Comparison

Foscam vs Hik

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

Head to head
About

Foscam

Monitor your home, office, or store remotely with this smart security camera management tool. View live video, communicate via two-way audio, and control camera functions like pan, tilt, and night vision from your smartphone.

Highlights
  • Easy device setup
  • Live video streaming
  • Remote pan and tilt
  • Two-way audio communication
  • Night vision control
  • Snapshot and video recording
  • Multi-camera management
Features
Read full description

Foscam App is a professional smart security camera management tool that lets you monitor your home, office, or store anytime, anywhere. With your smartphone, you can view live video, communicate through two-way audio, and enjoy a safer, smarter, and more convenient security experience. Key Features: - Easy Device Setup: Pair your camera effortlessly via QR code scanning or EZLink smart configuration. - Live ViewStream: real-time video with clear image quality and a stable connection. - Remote Controls: Pan and tilt the camera, enable night vision, use two-way audio, capture snapshots, and record videos—all remotely. - Multi-Camera Management: Organize and control multiple cameras by location for greater efficiency and convenience.

About

Hik

Access live video streams from your security cameras and DVRs remotely. Review recorded footage and receive instant alerts for motion detection events. Connect to your devices globally with ease.

Highlights
  • Real-time monitoring
  • Video playback
  • Motion detection alarm notification
  • Remote camera access
  • Device management
Features
Read full description

The Hik-connect app is designed to work with Hikvision series DVRs, NVRs and IP cameras which support Cloud P2P function. It allows you to live view your cameras remotely. All you need to do is creating an account and adding device into the account, then you can enjoy the real-time video from cameras on a global scale. It also allows you to play back recorded video to search every milestone of your life. When motion detection alarm of your device triggered, you can get an instant message notification from Hik-connect app. Key Features: 1. Real-time monitoring 2. Video playback 3. Motion detection alarm notification

Screenshots

Foscam3 screens
Hik4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Hik at 4.7 against Foscam's 2.3. Hik also leads on ratings volume (172K vs 710) and update cadence (every 8 days vs every 3 weeks). Foscam's advantage is iOS requirement (13 vs 16.0). On price, review sentiment, 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Hik holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 2.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Hik has 172K ratings behind it against 710, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 17% of Foscam's written reviews are positive against 25% of Hik's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Foscam ships an update every 3 weeks, Hik every 8 days. The most recent releases landed on November 6, 2026 and November 10, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 6 level
Foscam versus Hik: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterFoscamHik
PriceFreeFree
Rating2.3 (710 ratings)4.7 (172K ratings) — better
Positive reviews16.9% of reviews24.7% of reviews — better
Number of ratings710172K — better
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeksEvery 8 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFreeFree
Best chart rank—#105 — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS13 — better16.0
Further details — not scored
Size210 MB599 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperIVYIOT LLCHangzhou Hikvision Digital Technology Co., Ltd.

Customer experience

Foscam

All ratings710 ratings
Positive28.5%
Neutral6.5%
Negative65.1%
Written reviews977 reviews
Positive16.9%
Neutral10.2%
Negative72.9%

Hik

All ratings172,031 ratings
Positive92.3%
Neutral3.2%
Negative4.5%
Written reviews1,191 reviews
Positive24.7%
Neutral12.5%
Negative62.8%

User reviews

Foscam

From 710 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Fast and efficient
  • 📽️ Good video quality
  • 💡 Useful features like motion detection
  • 👍 Generally good user experience

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Unreliable connectivity and frequent disconnects
  • 🔍 Difficult to set up and configure
  • ⏱️ Slow loading and buffering issues
  • 📦 Excessive storage usage on mobile devices
  • 🔒 Privacy and security concerns

Hik

From 172K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Fast and responsive
  • 🔒 Secure and reliable
  • 👍 User-friendly interface
  • 🤖 Excellent camera quality
  • 💡 Useful notification features

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Frequent app crashes
  • 🔍 Difficult to navigate and find cameras
  • 🕰️ Slow playback and video loading
  • 🔌 Unstable network connectivity
  • 🤯 Confusing and unintuitive updates

Bugs and requests

Foscam

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • App crashes and freezes
  • Issues with SD card playback
  • Compatibility problems with newer iOS versions
  • Inconsistent camera connections

Requested features

5 requests
  • Easier camera management and configuration
  • Improved video playback controls
  • Support for multi-camera viewing
  • Landscape mode support on tablets
  • Customizable motion detection and alerts

Hik

Reported bugs

5 issues
  • Cameras randomly show as offline
  • Playback function often fails to load
  • Notifications disappear from the app
  • App fails to open after recent updates
  • Camera settings reset after app updates

Requested features

5 requests
  • Add support for portrait mode on tablets
  • Improve playback controls with fast forward/rewind
  • Allow custom naming and organization of cameras
  • Provide better notification customization options
  • Integrate with smart home automation platforms

In-app purchases

None

Foscam

No in-app purchases

None

Hik

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Foscam free?
Foscam is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Hik free?
Hik is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Foscam or Hik?
Hik is rated higher. Foscam averages 2.3 out of 5 from 710 ratings, while Hik averages 4.7 from 172K ratings.
Do Foscam or Hik have ads?
Neither Foscam nor Hik shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Foscam or Hik?
Foscam ships an update every 3 weeks, and Hik every 8 days. Most recently, Foscam was updated on November 6, 2026 and Hik on November 10, 2026.

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