Home Cameras vs Sentinel
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Home Cameras
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Monitor all your IP cameras live with Home Cameras — the fast, private camera viewer for iPhone. Connect any security camera, NVR, DVR, or CCTV system using RTSP, HTTP, HLS, MJPEG, or RTMP streams with H.264 and H.265 support. No cloud account, no subscriptions — direct, private access to your surveillance cameras. Powered by VLC. FEATURES • Multi-camera grid — Watch all your cameras simultaneously in an adaptive, responsive layout. • Full-screen mode — Double-tap any feed to go full screen; tap the camera name to switch cameras; swipe down or tap × to exit. • Pinch to zoom — Zoom into any live stream up to 10× and pan with two fingers. • Camera discovery — Scan your local network to automatically find ONVIF-compatible cameras. • Audio control — Mute or adjust volume per camera directly from the grid. • Snapshot — Save a still frame from any camera to your photo library. • Export — Back up your camera list to a file with a single tap. • Per-camera settings — Set credentials, force TCP, and tune stream caching per camera. • Auto-recovery — Streams reconnect automatically after network interruptions. • Pull to refresh — Pull down on the camera grid to restart all streams at once. • Picture in Picture (Pro) — Float any camera in an overlay window while using other apps. • UniFi Protect (Pro) — Import cameras directly from a UniFi Protect NVR. • HQ / LQ switching (Pro) — Toggle between high- and low-quality streams per camera. • Live data stats (Pro) — Real-time bitrate (KB/s) and FPS badge per camera tile. • Advanced grid layout (Pro) — Choose 1–4 columns in portrait and landscape; adjust margins to your liking. • Import (Pro) — Restore or move your camera list from a backup file. • Unlimited cameras (Pro) — The free version supports up to 5 active cameras at a time; Pro removes the limit. HOME CAMERAS PRO Unlock all Pro features with a one-time purchase. New users get a free 7-day trial — no payment required upfront. Works with any RTSP-compatible IP camera — home security cameras, surveillance systems, professional NVR and DVR setups, and more. No vendor lock-in, no cloud required. Available in English, German, French, Spanish, and Italian.
Sentinel
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Sentinel is the fastest way to find, activate, and configure IP security cameras and recorders — right from your iPhone, iPad, or Mac. Built for installers, integrators, and IT teams, Sentinel replaces the clunky desktop-only vendor tools with a modern app that just works on the equipment already in your pocket. DISCOVER EVERYTHING ON THE NETWORK • Finds ONVIF and SADP (Hikvision-compatible) devices in seconds • Uses standard multicast, so it sees devices even when their IP is outside your current subnet • Live results as devices respond — no manual refresh • Shows model, firmware, MAC, serial, and current network settings at a glance ACTIVATE NEW DEVICES IN SECONDS • Bring brand-new, uninitialized cameras online without a laptop or serial cable • Set a strong admin password with a built-in strength meter • Encrypted activation handled securely on device RECONFIGURE THE NETWORK, ON SITE • Change a device's IP address, subnet mask, and gateway • Switch between static IP and DHCP • Fix a misconfigured camera without unplugging or factory resets • Note: discovery works across subnets, but changing settings or activating a device requires being on the same subnet as it SECURE BY DESIGN • Credentials stored in the iOS/macOS Keychain — never in plain text • Password policy enforcement to keep every device hardened • Read-only ONVIF discovery; changes are explicit and deliberate WORKS WHERE YOU DO • Native SwiftUI app for iPhone, iPad, and Mac • Clean, fast interface designed for the field • Built-in troubleshooting guidance when a device won't appear WHY SENTINEL Commissioning a site used to mean dragging a laptop up a ladder, hunting for a serial cable, and juggling one clunky utility per brand. Sentinel puts discovery, activation, and network configuration in a single app that fits in your pocket — so you can walk a site, bring devices online, and hand off a hardened, correctly-addressed network before you pack up. IMPORTANT Sentinel requires Local Network permission to discover devices. On iOS this is requested on first scan — please allow it, or scanning cannot work. Sentinel is an independent tool and is not affiliated with, or endorsed by, any camera manufacturer. ONVIF is a trademark of the ONVIF consortium. Free to try for 30 days, then a one-time $0.99 purchase https://www.6tsevn.com/sentinel/terms https://www.6tsevn.com/sentinel/privacy
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is iOS requirement: Home Cameras at 18.0 against Sentinel's 26.0. On price, ads, in-app purchases 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
Both are free to download. Home Cameras sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Sentinel sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
| Parameter | Home Cameras | Sentinel |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.0 (1 ratings) — better | — |
| Number of ratings | 1 — better | — |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | — |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 — better | 26.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 55 MB | 3 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Thomas Boerkel | 6tSevn BV |
In-app purchases
Home Cameras
- Home Cameras Pro$4.99
Sentinel
- Keep Full Access$0.99









