Comparison

Sentry Motion Detector Camera vs Homy

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

Head to head
About

Sentry Motion Detector Camera

Transform an old phone into a dark-optimized motion-triggered security camera. It records clips when movement is detected and saves them directly to your device's photo library, offering a private and offline monitoring solution.

Highlights
  • Motion-triggered recording
  • Night vision capabilities
  • Records to photo library
  • Offline operation
  • No account or cloud needed
  • Screen stays dark during use
Features
Read full description

Sentry turns a phone you already own into a motion-triggered camera that works in the dark. Set it down, arm it, and walk away. When something moves, it records. When the movement stops, it stops. The clips land in your photo library, ready to review whenever you want. It records for you to watch later. It is not a live video feed — you are not watching a stream, you are collecting what happened while you were not there. WHAT IT IS FOR Find out what your dog does to the sofa while you are out. See which animal has been visiting the garden after dark. Watch how a sleeping cat actually gets from one end of the room to the other. Point a spare phone at the garage overnight and check the footage in the morning. BUILT FOR THE DARK Most cameras give up when the light does. Sentry changes how the sensor reads a dark scene: it picks a binned format that gathers far more light per pixel, extends the shutter ceiling, and lets the frame rate drop so the shutter has time to stay open. The result is usable footage in rooms where the standard camera returns noise. The screen stays dark while it runs. Monitoring goes on for hours, often overnight, and a bright display would waste battery and light the room you are trying to film. RECORDING IS ALWAYS VISIBLE A red dot sits in the corner of the screen for as long as recording lasts. There is no setting to turn it off, because there should not be one. Photos play the standard iPhone shutter sound. NOTHING LEAVES THE DEVICE No account. No sign-up. No cloud. No subscription. Sentry contains no networking code at all — recordings are written straight to your photo library and stay there. It works with the phone in airplane mode. HOW IT WORKS 1 tap — photo 2 taps — start recording 3 taps — arm motion detection, which begins after 5 seconds and stops 1 second after movement ceases Swipe up — cycle the rear lenses Swipe down — front camera Two fingers, 3 seconds — stop Shake — settings Long sessions are saved in chunks as they record, so a flat battery costs you minutes rather than hours. RESPONSIBLE USE Record only where you have the right to. Laws on recording people vary by country and by state, and some places require the consent of everyone present. Sentry shows a recording indicator that cannot be disabled and plays the shutter sound on photos, so anyone who looks at the device can tell it is capturing. REQUIREMENTS iPhone and iPad running iOS 18 or later. Extended recording and motion detection use significant battery — keep the device on a charger for long sessions. Video files are large, so check free space before a long run.

About

Homy

Transform your devices into a reliable security camera system. It detects motion, records clips, and securely stores them in iCloud. Receive instant alerts and manage recordings from any connected device.

Highlights
  • Motion-activated recording
  • Adjustable sensitivity
  • Instant motion alerts
  • Multiple video quality options
  • iCloud storage and sync
  • Face ID/Touch ID lock
  • Battery saver mode
Features
Read full description

Need a security camera you can trust? Homy turns your iPhone, iPad, or Mac into a security camera for rock-solid home security. The motion detector camera records the moment it detects movement and stores each clip safely in iCloud. Key Features: - Motion-activated recording with adjustable sensitivity. - Instant Motion Alerts send notifications to all your connected devices. - Quality you control – 480p, 720p, 1080p or 1080p 60 fps. - iCloud storage & sync for viewing on all connected devices. - Face ID / Touch ID lock for every clip. - Battery saver – auto-adjusts frame-rate and sensors for long sessions. Use cases: - Home security – guard doors, garages, and mailboxes. - Office monitoring – protect shared workspaces after hours. - Pet watcher – see what really happens when you are away. - Package proof – capture every delivery and deter theft. How to use: 1. Choose motion sensitivity and video quality. 2. Place the phone and go. Homy records each event. Review, export, or delete clips from any device that has Homy installed. Subscription & Trial (In-App Purchase): Homy offers two auto-renewing subscriptions. Both plans auto-renew unless cancelled at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. Manage or cancel anytime in Settings > Apple ID > Subscriptions. Disclaimer: Homy is not a spy tool. Local laws may require consent for video or audio recording; always follow them. The developer assumes no liability for misuse. Terms of Use – https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy Policy – https://homy.camera/privacy/

Screenshots

Sentry Motion Detector Camera3 screens
Homy4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Homy at 57% against Sentry Motion Detector Camera's 0%. Homy also leads on device support (4 vs 2) and iOS requirement (15.6 vs 18.0). Sentry Motion Detector Camera's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 4). On price, update cadence and ads 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. Homy sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $1.49 per 7 days. Sentry Motion Detector Camera asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Sentry Motion Detector Camera ships an update fortnightly, Homy every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 14, 2026 and October 3, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
Sentry Motion Detector Camera versus Homy: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSentry Motion Detector CameraHomy
PriceFreeFree
Rating—4.5 (51 ratings) — better
Positive reviews0.0% of reviews57.1% of reviews — better
Number of ratings—51 — better
Update frequencyFortnightlyEvery 2 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree — betterFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac — better
Requires iOS18.015.6 — better
Further details — not scored
Size0 MB45 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperBigBalli Consulting llcHristo Bogoev

Customer experience

Sentry Motion Detector Camera

Written reviews1 reviews
Positive0.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative100.0%

Homy

All ratings51 ratings
Positive86.3%
Neutral3.9%
Negative9.8%
Written reviews7 reviews
Positive57.1%
Neutral0.0%
Negative42.9%

In-app purchases

None

Sentry Motion Detector Camera

No in-app purchases

4 purchases

Homy

Subscriptions3
  • Weekly Subscription7 Days trial$1.497 Days
  • Monthly Subcription$2.991 Month
  • Annual Subscription$14.991 Year
One-time1
  • Lifetime Access$44.99

Questions

Is Sentry Motion Detector Camera free?
Sentry Motion Detector Camera is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Homy free?
Homy is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Sentry Motion Detector Camera or Homy have ads?
Neither Sentry Motion Detector Camera nor Homy shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Sentry Motion Detector Camera or Homy?
Sentry Motion Detector Camera ships an update fortnightly, and Homy every 2 weeks. Most recently, Sentry Motion Detector Camera was updated on October 14, 2026 and Homy on October 3, 2026.

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