ClearVu vs NETGEAR Nighthawk
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
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.
- View live camera feeds
- Connect to multiple NVRs
- Review recorded footage
- Save image snapshots
- Easy port forwarding
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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
NETGEAR Nighthawk
Manage your home WiFi network from anywhere with this app. Easily set up your router, control internet access for devices, and enhance your network's security. It also includes tools to test your internet speed and monitor data usage.
- Remote network access
- Parental controls
- Network security
- Speed testing
- Guest WiFi setup
- Traffic monitoring
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Do more with your WiFi using the NETGEAR Nighthawk app. Access your router’s features and manage your network from anywhere after quickly setting up your WiFi in just a few steps. The Nighthawk app gives you convenient access to your router’s features: - Anywhere Access – Monitor and control your home WiFi from anywhere. - Smart Parental Controls – Filter content and limit time online automatically with Circle® on NETGEAR. - Armor Security – Advanced cybersecurity on your network to protect all devices from online threats. - Speed Test – See if you’re getting the internet broadband speeds you’re paying for. - Guest WiFi – Set up a secure and separate WiFi network for guests. - Traffic Meter – Monitor internet usage over time. - Easily pause WiFi, update firmware, and more! The NETGEAR Nighthawk app (formerly Up App) is a complete upgrade from the legacy NETGEAR genie app. New features are consistently being added. Install it today! For more information about your router, visit http://www.support.netgear.com
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: NETGEAR Nighthawk at 4.7 against ClearVu's 1.9. NETGEAR Nighthawk also leads on update cadence (monthly vs every 8 months) and ratings volume (709K vs 59). ClearVu's advantage is monetization model (free vs free with in-app purchases) and iOS requirement (8.0 vs 17.6). 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. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
NETGEAR Nighthawk holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 1.9. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: NETGEAR Nighthawk has 709K 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 30% of NETGEAR Nighthawk's.
ClearVu ships an update every 8 months, NETGEAR Nighthawk monthly. The most recent releases landed on October 23, 2026 and October 28, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | ClearVu | NETGEAR Nighthawk |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 1.9 (59 ratings) | 4.7 (709K ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 17.2% of reviews | 29.8% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 59 | 709K — better |
| Update frequency | Every 8 months | Monthly — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free — better | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | — | #175 — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 8.0 — better | 17.6 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 8 MB | 248 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Empowerment Technologies Inc. | NETGEAR |
Customer experience
ClearVu
NETGEAR Nighthawk
User reviews
ClearVu
From 59 App Store ratingsWhat 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
NETGEAR Nighthawk
From 709K App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 👍 Easy to set up
- 🚀 Improved internet experience
- 🔒 Good security features
- 📊 Useful network monitoring
Room to improve
- 🐛 Connectivity issues
- 🔍 Limited device management
- 🔧 Difficult configuration for advanced users
- 🔔 Excessive notifications and upsells
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 moreShow fewer
- 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 moreShow fewer
- 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
NETGEAR Nighthawk
Reported bugs
4 issues- App fails to detect or connect to router
- Device list inaccurate or inconsistent
- Firmware updates causing connectivity problems
- App crashing or freezing
Requested features
4 requests- Ability to customize device names and icons
- Parental controls with time limits and scheduling
- Improved remote access and management
- Better integration with other Netgear products
In-app purchases
ClearVu
No in-app purchases
NETGEAR Nighthawk
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is ClearVu free?
Is NETGEAR Nighthawk free?
Which has better reviews, ClearVu or NETGEAR Nighthawk?
Do ClearVu or NETGEAR Nighthawk have ads?
Which is updated more often, ClearVu or NETGEAR Nighthawk?
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