Cellular Trail Camera App Features Explained

Shopping for a cellular trail camera can be a daunting task. In addition to choosing a camera, you must also find the best cellular trail camera app to meet your specific needs. The app must have the features you desire and operate on an affordable cellular data plan. Most new users aren’t familiar with the current features available on apps, or don’t know exactly how they work. Accordingly, we’ve compiled a list of all available features along with an explanation of how they work. You can also find a comparison of all available cellular data plans on our Cellular Trail Camera Data Plans page.

Things To Consider Before Investing In a Cellular Trail Camera System

We also have a comprehensive chart listing all manufacturers and available features at the bottom of this page

Daily Check-in

The camera automatically captures and sends a photo at a pre-determined time every day to confirm operational status. This feature is also useful to check temperature, weather conditions or even lake or river levels.

Programmable Sync Time

Some cameras set the check-in time without the ability for user modifications. Cameras with programmable check-in allow the user to set a specific time (or multiple times) for their camera to communicate.

Programmable Start/Stop time

Allows a user to determine the exact period every day they wish their camera to be active and transmitting photos. A practical example is a business that only wishes to capture activity while they are closed. They can program their camera to be off during normal business hours but capture and transmit any suspicious photos when they are absent.

Picture on Demand

Allows a user to request a photo on demand at any time. Practical examples include checking current weather conditions or property status with immediate feedback.

Live View

Allows the user to view video in near real-time (some networks experience a slight delay). Some transmitted photos are hard to make out:

Is that someone breaking into my cabin?

Turn on Live View and you’ll know for sure.

Currently three cameras offer live view - the Spartan GoLive 2 M, Spartan GoLive M, and the Bushnell CelluCore Live.

GPS

Most every cellular trail camera now incorporates a GPS function which allows their app to show you where each of your cameras is located on a map. If you were to move a camera, it would automatically show up in its new position on the map the next time it communicated.

GPS Anti-Theft

Some cameras take GPS capability a step further by using it to alert a user if a camera has been stolen or moved from its original location. Several company’s apps can even track the stolen camera using GPS functionality.

Browning cameras automatically trigger every 10 minutes if the camera is moved. Bushnell, Covert, Spartan, and Spypoint allow a user to find their camera using the app. The Spartan "Go Live" models have an internal (hidden) battery that will continue to power the GPS even if a thief removes the batteries.

Species Recognition Tagging

Many companies have incorporated recognition software into their cloud-based platforms. Images are sent from each camera to the cloud where powerful software determines the type of animal and sorts & stores photos accordingly. Users can request to view only images of deer and avoid countless images of non-target species. Searches can be further refined to include only images of “antlered” deer saving even more valuable time.

Species Recognition based alerts

Some platforms allow a user to program alerts based on the type of species responsible for triggering the photo. For example, if a user was concerned about trespassing but didn’t want to be alerted every time a deer or squirrel passed by, they could program an alert that only triggered when a human walked by. Spypoint cellular trail cameras offer this useful feature via their app.

HD Images

Most apps provide a low-resolution thumbnail version of each captured image. Some allow users to request HD versions of the image for additional cost/data used. And finally, some apps send higher resolution (near HD) images at no additional charge. The Browning Pro Scout Max Extreme HD sends HD images all the time at no additional charge.

Video

In addition to HD images, some apps allow a user to request videos for an additional charge.

Two-way Communication

Most cellular trail cameras only communicate at a pre-determined time, or after motion has been detected and an image is sent to the cloud. This is one-way communication from the camera to the cloud. When this occurs, any user modified changes at the cloud level can be transmitted back to the camera and take effect at that time. Some companies incorporate two-way communication allowing a user to make programming changes, request a photo or even view live video at any time. This is an appealing feature but comes at a very high price in the form of severely reduced battery life.

Share Camera

Allows users to let their friends/family have restricted access to view photos without the ability to change settings.

Bushnell, Spartan, Stealth Cam, and Tactacam allow a user to share photos.

ON X Integration

Allows users to automatically see active camera locations on their onX maps.

All Bushnell and Covert cellular cameras are currently compatible for use in the onX app.

Multi Pic Programming

Users have the capability to change the number of photos captured per trigger via the app. Changes take effect after the next communication.

Picture Delay Programming

Users have the capability to change the delay between triggers via the app. Changes take effect after the next communication.

Detection Sensitivity Programming

Users have the capability to adjust the trigger sensitivity via the app. Changes take effect after the next communication.

IR Flash Programming

Users have the capability to adjust the flash intensity via the app. Changes take effect after the next communication.

The only apps that don't allow this are Spartan and Reconyx.

Sync Frequency

Users have the capability to change the number of times the camera communicates with the cloud daily via the app. Changes take effect after the next communication.

Browning, Bushnell, Ridgetec, Spartan, and Spypoint all allow your camera to communicate multiple times a day.