Comparison

Hidden vs Dowse

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

Head to head
About

Hidden

Protect your privacy by detecting hidden cameras and spy devices in unfamiliar locations. This app uses your iPhone's sensors and camera to scan for electronic equipment, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, infrared, and magnetic fields. It also provides a privacy guide with tips for manual inspections.

Highlights
  • Hidden camera detection
  • Spy camera scanning
  • Wi-Fi scanner
  • Bluetooth scanner
  • Infrared scanner
  • Magnetic field scanner
  • Privacy guide
Features
Read full description

Detect Hidden Cameras & Spy Devices Protect your privacy with Hidden - Spy Camera Detector. Use your iPhone to help detect hidden cameras, inspect suspicious places, and scan for nearby electronic devices using available device capabilities. Whether you're staying in a hotel, Airbnb, office, rental apartment, changing room, or another unfamiliar place, the app helps you perform quick privacy inspections and find potential hidden cameras and spy devices. Features Hidden Camera Detector Help detect hidden cameras and inspect suspicious locations using your device sensors. Spy Camera Scanner Scan nearby areas and perform manual inspections to help find hidden cameras and electronic devices. Wi-Fi Scanner View nearby Wi-Fi networks and discover connected devices to help identify unknown or unexpected equipment on your local network. Bluetooth Scanner Scan nearby Bluetooth devices, monitor signal strength, and help locate wireless devices around you. Infrared Scanner Use your device camera to inspect possible infrared light sources that may indicate night vision cameras on supported devices. Magnetic Field Scanner Monitor magnetic field changes using compatible hardware to help identify nearby electronic equipment. Signal Strength Meter Estimate the proximity of detected Bluetooth devices using real-time signal strength indicators. Privacy Guide Learn common hidden camera locations and follow practical recommendations for manual inspections. Perfect For Hotels Airbnb Vacation Rentals Offices Meeting Rooms Changing Rooms Public Restrooms Rental Apartments Travel Why Choose Hidden - Spy Camera Detector Hidden Camera Detector Hidden Camera Finder Spy Camera Detector Spy Camera Scanner Detect Hidden Camera Find Hidden Cameras Wi-Fi Scanner Bluetooth Scanner Infrared Scanner Magnetic Sensor Detection Fast Room Scanning Simple Interface Privacy Inspection Tips Important Information Hidden - Spy Camera Detector assists users in inspecting unfamiliar environments using available device capabilities. Detection results depend on device hardware, supported sensors, surrounding electronics, and environmental conditions. The app is intended to assist with manual privacy inspections and does not guarantee detection of hidden surveillance devices.

About

Dowse

Detect hidden cameras and trackers in your surroundings using your phone's sensors. It scans Wi-Fi and Bluetooth devices, guides you through a physical inspection, and helps locate lost Bluetooth items. The app also alerts you to persistent unknown trackers.

Highlights
  • Wi-Fi device scanning
  • Bluetooth tracker detection
  • Guided physical inspection
  • Lens glint scanner
  • Infrared scope
  • Lost Bluetooth item finder
  • Persistent tracker alerts
Features
Read full description

Someone found a camera in an Airbnb once, and the whole internet remembers. You still have to sleep somewhere tonight. Dowse checks a room in one walk. You go from place to place while the Wi-Fi and Bluetooth checks run underneath, and the room seals into one report you can keep or share. THE WALK Eight places cameras actually hide, one at a time: the smoke detector, the alarm clock, the USB charger charging nothing, the air vent, the shelf, the bathroom, the TV and the mirror. At each one, hold to look. Dowse strobes your flashlight and watches for the tiny glint a lens sends back, with night vision built in for cameras that light the room in infrared. If something flashes back, its photo stays in your report. If it turns out to be a screw, tap It was nothing. THE WI-FI AND BLUETOOTH While you walk, Dowse knocks on the room's Wi-Fi address by address and flags anything that behaves like a camera, quoting the device's own words when it gives any. Bluetooth listens for 20 seconds for trackers and gadgets that have no business in a rented bedroom. PULL THE PLUG Found a camera-like device on the Wi-Fi but can't see it? Unplug things in the room one at a time. Your phone buzzes the moment it drops off the network, so you know which object it was. THE HONEST PART Every room also says what it couldn't check. A camera that records to a memory card and never joins a network is invisible to every phone app, ours included, which is why the eight places exist. If Bluetooth is off or you're on mobile data, Dowse tells you before you start, and a room that couldn't check anything doesn't use up your free check. FIND YOUR LOST STUFF Earbuds under the couch again. Pick the device and walk. The number climbs as you get closer and the Geiger clicks speed up. 60... 74... 91. There they are. Tap Found it. Works with anything that speaks Bluetooth. WATCHING YOUR BACK Dowse notices when the same unknown tracker keeps turning up around you in different places, and stays silent otherwise. No alerts about your neighbor's speaker. Your first room is free. After that, Dowse needs an active subscription. TERMS: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

Hidden4 screens
Dowse4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Dowse at 5.0 against Hidden's 4.3. Dowse also leads on update cadence (every 4 days vs every 2 months). Hidden's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 3) and ratings volume (40 vs 2). On price, ads, device support and iOS requirement 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. Dowse sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month. Hidden asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Dowse holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Hidden has 40 ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Hidden ships an update every 2 months, Dowse every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on November 9, 2026 and November 7, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
Hidden versus Dowse: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterHiddenDowse
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.3 (40 ratings)5.0 (2 ratings) — better
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings40 — better2
Update frequencyEvery 2 monthsEvery 4 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree — betterFreemium
DevicesiPhoneiPhone
Requires iOS18.217.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size47 MB20 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperEgor BarabashRedjan Hysa

Customer experience

Hidden

All ratings23 ratings
Positive91.3%
Neutral0.0%
Negative8.7%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Dowse

All ratings2 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

None

Hidden

No in-app purchases

3 purchases

Dowse

Subscriptions2
  • Monthly$3.991 Month
  • Yearly$19.991 Year
One-time1
  • Lifetime$39.99

Questions

Is Hidden free?
Hidden is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Dowse free?
Dowse is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Hidden or Dowse?
Dowse is rated higher. Hidden averages 4.3 out of 5 from 40 ratings, while Dowse averages 5.0 from 2 ratings.
Do Hidden or Dowse have ads?
Neither Hidden nor Dowse shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Hidden or Dowse?
Hidden ships an update every 2 months, and Dowse every 4 days. Most recently, Hidden was updated on November 9, 2026 and Dowse on November 7, 2026.

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