Who among us doesn't want to get video surveillance for free? To be perfectly honest, few people would turn down free software, the most affordable plan, and some nice bonuses. And by the way, free video surveillance isn't a case of “free cheese only comes in a mousetrap” — in other words, it's not too good to be true. Want to know why? All the details are in this article. Read to the end.
Why Do Users Want Free Video Surveillance?
In fact, Russians have more than enough reasons to want free video surveillance, namely:
• A post-Soviet mindset and an inherited pull toward anything free. Yes, the Russian mentality has its own particular character.
• A traditional perception of video surveillance. The average Russian resident doesn't place much value on a product like video surveillance. This is rooted in history and tied to a number of myths and stereotypes on the subject.
• A lack of spare funds for video surveillance (for most Russians). According to official figures, 20 million Russians live below the poverty line. And according to experts, as much as 80% of the population could be considered effectively poor.
• A psychological factor. Because of the particular way people are raised in this country, a parent-child dynamic tends to persist into adulthood, one in which everything is provided for free. If the process of separating from one's parents hasn't been completed, a person isn't ready for adult, reciprocal relationships or for paying in full for goods and services. As psychologists put it, payment represents a form of responsibility.
• The spoiled nature of the Russian consumer. We've grown used to promotions and tempting offers pouring in as if from a horn of plenty.

Why Can Video Surveillance Services Be Free?
Manufacturers, sellers, and providers have one reason for giving away free services — an economic one. Amid fierce competition and weak consumer demand, they need to:
• Find new ways to grow their customer base
• Increase brand awareness
• Build trust and loyalty toward video surveillance in general, and toward a specific company, brand, or service in particular
• Increase the number of orders
These marketing objectives need to be addressed not just when entering the market, but throughout the company's entire operation. That's why free video surveillance software isn't “free cheese in a mousetrap” — it's an economically sound marketing strategy.
Conditionally Free Software
There are several types of conditionally free video monitoring software:
• Free software plus additional paid features (freemium)
• Software that can be used free of charge only for a limited period (nagware). Once the demo period ends, these programs stop working. Continuing to use them requires purchasing a paid version or license.
• Free video surveillance programs that are fully functional but require watching ads while in use (adware). Turning off the ads requires purchasing a paid version or license.

Free Cloud Storage
Today, you can build a cloud video surveillance system from scratch, on your own, in just 5 simple steps. This is made possible by a straightforward setup that combines cloud video surveillance with mobile phones. And you can manage it all on a completely free plan.
As a rule, free plans come with a fairly short video archive retention period. For example, the international service Faceter offers 24 hours of free data storage in SD quality.
TOP 3 Best Free Video Surveillance Services
The main criteria for our TOP 3 ranking of the best free video surveillance services are:
• No charge for software or cloud storage
• Availability of a mobile app
• Modern technical capabilities, including built-in intelligent video analytics
• Suitability for both home and business (professional) use
• Genuine user reviews taken from Google Play and the App Store
TOP 1: Video Surveillance from Faceter
| Free Software | Free Cloud | Mobile App | Technical Capabilities | Professional Use | Rating |
| + | Up to 24 hours | iOS, Android | Neural-network-based | + | 4.4/5 |
You can download the video surveillance app for free here: on Google Play or the App Store, depending on your device's operating system.
TOP 2: Video Surveillance from Ivideon
| Free Software | Free Cloud | Mobile App | Technical Capabilities | Professional Use | Rating |
| + | NO | iOS, Android | Neural-network-based | + | 4.2–4.3/5 |
TOP 3: Video Surveillance from IPEYE
| Free Software | Free Cloud | Mobile App | Technical Capabilities | Professional Use | Rating |
| + | NO | iOS, Android | Neural-network-based | + | 3.5/5 |
Summary and Conclusions
Based on this comparison, we can conclude that free online video surveillance genuinely exists. What's more, it's even possible to use cloud storage for free. Take a look at the international service from Faceter to use video surveillance for home and business free of charge.
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Vladislav Kondratev 


