Comparison

Phonitor vs ThirdEye

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

Head to head
About

Phonitor

Transform old iPhones and iPads into smart security cameras with sound and motion detection. Monitor your home, pets, or baby remotely and share access with family. Enjoy crisp video, night vision, and two-way audio without ads.

Highlights
  • Repurpose old iPhones/iPads as cameras
  • Sound alerts for crying, barking, alarms
  • Real-time monitoring and playback
  • Family sharing for up to 6 people
  • Night vision and crisp video quality
  • Two-way audio communication
  • Export and share video clips
Features
Read full description

Ever thought your old iPhone or iPad could do more? Phonitor turns your unused devices into a smart monitoring camera — no extra hardware, no extra cost. And now it listens, too: when the camera hears a baby crying, a dog barking or a smoke alarm, you'll know right away. Invite your family to set up and watch cameras together. Simply use your spare iPhone, iPad, or Mac as the camera, and view the live or playback on your everyday device. Place it wherever you need — a shelf, windowsill, the nursery, even outside for an afternoon. No mounts, no drilling: run on the built-in battery for short stints, or plug in for the long haul. Easily keep an eye on your home, yard, office, or stay connected with your baby, pets, and loved ones. An iPhone or iPad used as the camera needs iOS 15 or later. Built with privacy at its core, Phonitor is completely ad-free. It’s made just for Apple devices. Here are the key benefits: SOUND ALERTS: Get a notification the moment the camera hears a baby crying, a dog barking, a smoke alarm, glass breaking and more — even when Phonitor isn't open. Eight kinds of sounds, chosen per camera. Sound recognition runs on the camera itself; no audio is uploaded. (Pro) TAP TO REPLAY: Tap an alert to open that camera and go straight back to the moment it happened. FAMILY GROUP: Invite your family to set up and watch cameras together, up to 6 people. One subscription, and your family pays nothing. Each camera has its own switch. (Pro) REAL-TIME MONITORING: Watch your camera’s live stream anytime, anywhere, on any of your Apple devices. INSTANT PLAYBACK: A new timeline with a clear time ruler and event markers at a glance. Pick a date to find any recording stored on your camera device. EXPORT CLIPS: Trim and save the moments that matter, on the camera or from another device, and share them anywhere. (Pro) TWO-WAY AUDIO: Hear what’s happening and talk as if you’re there. (Pro) NIGHT VISION: Cleaner, steadier video in low light, even under dim bulbs. CRISP VIDEO: Up to 2K at 60fps. Choose the quality that suits your scene. VERY LITTLE DELAY: What happens at home reaches your screen with very little delay. ULTRA-WIDE CAMERA: Capture a broader view with the ultra-wide lens on compatible devices. BUILT FOR LONG STRETCHES: Smart battery use and reduced heat on the camera device. If the phone gets too hot, sound alerts and the torch pause while recording carries on. BACKGROUND PLAY: Continue monitoring while using other apps, or even with the screen locked. (Pro) PRIVATE: Recordings are saved on your camera device. Only your own devices, and family members you share a camera with, can watch. Sound recognition runs on the camera itself; no audio is uploaded. NO NEW ACCOUNT: Your Apple Account is all you need. Cameras you set up show up on your other devices through iCloud. Upgrade to Phonitor Pro for unlimited monitoring, Sound Alerts, Family Group and more exclusive features, with a 7-day free trial. Reusing old devices isn’t just about saving money — it’s a more sustainable, mindful lifestyle. Repurpose your old hardware in a simple, secure, and practical way, rather than letting it gather dust when it’s still fully capable. Terms of Use: https://phonitor.app/terms Privacy Policy: https://phonitor.app/privacy

About

ThirdEye

Transform old iPhones or iPads into a secure home monitoring system without cloud storage. View live feeds locally and privately from anywhere, anytime. Ideal for baby monitoring, pet cams, and home security.

Highlights
  • No cloud storage, local privacy
  • Direct local peer-to-peer connection
  • Turn old phones into security cameras
  • Baby monitor, pet cam, home security
  • Simple setup, no account needed
  • iCloud sync across devices
Features
Read full description

Three-Eye Monitor is a remote monitoring app specifically designed for home environments. With just two iPhones or iPads, you can instantly set up your own home security system—no extra hardware required, and no complicated configurations. Whether you're checking on a sleeping baby, watching your pets, or securing your home, Three-Eye Monitor allows you to view live feeds from anywhere, at any time. —— Why Choose Three-Eye Monitor? —— 【No Cloud Storage, More Secure】 Unlike traditional security apps, Three-Eye Monitor does not rely on cloud servers. Your video and data stay exclusively on your devices—no uploads, no sharing, total privacy. 【Direct Local Connection】 Supports peer-to-peer (P2P) local connections between devices, providing ultra-low latency and stable real-time streaming. 【Turn Old Phones into Security Cameras】 Give your idle iPhone or iPad a second life. Easily transform old devices into powerful home security cameras. 【Versatile Use Cases】 Baby Monitor: Keep an eye on your little one. Pet Cam: Check in on your pets while you're away. Home Security: Guard your living space 24/7. Elderly Care: Stay connected with aging family members. Small Business: Monitor your shop or office. On-the-go: Temporary remote monitoring whenever you need it. 【Simple and Intuitive】 Forget complex registrations. Start monitoring immediately without creating an account. Seamlessly sync across devices via iCloud. Just sign in with the same Apple ID, and your devices will automatically discover each other and establish a secure connection. Its clean, minimalist design makes remote viewing feel effortless and natural. —— A Privacy-First Experience —— We believe that home security should never come at the cost of your personal privacy. Three-Eye Monitor is dedicated to providing a simpler, safer, and more localized remote monitoring experience. Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

Phonitor4 screens
ThirdEye4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: ThirdEye at 100% against Phonitor's 40%. ThirdEye also leads on rating (5.0 vs 4.2). Phonitor's advantage is price (Free vs $2.99) and update cadence (every 2 days vs fortnightly). On ads, in-app purchases, monetization model 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

Phonitor is free to download; ThirdEye costs $2.99 up front. Phonitor sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $2.49 per 7 days and ThirdEye sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

ThirdEye holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.2. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Phonitor has 19 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 40% of Phonitor's written reviews are positive against 100% of ThirdEye's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Phonitor ships an update every 2 days, ThirdEye fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on November 8, 2026 and November 9, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
Phonitor versus ThirdEye: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterPhonitorThirdEye
PriceFree — better$2.99
Rating4.2 (19 ratings)5.0 (1 ratings) — better
Positive reviews40.0% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings19 — better1
Update frequencyEvery 2 days — betterFortnightly
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFreemiumFreemium
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPod
Requires iOS15.015
Further details — not scored
Size32 MB20 MB
Age rating4+4+
Developer弛 张超 雷

Customer experience

Phonitor

All ratings19 ratings
Positive78.9%
Neutral0.0%
Negative21.1%
Written reviews5 reviews
Positive40.0%
Neutral20.0%
Negative40.0%

ThirdEye

All ratings1 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

3 purchases

Phonitor

Subscriptions3
  • Pro7 Days trial$2.497 Days
  • Pro7 Days trial$4.991 Month
  • Pro7 Days trial$35.991 Year
3 purchases

ThirdEye

Subscriptions2
  • ThirdEye Pro Monthly$1.991 Month
  • ThirdEye Pro Yearly$14.991 Year
One-time1
  • ThirdEye Pro Lifetime Purchase$34.99

Questions

Is Phonitor free?
Phonitor is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is ThirdEye free?
ThirdEye costs $2.99, and also offers in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Phonitor or ThirdEye?
ThirdEye is rated higher. Phonitor averages 4.2 out of 5 from 19 ratings, while ThirdEye averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.
Do Phonitor or ThirdEye have ads?
Neither Phonitor nor ThirdEye shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Phonitor or ThirdEye?
Phonitor ships an update every 2 days, and ThirdEye fortnightly. Most recently, Phonitor was updated on November 8, 2026 and ThirdEye on November 9, 2026.

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