Best home security cameras in 2020

By M.Salih ASLAN On Jul 9, 2020

Here are the best home security cameras from Arlo, Ring, Nest, Wyze, and more

The best home security cameras help you provide peace of mind by monitoring your home day and night, inside and out, and sending you an alert when they detect an intruder. These smart security cameras automatically send video to your smartphone, so you can see what’s happening in real time, wherever you are.

Apart from providing a quality image day or night, the best home security cameras are protected against the elements and work wirelessly, so you don’t have to call in a professional to install them. Home security cameras have night vision and automatic motion-activated recording, and some even have built-in speakers, so you can talk with whoever you see, or sound an alarm.

There are a lot of wireless home security cameras on the market, ranging in price from $20 to $500, so choosing the best model can be tricky. We’ve done the work for you, testing dozens of cameras, and evaluating them for such things as ease of use, features, image quality, and the cost of cloud storage for recorded videos.

What are the best home security cameras?

After testing dozens of wired and wireless options, the best home security camera for most people is the Arlo Pro 2. It records high-definition, 1080p video both day and night, is fully wireless, and can be set up both indoors and out, as it’s weather resistant.

More than that, we found that Arlo’s software and app is among the best among home security cameras, offering a wide range of settings in an intuitive format.

The Arlo Pro 2 also comes with seven days of free cloud storage—a nice feature not available on its higher-end cameras. If you want to save footage from a longer period of time, as well as get access to custom motion zones and other features, you’ll have to subscribe to one of Arlo’s monthly plans, which starts at $3/month per camera.

For those on a budget, we recommend the Wyze Cam 1080p for indoor use. It costs about $25, yet has a surprising number of features for the price, and gives you 14 days of rolling cloud storage for free.

If you need a budget home security camera that can withstand the elements, the Blink XT2 is the way to go. It costs less than $100, yet captures good-quality video, and gives you a lot of control over what gets recorded. However, Wyze has launched its own budget outdoor camera, the Wyze Cam Outdoor ($50), which has both local and cloud-based video storage options, as well as person detection. And, you can take the Wyze Cam Outdoor with you on vacation, too.

The best home security cameras you can buy today

Arlo Pro 2

1. Arlo Pro 2

The best home security camera for both indoors and out

Clean, intelligent interface

Very good daylight video quality

Free seven-day rolling cloud storage

Can login from only one device at a time

Motion detection tools separate from setup section

If you want a dependable home security camera for both indoors and out that doesn’t cost too much, you can’t beat the Arlo Pro 2. This 1080p camera has a wide 130-degree field of view, night vision, and more. It can be plugged in or run off battery power, and can last for up to six months without needing a recharge. It has both a microphone and a speaker, so you can talk to whoever you see in front of the camera.

You’ll also get Arlo’s generous cloud-subscription plan, which offers seven days’ worth of footage for free—although you lose out on some features, such as customized motion zones. Subscription plans start at $3 a month for a single camera, and gets you 30 days of rolling cloud storage, too. It’s the best home security camera for those who want great video at a reasonable price.

Wyze Cam 1080p (Image credit: Tom’s Guide)

2. Wyze Cam 1080p

This camera costs less than $30, yet offers a ton of features

Inexpensive

Free 14-day, rolling cloud storage

Local storage

Limited field of view

Cloud storage clips limited to 14 seconds

Don’t let the low price fool you; the Wyze Cam 1080p is the best home security camera for those on a budget. As its name suggests, it can record video at a resolution of 1080p, and while the quality isn’t up to the same par as the Arlo Q, it’s still sharp enough to see who’s there.

There’s no subscription service, but the Wyze Cam 1080p comes with two weeks of free cloud storage — though clips are limited to 14 seconds — as well as a microSD card slot which you can use to enable continuous recording and create time-lapse videos. With an add-on module, you can link this camera to Wyze’s motion sensors and smart bulbs, as well as to third party smart-home devices with Alexa and Google Assistant.

Blink XT2 (Image credit: Blink)

3. Blink XT2

The best home security camera for outdoors under $100

Inexpensive

Weatherproof

Doesn’t work natively with Google Home

No person recognition

The Blink XT2 is the best home security camera for those looking for a truly wireless option for less than $100. The XT2’s camera runs off two AA batteries, and communicates wirelessly with a small base station that’s connected to your Wi-Fi network.

The XT2’s case is weatherproof, so you can stick it either indoors or outside, and comes with a convenient mounting bracket. While not tops, the 1080p video is records is good for the price, and best of all, it comes with free cloud storage (up to two hours in total). Because Blink (and Ring) are owned by Amazon, the Blink app also has a connection to Ring’s Neighbors app, where you can see a feed of other incidents in your neighborhood, and post videos from your Blink camera. Blink’s app is fairly robust, and while it doesn’t have all the bells and whistles of Arlo’s cameras, this sub-$100 has plenty of features for the price.

Arlo Ultra

4. Arlo Ultra

The best quality video home security camera

Video resolution: 4K | Field of view: 180 degrees | Night vision: 25 feet | Audio: full-duplex | Local Storage: Yes (in base station) | Battery Powered: Optional | Weather Resistant: Yes | Smart Home Compatibility: Alexa, Google Assistant, IFTTT | Cloud Storage: 30-day rolling-cloud service (1080p) for up to 10 cameras free for one year;$9.99/month afterwards. Upgrade to 4K recording for $1.99/month per camera.

Excellent 4K video

Comprehensive, easy-to-use software

Good audio

Can log in from only one device at a time

Expensive

Not only do the Arlo Ultra’s 4K cameras deliver the best home security camera video, but it also uses that extra resolution to enable digital track and zoom, which makes it easier to follow and ID a person as they move across the frame. A built-in spotlight also enables color recording at night, and it has dual microphones for better audio.

All of this will cost you, though: A single camera (with the hub) is $399, and extra cameras are $299 each. The Arlo Ultra doesn’t come with a free tier of cloud storage, so you have to spend at least $3 per month if you want to save any videos. And if you want to save 4K videos, it’s an extra $1.99 per camera per month, on top of the monthly plan, the latter of which is waived for the first year. But if you want the absolute best when it comes to video quality, the Arlo Ultra has it.

Arlo Q

5. Arlo Q

An affordable indoor home security camera

Simple, trouble-free setup

Intuitive, flexible scheduling

Excellent video quality

Generous free cloud plan

Timeline requires subscription

With its top-notch video quality, excellent motion detection, flexible scheduling and intuitive user interface, the Arlo Q would be a contender as our best home security camera even without its very generous basic cloud-subscription plan, which gives you a week’s worth of recordings for free. The square-shaped Arlo Q needs to be plugged into a power outlet and isn’t waterproof, but it’s the best camera for monitoring the interior of your house or apartment.

If you want to save videos over a longer period—plus get additional features, such as customizable motion zones—then you’ll have to subscribe to one of Arlo’s cloud storage plans, which start at $3 per month for a single camera, or $10/month for up to five cameras, and gets you 30 days of rolling cloud storage.

Deep Sentinel (Image credit: Deep Sentinel)

6. Deep Sentinel

While pricey, this security camera uses AI and professional monitors to detect and deter intruders.

Live guards on duty 24/7

Quick response

Clear, loud audio

Only a guard can sound the siren

Low-resolution video

The Deep Sentinel is unlike every other home security camera. That’s because when the camera spot an intruder, it sends a live feed to a monitoring station, where a professional can sound an alarm on the camera, shout a warning, and if necessary, contact the police.

All of this comes at a price: In addition to the cost of the cameras ($499 for three cameras), you also have to pay a monthly fee of $50. And, the resolution of the video tops out at 480p, as it prioritizes the smoothness of the video stream over its definition.

You could spend a similar amount for the best home security system, but they don’t monitor your cameras as proactively as Deep Sentinel. But, they’re the best home security cameras if you’re looking for active monitoring.

Read our full Deep Sentinel review.

Nest Cam

7. Nest Cam Indoor

Nest’s home security camera integrates well with many other smart home devices.

Excellent 1080p video quality

Impressive night vision

Programmable with Nest Protect and Nest Thermostat

Requires monthly subscription for extra features

Microphone/speakers not very powerful

The Nest Cam Indoor is the third generation of the celebrated Dropcam—one of the first, and one of the best home security cameras—and bumps up its predecessors’ video quality to 1080p. It’s easy to set up and, thanks to its magnetic, swiveling base, it can be installed almost anywhere indoors. The video looks sharp; night vision is clear; the camera can be used as an intercom; and it interacts with the Nest Thermostat and the Nest Protect smoke detector, as well as numerous third-party smart- home devices. But to really make use of the camera’s features, you’ll have to shell out $10 or more per month for the Nest Aware program, which gives you access to cloud storage, person detection and customizable activity zones.

Google has discontinued its Works With Nest program; if you migrate your Nest account to a Google account, many of the smart home integrations with the Nest cam may no longer work. We suggest to hold off transitioning your account until the integrations you currently use with the Nest cam are supported within Google Home.

Ring Floodlight Cam

8. Ring Floodlight Camera

This home security camera also has a powerful LED floodlight.

Wide field of view

Lets you set motion zones

Affordable subscription plan

Saving videos requires a subscription

The Ring Floodlight Cam combines two essential devices in one: A home security camera and a motion-activated floodlight. When the Floodlight camera detects movement, it turns on its two powerful LED beams as well as its sharp 1080p camera, and starts recording. The Floodlight Cam also has a loud speaker, so you can talk to whoever’s in front of the camera, and hear their responses.

Ring’s app offers a variety of settings, such as custom motion zones, scheduling and more. Add to that Ring’s neighborhood-watch feature, which lets you see what’s happening in your area from other Ring users, as well as from your local police and fire departments. (You can also post your own videos to the Neighbors app). Unfortunately, to record and share video, you’ll need to subscribe to Ring’s cloud storage plans, which start at $3 per month.

Arlo Pro

9. Arlo Pro

Arlo’s cameras are expensive; this older (and cheaper) model is a lower resolution, but is just as effective.

Simple, quick installation

Clean, intelligent interface

Excellent video capture

Can access from only one device at a time per account

Limited sharing

The Arlo Pro is the company’s first wireless home security camera, and though it’s been eclipsed in features and resolutions by newer models, the original still holds up well. It’s an easy to use camera with a bevy of customizable controls. It runs on a rechargeable battery, and has a weatherproof case that protects it from the elements.

The Arlo Pro’s resolution is 720p, much lower than the 1080p or even 4K cameras that Arlo now offers. But, the Arlo Pro’s feed is still sharp enough to make out visitors or anything that wanders in front of the camera. As with the Arlo Pro 2, the Arlo Pro comes with seven days of cloud storage for free, but if you want anything more — as well as features such as customizable motion zones — you’ll need to cough up at least $3 per month, the price of the company’s starting subscription.

Kasa Cam Outdoor

10. Kasa Cam Outdoor

This budget outdoor camera has many good features, but has some compromises.

Excellent audio, daylight video

Reasonable cloud storage plans

Simple to use, flexible software

Blurry night video

Cord isn’t fully weatherproof

The Kasa Cam Outdoor is a good all-around weatherproof home security camera that costs less than $100. However, there are a few tradeoffs with this camera. Unlike other outdoor cameras on this list, the Kasa Cam has to be plugged in to an outlet to receive power, and while the camera is weather-resistant, the connection between its cable and power supply is not.

Thanks to its 1/2.7-inch, 2 megapixel CMOS sensor, daytime 1080p video from the Kasa Cam Outdoor was excellent, but nighttime video was less defined; we found it was hard to make out people’s faces. Kasa’s app is easy to use, and lets you set up such things as custom motion zones and schedules. In addition, you get free rolling two-day cloud storage, and a 14-day plan that’s a very reasonable $40 per year.

Nest Cam IQ Outdoor

11. Nest Cam IQ Outdoor

Facial recognition, for a price

Clean, easy-to-navigate web portal and mobile apps

Tamper-proof design

Deep feature set

Key features available only to subscribers

No local storage

Expensive

The Nest Cam IQ Outdoor is one of the most expensive home security cameras around, but it’s also one of the smartest, too. This weatherproof home security camera has a tamper-resistant design, a triple microphone array and HDR support for better-quality videos than what other cameras produce. It has to be plugged in to work — no battery option here, sorry — but the camera comes with a 25-foot power cord, which should help with installation.

The Nest Cam has a 1/2.5-inch, 8-megapixel (4K) CMOS sensor and 130-degree wide-angle glass lens; although it captures 4K, it only delivers 1080p, which results in much more detailed images than with a 1080p sensor. What’s more, the Nest Cam’s AI can distinguish between people and animals, and can even recognize individual faces. However, a lot of the features are available only with a Nest Aware subscription, which starts at $10/month, or $100/year.

How to choose the best home security camera for you

When shopping for a home security camera, the first thing you’ll need to consider is if you’re planning to mount the camera indoors our outside. Only those cameras that are designed to withstand the elements should be placed on the outside of your house.

And, with outdoor cameras, you also have to decide if you want a battery-operated model or one that has to be plugged in. The former are easier to install, but you’ll have to recharge or change their batteries every few months. The latter might require you to install an outlet or drill holes through your wall, but then you won’t have to worry about it afterwards.

Most home security cameras have a resolution of 1080p, but that doesn’t mean they all deliver the same quality. Cheaper cameras tend to have smaller image sensors and less powerful processors, so a person’s face might be blurred more, especially if they’re moving or you’re capturing video at night.

You also want to think about what each home security camera offers in terms of video storage. Most will let you store videos in the cloud, but many require you to pay a subscription to do so. A few cameras have memory card slots, so you can save video locally; however, if someone steals the camera, you lose your recordings with it. Be sure to check out our comparison of which home security camera has the best storage plan.

How we test home security cameras

To find out which is the best home security camera, we set up each of the models inside or outside a home, noting the difficulty or ease of installation. We then use the camera over a period of several days. The first thing we look at is the quality of the video it records, both day and night. As a person walks through the frame, were their faces clear and well-defined, or was it a blurry mess?

We also look at the features that are available through the camera’s app. Does it have such things as customizable motion zones? If you live on a busy street, you don’t want the camera recording video and alerting you every time a car drives by. A good home security camera should also have a scheduling feature, so that you can turn it off while you’re home, and on when you leave.

Last, we also consider how much it costs to view, save and share recorded video. While some cameras still let you view a few days of recorded video, the trend has been to only let you watch live video from your camera unless you sign up for a subscription. That means you can’t look back a few hours or days to see who was walking through your yard. And, most subscription plans also include extra features, such as custom motion zones.

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