Waldo vs. Campanion: Which to Use for Photo Facial Recognition
Hello Greystone parents! As we’re heading into April, we know that camp is on your mind (just like filling out your forms is on your mind, if you haven’t done them already, right?!…wink, wink). We wanted to talk through some photo specific details for the summer so that you’re prepared and ready to see your daughter in action at camp.
We offer two wonderful photo facial recognition services, but parents often ask (and wonder) why you’d choose one over the other, or why you’d want to use Waldo at all if Campanion is free. Today, we’re sharing some details about each of the programs to clear up any questions.
What to know about Campanion:
What it is: A photo facial tagging software program connected to our online database system Campminder.
What it does: Tags photos of your camper and sends you notifications (make sure you enable them in the Campanion app!) when it finds new photos. With the thousands of photos we post each day, it saves you a lot of time hunting for your daughter in photos.
Cost of the program: Free to you, as Greystone pays the cost!
How to register: You’ll need to download the Campanion app (from the Apple or Google Play store). Once downloaded, you’ll log in with the same email and password you use to access your camp account. You’ll then want to follow the instructions in the app to set up facial recognition and upload a test photo. Returning families, make sure to update everything within the photo tagging part of the app before the summer.
Why use Campanion: You’ll save yourself a ton of time by signing up for Campanion as your photos will be sent to you. You can download these photos for free, making it an easy way to see your camper in action during the summer. Also, the Campanion app has many other uses that make the camp-parent life easier such as filling out your camp forms and emailing your daughter during the summer. If you have the app already, signing up for the photo facial tagging is a no-brainer.
What are the drawbacks: Because Campanion is connected to your online camp account, only parents listed in your daughter’s account can use Campanion. You cannot set up accounts for anyone else.
What to know about Waldo:
What it is: A photo facial tagging software program separate from our camp database system; Greystone partners with Waldo to provide photo tagging for our families.
What it does: Tags photos of your camper and sends you texts when it finds new photos. With the thousands of photos we post each day, it saves you a lot of time hunting for your daughter in photos!
Cost of the program: The cost for Waldo is based on your session length, and for 2025, the costs are:
- Junior Camp: $9.99
- June Camp: $19.99
- Main Camp: $25 total (must register for First Half and Second Half)
- August Camp: $14.99
How to register: To register for Waldo, you’ll want to text Greystone25 to 735-343. You must register every year, even if you’ve used the service in the past. You’ll then receive prompts to set-up tagging for the summer.
Why use Waldo: The most common reason to use Waldo is so friends and family can also see photos of your camper during the session. Once one parent registers, that one parent can then invite as many people as they would like to view photos in Waldo for FREE. So, once you’ve paid, grandparents, cousins, family friends, and siblings can also view tagged photos of your camper. Many families love doing this!
What are the drawbacks: Having to pay an extra fee for Waldo is the biggest drawback.
Which option should I use?
If you don’t want to pay any extra money, Campanion is the obvious choice. It’s a no-brainer and makes trying our photo facial recognition system very easy.
If you don’t mind paying, we’d recommend signing up for both Waldo and Campanion. You’ll have the added benefit with Waldo of sharing photos with your extended family, and grandma will appreciate being included! This will also allow you to try both services to see which you like using more.
Many parents also like signing up for both services so they can make sure they catch every picture of their daughter at camp. Waldo and Campanion do an excellent job of tagging pictures, and parents have mixed opinions on which service does a better job. After hearing from many parents, our consensus is that Waldo tags slightly more pictures, but these extra pictures are typically of your daughter in the background of a picture.
Have any further questions about our photo facial recognition programs? Feel free to reach out to us, and we’d be happy to answer any further questions. We can’t wait for you to see your daughter in action as she enjoys camp this summer!
