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12 Best Surround Recording Apps in 2023

Date: 3rd March 2023

Your child may be hanging out with a reckless crowd of kids or getting bullied by some of his classmates, and you have no idea. It is also possible that a few of your employees are trying to sabotage your business and leak confidential information to rivals and you do not even know about that. To stay prepared for any such unforeseen situation, using a surround recording app comes in handy. Yes, an app; you heard that right! By listening to whatever is going around your child or employee’s phone, you could guess what they are experiencing at a certain point in time. If you think that investing in a surround recording app is worth it, you have a tough job ahead of you as the market has plenty of apps claiming to be the best.

This comprehensive guide will save you from the hassle of comparing the various undetectable surround recording apps available. Read on below to know in detail about the 12 best surround recording apps so you can make an informed decision easily.

Detailed comparison of 10 undetectable ambient recording apps of 2022
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Why Do You Need a Surround Recording App?

Surround recording is one of the niche features that most people outside strictly espionage-heavy circles don’t think about. But seeing as how the trend of monitoring apps has caught on, surround recording has become somewhat of a necessity.

This is especially true in the two domains where monitoring apps are frequently used: homes and offices. To understand why this feature may be required (and in some cases, downright necessary), you need to highlight which category of operation you fall into. Are you using monitoring software for the protection of your children or your business enterprise?

For parents looking to monitor their children’s online and offline activities, ambient or surround recording can be incredibly important. With this tool, parents can effectively eavesdrop on their children at any given moment and highlight any dangers that may be present around them. Is your teen chatting to a friend about a new strain of weed they heard is available? Or is your child being bullied in school? In either of the cases, parents can use surround recording to gain a leg up on the situation and nip the issues in the bud before they escalate.

Similarly, business leaders and managers can also make use of surround recording in the workplace. This feature can help them highlight bad actors that may be leaking corporate data, sexual harassers in the office, and other slightly tamer issues like time theft.

Surround recording works as an effective deterrent in many of the issues parents and businesses face today. By having this option in the monitoring application of choice, users have more control over the situations and people they are entrusted to manage.

How to Choose a Surround Recording App?

As stated earlier, the number of spy apps has gone up in the last few years, making the decision-making process a bit difficult. So even though we have given you a detailed review regarding the ambient recording apps or any other spyware, here are the main considerations you should bear in mind to make the best decision:

Price

The price is always the primary priority for most. There are plenty of apps on the market and each claims to have the best features. Make sure that you get the best value out of your money spent on a spy app. Also, decide how much you are willing to spend on your spying needs; that will also greatly help in making the final decision. Decide carefully as you don’t have to buy the cheapest or the costliest of the apps. Just the one that best suits your needs according to your budget.

Authenticity

Make sure the company you are considering buying the app from is authentic. Do your research and make sure that you’re putting your money into a reliable service. Most people get scammed out of their money by companies that pose as providers of spying tools and software. Instead of suffering at the hands of these companies, it’s always better to conduct thorough background checks. Make sure that the company you are buying from actually exists and has an online presence too.

There are fake companies out there too who are ripping people off of their money and their apps don’t even work. Ensure that you buy from a reliable source.

Reliability

While selecting the best app to secretly record conversations, check that it is reliable. Always select the app which you find safe to use and you can trust. Sometimes apps don’t work as smoothly as they claim to be and can often affect the performance of the target phone. The users are then left with no option but to uninstall the spy app. If an app is not reliable, you cannot count on them to do the job and fulfill your monitoring needs.

With the plethora of services available out there, it is no easy feat to know for sure that an app works. But you can always research and look for genuine customer reviews, and see how good the refund policy is, in case you don’t find the services satisfactory, this is how you save your money.

Performance

It is very important that no matter which app you invest in, it should deliver what it promises. If the surrounding recording spy app does not perform well, it’s just a waste of money! So it is important that before you buy any spying app or consider buying it, go through its reviews. The spy app you get mustn't affect the target phone’s speed or performance as these apps are installed secretly on the target phone so one cannot afford the other person to know that their phone is getting monitored.

Compatibility

Compatibility is another factor that you need to pay attention to before buying spy apps that record your surroundings. The app you are thinking to buy should be compatible with the phone you are thinking to spy on. You must pay attention to this. People, who lack the technical knowledge or are not aware of how these things work, usually end up paying for something that they can’t use. The app you are considering has to be compatible with the phone you want to install it on. These details are normally available on the website.

User Interface

When you wish to use an app that has advanced features such as surround recording feature or keylogging, see that the app you are considering buying is easy to use. There is no point in getting an app that is too technical and complicated for you to understand. It should also be easy for you to navigate through the app.

Some apps offer free trials or demo versions as well so that you can test the interface and see whether you are comfortable using the interface.

Stealth mode

Since you wish to keep tabs on someone’s conversations and surroundings, it means you would like to do so secretly. So the app you buy must work in stealth mode. Look for the apps that work in hidden mode and the user of the target phone cannot detect them. The spy apps that work under some code names are easy to detect. Therefore, always go for an app that has proven to work stealthily in the background.

Customer Service & Technical Support

It is important that the company you choose offers efficient customer service and technical support. The reason for that is if you face any kind of problem or issue while installing or using any secret surround recording apps, the customer support team can help you with it. With informed and efficient customer service, the users can get instant help whenever they need it. So, the app you are considering getting must have responsive and helpful customer service.

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Frequently Asked Questions

question General Questions

  • The recorded sounds won’t always sound too clear as all recording apps rely on the phone’s microphone. And considering cell phone models come with a varying number of microphones, the clarity of the recorded sounds is highly contingent on that. The general rule, in this case, is that the more microphones a phone has, the better the audio signal is going to be. Background noise and other chatter do bleed in too, as active noise cancellation isn’t supported by any iOS or Android spy to listen to surroundings.

  • Most spyware programs come with surround recording included in their plans, but mostly, it's their premium versions. These cost extra as the premium features differentiate the regular plans from the expensive ones. Make sure to choose the right subscription before making a purchase. Most apps list the features present in each plan so it can be well worth your time to see which features you’re actually paying for.

  • Unlike iPhone which tells you whenever the phone’s microphone is in use, there’s no such security feature on Android. However, if you are recording the surroundings too frequently, the monitored Android phone can detect which apps are consuming too much battery. If your spyware app doesn’t offer a full stealth mode, this could be a problem. However, with Xnspy, this won’t be a problem as the app works without detection and constantly runs in the background.

  • A manual way to go about recording surroundings is to use your own device or phone if you’re within earshot of the person. But we all know that situations like these rarely arise. Another alternative could be to manually set up a sound recorder on the person’s phone and let it play in the background. But this can alert the user of an app running in the background, or can be easily dismissed if the user habitually clears apps on their phone. To get around all of these inconveniences, surround recording apps come into play. These work in the background, usually require a one-time setup and can be interacted with remotely.

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Comparing Top 12 Surround Recording Apps For 2023

Apps

Rating

Features Offered

Price

XNSPY

9.8/10

30+

Basic: $4.99/month
Premium: $7.49/month

uMobix

9.0/10

25+

Monthly $49.99/month
Quarterly $27.99/month
Yearly $11.66/month

Flexispy

8.5/10

25+

Premium: $68/month
Extreme: $199/3 months

ClevGuard

8.2/10

25+

Pro for Android $27.99/month
Pro for iOS: $34.99/month

mSpy

8.0/10

20+

$48.99/month

XNSPY

9.8/10

30+

Basic: $4.99/month
Premium: $7.49/month

uMobix

9.0/10

25+

Monthly $49.99/month
Quarterly $27.99/month
Yearly $11.66/month

Flexispy

8.5/10

25+

Premium: $68/month
Extreme: $199/3 months

MobiStealth

7.8/10

18+

Pro: $59.99/month
Pro-X: $69.99/month

TheWiSpy

7.5/10

18+

Basic $8.33/month
Premium $13.33/month
Platinum: $19.99/month

Hoverwatch

6.8/10

15+

Personal: $24.95/month
Professional: $49.95/month
Business: $149.95/month

Cocospy

6.5/10

15+

Premium: $129.99/year
Family: $399.99/year

SpyEra

6.0/10

13+

$189/quarter per device

BlurSpy

5.8/10

15+

$14.99/user/month

iKeyMonitor

5.5/10

18+

$49.99/month

ClevGuard

8.2/10

25+

Pro for Android $27.99/month
Pro for iOS: $34.99/month

mSpy

8.0/10

20+

$48.99/month

MobiStealth

7.8/10

18+

Pro: $59.99/month
Pro-X: $69.99/month

TheWiSpy

7.5/10

18+

Basic $8.33/month
Premium $13.33/month
Platinum: $19.99/month

Hoverwatch

6.8/10

15+

Personal: $24.95/month
Professional: $49.95/month
Business: $149.95/month

Cocospy

6.5/10

15+

Premium: $129.99/year
Family: $399.99/year

SpyEra

6.0/10

13+

$189/quarter per device

BlurSpy

5.8/10

15+

$14.99/user/month

iKeyMonitor

5.5/10

18+

$49.99/month

See More
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1. XNSPY

Rating 9.8/10

Xnspy’s surround recording app takes the lead in our top 12 list. It is by far the best app to secretly record conversations, and that too on the go. Offering an array of both basic and advanced monitoring features, Xnspy is a popular choice in ambient recording apps. It allows the user to remotely switch on the microphone of the target phone and lets you hear the surrounding voices and sounds. Another feature that makes it one of the best apps to listen to phone surroundings is its live feature with which you can listen in on live calls and record them too. You can also view the time and date stamps for every recording. By downloading the Xnspy Dashboard app you can send commands to the remote phone from anywhere without having the need to access your web account always.

A single ambient recording command records up to 30 minutes. You can send more commands if you want to continue to listen live to their phone surroundings. The commands that Xnspy sends are discreet, not arousing any suspicion. Most other ambient voice recording apps tend to send text message commands to activate the microphone which could really put off your entire plan of monitoring someone’s surroundings.

Xnspy’s surround recording app

Other Features

Here are some other features of the Xnspy

  • Monitor text messages and phone calls
  • Access chats from instant messengers
  • Remotely control the target device
  • Track location through GPS
  • Monitor social media activity
  • Access emails, photos, and videos
  • Set alerts on certain words and locations
  • Access web browsing history

Pros

  • Xnspy has an easy and convenient user interface.
  • It also offers a keylogging feature that records keystrokes made on Facebook, Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp, Skype, and Viber.
  • The app also keeps track of the Wi-Fi connections the target phone regularly connects to.
  • Xnspy supports offline tracking and as soon the target device connects to the internet, all the recorded information is uploaded to Xnspy’s web account.
  • If the target user deletes a call log or text message, and as long as Xnspy has created a backup of it, you will still be able to access that deleted data.

Cons

  • The app does not support desktop monitoring.

Price

Xnspy offers it's users with two editions. Xnspy’s Basic Edition costs $4.99month and Xnspy’s Premium Edition is $7.49 per month. Moreover, there are quarterly and annual subscriptions available as well along with the monthly subscription plans.

Compatibility

Xnspy is compatible with both Android and iOS devices. There are two different versions of the app for the iOS devices, i.e. Jailbreak and Non-Jailbreak, depending on how you would like to monitor a device.

Android

iPhone (JailBreak)

iPhone (No JailBreak)

4.x, 5.x, 6.x, 7.x, 8.x, 9.x, 10, 11, 12, 13

6.x, 7.x, 8. up to 9.0.2

6.x, 7.x, 8.x up to 17.0.3

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2. uMobix

Rating 9.0/10

uMobix brands itself as an advanced cell phone tracker for parents and has support for smartphones and tablets. This ambient sound recorder app is very easy to set up for anyone and the company touts that it can be ready in as little as 5 minutes. uMobix can allow users to listen to phone surrounding with its surround recording feature under ‘Audio Stream’ which works the same way as it does on other apps. Users can log in to their dashboard and remotely listen to the phone’s surroundings.

Alongside the audio stream, uMobix also has something called "Video stream" which activates the tracking phone’s camera in real-time for parents to monitor. The app also allows access to all the deleted messages on the target device.

And with its auto-update feature, parents wouldn’t need to worry about ever running outdated versions of the application.

uMobix

Other Features

Following are some of the other features the app offers

  • Monitor text messages
  • Call monitoring
  • Access to contacts
  • Monitoring social media activity
  • Tracking of online and website activity
  • Access to photos and videos captured by the phone
  • Remote control of the target device
  • Email monitoring
  • Access to deleted items off of the phone

Pros

  • uMobix offers data backup and updates to parents every 5 minutes.
  • The keylogger feature allows viewing of all the text that is entered into the target device.
  • You can block certain apps.

Cons

  • uMobix is new to the segment and hasn’t ironed out all of the app’s bugs yet.
  • Device backups can be inconsistent, with many users claiming that the backups stopped after a day or two of use.
  • The app is expensive in the short term.

Price

uMobix has one premium package but is broken down into one, three, and twelve months. It costs $49.99/month for a single month, $27.99/month for three months, and $11.66/month for the 12-month license.

Compatibility

The app is compatible with both Android and iOS devices.

Android

iPhone (JailBreak)

4.x, 5.x, 6.x, 7.x, 8.x, 9.x, 10, 11

6.x, 7.x, 8.x up to 15.2

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3. Flexispy

Rating 8.5/10

When it comes to surround recording, Flexispy is another popular choice among people who are looking for undetectable surround recording apps. It is also one of the most polished hidden surround recording apps on the market. It’s a useful application if you wish to spy on somebody’s calls and conversations. 5. It can record the surroundings of phones running on any OS. The app offers the users with call interception feature so that they can listen to live calls. You can also record calls and the whole process remains hidden. Users can use this app to listen to their phone surrounding with remote activation of the target phone’s microphone so you can listen to the surroundings. You can set specific time limits for the recordings, too. The recorded files are sent to the online user account from where you can access them.

Flexispy’s surround recording feature allows the user to record from 5 minutes to 1 hour at a time.

Flexispy

Other Features

Following are some other features of the app

  • Monitor text messages and phone calls
  • Monitor text messages
  • View the installed apps on the target phone
  • Access the contacts list
  • Check the web browsing history
  • Track the GPS location of the phone
  • Monitor incoming and outgoing calls
  • Record keystrokes
  • Monitor the conversations on Facebook Messenger, Instagram, Skype, Viber, and Kik

Pros

  • Flexispy offers a free demo account.
  • The app offers active technical support in the form of email, live chat, and phone.
  • You can also take pictures and record secretly without touching the target device.
  • The app allows you to capture usernames and passwords for email, Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Skype, and Pinterest.
  • The app sends you instant alerts when any changes occur on the phone.
  • You can also save browser bookmarks and monitor their web browsing.

Cons

  • Flexispy is expensive compared to other monitoring apps available.
  • The app does not support contact or website blocking from the smartphone.
  • Some of the advanced features of the app require root access.
  • Flexispy requires some initial configuration.
  • Flexispy only works on jailbroken devices.

Price

There are two editions of Flexispy. The Premium Version costs $68 per month and the Extreme version costs $199 per quarter. The Extreme version is available for 3- and 12-month subscriptions, whereas the Premium version is available for one-, three-, and 12-month subscriptions.

Compatibility

Flexispy supports both Android and iOS devices but the device requires a jailbreak for installation. However, in Android, live listening to surroundings works seamlessly.

Android

iPhone (JailBreak)

4.0.3x to 12x

6.x to 11.1.2

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4. ClevGuard

Rating 8.2/10

When discussing secret surround recording apps, only few do it better than ClevGuard. The app has some of the most personalized plans available and has even been featured in top publications for its capabilities. For surround recording, users would want to opt for the Android- and iOS-specific versions as the feature can be found in them. But where the app loses points is in its bifurcation of app versions based on social media and instant messengers. You would be required to pay extra, for instance, if you would like to monitor WhatsApp activity and require surround recording too.

ClevGuard does have the benefit of working in the background and doesn’t signal its activity tracking or logging to the user of the device. This makes it a great stealth surround recording application, and a generally decent monitoring app too.

ClevGuard

Other Features

Following are some other features of the app

  • Monitor text messages and phone calls
  • View the installed apps on the target phone
  • Access the contacts list
  • Track web activity
  • Remote functions such as screen locking or device locking
  • Geolocation monitoring
  • Call filters
  • Calendar tracking
  • Instant messenger tracking (LINE, WhatsApp, Kik, Viber, WeChat)

Pros

  • Specific plans for each type of consumer and their specific needs.
  • Stealth mode works great for all features.
  • Allows data exporting functionality of all versions.
  • Wide list of instant messengers that can be tracked.
  • Over-the-air updates ensure the app is never behind on update schedules.

Cons

  • Plan specificity makes it difficult to select the best for the job.
  • Social media and instant messaging apps can be tracked only with additional plans.
  • Feature disparity in plans.
  • Surround recording can only be done for 5 minutes at a time.
  • Plans are on the expensive side.
  • Updates can take time to be released.

Price

ClevGuard has distinct plans for various operating systems. We’ve tabled the four plans below

  • KidsGuard Pro for Android: $27.99/month
  • KidsGuard Pro for iOS: $34.99/month
  • KidsGuard for WhatsApp Monitoring: $16.99/month
  • KidsGuard Pro for iCloud: $27.99/month

Compatibility

ClevGuard works on both iOS and Android operating systems.

Android

iOS

Version 7 and up.

6.x till 15x

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5. mSpy

Rating 8.0/10

One of the biggest names in the surrounding recording space is mSpy. This ambient listening app for Android and iOS disguises itself in the tracking phone and can be a stealthy tool for anyone to listen to its surroundings at any time. Due to the fact that mSpy is a complete remote monitoring tool, it has plenty of other features that make it a top contender on this list.

Users can remotely turn on the tracked device’s microphone using the dashboard and listen to the phone’s surroundings at will. mSpy can be used cross-platform and supports iOS and Android devices. The app also has a live screen recording feature that constantly monitors the device usage and records it for the tracker to view.

mSpy

Other Features

Listed below are some more features of the app

  • View messages and calls
  • View additional phone information.
  • View device network information.
  • Support for iMessage tracking.
  • Track phone location
  • Record calls and surroundings
  • Access the email of the target phone user
  • Access website browsing history
  • Record keystrokes
  • Geo-fencing
  • Keylogger
  • Take screenshots
  • Monitor social media chats

Pros

  • The app offers good compatibility and works with non-Jailbreak iOS devices.
  • You’re provided with detailed and comprehensive reports on the phone you’re monitoring.
  • Device statistics, like the Wi-Fi it is connected to, which SIM card is active and the battery status can all be monitored.
  • You can also block certain apps and websites you think are not appropriate.

Cons

  • mSpy is on the pricey side.
  • The app does not offer a free trial to the users.
  • Questionable customer support.
  • Full app functionality requires devices to be rooted.

Price

mSpy only has one version and does not offer a free version to customers. The prices for the premium plans are slightly expensive especially if you’re looking to try it out for a month or two. For instance, if you’re wanting to test mSpy out for a month only, it’ll cost you $48.99 for one month. Their 3-month plan sets you back $27.99/month and their 12-month plan offers the best savings, coming in at $11.66/month.

Compatibility

mSpy is compatible with Android devices running version 4 and up, and has two iOS versions – jailbreak and non-jailbreak. The jailbreak version works with devices running iOS 7-9.1, and the non-jailbreak versions support all iOS versions.

Android

iPhone (JailBreak)

iPhone (No JailBreak)

4.x, 5.x, 6.x, 7.x & 8.x

8.4, 9.0 up to 9.1

7.x, 8.x up to 11

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6. MobiStealth

Rating 7.8/10

MobiStealth is a smart surrounding recording spy app designed to monitor phone activity in a very discreet manner. The app allows you to record and listen to others' phone surroundings. You can also record the incoming and outgoing calls of the target phone.

MobiStealth, as suggested by its name, can record the surroundings of any smartphone while remaining constantly in stealth mode. This means that the app can remain undetectable on the target device as the user monitors most aspects of the device. Other than surround recording, the app lets you monitor text messages, call logs, GPS history, and even phone internet browsing history. This iPhone and Android spy listens to surroundings in increments and can save it in the web dashboard that is accessed by the user.

MobiStealth

Other Features

Listed below are some more features of the app

  • View messages and calls
  • Track phone location
  • Record calls and surroundings
  • Access the email of the target phone user
  • Record keystrokes
  • Take screenshots
  • Monitor social media chats

Pros

  • The app offers good compatibility and works with non-Jailbreak iOS devices.
  • The app has a 15-day money-back guarantee.
  • You can view photos that are taken with the camera.
  • You can also block certain apps and websites you think are not appropriate.

Cons

  • MobiStealth is an expensive monitoring app.
  • The app does not offer a free trial to the users.
  • Customer support is not available 24/7.
  • The phone requires root in order to use certain features.

Price

For Android, MobiStealth offers two versions. Pro-X and PRO. Pro-X costs $69.99/month and PRO costs $59.99/month. The Premium Plus is meant for iOS devices and also costs $69.99/month. There are also versions for MAC and PC.

Compatibility

MobiStealth is compatible with both Android and iPhone.

Android

iPhone (No JailBreak)

Supports up to 6x

Supports iPhone X/7Plus/7/6Plus/6 along with other models having iOS versions 9.0 and above.

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7. TheWiSpy

Rating 7.5/10

TheWiSpy is another great entry that allows you to hear conversations from far away through an app. Marketed as a parental control application, TheWiSpy has a lot going for it that earns it the number seven spot on our list. For starters, the software works in complete stealth mode which makes it invisible on the tracked phone at all times. Furthermore, it has a solid set of social media and instant messenger tracking built-in too.

While TheWiSpy enables users to listen to phone surroundings, it does this in a continuous stream. This is a double-edged sword as it can allow for prolonged periods of listening in but doesn’t have the capability to save the stream or snippets of it in its present iteration. This may change in a future update but users have to rely on third-party software to record the ambient sounds.

TheWiSpy

Other Features

Following are some other features of the app

  • Text message monitoring
  • Call monitoring
  • Location tracking with GPS
  • Remote device monitoring
  • Remote app blocking, phone lock
  • Real-time phone tracking
  • Access to multimedia files
  • Access to internet activities
  • Alerts and notifications

Pros

  • TheWiSpy is compatible with both Android and iOS devices.
  • You can also record the app usage of a certain app.
  • It’s relatively affordable compared to other apps.
  • The app lets you see all the stored notes as well.
  • You can remotely lock the target device, wipe off data, or block apps as well.
  • If you suddenly decide to stop monitoring, you can also remotely uninstall the app.

Cons

  • TheWiSpy does not support Blackberry and Symbian devices.
  • Many customers have reported issues online about the call recording feature.
  • The support service of the app is not impressive.
  • Surround recording cannot be saved.
  • Surround recording is only available on Premium and Platinum plans.
  • No iOS version is available.

Price

TheWiSpy has three plans: Basic, Premium, and Platinum, The Basic plan costs $8.33/month, The Premium sets you back $13.33/month, whereas the Platinum plan comes in at $19.99/month.

Compatibility

TheWiSpy is only compatible with Android phones and tablets.

Android

Supports 4 and above.

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8. Hoverwatch

Rating 6.8/10

Hoverwatch enables parents to track all activity on phones and PCs. This wide compatibility has earned it the number eight spot on our list of hidden surround recording apps. Besides surround recording, Hoverwatch works similarly to any other monitoring application on the list and has plenty of features that make it an efficient spying tool.

While the app is marketed as a parental control app, the company hasn’t shied away from touting its utility in the workplace either. But while this ambient voice recording app claims to be free, it does require users to sign up for a plan to get started. This can throw a lot of people off as many users would want to download Hoverwatch thinking it is a free app. Nevertheless, it is a solid option even when paid to get it to work, and even has a separate downloadable keylogger tool for Windows devices.

Hoverwatch

Other Features

Following are some other features of the app

  • Monitor text messages and phone calls
  • Monitor text messages
  • Complete phone tracking toolset.
  • Social media monitoring (Facebook, Snapchat, Instagram)
  • Tracks phone internet history
  • Call recording
  • SIM-card change detection

Pros

  • Has a keylogger that supports Windows devices.
  • Can remotely turn on the camera for video access, alongside surround recording.
  • Compatible on maOS devices too.
  • Captures screenshots at automated and regular intervals.
  • Works in stealth mode throughout.

Cons

  • No support for iOS devices.
  • Poor customer service representation.
  • Touted as a free monitoring tool, but requires payment to work.
  • No installation or troubleshooting guides are available on the website.
  • Expensive to run if multiple devices are to be monitored.

Price

There are three plans to choose from. Personal (for 1 device), Professional (for 5 devices), and Business (for 25 devices). The Personal plan starts from $24.95/month, $59.95 (billed quarterly), and $99.95 (billed yearly). Similarly, the Professional Plan starts from $49.95/month, $99.95 (billed quarterly), and $199.95 (billed yearly). And lastly, the Business plan starts from $149.95/month, $299.95 (billed quarterly), and $499.95 (billed yearly).

Compatibility

This ambient listening app for Android unfortunately does not have support for iOS devices (macOS devices excluded).

Android

Version 6 and up

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9. Cocospy

Rating 6.5/10

Cocospy is another application that allows users to record surroundings on iPhone. It is also an app that seemingly works cross-platform, which means that it supports both Android and iOS. Cocospy doesn’t limit itself to one particular use case and has utility both at home and in the office. However, one caveat for its enterprise use is the high price it commands over the other alternatives on this list.

Moreover, Cocospy has built-in surround recording functionality and can also track SMS, calls, and social media on devices. The ambient sound recorder app has geofencing capabilities too, similar to some of the higher ranking alternatives on our list. And it does all of this while remaining hidden in the background.

Cocospy

Other Features

Following are some other features of the app

  • Remotely track calls and call logs
  • Track SMS sent and received from the phone
  • Location tracking functionality
  • Geo-fencing setup and alerts
  • Instant messenger monitoring (Viber and WhatsApp)
  • Social media monitoring (Snapchat and Instagram)
  • Stealth-mode operation
  • Browser history tracking
  • SIM-card change notification

Pros

  • Has solutions for home and enterprise use.
  • Clean and minimalist UI for the web dashboard.
  • On Android, users do not need to root the device for full functionality.

Cons

  • Very expensive for enterprise use
  • No free trial or demo
  • Features aren’t the same on Android and iOS with many missing from iOS.
  • iCloud sync is only applicable for devices that have registered iCloud accounts with the payer and not the user of the device.

Price

Cocospy has three plans for Android devices. The Basic for Android starts at $39.99/month, Premium for Android comes in at $49.99/month, and Family for Android is billed at $69.99. If you want it on iPhone and iOS devices, you have three plans to choose from. The premium iOS version starts at $49.99/month, Family for iOS comes in at $99.99/month, and Business for iOS is billed at $399.99/month.

Compatibility

Cocospy works on Android 4.0 and higher and can work on any iOS device, as it requires the iCloud credentials to enable.

Android

iPhone

4.0 and up

8.0 and up

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10. Spyera

Rating 6.0/10

Spyera is another popular app to listen to phone surroundings that, due to its great monitoring features, make it to the first ten in our list. It offers the option of live iPhone call recording and calls recording so that you can listen to the conversations taking place around the phone, pretty much how you would do it on other apps, aforementioned.

Spyera

Other Features

Some prominent features of the app include

  • Text message monitoring
  • Web history tracking
  • Multimedia monitoring
  • keylogging
  • Remote device management
  • Social media monitoring
  • It runs 100% in stealth mode

Pros

  • Unlike other spying tools, you can record hours-long voice calls.
  • You can track the real-time location of the target device.
  • You can listen to calls in real-time.
  • The app offers users free updates and device changes during the subscription.
  • Spyera has an easy user interface.
  • The app gets you a complete refund if you are not satisfied within ten days of the purchase of the app.

Cons

  • Spyera is quite expensive.
  • You will have to jailbreak the device in order to use this app.

Price

Spyera offers three types of subscription packages. The price starts from $189 for 3 months, $289 for 6 months, and $389 for 12 months. 1 license allows you to monitor one device.

Compatibility

Spyera is compatible with Android, iPhone, iPad, Windows PC, and Mac OS. However, in Android, live listening to surroundings is not that great.

Android

iPhone (JailBreak)

Supports all Android OS including v8.1

Supports all iOS devices up to and including 11.3.1

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11. BlurSpy

Rating 5.8/10

BlurSpy is another app you can try if you wish to record the surroundings of a phone. The app’s ambient recording feature works great if one wishes to listen to the phone's surroundings. Along with that, it also offers auto answering and spy calling features to its users. BlurSpy markets itself as being able to record surroundings on iPhone and Android but the truth of the matter is that it is presently limited to Android only.

It is also lacking in many other departments, which doesn’t make it an ideal candidate for a monitoring application. Other well-rounded alternatives are available. But BlurSpy does allow users to secretly snoop in on conversations which is more than various other monitoring apps on the market today.

BlurSpy

Other Features

  • Monitor internet use
  • Monitor calls and text messages
  • Access the multimedia files
  • Read chats on Skype, LINE, Kik, Facebook, Hangouts, and Viber
  • Remotely control the target device
  • Track the GPS location

Pros

  • BlurSpy traces the phonebook as well. The user can get access to the entries saved on the target phones. You can get the address, email ID, and even the birthday information of any contact.
  • The app allows you to monitor all the visited URLs and track the internet browser history.
  • Moreover, BlurSpy lets you track the date and time of the visited website along with the number of times the sites were visited by the target person.

Cons

  • There is no live chat support for BlurSpy customers.
  • BlurSpy doesn’t allow the option of voice call interception.
  • Compared to other surround recording apps, it does not offer a diverse range of features.
  • The website is outdated, and the app has a clunky UI.
  • Does not support the latest versions of Android.
  • iOS alternative missing despite link on the website pointing towards a possible app for iPhones.

Price

BlurSpy is available in one plan which costs $14.99 per user, per month.

Compatibility

GuestSpy is only compatible with both Android phones and tablets.

Android

5.x to 14

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12. iKeyMonitor

Rating 5.5/10

Another surround recording app in our list of 12 best recording apps is the iKeyMonitor. It allows users to listen to the phone surroundings remotely. The app’s voice message recording feature is pretty great as well. The different thing about iKeyMonitor is that it can log voice chat messages sent or received on Facebook, WhatsApp, QQ, and WeChat.

iKeyMonitor

Other Features

  • Call history details
  • Incoming and outgoing call logging
  • Email monitoring
  • Wi-Fi connections history
  • GPS tracking
  • Geofencing
  • Browser history tracking
  • App blocker
  • Screen time limit

Pros

  • iKeyMonitor supports multiple languages and works on Android, iPhone, iPad, Windows PC, and Mac.
  • The app automatically saves passwords and other texts pasted on the device.
  • It is an easy-to-use app.
  • The app offers a 30-day money-back guarantee to the users.
  • iKeyMonitor allows the user to set a screen time limit.

Cons

  • There is no remote control feature that makes it impossible to control the target device from another place.
  • The target iOS device has to be jailbroken for the app to function properly.
  • Android devices can enjoy the advanced features after rooting the target device only.

Price

The app offers a free trial for three days. For Android, iPhone, and iPad. The app costs $49.99/month.

Compatibility

iKeyMonitor is compatible with Apple iPhone, iPad, Mac, Android Phones, and Windows PC.

Android

iPhone (JailBreak)

2.3.x - 6.x.

Supports any Jailbroken iOS device

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Making your decision – Things to consider

As almost all of the apps have rather similar features, it’s okay if you find it tough to make a decision. All of the apps let you monitor text messages, calls, chats, and calls, and above all, they let you record others' surroundings. But you should make the decision by weighing all the factors such as price, compatibility, and support against the rest of the apps. See which app is offering the most apart from the surround recording feature when you buy any of the aforementioned apps. Considering all this, Xnspy takes the lead among the aforementioned spy apps that record surroundings. Apart from compatibility, the biggest highlight of Xnspy is its price which is rather economical compared to the variety of features that it offers

Price

Although the app offers two versions, no matter which version you select, you will be able to enjoy more than one feature. The app has a lot to offer to its users at a rather affordable price. One can take care of their monitoring needs quite efficiently while sticking to their budget.

Compatibility

Xnspy is compatible with both Android and iOS devices. There is no need to jailbreak the iPhone for the app to work. 4. Having the Cloud credentials is enough to get the app running. Xnspy supports Android 12 and iOS 17.0.3. Thus, making it compatible with the latest OS which the other apps may lack.

Surround Recording Feature

Surround recording is a premium feature no matter which app you buy and it could cost you as much as $60 for a month’s plan. Xnspy, however, costs only $7.49 for its premium package.

See Also :

Customer Support

As far as customer support is concerned, Xnspy customer is pretty impressive. The app offers 24/7 live chat support so that users can get help regarding any queries and questions. The app’s website also offers detailed how-to guides and video tutorials. You can even try out the Xnspy live demo (for Android & iOS) on the site. It can help you in knowing how the app works and how you can use the ambient recording feature on your device.

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Frequently Asked Questions

question General Questions

  • There’s no standalone software solution that offers surround recording. However, your best bet is to pick an app with the cheapest plans. Xnspy, for instance, comes with the most affordable premium plans with surround recording included. With cheaper alternatives, you can have access to complementary features too which can alleviate your surround recording experience. Some apps allow users to switch on the target device’s cameras too, so you can have a live feed audibly and visually.

  • Many great recording apps could do the job, but if you have a low propensity to pay for an app, we recommend you to try Xnspy. Xnspy has been a pioneer in the surround recording space and has a few years of development of the feature on its side. This is especially true for other apps that have recently begun to include surround recording functionality, which can be marred with bugs. Our premium plan offers not just surround but also call recording. This is on top of 30 other features that the app comes bundled with.

  • On Android and iOS, users are alerted with an automated message if their call is being recorded. This is done to warn any user that the caller on the other end may have a recorder on at the time of the call. Google has recently banned call recorders from its app store but side-loading is still possible. So while you’ll still be notified, no such alert exists for dedicated surround recording software. This software can hear conversations from far away with app features such as those found on Xnspy.

  • In terms of reliability of operation, Xnspy’s ambient recording feature has had multiple cycles of development which makes it one of the most stable iterations available online. If you’re interested in audio quality, all surround recordings are generated at the 128Hz bitrate which makes their size compact enough without having to compromise on quality. Typically, the more microphones present on a smartphone, the better the audio capture will be.

See Also :

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  • Top 10 Surround Recording Apps

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