9 November 2026

SecuritySpy vs ViewCam: which Ben Software app do you need?

SecuritySpy vs ViewCam: which Ben Software Mac app you need, compared by HikGrid, a native Mac app for viewing Hikvision and HiLook cameras

SecuritySpy vs ViewCam: SecuritySpy records, ViewCam watches. Both are Mac apps from Ben Software. SecuritySpy makes your Mac the recorder for your cameras, priced by camera. ViewCam is a one-off App Store purchase that shows live video. If your cameras already record to a Hikvision or HiLook NVR, there is a third option: HikGrid (our app), a native Mac app for viewing Hikvision and HiLook cameras, with playback of what the NVR recorded.

Updated November 2026.

Verdict: Choose SecuritySpy if you want the Mac to replace a recorder: it records, detects people and vehicles, and serves its own apps. Choose ViewCam if you only want live pictures from your cameras on a Mac screen. If a Hikvision NVR already records your cameras, neither app reads those recordings, and HikGrid is built for exactly that.

SecuritySpy: £35.90 for 1 camera to £339.00 for 16, excluding VAT, with a 30-day trial (Ben Software spec sheet, March 2026).
ViewCam: £34.99 on the UK Mac App Store after a 14-day trial.
Ben Software staff have said SecuritySpy cannot access an NVR's own storage. ViewCam's replay covers only recent video it has received.

SecuritySpy vs ViewCam at a glance

	SecuritySpy	ViewCam
What it is	Mac recording software (an NVR) for IP cameras	Live viewer for IP cameras and Mac video devices
Records footage	Yes, continuous or motion-triggered, to drives on the Mac	No; instant replay of recent video, which can be saved as a movie file
AI detection	Yes, to trigger recording and notifications; Smart Search by description	AI-powered motion detection with visual feedback
Phone and TV apps	Free apps for iPhone, iPad, Apple TV and Android	Mac only
Price	1 / 4 / 8 / 16 cameras: £35.90 / £84.75 / £169.50 / £339.00 ex VAT (March 2026)	£34.99 full version (UK Mac App Store)
After you buy	2 years of updates included; optional renewal at 25% of the licence price a year	One-off in-app purchase
Free trial	30 days	14 days
Mac must stay awake	Yes, to record (manual)	Only while you are watching
Reads a Hikvision NVR's recordings	No: staff say it cannot access NVR storage	Not mentioned on its product page
Runs on	Universal app, macOS 10.13.6 or later	macOS 10.13.6 or later
Best for	Making the Mac your recorder	Live view on a Mac, across camera brands

HikGrid is independent and not affiliated with Ben Software, Hikvision, HiLook or the other products mentioned here. Prices and versions checked 9 November 2026.

SecuritySpy: the Mac as your recorder

SecuritySpy is video surveillance software that records directly from your cameras to the Mac. Its features page lists continuous or motion-triggered recording, AI detection that decides when to record and notify, Smart Search that finds recordings from typed descriptions, a web interface, multi-drive storage with archiving, and synchronised multi-camera playback. Free apps for iPhone, iPad, Apple TV and Android connect to it. It works with Apple Home and Home Assistant.

The trade-offs come with being a recorder. The manual says it cannot operate while the Mac is asleep, so the Mac stays on. It recommends an external USB or Thunderbolt drive for recordings. And it is priced by camera, so a growing system moves you up the tiers.

ViewCam: live view, one payment

ViewCam shows live video and audio from IP cameras, and from USB, Thunderbolt and FaceTime cameras. You can show all cameras in one window, one per window, or in groups, with digital pan, tilt and zoom on everything and mechanical PTZ where the camera has it. It has AI motion detection, still capture, and hardware-accelerated H.264 and H.265 (Ben Software).

What it doesn't do is record a library you can search later. Its replay covers recent video, which you can save as a movie file. Ben Software also says ViewCam can act as a live viewer for SecuritySpy, which is how the two apps fit together.

What each costs over a few years

ViewCam is the simple one: £34.99 once, through the Mac App Store.

SecuritySpy's spec sheet (March 2026) prices licences at £35.90 for 1 camera, £84.75 for 4, £169.50 for 8 and £339.00 for 16, excluding VAT. Two years of updates are included. After that, renewal is optional at 25% of the licence price a year. For an 8-camera system, that is £169.50 up front and about £42.38 a year from year three if you keep updating, both before VAT. Cameras beyond your licence run view-only, with no recording (forum, April 2025).

Can you use SecuritySpy and ViewCam together?

Yes. That is one of ViewCam's stated jobs: a live viewer for a SecuritySpy system. SecuritySpy also has its own free mobile and Apple TV apps, and a web interface, so most people running SecuritySpy won't need ViewCam as well.

If you already own a Hikvision NVR

This is where both Ben Software apps fall short. Your NVR is already a recorder, with weeks of footage on its drives. SecuritySpy records its own second copy, and Ben Software staff have said it cannot access an NVR's own storage (forum, January 2025). ViewCam shows the NVR's channels live, but its product page doesn't mention reaching the recordings either.

HikGrid (our app) is made for this case. It connects to the Hikvision or HiLook recorder by local IP, by remote IP or domain, or through your Hik-Connect account, and gives you live view, playback, recording search and footage download. It runs natively on Apple silicon and Intel Macs with macOS 13 or later, and costs £39.95 one-time per Mac. It does not record and does not support other brands. Full comparisons: SecuritySpy vs HikGrid and ViewCam vs HikGrid.

Which should you choose?

Choose SecuritySpy if:

You want the Mac to be the recorder, with AI detection, alerts and its own apps.
You can leave a Mac on around the clock, with an external drive for recordings.

Choose ViewCam if:

You only want live view on a Mac, perhaps across several camera brands.
You want one App Store payment and no renewals.

Choose HikGrid if:

Your cameras already record to a Hikvision or HiLook NVR or DVR, and you want to watch, play back and download that footage on a Mac.

Looking wider? See our list of SecuritySpy alternatives and the best NVR software for Mac.

Already have a Hikvision NVR? You don't need a second recorder. HikGrid (our app) gives you live view, playback, recording search and footage download in one native macOS window. It runs natively on Apple silicon and Intel Macs (macOS 13 Ventura or later), connects to several Hikvision and HiLook systems at once, and costs £39.95 one-time per Mac, with new features included and no subscription.

HikGrid is an independent app. It is not made by, affiliated with or endorsed by Hikvision.

See how HikGrid works Buy a lifetime licence (£39.95)

FAQ

What is the difference between SecuritySpy and ViewCam?

SecuritySpy is Mac recording software: it records your cameras to the Mac, runs AI detection and serves its own phone and TV apps. ViewCam is a live viewer: it shows camera video on a Mac, with an instant replay of recent video, but it does not build a searchable recording library.

Is ViewCam cheaper than SecuritySpy?

Usually. ViewCam is £34.99 on the UK Mac App Store. SecuritySpy starts at £35.90 excluding VAT for one camera and rises to £339.00 for 16, with optional renewals after two years (spec sheet, March 2026).

Can ViewCam record?

Not as a recorder. Its instant replay plays back recent video and can save it as a movie file. For continuous or motion recording on a Mac, Ben Software sells SecuritySpy.

Can SecuritySpy or ViewCam play back recordings on my Hikvision NVR?

Ben Software staff have said SecuritySpy cannot access an NVR's own storage, and ViewCam's product page does not mention it. HikGrid is a native Mac app for viewing Hikvision and HiLook cameras that plays back, searches and downloads the recordings on the NVR.

Do SecuritySpy and ViewCam have free trials?

Yes. SecuritySpy runs as a full trial for 30 days, and ViewCam for 14 days. HikGrid also has a free trial.

Sources

ben-software comparison hikvision ip-camera-viewer mac nvr-software securityspy viewcam