5 Best Security Camera Apps for 2021

Use your iPhone or Android device as a hidden spy cam with these apps

by
Brad Stephenson - Lifewire Writer
Brad Stephenson
Freelance Contributor
Brad Stephenson is a freelance tech and geek culture writer with 12+ years' experience. He writes about Windows 10, Xbox One, and cryptocurrency.
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Brad Stephenson
Updated on January 15, 2021
reviewed by
Jerrick Leger headshot
Jerrick Leger
Lifewire Tech Review Board Member
Jerrick Leger is a CompTIA-certified IT Specialist with more than 10 years' experience in technical support and IT fields. He is also a systems administrator for an IT firm in Texas serving small businesses.
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Article reviewed on Oct 20, 2020
Jerrick Leger

It's natural to consider installing hidden security cameras in your home, especially if you live in an area with a high crime rate. With both free and paid mobile apps, you can turn an old device into a fully-functional hidden camera.

Here are six high-quality camera apps for creating a cheap security camera in a matter of minutes. All you need is an iOS or Android device and a computer.

01
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Best Hidden Camera App for iOS: AtHome Camera Surveillance App

AtHome camera app for iPhone

AtHome
What we like

  • Animated GIF notifications are an incredible idea that's unique to this app.

  • Video streaming is encrypted, which makes it harder for others to view your footage.

What we don't like

  • Cloud save functionality requires a payment from $5.99 a month to $49.99 a year.

  • Requires a $1.99 in-app payment to remove ads.

The AtHome Camera Surveillance App can transform any old iPhone, iPod touch, or iPad into a hidden security camera as long as it has iOS 7 or above. Like all of the other spycam apps, AtHome begins recording footage from the iOS device's webcam whenever it detects motion.

What sets it apart, though, is the app's facial recognition technology, which begins recording video whenever it identifies a person. When this happens, not only does the app record the person, it also generates an animated GIF of the individual and sends it to you in a push notification.

All recorded footage can be viewed on another iOS device or on a computer. Recordings can be automatically saved to an online cloud account as part of a monthly subscription service.

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02
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Best Hidden Spy App for Android: Manything

Manything smartphone app turns your iPhone and Android into a hidden security camera.

Manything
What we like

  • Clean app design that's easy to use and navigate.

  • Clips can be downloaded and shared with other people easily.

What we don't like

  • A $3.99 monthly subscription is required to save footage to the cloud.

  • Need to pay a monthly subscription fee to use more than one device as a hidden camera.

Manything is a free spy cam app that lets you turn any device with Android 4.2 or later or iOS 8.0 or later into a security camera. Video from the app can be streamed live on your main smartphone or tablet and alerts are sent to you when motion is detected.

One particularly useful feature is the ability to talk through the device working as the camera. This can be used to startle intruders, talk to pets while you're out of the house, or turn the device into a baby cam.

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03
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Easiest Windows 10 Hidden Camera App: SecurityCam

SecurityCam turns a Windows 10 computer or tablet into a hidden spy cam.

Silverdex IT Limited
What we like

  • SecurityCam is completely free.

  • Runs on Windows 8 and 8.1 devices in addition to Windows 10.


What we don't like

  • No cloud backup of recorded video.

  • Missing premium features such as email or text alerts.

SecurityCam is a streamlined hidden camera app designed for Windows computers with Windows 8 or later. This app turns your Windows computer or tablet into a security camera that begins recording video with its webcam as soon as motion is detected.

All recorded footage is saved directly to the app for on-demand viewing along with the date and time stamps.

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04
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Best Camera App for Gamers: Viewer for Baby Monitor for Kinect

Viewer for Baby Monitor for Kinect turns your gaming console into a security camera or baby cam

Viewer for Baby Monitor for Kinect
What we like

  • Creative use of the Xbox One gaming console accessory.

  • The Kinect camera sees in the dark, which makes it perfect for baby monitoring.

What we don't like

  • The Xbox One console must be turned on for this app to work, which could increase your power bill.

  • You can't use your Xbox One while this app is running.

Viewer for Baby Monitor for Kinect is a rather ingenious app that lets you use the Xbox One's Kinect sensor as a security camera or baby monitor. One version of the app is installed on the Xbox One console to let it record video, while the other is downloaded onto your Windows 10 device to view the video stream from elsewhere in the house.

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05
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Best Overall Hidden Camera App: Alfred Home Security Camera

Alfred Security Camera app running on Android and iPhone.

Alfred Security
What we like

  • All primary hidden camera functionality is free.

  • Recorded video can also be viewed via the web on a computer if you don't own a secondary smart device.

What we don't like

  • Some features, such as the zoom ability, are behind a premium $3.99 monthly subscription.

  • The app works on older devices with iOS 8 but occasionally crashes on aging hardware such as the iPhone 4S.

Alfred Home Security Camera is one of the best hidden spy apps for both iOS and Android devices. The app works by turning one smartphone or tablet into a camera and another as the viewing monitor. Once set up, the Alfred Home Security Camera begins recording video once motion is detected. All footage is uploaded to a free online cloud account for viewing later.

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