Comparison

AQDVRAdvance vs Sentinel VMS

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

Head to head
About

AQDVRAdvance

This application allows users to remotely view and control H.264 digital video recorders. It offers features like PTZ and relay control, multi-channel viewing, audio playback, and remote playback of recorded events. Users can also receive event notifications and take snapshots.

Highlights
  • Address Book
  • PTZ Control
  • Multi Channel H.264 Viewer
  • Audio Playback & Talk
  • Remote Playback
  • Event Notification
  • Snapshot & Zoom
Features
Read full description

AQDVRAdvance is a H.264 digital video recorder remote viewer. 01. Address Book. 02. PTZ Control. 03. Relay Control. 04. Multi Channel H.264 Viewer. 05. Double tap to switch single channel mode/quad channel mode. 06. Scroll left/right to switch next/previous channel. 07. Listen DVR Audio. 08. Talk to DVR. 09. Remote Playback. 10. Event Notification. 11. Snapshot. 12. Zoom video.

About

Sentinel VMS

Transform your iPhone or iPad into a live security camera viewer for your Mac-based NVR system. Watch live feeds, review recordings, and receive instant alerts for detected events, all privately hosted on your Mac.

Highlights
  • Live camera streaming
  • Event review and playback
  • Push notifications for alerts
  • On-device AI for event detection
  • QR code pairing
  • Demo mode for exploration
Features
Read full description

Sentinel VMS turns your iPhone and iPad into a live window onto the security cameras running on your Mac. Sentinel VMS is self-hosted security-camera software for your Mac. This free companion app connects to it so you can watch your cameras, review recordings, and get notified the moment something happens — at home or away. PAIR IN SECONDS Scan the QR code shown on your Mac and you're connected. No account, no cloud sign-up. LIVE VIEW • Smooth live streaming from every camera • Pinch to zoom, Picture in Picture, and full screen • See them all at a glance, or focus a single camera EVENTS & AI • A unified event feed of everything your cameras caught • On-device AI on the Mac flags people, vehicles, license plates, faces, and animals • Optional Claude-powered scene descriptions and a threat read on each event PLAYBACK • Scrub a 24-hour timeline for any camera • Jump straight to the moment an event fired NOTIFICATIONS • Get a push the instant an alert triggers • Tap to open right to the event PRIVATE BY DESIGN Your video lives on your Mac, not our servers. The app talks to your machine on your local network — or securely over the internet with the optional Remote Access add-on. The Sentinel VMS Mac app is free for two cameras. Learn more at sentvms.com. Just want to look around first? Tap "Try Demo Mode" on the pairing screen to explore with sample cameras and events.

Screenshots

AQDVRAdvance3 screens
Sentinel VMS4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: Sentinel VMS at daily against AQDVRAdvance's every 5 weeks. On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model 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. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

AQDVRAdvance ships an update every 5 weeks, Sentinel VMS daily. The most recent releases landed on November 6, 2026 and November 5, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard1 real difference · 9 level
AQDVRAdvance versus Sentinel VMS: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterAQDVRAdvanceSentinel VMS
PriceFreeFree
Rating—5.0 (1 ratings) — better
Positive reviews24.3% of reviews—
Number of ratings—1 — better
Update frequencyEvery 5 weeksDaily — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFreeFree
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS15.0 — better16.0
Further details — not scored
Size14 MB5 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperAquila DVRHandoffgrid llc

Customer experience

AQDVRAdvance

Written reviews37 reviews
Positive24.3%
Neutral16.2%
Negative59.5%

Sentinel VMS

All ratings1 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

None

AQDVRAdvance

No in-app purchases

None

Sentinel VMS

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is AQDVRAdvance free?
AQDVRAdvance is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Sentinel VMS free?
Sentinel VMS is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do AQDVRAdvance or Sentinel VMS have ads?
Neither AQDVRAdvance nor Sentinel VMS shows ads.
Which is updated more often, AQDVRAdvance or Sentinel VMS?
AQDVRAdvance ships an update every 5 weeks, and Sentinel VMS daily. Most recently, AQDVRAdvance was updated on November 6, 2026 and Sentinel VMS on November 5, 2026.

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