Best home security cameras in 2023: Top wireless, indoor and outdoor models
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. 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.
We’ve tested dozens of the best cameras in our own homes, both indoors and out, to see how they worked in real-world environments. We tried them on ourselves and our pets to see which work the best, capture the sharpest video, and bring the most value for your money.
Now is a great time to pick up a camera, too. While not as plentiful as during Black Friday and Cyber Monday, there are still lots of great holiday deals on the best security cameras. For example, the Arlo Pro 4 Spotlight Camera Security Bundle is now $299 at Best Buy – that’s a pack of three cameras for $200 off the regular price. If you’re looking for something cheaper, the Blink Outdoor 4 is now $71 at BestBuy, a discount of 40%. If you want a camera that doesn’t require a subscription, the eufyCam 3C 2-Camera Wireless 4K Camera Kit is $299 at Best Buy, a savings of $170 off its regular price.
BEST INDOOR SECURITY CAMERA
Nest Cam (Indoor, Wired)
SPECIFICATIONS
Video resolution: 1080p
Field of view: 135 degrees
Night vision: Up to 15 ft, two 850 nm infrared LEDs
Audio: full-duplex
Local Storage: No
Battery Powered: No
Weather Resistant: No
Smart Home Compatibility: Google Assistant
Cloud Storage: Starts at $6/month for 60 days’ footage
TODAY’S BEST DEALS
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REASONS TO BUY
+3-hour video event history
+5 GHz Wi-Fi radio
+Advanced motion processing without a subscription
+On-device facial recognition
+Intuitive app
REASONS TO AVOID
-No battery backup
-No extra privacy features
-Only compatible with Google Home
The redesigned Nest Cam (Indoor, wired) is the latest generation of the celebrated Dropcam—one of the first, and one of the best home security cameras—and brings a number of improvements, including a lot of intelligence, such as on-device facial recognition and three hours of video storage.
Video quality from its 1080p sensor was excellent in both day and night settings. We were also impressed with audio; its microphone picked up sounds very well. It was really easy to set up, too; its magnetic base made it super simple to adjust the camera to capture exactly what we wanted.
To really make use of the camera’s features, you’ll have to shell out for the Nest Aware subscription, which starts at $6 per month. Even without a subscription, you’ll get three hours of video storage, person detection and customizable activity zones, which is more than you can say about cameras from Ring and Arlo.
BEST INDOOR CAMERA VALUE
Wyze Cam v3
SPECIFICATIONS
Video resolution: 1080p
Field of view: 110 degrees
Night vision: Yes
Audio: full-duplex
Local Storage: Yes
Battery Powered: No
Weather Resistant: Yes
Smart Home Compatibility: Alexa, Google Assistant
Cloud Storage: Free cloud storage for 14 days (rolling, in perpetuity)
TODAY’S BEST DEALS
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REASONS TO BUY
+Inexpensive
+Free 14-day, rolling cloud storage
+Local storage
REASONS TO AVOID
-Limited field of view
-Free cloud storage clips limited to 12 seconds
Don’t let the low price fool you; the Wyze Cam v3 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 4K Arlo Ultra 2, it’s still sharp enough to see who’s there. Its color night vision is especially impressive.
Without a subscription, the Wyze Cam v3 will save 14 days of video history, but clips are limited to 12 seconds, and there’s a “cool down” period between each recording, so you might not capture what you want. However, the camera also has a microSD card slot which you can use to enable continuous recording and create time-lapse videos. You can get unlimited-length videos and no cool-down periods if you subscribe to Wyze Cam Plus ($1.99/month per camera) — that’s by far the least expensive security camera subscription, even if Wyze doesn’t offer as long as video history as its competitors.
BEST INDOOR RING CAMERA
Ring Stick Up Cam (Battery)
SPECIFICATIONS
Video resolution: 1080p
Field of view: 130° Diagonal, 110° Horizontal, 57° Vertical
Night vision: YesAudio: 2-way audio
Local Storage: No
Battery Powered: Yes
Weather Resistant: Yes, IPX5
Smart Home Compatibility: AlexaCloud Storage: $4/month for 180 days of video
TODAY’S BEST DEALS
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REASONS TO BUY
+Slick app
+Ring ecosystem and Alexa integration
+Good battery life
+Weather resistant
REASONS TO AVOID
-No local storage
-Useless without subscription
-No Google Home or Apple HomeKit integration
Ring’s Stick Up Cam Battery functions as an outdoor or indoor security camera. It features a minimalist design which can be mounted via its base or back, giving you versatility. Although, if you want to mount it from your ceiling, you will need to buy a separate $20 ceiling mount kit. As this camera is battery powered, there’s no wires and one charge will last for months according to Ring.
It has good coverage on the whole, with the view being wider than it is tall, and features a speaker which allows you to chat to any visitors, or raise the alarm if necessary. It’s waterproof to an IPX5 rating and can withstand temperatures of -5°F to 113°F (-20° to 45° Celsius), so it can handle the elements.
Our only qualms are that you need a subscription to store videos, as there’s no local storage. It’s also only compatible with Alexa in terms of smart home integration, so if you have Google Home, we recommend the Nest Cam ($69, BestBuy); if you use Apple HomeKit, the ecobee – Smart Video Doorbell ($159, BestBuy) is your best choice.
Ring offers several different variations this model; you can get either the Stick Up Cam Battery or Stick Up Cam Plug-in for $99, or opt for the Stick Up Cam Pro (battery or plug-in) for $179; the Pro version has a wider field of view, dual-band Wi-Fi, HDR video, and 3D Motion Detection.
BEST OUTDOOR SECURITY CAMERA
Nest Cam (battery)
SPECIFICATIONS
Video resolution: 1080p
Field of view: 130 degrees
Night vision: YesAudio: full-duplex
Local Storage: Yes
Battery Powered: Yes
Weather Resistant: Yes
Smart Home Compatibility: Google Assistant
Cloud Storage: Starting at $6/month
TODAY’S BEST DEALS
View at BestBuy
View at BestBuy
REASONS TO BUY
+Great design
+Very sharp video quality
+Free person, animal, vehicle detection
+3 hours of video storage free
REASONS TO AVOID
-Few accessories
The well-designed Nest Cam (battery) has a simple shape and is one of the easiest home security cameras to install, thanks to its magnetic base. Its 1080p camera captures sharp images day and night, and its microphone and speaker made conversations a breeze.
The Nest Cam (battery) also offers three hours of rolling video storage for free, as well as person, vehicle, and animal detection. If you sign up for a Nest Aware subscription (starting at $6/month), you also get familiar face detection as well as the ability to store up to a month’s worth of video.