Best Home Security Cameras 2023

Jan 21, 2024

You can invest thousands of dollars to have a professional home security system installed and then pay more to have it monitored 24/7. However, if your security concerns don’t warrant that level of protection, you can install a smart home security camera yourself—often within minutes—for less than $300. These cameras can help you monitor your home directly from your smartphone or computer.

The best home security cameras are inexpensive but are chock full of useful features to make you ... [+] feel safer at home.

The best home security cameras include features like motion detectors, full-color night vision and cloud-based storage. Many also rely on a mobile app that gives you full remote control over the camera from virtually anywhere. After testing and extensive research, we’ve compiled this list of inexpensive and easy-to-install home security cameras. This roundup includes the Arlo Ultra 2 Wireless Security Camera, our pick for the best home security camera overall.

Amazon

Best for: Indoor or outdoor home security with a wide range of remotely controlled features.

The Arlo Ultra 2 Spotlight Camera tops the list because it has virtually all of the features you could want at a reasonable price. This includes a 4K resolution camera that displays incredible detail using a wide (180-degree) field of view. You also get a built-in motion sensor, two-way audio, zoom capabilities and full-color night vision. This home security camera also works seamlessly with all computers and mobile devices—you can even view the video feed on an Apple Watch. It’s also compatible with smart home gear from many other manufacturers.

Another useful feature built into the camera is the ability to remotely activate a loud security siren to scare off would-be intruders. This is a wireless, battery-operated camera that comes with its own easy-to-install mount—no hardwiring required. Extra rechargeable battery packs or a solar charging panel are sold separately.

However, to get all of this camera’s features, a subscription to the Arlo Secure service is required. Plan options are priced between $5 and $25 per month, with no long-term contract. With the paid subscription, it’s possible to look back at your recorded video history for up to 30 days.

You can buy Arlo cameras individually, but they do require an Arlo SmartHub, so you may prefer to purchase a bundle that includes a camera and the hub.

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Amazon

Best for: Monitoring what’s happening outside of your home—day or night.

There are two versions of the wired Ring Floodlight Cam. The Plus version (shown) has a 1080p resolution camera, security siren, motion detection, 2,000-lumen LED floodlights and full-color night vision. The Pro version ($250) has enhanced motion detection, dual band Wi-Fi connectivity and enhanced camera views. Either camera can be installed in less than 30 minutes, but both models require a hardwired connection to your home’s electricity. If you’re not comfortable doing that yourself, you’ll want to hire a professional.

To access all of the camera’s features, an ongoing subscription to Ring Protect is required. The three levels—Basic, Plus or Pro—are priced at $40, $100 or $200 per year, respectively. With Ring Protect, you can review your camera’s video history for up to 180 days. You also get notifications, compatibility with a Ring video doorbell and the ability to arm or disarm the camera remotely.

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Amazon

Best for: Remotely monitoring the outside of your home.

The Google Nest Cam with Floodlight is a wired home security camera that’s designed to work seamlessly with other Google smart home gear, such as a Google Nest video doorbell. The camera itself is remotely controlled via the Google Home app, which is available for all iOS and Android-based mobile devices. It also works with Amazon’s Alexa devices and the Google Nest Hubs. This camera has 1080p resolution with a 130-degree field of view and 6x zoom capabilities.

Without a paid Nest Aware subscription, you get up to three hours of event video history stored in the cloud. With a subscription, you get up to 60 days of video event history and 10 days of 24/7 video history. The camera itself has a motion sensor with a 25-foot range, along with night vision that has a 20-foot range. You can adjust the brightness of the two built-in floodlights up to 2,400 lumens. The camera is water-resistant (IP54 rated) and must be hardwired to your home’s electricity. When used with the Google Home app, the camera can determine the difference between a person, animal and vehicle. It can also recognize familiar faces.

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Amazon

Best for: Remotely monitoring the outside of your home on a budget.

The Arlo Pro 4 Spotlight Camera has 2K resolution with a 160-degree field of view and a 12x digital zoom. It’s designed for use indoors or outdoors and has color night vision, motion detection and 2-way audio. It also has two built-in lights, although they’re not floodlights, so their range is limited. Once charged, the camera’s battery lasts for about six months. You also have the option to buy additional rechargeable batteries or a solar charging panel. What’s nice about this camera is that it works with any iOS or Android-based mobile device, as well as a wide range of other smart home gear, including home hubs and various video doorbells. Using the app, if you notice an intruder, you can easily and remotely activate a loud siren.

As with most of the home security cameras featured in this roundup, an ongoing paid subscription to a service is required to unlock all of the camera’s capabilities (in this case, Arlo Secure). This costs between $5 and $25 per month, depending on on the service level you choose. The camera also requires the Arlo SmartHub (sold separately) to operate.

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Amazon

Best for: Easy set up for remotely monitoring the outside of your home.

Using 3D motion detection, the Ring Spotlight Cam Pro notices when things are moving outside of your home, but since it can detect people, animals and vehicles, for example, false alerts are greatly reduced. The camera has built in lights, but they’re not floodlights, so their range is limited. However, the camera does offer full-color night vision. And if you notice an intruder, you can remotely activate a security siren from your smartphone or home hub. The Ring Spotlight Cam Pro works in conjunction with other Ring home security gear along with the Ring mobile app.

To unlock all of the camera’s features, plan on subscribing to the Ring Protect Plan, which is priced at $40, $100 or $200 per year, depending on the service level you choose. Because the camera is battery powered and wireless, setup takes less than 15 minutes. The camera needs to be connected to your home’s Wi-Fi network to upload recording content to the cloud and allow for real-time viewing via the mobile app or a compatible home hub.

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Amazon

Best for: Easy installation for remotely monitoring the outside of your home.

There are several versions of the Google Nest Cam available. This one is battery powered and designed for outdoor use. It’s controlled using the Google Home app, which works on any Android or iOS-based mobile device, as well as Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant compatible devices. The camera has 1080p resolution with a 6x digital zoom. It has night vision and up to 3 hours of event-based video history access (included). If you want continuous video recording with up to 10-days of 24/7 video history, the camera must be connected to a continuous power source (the cable is sold separately) and a paid subscription to the Nest Aware Plus service is required. The starting price of the service is $6 per month.

Other features built into the camera include 2-way audio (with noise cancellation); the ability to tell the difference between a person, animal or vehicle; and a motion sensor with a 110-degree field of view and up to 25-foot range. The camera comes with an easy-to-install wall mount and is IP54 rated for water resistance.

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Amazon

Best for: Battery-powered monitoring that doesn’t require frequent recharging.

Like many of its competitors, the SimpliSafe Wireless Outdoor Security Camera is a 1080p resolution camera. This one has full-color night vision, along with a wide 140-degree field of view and 10x digital zoom capabilities. This allows you to remotely zoom in and record a vehicle’s license plate that’s up to 15 feet away from the camera. The camera is also IIP65 rated for water resistance.

In addition to 2-way audio that allows you to speak with anyone who approaches your home, you can easily activate a loud security siren via the mobile app. This is a wireless, weatherproof and battery-powered camera that can be set up in less than 15 minutes. It also works seamlessly with other products offered within the SimpliSafe ecosystem, and is remotely controlled by the SimpliSafe mobile app. When you subscribe to the Fast Protect service for about $30 per month, you can unlock services that include 24/7 professional monitoring and access to a 30-day video history.

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Amazon

Best for: Remotely monitoring at least two distinct areas inside or outside your home with no monthly fees.

This home security camera kit comes with a hub and two wireless (battery powered) cameras. The cameras have 2K resolution with a 135-degree field of view. You also get color night vision, a small built-in spotlight and 2-way audio. The mobile app is able to differentiate between people, animals and objects, but what sets it apart is the the ability to create “smart detect zones.” For example, you can set up a zone so the security system alerts you to motion on your porch, but ignores motion on the sidewalk.

Another big difference between these cameras and the competition is that all video and audio is stored locally on an included 16GB storage device that connects wirelessly with the cameras via your home’s Wi-Fi network. This allows you to retain up to three months of recordings for free—with no ongoing subscription fees. The cameras also work seamlessly with other Eufy smart home security gear, as well as Amazon Echo home hubs.

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Best Buy

Best for: Monitoring a single area within your home.

Priced at $100 each, the SimpliSafe Indoor 1080p HD Security Camera is designed for use exclusively indoors. It can be remotely operated using the SimpliSafe mobile app on any iOS or Android-based mobile device. This camera has a motion sensor, night vision and 2-way audio. It also has the ability to recognize people and ignore everything else, such as your pets, so you can be notified immediately if an intruder enters your home. When not being used for surveillance (when you’re at home, for example), the camera has a privacy shutter. To operate, the small camera needs to remain plugged into a power outlet and be connected to your home’s Wi-Fi.

To fully use this camera, a paid subscription to the Fast Protect service is required (for a $30 per month fee). This includes 24/7 professional monitoring and the ability to store unlimited camera recordings for up to 30 days. If you don’t want the professional monitoring, there’s a Self Monitoring plan that costs $0.33 per day, with no long-term contract.

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Amazon

Best for: Monitoring smaller indoor or outdoor spaces without spending a fortune.

For a mere $70 and within just minutes, you can install the Arlo Essential Spotlight Camera inside or outside your home and begin monitoring your living space from your smartphone, tablet or even your Apple Watch. The camera has 1080p resolution and 12x digital zoom capabilities. The motion sensor has a range of 23 feet, while the camera itself has a line of sight of up to 300 feet. From the mobile app, it’s possible to set off a loud siren to ward off intruders.

Depending on the equipment you use with this camera with, an Arlo hub (sold separately) may be required. You can also buy extra rechargeable batteries. Since it’s a battery powered and wireless camera, it's easy to set up and use. To unlock all of the camera’s functions, a subscription to the Arlo Secure service is required. Three plans, costing $5, 18 or $25 per month are available.

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Amazon

Best for: Monitoring different parts of a single room.

In addition to being extremely affordable, several things set the Blink Mini Pan-Tilt Camera apart from the competition. First, from your mobile device or computer, it’s possible to remotely pan, tilt, or rotate this indoor-only camera to see its entire surroundings. Second, you have the option of adding the Sync Module 2 and a USB flash drive (each sold separately) to save your audio and video data locally. This option does not require subscribing to the Blink Subscription Plan for cloud-based storage options.

Just as with other home security cameras, this one also has a built-in motion detector, night vision and 2-way audio capabilities. Setup takes just minutes, since you can position this camera on any flat surface in your home and then simply connect it to your home’s Wi-Fi.

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Amazon

Best for: Monitoring an inside or outdoor space.

From the company that made the video doorbell popular comes an easy-to-install home security camera. This camera is battery powered and wireless, and it’s also easy to use. Thanks to the built-in motion sensor, your smartphone can receive automatic alerts.

The camera is compatible with all Alexa Echo smart home hubs, as well as Android and iOS smartphones and tablets. One benefit of this camera is that it works with the Ring app, which you can also use to control other Ring home security products, including additional cameras and a video doorbell, for example.

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Amazon

Best for: Inexpensively monitoring an indoor or outdoor area of your home.

The WYZE Cam v3 needs to be plugged into an electrical outlet to function, but it still has a nice set of features. That includes full-color night vision, along with sound and motion detection, so it can alert your phone if it senses anything unusual while you’re away.

All video and audio content is stored locally, using a microSD memory card (not the cloud). The benefit to this is that there’s no ongoing subscription fee required to use all of the camera’s features. The drawback is that if the intruder steals this small camera, there's no cloud-based photos or recordings available. Unlimited cloud storage is available if you subscribe to the Cam Plus service. Other perks are that the camera is small, very easy to install and it works seamlessly with other Wyze home security products. It also has a siren that can be activated remotely. If you opt to use this camera outdoors, a separate weather-resistant power adapter must be purchased.

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Amazon

Best for: Inexpensively monitoring an indoor area of your home and for users who want a very small camera.

While not exactly cutting-edge technology, the Blink Mini is a low-cost and simple way to monitor indoor areas of your home. In addition to working as a security camera, it can double as a baby monitor when you’re at home. While it lacks some features offered by more expensive home security cameras, the Blink Mini does have 1080p resolution with a 110-degree field of view. You can also get motion activated alerts. It works with all Alexa-enabled devices and other Blink home security products.

If you opt to store video and audio content locally, be sure to purchase the required Sync Module 2 and a microSD memory card (both sold separately), but if you want to rely on cloud-based storage of your content and unlock other security features, an ongoing subscription to the Blink Subscription Plan (starting at $3 per month) is required. The camera comes with its own base, so it can be placed on any flat surface. You can also mount it onto a wall or ceiling, for example. Measuring just 2 x 1.9 x 1.4 inches and weighing in at a mere 1.7 ounces, the Blink Mini is small and easy to set up.

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Roku

Best for: A low-cost way to monitor inside areas of your home.

You probably know Roku as the company that makes low-cost but powerful streaming devices for your television, as well as smart TVs and soundbars. Now that Roku has entered into the home security marketplace, if you already have a Roku streaming system or TV, you can view the camera’s video feed directly on your TV (as well as on your computer, smartphone or tablet screen). The camera has motion and sound detection, can generate instant notifications and provides 2-way audio capabilities. This is an indoor-only version of the camera that must be plugged into an electrical outlet. Affordable and easy to use, it can be controlled from anywhere and the live or recorded video feed is accessible from your mobile device. If you notice an intruder, you can remotely activate a loud siren to scare them off.

To store audio and video footage locally, a microSD memory card is required. There's no ongoing subscription fee. That said, if you want a cloud-based storage option, you can purchase a subscription to the Roku Smart Home service (starting at $4 per month or $40 per year).

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Roku

Best for: Inexpensively monitor outdoor areas around your home.

This version of the outdoor Roku camera comes with the required base station. However, if you want to add more Roku Outdoor Camera SEs to the perimeter of your home, the camera without the base station is priced at $64. Only one base station is required to operate up to 4 cameras. While this camera looks like the Roku Indoor Camera SE, it actually operates somewhat differently. It’s battery powered, requires a hub and is IP65-rated for water resistance. It has sound and motion detection, full-color night vision and 2-way audio.

Just like the indoor version of this camera, if you want to rely on local storage of video and audio content, simply insert a microSD card into the camera. However, if you want cloud-based storage, an ongoing subscription to Roku Smart Home is required.

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We combined research with hands-on testing and experience, and spoke with product experts and industry leaders to help us determine the products that made the cut. We carefully evaluated each home security camera’s resolution, power source, mobile app and more. We also paid attention to what sets each home security camera apart from its competition.

Most home security cameras have a very specific purpose—to monitor the inside or outside of your home. However, some have more diverse applications, such as the ability to serve as a baby cam, pet cam, or babysitter cam. It’s essential that you determine your needs and pinpoint your security concerns before investing in any home security equipment, including remotely operated home security cameras like the ones featured in this roundup.

The cost for a smart home security camera that can be monitored and controlled from your smartphone or computer ranges from less than $30 to around $400. Here are some key features to take into account as you shop.

Virtually all of the home security cameras out there offer at least 1080p resolution, which is more than adequate. However, some have 2K or even 4K resolution, which means the video shows a lot more detail. We don’t recommend choosing a home security camera with less than 1080p resolution.

Without moving the camera, its field of view (FOV) determines how wide of an area the camera covers. A wide the field of view allows you to see more of an indoor or outdoor area, but it might capture less detail.

In most cases, the home security cameras are battery powered, hardwired to your home’s electricity, or need to be plugged into a standard electrical outlet. Plug-in cameras tend to be only for indoor use. A few manufacturers offer an optional solar panel that allows you to power an outdoor security camera using sunlight and a battery.

Figure out what your needs are and how much installation you’re willing to do in order to initially set up each home security camera. For outdoor cameras, hardwired and solar setups tend to take more effort to initially install, but generally need less upkeep in the long term. Battery-powered cameras are faster to install and can give you more flexibility as to location, but you’ll need to think about charging or swapping the batteries.

The way indoor versus outdoor home security cameras are designed is vastly different. While some work in any condition, those designed exclusively for indoor use should not be installed outside. Indoor-only cameras are not waterproof or built to withstand harsh weather conditions or extreme temperatures.

Whether or not the outdoor home security camera you choose has built in floodlights, it needs to be ... [+] waterproof or weather resistant, like the Google Nest Cam With Floodlight.

If you plan to install cameras around the outside perimeter of your home, make sure the cameras you select are fully water resistant and durable.

Be sure to consider if the security camera you plan to buy works with your computer and smartphone, as well as any other smart home gear you already have installed. That might include an existing doorbell, door and window sensors, or security lighting. If you’re primarily an Apple user, you want the home security camera you purchase to be Apple HomeKit and Siri compatible. If you’re an Android-based device user, choose a home security camera that supports Google Assistant or Alexa.

The Ring Stick Up Cam is just one example of a home security camera that can be accessed and ... [+] controlled using an Amazon Echo smart home hub.

You may also want your security camera to be compatible with a smart home hub, such as the Google Nest Max, Google Nest Hub (2nd Gen), or one of the Amazon Echo Show home hubs that feature a built-in display, camera and microphone.

In addition to being able to show a live feed and record video, many (but not all) home security cameras offer one-way or two-way audio capabilities.

Even though it's not a video doorbell, if you have the Roku Outdoor Camera SE, for example, set up ... [+] near your front door, you can be notified when someone approaches and be able to see and speak with that person remotely from virtually anywhere.

One-way audio means that from whatever device you’re using, you can hear the audio the camera’s microphone is picking up. Two-way audio means you can both hear the audio that the camera picks up, and speak with whomever you see on camera.

Local storage means that any audio and video content the camera captures is be saved on a memory card that’s installed within the camera itself. When a camera has remote, cloud-based storage, all content is stored online and is readily accessible via your internet-connected smartphone or computer.

If your home security camera relies on cloud-based storage, it requires a continuous internet connection via your home’s Wi-Fi network. In this case, the camera might also require a hub which physically connects to your modem or router. In some cases the required hub comes with the camera, but there are instances where this device is sold separately—like for our top pick. Other camera systems don’t need a hub at all.

Being able to see what your home security camera picks up during the day is one thing, but what happens after dark or if the lights in your home are turned off? Night vision is a must-have function of a security camera. Ideally, you want a home security camera that has full-color night vision and a range of more than 20 feet.

Some home security cameras come with a strong adhesive to stick the camera onto a smooth wall inside or outside your home, and some have a built-in base and get placed on a flat surface. However, many cameras require some basic tools to initially install—like a screwdriver or drill. The camera’s power source also has implications for how complicated it is to install.

Determine how much of a commitment you want to make installing the cameras, especially outdoor cameras that need to be mounted on or near your roof. Keep in mind, you always have the option of having a camera professionally installed by an electrician—especially if the camera requires being hardwired to your home’s electricity.

Many of the cameras featured in this roundup offer at least some free cloud-based storage. However, if you want to expand that storage or get additional services, you are required to pay a monthly subscription fee. When choosing a camera, determine consider these fees and what you get for the money. Then decide if this is an ongoing investment you’re willing to make, or if you’d prefer a home security camera that has no ongoing monthly fees associated with its operation.

The Forbes Vetted tech team strives to offer accurate and trustworthy product assessments that are the result of intensive research and hands-on testing. Our writers and editors have years of experience writing about a broad range of consumer electronics and have the background and expertise to help you make the best buying decisions possible.

Forbes Vetted regularly covers all types of consumer electronics and then reviews and recommends the best products in specific categories. Here are some other articles you might enjoy reading:

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