Comparison

ClearVu vs IP Camera Viewer

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

Head to head
About

ClearVu

Access live and recorded video from your security system on your Apple device. View multiple cameras, connect to several recorders, and save footage remotely. Easy setup makes remote viewing simple.

Highlights
  • View live camera feeds
  • Connect to multiple NVRs
  • Review recorded footage
  • Save image snapshots
  • Easy port forwarding
Features
Read full description

Defender ClearVu allows you to view your Defender 22800+ series NVR using your Apple device from anywhere in the world. The app allows you to: • Watch multiple cameras live feeds • Connect to multiple NVRs to view up to 32 cameras • Review recorded footage saved on your NVR from scheduled recordings or motion based recordings • Save image snapshots to you phone • Easy 1-Step™ Port Forwarding allows you to connect to your NVR without any extra work! Prerequisites: • A High Speed internet connection and router (not included) are required. • An internet connection providing an upload speed of 1Mbps is recommended for the best video performance

About

IP Camera Viewer

Transform your ONVIF, RTSP, or WiFi IP cameras into a robust home security system. This app provides a smooth and fast experience for viewing and controlling network cameras across multiple Apple devices. Enjoy secure, local access without mandatory cloud services or vendor restrictions.

Highlights
  • ONVIF, RTSP, MJPEG camera support
  • Network camera discovery
  • Two-way audio communication
  • Multi-camera monitoring dashboards
  • Pan, tilt, and zoom control
  • Motion detection and recording
  • Secure local and remote access
Features
Read full description

Turn your ONVIF, RTSP or WiFi IP cameras into a powerful home security monitoring system. IPCams lets you view and control network cameras with a fast, smooth experience across iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple TV and Apple Watch. Replace limited OEM camera apps and build your own private surveillance setup. IPCams gives you secure access to live view and camera streams — without mandatory cloud lock-in or forced vendor restrictions. IPCams supports ONVIF, RTSP and MJPEG compatible cameras, making it easy to connect wireless or wired devices on your local network and access them remotely when needed. Designed for users who want flexibility and control, IPCams delivers real-time video monitoring, reliable recording and powerful camera management tools in one professional-grade app. Monitor your home, office, garage, pets or entryways with secure local and remote access. FEATURES • Network Scanner – Quickly discover and connect compatible IP cameras • Advanced Camera Viewer – View ONVIF, RTSP and MJPEG network cameras • Two Way Audio – Talk back through your camera or doorbell • Multi-Camera Dashboards – Monitor multiple WiFi or wireless cameras at once • PTZ Control – Pan, tilt and zoom supported cameras • Picture in Picture (PIP) – Monitor live video while using other apps • Smart Motion Detection – Add event detection, recording and push notifications with IPCams Hub • Remote Streaming – Securely access your cameras remotely with IPCams Hub • Private & Secure – Your camera streams stay on your devices • Snap & Record – Capture photos and video recordings of important moments • Widgets – Add camera shortcuts and snapshots to your Home Screen • Multi-Platform – iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple TV and Apple Watch support • iCloud Sync – Sync and access your cameras across your Apple devices Privacy Policy: https://ipcams.app/privacy Terms of Use: https://ipcams.app/terms

Screenshots

ClearVu4 screens
IP Camera Viewer4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: IP Camera Viewer at 4.1 against ClearVu's 1.9. IP Camera Viewer also leads on update cadence (fortnightly vs every 8 months) and review sentiment (39% vs 17%). ClearVu's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 14) and iOS requirement (8.0 vs 15.0). On price 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. IP Camera Viewer sells 14 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month. ClearVu asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

IP Camera Viewer holds the better App Store score, 4.1 against 1.9. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: IP Camera Viewer has 1.2K ratings behind it against 59, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 17% of ClearVu's written reviews are positive against 39% of IP Camera Viewer's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

ClearVu ships an update every 8 months, IP Camera Viewer fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on October 15, 2026 and October 21, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard8 real differences · 2 level
ClearVu versus IP Camera Viewer: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterClearVuIP Camera Viewer
PriceFreeFree
Rating1.9 (59 ratings)4.1 (1.2K ratings) — better
Positive reviews17.2% of reviews39.1% of reviews — better
Number of ratings591.2K — better
Update frequencyEvery 8 monthsFortnightly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree — betterFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac, Apple TV, Apple Watch — better
Requires iOS8.0 — better15.0
Further details — not scored
Size8 MB308 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperEmpowerment Technologies Inc.Nogosoft LLC

Customer experience

ClearVu

All ratings59 ratings
Positive16.9%
Neutral10.2%
Negative72.9%
Written reviews64 reviews
Positive17.2%
Neutral10.9%
Negative71.9%

IP Camera Viewer

All ratings1,221 ratings
Positive74.9%
Neutral6.1%
Negative19.1%
Written reviews611 reviews
Positive39.1%
Neutral11.0%
Negative49.9%

User reviews

ClearVu

From 59 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 👍 Works great (when it works)
  • 👍 Instant camera access
  • 👍 Remote playback available
  • 👍 Multiple screen options
  • 👍 Real-time view

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Constantly crashing
  • 🐛 Fails to connect
  • 🐛 "Limited Authority" message
  • 🐛 Slow loading times
  • 🐛 App discontinued/unsupported

IP Camera Viewer

From 1.2K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Easy setup
  • 🚀 Intuitive interface
  • 🚀 Fast camera loading
  • 🚀 Simultaneous multi-camera viewing
  • 🚀 Reliable performance

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Frequent disconnections and freezes
  • 🐛 Buggy updates causing data loss
  • 🔒 Concerns over data collection and privacy
  • 💰 Expensive subscription model
  • 💰 Lack of one-time purchase option

Bugs and requests

ClearVu

Reported bugs

19 issues
  • App crashes constantly
  • App fails to connect
  • "Limited Authority" error message
  • Slow loading of live view
  • App shuts down unexpectedly
Show 14 more
  • Cameras don't auto-load
  • Playback feature freezes
  • Requires re-adding devices after updates/crashes
  • Remote viewing not working
  • Last week of the month not available for playback
  • Calendar days disappear in playback
  • Update broke the software
  • Stopped working after iOS update
  • App doesn't stay connected
  • Bad Update iOS 1.0.2 crashes on opening
  • Icons are confusing and need labels
  • Unused camera slots add clutter
  • App only works on the same wifi network
  • Playback takes too much work to look back

Requested features

15 requests
  • Update the app
  • Fix connection issues
  • Add motion detection alarm
  • Make compatible with latest phones/OS
  • Improve playback features
Show 10 more
  • Add iPad version
  • Allow sharing videos via email/text
  • Add manual control of PTZ cameras
  • Improve UI/navigation
  • Support remote viewing when not on same network
  • Add alert for motion detection
  • Allow viewing more than one camera at a time in playback
  • Fix live view to show cameras on app open
  • Allow downloading videos from remote playback to computer
  • Add Apple Watch compatibility

IP Camera Viewer

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • Cameras disappearing after updates
  • Inability to add/edit cameras
  • Unresponsive PTZ controls
  • Connectivity issues when away from home network

Requested features

6 requests
  • Motion detection and alerts
  • Remote access and monitoring
  • PTZ camera controls
  • Ability to view camera storage/recordings
  • Customizable camera layouts
Show 1 more
  • Live widget for home screen

In-app purchases

None

ClearVu

No in-app purchases

14 purchases

IP Camera Viewer

Subscriptions9
  • Pro Monthly3 Days trial$3.991 Month
  • Pro Monthly7 Days trial$4.991 Month
  • Pro Plus Monthly3 Days trial$7.991 Month
Show 6 more
  • Pro Plus Monthly7 Days trial$9.991 Month
  • Pro Yearly7 Days trial$29.991 Year
  • Pro Yearly7 Days trial$34.991 Year
  • Pro Plus Yearly7 Days trial$59.991 Year
  • Pro Plus Yearly$59.991 Year
  • Pro Plus Yearly7 Days trial$74.991 Year
One-time5
  • Pro Lifetime$149.99
  • Pro Lifetime - Family Upgrade$149.99
  • Pro Plus Lifetime - Upgrade$149.99
Show 2 more
  • Pro Lifetime - Family$299.99
  • Pro Plus Lifetime$299.99

Questions

Is ClearVu free?
ClearVu is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is IP Camera Viewer free?
IP Camera Viewer is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, ClearVu or IP Camera Viewer?
IP Camera Viewer is rated higher. ClearVu averages 1.9 out of 5 from 59 ratings, while IP Camera Viewer averages 4.1 from 1.2K ratings.
Do ClearVu or IP Camera Viewer have ads?
Neither ClearVu nor IP Camera Viewer shows ads.
Which is updated more often, ClearVu or IP Camera Viewer?
ClearVu ships an update every 8 months, and IP Camera Viewer fortnightly. Most recently, ClearVu was updated on October 15, 2026 and IP Camera Viewer on October 21, 2026.

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