple satellite options
- Desk display option
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Choose from a plethora of satellites and both of Mars's Perseverance and Curiosity rovers to display on your home screen. All but NASA's EPIC satellite and the rovers are 30-40 minutes old, and all images update automatically. Pick from NOAA's GOES-East/West, Japan's Himawari-8, or Europe's EUMETSAT weather satellite for the most recent coverage. Choose to have a desk display or a home screen widget. Tap the Earth for a list of available satellites, or tap and hold the widget to edit the satellites. Current Views: GOES-East in both GeoColor and NaturalColor, Full Disk and CONUS GOES-West in both GeoColor and NaturalColor, Full Disk Himawari-8 EUMETView in both GeoColor and NaturalColor EPIC Perseverance Rover Curiosity rover SDO (171 A) SDO (193 A) SDO (211 A) SDO (304 A) Location-Based Widget
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Astral Capture at none against Distant Surveillance's 1. Astral Capture also leads on update cadence (every 4 weeks vs every 2 months). Distant Surveillance's advantage is iOS requirement (15.0 vs 17.6). On price, 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
Both are free to download. Distant Surveillance sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $1.99 per month. Astral Capture asks for nothing beyond the download.
Distant Surveillance ships an update every 2 months, Astral Capture every 4 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 4, 2026 and October 12, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Distant Surveillance | Astral Capture |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | — | 5.0 (2 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | — | 100.0% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | — | 2 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | Every 4 weeks — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Monetization | — | Free |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 — better | 17.6 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 32 MB | 3 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Sebastien BUET | Mannon Wallace |
In-app purchases
Distant Surveillance
- Monthly Subscription$1.991 Month
Astral Capture
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Distant Surveillance free?
Is Astral Capture free?
Do Distant Surveillance or Astral Capture have ads?
Which is updated more often, Distant Surveillance or Astral Capture?
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