AlertCatcher vs Hidden Camera Bug Detector
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
AlertCatcher
Transform old devices into private security monitors for your home or travel. It uses edge AI to detect sound anomalies and motion, sending instant alerts to your primary device without uploading data.
- Edge-AI sound classification
- Local motion detection with video clips
- On-demand live camera feed
- Remote arm, disarm, and siren control
- Discreet blackout mode
- Evidence library with timeline
- Interruption recovery
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Repurpose your iPad, iPhone into an intelligent, 100% private, portable security monitor. Keep a silent, edge-AI guard over your home, hotel room, Airbnb, or office, and receive instant remote alerts anywhere. AlertCatcher uses a secure dual-device architecture to protect your space without sacrificing personal privacy: 1. The GUARDIAN device stays in the room, actively listening for acoustic anomalies and monitoring motion. 2. The RECEIVER device stays with you, receiving instant push alerts and displaying real-time updates. HOW IT WORKS: 1. Choose Roles: Set your monitor device to Guardian Mode and your carry-along phone to Receiver Mode. 2. Pair Securely: Pair devices instantly using an anonymous Link Code. No email signups or accounts required. Tap "Approve Link" on your Guardian to authorize. 3. Arm & Monitor: Toggle Sound or Motion inputs, tap Start, then tap the Moon icon to enter Blackout Mode. You are now protected! KEY FEATURES: • Edge-AI Sound Classifier: Processes audio 100% locally. Listens for glass breaking, door knocks, alarms, speech, baby crying, or human distress. • Motion Sentry: Analyzes camera feeds locally to detect movement. Automatically saves a 30-second local video clip and alerts the Receiver. • On-Demand Live Camera: Remotely view a secure 1Hz live feed of your room from your Receiver device. A flashing banner displays on the Guardian screen for privacy transparency. • Remote Arm, Disarm & Siren: Toggle the Guardian's state remotely or trigger a loud deterrent siren from your Receiver device. • Discreet Blackout Mode: Dims the Guardian screen to 0% brightness to keep the app active in the foreground while preventing screen burn-in and keeping the room dark. • Evidence Library & Timeline: Browse history with a visual 24h timeline. Tap any icon to play the closest local audio/video clip. Swipe to delete or share. • Interruption Recovery: Automatically pauses and resumes monitoring when phone calls or system alerts interrupt device audio hardware. . Enjoy flexible multi-device monitoring: control and track multiple Guardians from a single Receiver, or link multiple Receivers to a single Guardian for shared family alerts. ABSOLUTE PRIVACY PROMISE • 100% On-Device Processing: All acoustic classification and motion analysis are processed offline on your hardware. • Offline Evidence Storage: Recorded audio/video evidence clips are stored strictly in the Guardian's secure local sandbox and are never uploaded to any server. • Transient Live Streaming: The optional Live Sentry streaming feature uploads only a single frame at a time (approx. 1Hz) to your secure Firebase database. This frame is immediately overwritten and permanently deleted when the stream ends. • Zero Data Sharing: No raw media is ever shared, sold, or sent to third-party servers. LICENSE & 7-DAY FREE TRIAL Experience the power of AlertCatcher with a fully featured 7-day free trial: • 7-Day Free Trial: Unrestricted, full access to all features (Sound, Motion, Video Sentry, Live Streaming, Remote controls, and History) for your first 7 days. • Lifetime Premium Upgrade (One-Time Purchase): Required to continue using the app after the 7-day trial expires. Unlocks permanent, unlimited access with no recurring subscription fees. Disclaimer: AlertCatcher is a portable security utility. It is not a replacement for professional home security systems or designated life-safety fire/smoke detectors. Please use responsibly and in accordance with local regulations.
Hidden Camera Bug Detector
This app transforms your phone into a multi-channel detector for hidden cameras, microphones, and trackers. It uses infrared, lens glint, magnetic field, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth scanning to help you identify surveillance devices in various locations.
- Infrared scanning for night-vision cameras
- Lens glint detection
- Magnetic field detection for powered-off cameras
- Wi-Fi network scanning for IP cameras
- Bluetooth scanning for trackers and recorders
- Privacy-focused, on-device scanning
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Vigil turns your phone into a five-channel sweep for hidden cameras, microphones and trackers. It is the check worth doing before you unpack in a hotel room, a holiday rental, a changing room or an office. FIVE WAYS TO FIND A CAMERA Infrared: night-vision cameras flood a dark room with light your eyes cannot see. The front camera can see it, and Vigil under-exposes the sensor until only the emitters are left. Lens glint: glass reflects light straight back at its source. Sweep with the torch and a lens answers with a small, hard, motionless spark. Magnetic: every camera worth hiding holds a magnet and a switching supply, both of which bend the local field. This is the only channel that finds a camera that is switched off. Wi-Fi: lists every device on the network you are on and flags the ones answering on the ports IP cameras stream over. Bluetooth: finds battery cameras, voice recorders and trackers that advertise themselves, and tells you when one is getting closer. WHERE TO LOOK Smoke detectors, air vents, alarm clocks, chargers, mirrors, TV bezels, power strips, air fresheners and decorative holes. Each mode explains what it is measuring and how to sweep properly. PRIVATE BY DESIGN Every scan runs on your device. No video is recorded, no network data leaves the phone, no account is needed and nothing is uploaded — a privacy tool that phoned home would be a contradiction. Vigil raises suspicion, it does not prove anything. If you find something you cannot explain, stop, leave it in place and call the front desk or the police. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is ratings volume: AlertCatcher at 6 against Hidden Camera Bug Detector's 1. On price, rating, ads and in-app purchases 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. AlertCatcher sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Hidden Camera Bug Detector sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for AlertCatcher against 5.0 for Hidden Camera Bug Detector. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: AlertCatcher has 6 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.
| Parameter | AlertCatcher | Hidden Camera Bug Detector |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 5.0 (6 ratings) | 5.0 (1 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 6 — better | 1 |
| Update frequency | Every 9 days | — |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad — better | iPhone |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | 17.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 16 MB | 12 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Golden Sphere Solutions LLC | HALIME USLU |
In-app purchases
AlertCatcher
- AlertCatcher Premium$9.99
Hidden Camera Bug Detector
- Vigil Pro Weekly3 Days trial$4.997 Days
- Vigil Pro Yearly$49.991 Year
Questions
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