Quick Answer: SpyPoint’s current Flex lineup splits three ways on price and power, not performance — TrailCamPro’s independent testing scored all three within 2 points of each other on trigger speed (93-95/100). The Flex-M ($79.99) is the budget pick with nearly double the battery life of the G-36. The Flex G-36 ($99.99) is the best all-around balance of image quality and tested speed. The Flex-S ($129.99) swaps AA-only power for a built-in solar panel and edges out the highest image-quality score (90/100) in the lineup. All three run the same free 100-photo/month cellular plan.
SpyPoint sells three cameras in its current Flex line, and the individual spec sheets can make them look more different than independent testing actually found them to be. This guide puts the three side by side using the same source data as our standalone SpyPoint Flex G-36, Flex-M, and Flex-S reviews, so you can pick the right tier without reading all three end to end. For how the Flex line stacks up against Tactacam and Moultrie Mobile, see our best cellular trail camera rankings.
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The three Flex cameras at a glance
| Spec | Flex-M | Flex G-36 | Flex-S |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | $79.99 | $99.99 | $129.99 |
| Photo resolution | 28MP (interpolated) | 36MP (interpolated) | 36MP (interpolated) |
| Video | 720p | 1080p | 1080p |
| Build rating | IP65 | IP66 | IP66 |
| Power source | 8 AA batteries | 8 AA batteries | Built-in solar + internal cell (8-AA tray optional) |
| Detection score (TrailCamPro) | 93/100 | 95/100 | 95/100 |
| Image quality score (TrailCamPro) | 79/100 | 89/100 | 90/100 |
| Battery life, heavy use (TrailCamPro) | ~3.3 months | ~1.7 months | ~2.1 months (no sun assist) |
| Data plan | Free 100 photos/mo, paid tiers from $5/mo | Free 100 photos/mo, paid tiers from $5/mo | Free 100 photos/mo, paid tiers from $5/mo |
What actually separates them: sensor and video, not speed
SpyPoint Flex-M
- 28MP interpolated sensor and 720p video — the softest images in the lineup at 79/100 on TrailCamPro's independent image-quality test.
- Trigger speed keeps up anyway: a 0.35-second photo trigger and 93/100 detection score, close behind the pricier two.
- By far the longest tested battery life of the three, at roughly 3.3 months on 8 Energizer Ultimate Lithium AAs under heavy daily use.
- IP65 build, one step below the G-36 and Flex-S's IP66 rating.
The gap between the Flex-M and the other two isn’t trigger speed or reliability — TrailCamPro’s testing shows all three within 2 points of each other on detection score. It’s sensor resolution and video: 28MP interpolated and 720p video against the G-36 and Flex-S’s 36MP interpolated and 1080p. For someone scouting a property and checking photos on a phone screen, that gap matters less than it sounds; for anyone who wants to zoom into a photo to count points or crops, the 79/100 image-quality score is the real trade-off for the lower price and longer battery runtime.
SpyPoint Flex G-36
- 36MP interpolated sensor, 1080p video, IP66 build — matches the Flex-S on every spec except the solar panel.
- Tied for the fastest independently tested detection score in the lineup at 95/100, with a 0.27-1.8 second trigger-and-recovery window.
- Shortest tested battery life of the three at roughly 1.7 months under heavy use — the trade-off for the fastest tested speed on plain AA power.
- $50 cheaper than the Flex-S with an identical sensor and video spec, if solar isn't a requirement.
SpyPoint Flex-S
- Same 36MP interpolated sensor and 1080p video as the G-36, plus a built-in solar panel and internal lithium cell.
- Highest independently tested image-quality score in the lineup at 90/100, a point ahead of the G-36.
- 2.1 months of battery life measured with no sun assist — beats the G-36's plain-battery runtime even before solar tops it off, and with real daily sun the panel can keep the internal cell charged indefinitely.
- Cheaper than buying a Flex G-36 plus SpyPoint's own matched 5W solar panel separately ($159.98 combined versus $129.99 bundled).
Who should buy which
- Buy the Flex-M if: budget and battery swaps matter more than image sharpness or video resolution — it lasts almost twice as long as the G-36 on the same batteries and costs $20 less.
- Buy the Flex G-36 if: you want the best tested balance of speed and image quality on plain AA power, and don’t mind a battery swap every 6-8 weeks on an active set.
- Buy the Flex-S if: the camera location gets real daily sun, or you want the highest tested image-quality score in the lineup — it beats buying a G-36 plus a separate solar panel on price.
- Either way: all three run the same free-tier and paid SpyPoint data plans — see our trail camera data plans compared guide for the full multi-brand cost breakdown, or the best SpyPoint trail camera roundup for how the rest of SpyPoint’s current lineup compares.