Doorbells

Half Doorbell, Half Security Camera

Monitor the most common entry into your home. Integrating with locks adds a lot of flexibility and peace of mind.

Latest Update 8/1/21

Topics covered

Battery vs Hardwired
Local vs Cloud
Who owns your data

Things to consider

Is this part of a larger monitoring/security ecosystem
Is this a home that you own and want to invest in
How annoying is charging a battery
What level of monitoring do you need

Overview

Like security cameras, doorbells are one of the most popular ways to get started in a smart home. Monitor deliveries, see who is at your door, and paired with a smart lock you can know all the comings and goings of your home.
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Wired or battery. If you have an existing doorbell that would have a good view of the person, we highly recommend a wired doorbell. Check your chime for the power supplied, but this way you can use your existing bell/chime, and never have to worry about the camera dying on you. If, however, you don't have a doorbell or live in a place where you can't make modifications (eg. renting), a battery doorbell you can take with you makes sense. The battery life varies wildly with how many recordings it makes in a given day.
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Cloud or Local: Like our security camera section, there are plenty of ways to record the events of the day to look at later. Cloud plans vary in cost and amount of recording. Google has one of the most attractive cloud plans, but the other cloud leader is Arlo. If you are in the Apple ecosystem, we highly encourage you to take a look at HomeKit secure video. And lastly, you can use local storage, with an SD card or storage in the network which has the benefit of no monthly costs but you still get alerts and live feeds.
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Integration Levels: There are camera companies that only make cameras - some will work with your home hub and app, others will require a separate app. We recommend that if you are looking for a camera system, start by assuming you want to integrate with your home hub (HomeKit, Google, Alexa) and work from there. There are many good options in the battery space, but hardwired is more limited.

Own Your Data: Make sure to read the terms of service for anything you are considering buying - especially if you have an interior camera and you want to use a cloud-based solution.

Top doorbell

Nest Hello

With a great, straightforward design, a cloud plan and features that knock it out of the park, the Nest is our favorite video doorbell.

Works with

BUY NoW from google

Detailed review - nest hello

The Nest doorbell has a slim profile that makes fitting it in narrow doorframes a cinch. While it can only be wired and install isn't the most straightforward, once you get it in, the responsiveness, and ease of operation are second to none. Like most of our recommended doorbells, the tall video and HDR picture help with seeing detail where you need it. Unfortunately, there is no battery version of the video doorbell.
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The big selling point here is the Google cloud plan. Starting at 5 bucks a month, it is one of the most reasonable out there and the combined with other Nest cameras is an incredibly cost-effective way to get lots of video storage. The features included in this plan are facial, package, and regular motion/sound detection. Most notably, this camera can do continuous recording if you so wish, a rare feature for any camera without local storage.

battery powered

Eufy 2K Battery

Unlike the Eufy 2 and 2C, the doorbell is not integrated with Apple yet, but this camera is one of the best. Standing strong on privacy, no monthly costs, and the flexibility to wire or use on battery (that lasts up to 6 months) this camera is an easy recommendation.

Works with

buy now on amazon

Detailed review - eufy 2k battery powered video doorbell

Especially if you already have the Eufy Cameras, this is a slam dunk of a choice. No service fees by recording with your existing base station, and an attractive price tag makes this doorbell upgrade for any apartment, rental, or single-family home an easy decision.

The image sensor on this camera is impressive, and the delay is almost non-existent even on battery. Speaking of the battery, this doorbell includes contacts so that you can wire it to replace an existing wired doorbell if you want. The battery offers incredible flexibility because it is used as a buffer, eliminating higher power requirements of other wired doorbells.

best for apple

Logitech Circle View Doorbell

The only doorbell in the US to support HomeKit Secure Video, this solid offering at a great price can't be ignored. Requires a wire and the vision/subtly at night is not the best, but even so we wholeheartedly endorse this doorbell.

Works with

BUY NoW from apple

Detailed review - logitech circle view doorbell

This doorbell is good, it has a tall video ratio, is relatively easy to mount, and doesn't break the bank. What really sets is apart is that it uses HomeKit Secure Video (HKSV). Complete with all the features including face detection, secure local encryption, and granular control of when/who the camera can record, it is truly a breakthrough in the way remote monitoring works.

The one downside we found is that at night, there is no infrared mode. This means you are left relying on the light in the camera, which seems to be on at all times. Luckily most places we have installed the Logitech camera has enough ambient light we just leave the built-in light off, but if you are on a dark street, this could be a major drawback. Give the camera a try if you can, because the sleek design and Apple HKSV features fare outweigh the downsides.

Honorable Mentions

Arlo Doorbell

Arlo systems work with HomeKit (not HKSV) but for the doorbell, only the wired version supports this feature. The battery doesn't last as long as the Eufy, and the cloud plan pricing is in the middle of the pack. Arlo is constantly rolling out new AI and detection features and with its great support we keep coming back. If you already have Arlo, both these doorbells are a no-brainer and are solid performers.

Works with

buy now on amazon

SimpliSafe Pro

SimpliSafe offers a really good after-market whole-home security system, but their cloud video plans are a bit steep, and integrations to the rest of the house are a bit lacking. If you love the idea of having a camera directly connected to you alarm, and redundant LTE calls for help, then this is the way to go.

Works with

buy now on amazon