Comparison

FourScan vs NearSight

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

Head to head
About

FourScan

Features
Read full description

Protect your privacy with 4 scanning technologies. Worried about hidden cameras or listening devices in hotels, Airbnbs, or rental spaces? FourScan runs 4 detection scans sequentially with a single tap. [4 Detection Powers] 1. Magnetic Scan - Detects magnetic field anomalies from electronic devices 2. Infrared Scan - Uses front camera to detect IR LEDs from night vision cameras 3. Wi-Fi Scan - Discovers suspicious devices on the local network 4. Bluetooth Scan - Searches and analyzes nearby BLE devices Note: Basic checking tool, not a substitute for professional investigation.

About

NearSight

Discover the unseen world around you by decoding Bluetooth signals from nearby devices. Identify earbuds, trackers, and sensors, with optional AI insights for plain-language explanations. This app prioritizes privacy, working offline without ads or tracking.

Highlights
  • Real-time Bluetooth device scanning
  • Device identification (make, model, type)
  • Detection of unknown devices
  • Raw advertisement and signal strength inspection
  • Optional AI-powered insights
  • Offline functionality
  • Privacy-focused design
Features
Read full description

See the hidden world around you. NearSight listens for the Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) signals that nearby devices are constantly broadcasting and decodes what they actually are. Earbuds, watches, fitness trackers, beacons, smart-home sensors, item trackers, and more turn from anonymous radio noise into a clear, readable list right on your iPhone. WHAT YOU CAN DO • Scan live. Watch nearby devices appear in real time, sorted by how close they are. • Know what's there. NearSight recognizes a growing catalog of device types and shows make, model, and what each signal means, not just a cryptic address. • Notice the unexpected. Surface unknown or unfamiliar devices around you and decide for yourself what belongs. • Go deeper. Open any device to inspect its raw advertisement, signal strength, and parsed technical details. OPTIONAL AI INSIGHTS Turn on AI to get plain-language explanations of what NearSight is seeing. Bring your own Anthropic or OpenAI API key, or run a compact model entirely on your device. Your choice. AI is completely optional and stays off until you enable it. PRIVATE BY DESIGN Scanning happens on your iPhone. NearSight works fully offline and shows what it sees to no one but you. AI insights and anonymous telemetry are strictly opt-in and off by default. Nothing leaves your device unless you turn it on. No ads, no third-party tracking, no account required. WHAT NEARSIGHT CAN (AND CAN'T) SEE NearSight decodes the Bluetooth signals that devices broadcast but it can't see everything: • Not every device is recognized. New or niche hardware may show up as Unknown until we've researched it and added support. • Some devices are intentionally excluded. We don't surface certain safety-sensitive devices (for example personal panic buttons), because revealing someone's private safety equipment could put them at risk. However, AI Insights may identify such devices. • It only sees Bluetooth. Devices that are powered off, not currently broadcasting, or that use other radios (Wi-Fi-only cameras, wired, or cellular devices) are invisible to NearSight. NearSight is a Bluetooth explorer, not a safety or security device, bug sweeper, or hidden-camera detector. It cannot guarantee it will find every tracker, camera, or listening device near you, and not seeing something here does not mean it isn't there. If you have a real safety concern, use dedicated tools and contact local authorities. Questions, or a device you'd like us to identify? Email hello@nearsight.one.

Screenshots

FourScan3 screens
NearSight4 screens

Verdict

The call

FourScan and NearSight are too close to call on the numbers: across 6 compared parameters — price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases among them — neither pulls far enough ahead to decide it. What separates them is feature set and interface, not measurable difference.

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

FourScan ships an update every 10 days, NearSight fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on October 14, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

ScorecardNo meaningful differences
FourScan versus NearSight: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterFourScanNearSight
PriceFreeFree
Rating—5.0 (2 ratings) — better
Number of ratings—2 — better
Update frequencyEvery 10 days — betterFortnightly
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
Monetization—Free
DevicesiPhoneiPhone
Requires iOS16.0 — better17.0
Further details — not scored
Size3 MB40 MB
Age rating4+4+
Developersatoshi amasakiBenjamin Smith

In-app purchases

None

FourScan

No in-app purchases

None

NearSight

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is FourScan free?
FourScan is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is NearSight free?
NearSight is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do FourScan or NearSight have ads?
Neither FourScan nor NearSight shows ads.
Which is updated more often, FourScan or NearSight?
FourScan ships an update every 10 days, and NearSight fortnightly. Most recently, FourScan was updated on October 14, 2026 and NearSight on October 24, 2026.

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