Review Insights · App Store
Swann Security
Swann Communications Pty Ltd · 68,687 ratings · ★ 4.7
4.7
★★★★★
68,687 ratings
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Top complaints - extracted from 53 negative reviews
Recurring phrases mined from 1-2★ reviews. The bigger the percentage, the more users have the same problem. Fix the top 2-3 in your version and you have product-market fit on day one.
1
"playback"
18 negative reviews mention this · 34% of all complaints
★★★★★ "Slow. I’ve tried multiple things to get a normal playback speed, but nothing works incredibly laggy." - Very laggy and slow
2
"system"
13 negative reviews mention this · 25% of all complaints
★★★★★ "Scammers and Lags. Had this camera for over 2 years. First couple of months had no issues. After I bought my subscription the video only lasts for 4 days and can’t playback anything. Everything lags so much if we are away from the system. This Swann is a scam…" - tdub721
3
"camera"
12 negative reviews mention this · 23% of all complaints
★★★★★ "No good. The worst camera on the market doesn't record, it disconnects from the internet, and it charges a lot for such poor quality. I don't recommend it." - wstupida camara
4
"work"
12 negative reviews mention this · 23% of all complaints
★★★★★ "Slow. I’ve tried multiple things to get a normal playback speed, but nothing works incredibly laggy." - Very laggy and slow
5
"update"
12 negative reviews mention this · 23% of all complaints
★★★★★ "Downloading issues. Not sure if the app developers actually check their work but the last few updates make it nearly impossible to download a clip via iPhone. You literally watch paint dry waiting for the bar to move until it reaches the end. Oh and if you hap…" - SZ2027
6
"swann"
10 negative reviews mention this · 19% of all complaints
★★★★★ "Scammers and Lags. Had this camera for over 2 years. First couple of months had no issues. After I bought my subscription the video only lasts for 4 days and can’t playback anything. Everything lags so much if we are away from the system. This Swann is a scam…" - tdub721
7
"cameras"
10 negative reviews mention this · 19% of all complaints
★★★★★ "Reemecl76. I can no longer view in HD on all of my cameras due to the latest update. What’s the fix as I have deleted and reloaded the app" - Reemecl76
8
"view"
9 negative reviews mention this · 17% of all complaints
★★★★★ "Add better ability on an iPhone to review past video. It appears very cumbersome to review past video on the NVR and it does not appear to be any better than iOS device" - bradbzr
9
"doesn"
8 negative reviews mention this · 15% of all complaints
★★★★★ "No good. The worst camera on the market doesn't record, it disconnects from the internet, and it charges a lot for such poor quality. I don't recommend it." - wstupida camara
10
"years"
8 negative reviews mention this · 15% of all complaints
★★★★★ "Scammers and Lags. Had this camera for over 2 years. First couple of months had no issues. After I bought my subscription the video only lasts for 4 days and can’t playback anything. Everything lags so much if we are away from the system. This Swann is a scam…" - tdub721
11
"video"
8 negative reviews mention this · 15% of all complaints
★★★★★ "Seems to be getting worse. Honestly, this app has always disappointed me but now the few functions it was able to accomplish are failing. You can no longer search clips by the cam they originated from, it just says “no clips found on this date” even though with ever…" - DoubleDinkDave
12
"works"
7 negative reviews mention this · 13% of all complaints
★★★★★ "Slow. I’ve tried multiple things to get a normal playback speed, but nothing works incredibly laggy." - Very laggy and slow
📋 All 53 negative reviews
Every 1-2★ review we fetched. Use the copy button to grab them all for your own analysis (paste into ChatGPT/Claude with a prompt like "summarize core user problems, group by theme, ignore bugs, focus on missing features").
Slow
I’ve tried multiple things to get a normal playback speed, but nothing works incredibly laggy.
Lags
Sucks live
No good
The worst camera on the market doesn't record, it disconnects from the internet, and it charges a lot for such poor quality. I don't recommend it.
Necesita arreglo
No permite ver las grabaciones y es muy lenta.
Something has changed
Not nearly as good as it used to be. I’m not sure what happened but the app needs to go back to how it once was.
It doesn’t work half of the time
Horrible
Doesn’t work
When I try to pair my device to the app, after entering my password, it crashes and closes the app
Scammers and Lags
Had this camera for over 2 years. First couple of months had no issues. After I bought my subscription the video only lasts for 4 days and can’t playback anything. Everything lags so much if we are away from the system. This Swann is a scam. I’ve tried contacting them, no response other than “your device has small TB”.
Downloading issues
Not sure if the app developers actually check their work but the last few updates make it nearly impossible to download a clip via iPhone. You literally watch paint dry waiting for the bar to move until it reaches the end. Oh and if you happen to get a phone call or a text message forget about responding for 30 minutes while the bar moves to the end so you could then save the video clip.
Add better ability on an iPhone to review past video
It appears very cumbersome to review past video on the NVR and it does not appear to be any better than iOS device
Terrible App
Swann Security app used to be good. Has gone down hill rapidly. Video replay will NOT play!!! Video clips are way too long/big!! Live view loads extremely slow!!!
Needs to get better real soon or I will be getting a different security system!!!
Needs to get better real soon or I will be getting a different security system!!!
Terrible functionality
I’m truly shocked. This app has such good stars. I’ve used it for years now, and it constantly lags crashes and takes forever to do playback, which is the important part. It’s motion detection is terrible and it’s UI is awful. It is so incredibly unhelpful to have this app.
Lots of bugs
Been using this system for a few years. There are many bugs, it’s frustrating. The app features outside of live view feels very half baked.
Also, there’s no constructive way to notify support and share visual illustrations. I’m forced to call in. That’s not helpful either.
Time to start shopping around.
Also, there’s no constructive way to notify support and share visual illustrations. I’m forced to call in. That’s not helpful either.
Time to start shopping around.
No video in app
The cameras work just fine on tv. But the app doesn’t work at all, I get no video. Have had this system for over 5 years and overnight it bricked. Looking to find a new company if no update/fix happens
Clip preview/playback does t work.
Getting clips to load and playback is dismal. I am ready to throw this out and buy another brand now.
Super difficult or slow to playback
Used to have this issue before the upgrade, it’s worse now after the latest upgrade
Playback almost impossible
After the latest updates, the playback is almost impossible from the app. I have yet to get it to load and playback even a single 34s video. I have waited over 30 minutes for it to load up. It partially loads but then won’t playback smoothly or completely.
Unreliable
This app is terrible. Half the time it says offline when I try to view the cameras even when it’s constantly popping up motion detected notifications. Since the update I have not been able to see any recordings. With the cost of these cameras the app should be up to par. This is getting extremely frustrating and ridiculous.
Something is better than nothing
Camera system and detection, along with the app's issues, are too inconsistent to be considered a good security system.
Terrible new version.
Terrible new version. It’s super uber slow and lags.
Recent Update
The app has became very laggy and barely functional since the latest update.
Playback
Not easy to playback camera views
Junk
Terrible as of late. Have to unplug and reboot often to get it to work with my phone.
Lousy customer service
Problems with playback on our system since yesterday. No one can be reached by phone.
I dont like swann anymore
I hate swann now, its too slowwww i regret to buy them. Was never like this
Swann isn’t reliable
It has become very annoying to deal with the Swann app I’ve had this system for years and always swapped out DVRs thinking that’s why I can see my app from home and when I am able to see it from home when it works it will foreclose on you repeatedly. Not reliable you will have something happen and will miss it plus the playback on the app is a joke you can reliably rewind your camera footage with the app……luckily I have other systems in place that is reliable it’s about time to retire Swann and I will make sure to not recommend them ever again..
Working from home
App doesn’t work when away from home most of the time. Very disappointing. Will not buy anything from Swan again. Can’t get any notifications in app either. Also can’t get in touch with support.
Leak sensors no longer supported?
I deleted my leak sensor and tried to re-pair it and there is no option for leak sensor. There is also no QR code on it. These were great cheap devices, guessing there’s no profit in continuing to support them.
Worse update ever
Since the new update to the app you get lucky to even pull up recorded security. Even after unplugging the dvr you’re still lucky if you can go back and pull up something from 30 minutes ago.
Loss of connect
The n r will operate properly for twenty or so minutes then loses connection. Turn it off then back on and it works for another few minutes I have bound by IP to the nvr MAC address but to no improvement
App always freezing
App always freezing and can’t always watch my cameras from my phone , I have two camera systems both on same WiFi ( it’s not a connection issue )
But only swann camera system lags and freezes
Wish I never bought there cameras
But only swann camera system lags and freezes
Wish I never bought there cameras
Never works
55k reviews and five stars while for years this app does not work. Cannot play back recordings, will not load my second NVR after the update. Freezes when scrolling through playback every single time.
These are fake reviews. I have left 1 star many times and it is never on here. Apple your app reviews are a joke like this app.
These are fake reviews. I have left 1 star many times and it is never on here. Apple your app reviews are a joke like this app.
Don't waste your money!
We "upgraded" to a new Swann system and within two months all but three camera ports stopped working. Now playback doesn't work on the app. Biggest disappointment. Will not buy Swann products again.
Update ruined the app
Sense de update it won’t let me log in does not detect my home WiFi conected to the camaras
New update sucks
New update sucks. Playback takes forever.
Not happy
Only records clip ,I need constant security for a retail store
Terrible app
It takes for ever to load the playback works one day and not the other
NO PLAYBACK
This app will not playback. I get notifications someone is on my carport. By the time I get the notice and pull the camera up there will be no one there. I click playback and nothing it just keeps circling and circling and circling and never shows the clip.
Play back
Not working
New update
This new update is horrible.
Network connection is terrible
I’ve had this Swann DVR for a couple years now, the setup, configuration and controls are okay. But usually during the most important times I need the app to remote view my cameras, the system does not work. Doesn’t matter if on WiFi or cellular data. If it doesn’t want to connect it just sits there refreshing non stop without advising what the error could be, my device or not.
Seems to be getting worse
Honestly, this app has always disappointed me but now the few functions it was able to accomplish are failing. You can no longer search clips by the cam they originated from, it just says “no clips found on this date” even though with every cam selected I can see videos from cams that don’t come up in search.
Still better than ring though, as they support ICE and the turd reich.
Still better than ring though, as they support ICE and the turd reich.
Takes long to load
My WiFi and internet connection is great for any other app. When I click on the notification it lags to load up the camera that detected something.
Reemecl76
I can no longer view in HD on all of my cameras due to the latest update. What’s the fix as I have deleted and reloaded the app
They fix one thing and I get new error.
Every time they update app and you will find another error .
Unsatisfied customer
We’ve had swann cameras for bout 2 years now, the quality of the camera isn’t too bad neither is the installation or app navigation but we’ve been fighting with camera and app connectivity. We’d receive a notification and go to look at the camera and then the camera can’t connect to the app nor can we go back and watch the playback because when we’d click on the video it would kick us out of the app. Honestly very sick and tired of the difficulties and will be switching brands very soon. Definitely would not recommend because of ignorant snd obvious system malfunctions that are known issues that haven’t seemed to be resolved.
Misses critical activity! Laggy when it works
Today, I worked from home in my front office which has a direct view to the front of my home and I witnessed several activities first-hand that the security system failed to capture. For example, it completely missed all activity between 6:20-6:31 today. Around 6:30pm PST the neighbor was chasing their dog in front of my house for almost two minutes. About an hour prior to this incident, a different neighbor walked in front of my house and waved to the cameras. Neither activity was captured on my driveway or front door cameras despite having the latest app update, and Person detection “ON” + Motion sensitivity set to 99%!!! I rely on this camera security system when I am away from home, however, the number of times I have had similar experiences when I AM home, is extremely concerning.
Additionally, if it’s even slightly windy the sound distorts horribly and you can’t hear anything other than amplified wind noise. The camera playback quality isn’t good enough to read license plates. There is a major delay between live activity and the live camera view and bigger lag between live activity and notifications. Playback function is hit or miss, the only consistency is that it takes forever to get to the incident portion of the video. Customer support appears to be limited to AI chatbot and prompts. EXTREMELY DISAPPOINTING!!
Additionally, if it’s even slightly windy the sound distorts horribly and you can’t hear anything other than amplified wind noise. The camera playback quality isn’t good enough to read license plates. There is a major delay between live activity and the live camera view and bigger lag between live activity and notifications. Playback function is hit or miss, the only consistency is that it takes forever to get to the incident portion of the video. Customer support appears to be limited to AI chatbot and prompts. EXTREMELY DISAPPOINTING!!
Security can
So far i am pleased with the service , but it needs to do a better job at detecting objects
Manual for iOS is incorrect
There are several features missing in the App that are present with older products like HomeSafe View. That app worked great, but it seems the newer Swann DVRs don’t work well with it anymore. It would be nice if Swann put a virtual VPN on the DVR so you could get on the LAN easily and use HomeSafe View, or maybe they could put some other service on the DVR that would bypass the CGNAT issues that P2P helps to get around. But if they are going to push everyone to have to use P2P and not work well with port forwarding, then they should give you a P2P app that gives you the admin features that you have with HomeSafe View.
The manual for the iOS section for Swann Security shows a Devices tab for a DVR system, but there is no Devices tab or device settings that I can see, with two DVR 4680 systems. So, the manual is useless and the features of the app are lacking. Also, there is no option to set privacy zone or detection zone on iOS, but the manual indicates that should exist.
The manual for the iOS section for Swann Security shows a Devices tab for a DVR system, but there is no Devices tab or device settings that I can see, with two DVR 4680 systems. So, the manual is useless and the features of the app are lacking. Also, there is no option to set privacy zone or detection zone on iOS, but the manual indicates that should exist.
Just updated app 1/10/26 now slow takes long time
Just updated app 1/10/26 now slow takes long time and can’t see recordings what happen ! Fix it please
+ 3 more in the clipboard copy
Sentiment summary
92%
Positive (4-5★)
3%
Neutral (3★)
4%
Negative (1-2★)