Murmeli
Looking for a Dormi alternative? Usually the reason is iPhone
If you're on Android and happy with Dormi: stay with Dormi. It has been around for more than twelve years, has over a million installs and gets almost everything right technically.
There is exactly one thing Dormi cannot fix: Dormi does not exist for iPhone. If one parent has an iPhone, Dormi is simply impossible – and then you need an alternative. Murmeli connects iPhone and Android in any combination and costs CHF 4.90 once.
This page compares Dormi with Murmeli and names two further alternatives. It is written by the people behind Murmeli – which makes it all the more important that the details about Dormi are correct. All figures come from Dormi's own website and its Play listing, as of 31 August 2026.
The three reasons people look for a Dormi alternative
1. No iPhone – and that isn't going to change
Dormi exists for Android only. After twelve years and a million installs that isn't a gap about to be closed, it's a decision. For a baby monitor it is decisive, because you always need two devices – and in many families one of them is an iPhone. Then Dormi is out, however good it is.
2. The free allowance is tight
Dormi is free for four hours a month. That's fine for the occasional nap; for every night it runs out after two nights. After that it costs USD 2 a month, USD 10 a year or USD 17 once.
3. The price of “forever”
USD 17 once is fair for what you get, but it is roughly three and a half times Murmeli's CHF 4.90. Anyone who just wants a baby monitor and doesn't need home automation is paying Dormi for capabilities they won't use.
How pricing models are distributed across the whole market is set out in the price comparison of 28 baby monitor apps.
What Dormi does well
These points speak for Dormi
- Twelve years and over a million installs. With 17,000 ratings at 4.0 stars you know what you're getting into. Murmeli does not have that track record yet.
- End-to-end encrypted (ChaCha20-Poly1305), no ads and no tracking. On privacy there is nothing to choose between Dormi and Murmeli.
- Works with no internet at all – over WiFi Direct or a mobile hotspot, so even where there is no network whatsoever.
- Automation. Integration with Home Assistant, Tasker and Automate. Murmeli has none of that, and for a tech-minded household it is a genuine argument.
- Four hours a month free, permanently, rather than a one-off trial period.
Dormi and Murmeli compared
| Dormi | Murmeli | |
|---|---|---|
| iPhone | no | yes |
| iPhone and Android mixed | not possible | yes |
| Android | yes | yes |
| One-time price | USD 17 | CHF 4.90 |
| Subscription available | USD 2/month, USD 10/year | no subscription |
| Free usage | 4 hours/month, permanently | 48 hours iOS / 2 hours Android, once |
| Encryption | yes | yes |
| Advertising | none | none |
| Tracking | none | none |
| Talk-back | yes | yes |
| Night vision | yes | yes |
| Multiple parent devices | yes | yes |
| Works without internet locally | yes, incl. WiFi Direct | yes, same WiFi |
| Home Assistant, Tasker | yes | no |
| Server location | not stated | Switzerland |
| On the market since | 2014 | 2026 |
Dormi details from dormi.sleekbit.com and its Play listing, retrieved 31 August 2026. Prices may vary by country.
What the table mostly shows is two ticks in nearly every row. Dormi and Murmeli solve the same problem in very similar ways – both connect two phones directly, both encrypt, both do without ads and tracking. The decision comes down to two rows: the iPhone and the price.
Twelve years ahead – and twelve years committed
Dormi was built in 2014, when supporting both platforms meant considerably more work. Sticking to Android was a sensible decision then. It still holds today, because a choice like that is very hard to reverse afterwards.
Murmeli was built in 2026, on a foundation that serves iPhone and Android from a single codebase. The connection runs on WebRTC – the same open standard browser video calls use, which treats encryption not as an add-on but as a built-in requirement.
None of that automatically makes Murmeli better. Twelve years of practice across thousands of different homes and WiFi networks cannot be replaced by any technology. It is, however, the reason there is a tick in the iPhone row above – and none for Dormi.
How both work technically
Here the two apps are strikingly alike, and that is a good sign: it is the right way to build a baby monitor.
Both connect the phones directly when they are on the same network. On different networks, a server run by the provider helps them find each other, after which audio and video flow directly between the devices again. Only if a network blocks the direct path does the server relay the encrypted stream. For Murmeli that server is in Switzerland; the key is derived from a PIN and a remote code, which exist solely in the QR code on the two phones and never reach the server.
Two further alternatives
If you want to switch for some reason other than the iPhone, these two are also worth considering. Both run on iPhone and Android and are one-time purchases with no subscription:
- Cloud Baby Monitor, CHF 6.00 once. The benchmark in the one-time-purchase segment, with over 18,000 ratings at 4.8 stars on iPhone. The Android version is markedly weaker at just under 200 ratings and 3.5 stars.
- Baby Monitor 3G, CHF 6.95 once. From the same company as the subscription product Bibino – one firm serving both pricing models.
What to consider when switching
- A purchased Dormi licence doesn't come with you. Purchases are tied to the Google Play account and to the specific app. If you switch, you buy again – CHF 4.90 once in Murmeli's case.
- Both devices need the same app. A baby monitor always has two halves; one parent can't stay on Dormi while the other uses Murmeli.
- Try before you buy. Murmeli runs free for 48 hours on iPhone and 2 hours on Android, with the full feature set and without payment details. Test the connection in your own home first – every flat and every WiFi is different.
What Murmeli cannot do
- No recording. You can't review the night afterwards.
- No automation. No Home Assistant, Tasker or similar – Dormi is clearly ahead here.
- No access from a computer. Both ends need the app on a phone or tablet.
- No permanent free allowance. The trial runs once, then the purchase is due. For occasional use, Dormi's four hours a month are the better offer.
Frequently asked questions
Is Dormi available for iPhone?
No. Dormi is an Android-only app and has been throughout the twelve years of its existence. Anyone who needs to include an iPhone needs a different app.
Is Murmeli better than Dormi?
Not across the board. On Android, Dormi does almost everything Murmeli does and adds automation and a permanent free allowance. Murmeli is cheaper, has servers in Switzerland – and runs on iPhone. If you're on Android throughout and happy with Dormi, there's no compelling reason to switch.
Can I transfer my Dormi purchase?
No. In-app purchases only ever apply to the app they were made in. Switching means buying again.
Does Murmeli work over mobile data?
Yes. On the same WiFi the phones connect directly with no server involved at all. On different networks – when you're out, for instance – they find each other through the Swiss server, and audio and video still travel directly between the devices whenever the network allows.
Do I need an account for Murmeli?
No. Pairing is done with a QR code. No registration, no email address.
What does Murmeli cost?
CHF 4.90 once. No subscription, no further in-app purchases.
Dormi details retrieved 31 August 2026 from the provider's website and its Google Play listing. Prices of other apps surveyed 19 August 2026. Third-party details can change at any time – check with the provider if in doubt.