The MonsterCam FAQ.
15 quick answers about how MonsterCam works, what it costs, what we do with your photos, and how the Gen 1 Dex works. Skim or search.
What is MonsterCam?
MonsterCam is a free photo-based monster catching app for iOS and Android. You take a photo of a real-world scene, and an AI composites a unique Gen 1 monster into your photo. Catches go into your private Dex. There are 197 catchable Gen 1 monsters plus 3 Secret monsters that stay hidden until somebody finds one.
How does MonsterCam work?
You take a photo. The server analyzes the scene, picks which Gen 1 monster fits best (weighted by rarity), and uses an AI image model to composite that monster into your original photo. The composite gets saved to your Dex. No two trainers ever catch the same one — every catch is keyed to your specific photo.
Is MonsterCam free?
Yes. Free to download. You start with 3 credits, and earn 2 more every 6 hours (up to a small free cap). If you want to hunt more often, there are 4 flat-price credit packs at $1.99, $4.99, $9.99, and $19.99. No gacha. No loot boxes. No subscriptions.
How old do you have to be to play MonsterCam?
13 and up to create an account, matching App Store and Google Play minimums. Younger trainers are welcome with a parent or guardian's account alongside.
Is MonsterCam safe for kids?
Yes. MonsterCam has no chat, no DMs, no friend requests, no public profiles, no GPS tracking, and no in-app advertising. Photos are used only to generate the monster composite and are never sold, shared, or used for AI training.
How many monsters are there in MonsterCam?
200 total in Gen 1: 197 publicly catchable (118 Common, 50 Rare, 22 Epic, 7 Legendary) plus 3 Secret monsters that are invisible until somebody catches one for the first time.
What's the rarest monster in MonsterCam?
The 3 Secret-tier monsters are the rarest — they don't appear in the public Monster Dex at all until someone catches one. Among the visible monsters, the 7 Legendaries are the rarest tier, with combined pull rates around 1 in 286 catches.
Does MonsterCam use my location?
No. MonsterCam does not use GPS or location services. The app only needs camera access.
What does MonsterCam do with my photos?
Photos are uploaded for monster generation, stored in your private Dex, and never shared with other users or third parties. The original photo is held briefly during processing then removed. Photos are not used to train AI models.
Can I delete my MonsterCam account?
Yes. Either inside the app (Profile → Delete Account) or via the public deletion page at getmonstercam.com/delete-account/. Deletion removes your account, your Dex, and all associated photos.
What devices does MonsterCam work on?
iOS 17+ and Android 12+. iPad is supported but the experience is designed for phones.
Why didn't I get the monster my friend got from the same scene?
Catches are per-photo and per-trainer. Even if you and a friend take essentially the same photo, the spawn engine picks independently — your photo isn't the same pixels as theirs, and the weighting includes randomness. Every catch is unique.
Can I trade monsters with friends?
Not currently. MonsterCam is designed as a single-trainer experience.
Is MonsterCam an AR game?
It is camera-based but not real-time AR. You take a still photo; the monster is composited into it after the fact. This is intentional — it produces a much higher-quality, more believable composite than live AR overlays can.
What is "Gen 1"?
Gen 1 refers to the first generation of MonsterCam monsters — the 200 monsters currently in the game (197 public + 3 Secret). Future generations are planned but not announced.
Still have questions?
Email support@getmonstercam.com and a grown-up will get back to you.