Security Cameras

Monitor Your Home

Remote viewing, alerts, and two-way communication. You are in control.

Latest Update 8/1/21

Topics covered

Battery vs Cord
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

Monitoring your home is the top reason people jump into the smart home market. That’s why we have an entire section dedicated to making that leap even easier.

When it comes down to choosing a camera systems there are three basic things to decide: wired or battery, cloud or local, and what integration levels. Let’s jump right in.
‍
Wired or battery. We are talking about a hardwire running power and data to a camera, or a wireless and battery powered camera. There are wire-powered cameras that use WiFi for data but we have found their use to be limited versus the flexibility of battery or the robustness of full wired. If you are living in a rental, our recommendation is obviously battery - based on their anywhere placement and ability to move with you. If you have a large house that you can make modifications to (run wiring) it might be better to do so. If your house is larger than a camera hub might be able to reach, our recommendation is to go with wired cameras.
‍
Cloud or Local: Many camera companies offer cloud storage as part of their business model. Some offer it for free up to a certain amount of time / recorded data, others might require a subscription for it to really be useful. With cloud storage not only do you have to worry about cost, but privacy. Some cloud companies are better than others, as detailed in the reviews below. As for local storage, it is great for being in control but one of the downsides is that if the camera system is stolen, then all of the footage is as well. Both Nest (Google) and HomeKit (Apple) have attractive cloud plans.
‍
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. Some camera companies also make doorbells and other products you might be interested in as well. 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. Finding one company that makes the doorbell, alarm system, and cameras, putting them all in one app can be a huge relief.

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.

local and homekit

Eufy 2C

Eufy has taken a strong stance on security and cloud compatibility. With the HomeKit integration of their 2 and 2C product line, which contain and industry-leading battery, they are the top contenders for those in the Apple world. With HomeKit Secure Video in the works, these will be the almost universally the best cameras in the HomeKit market.

Works with

BUY NoW on amazon

Detailed review - Eufy 2C

Eufy recently released their 2 and 2C products. With a home base, and easy installation and setup, this is an easy starter system. Eufy stores videos locally in the base (which has a siren) on an SD card, or externally using a USB hard drive. You can view your camera footage from the app, and view a live feed from your Home app on your iPhone. The battery life is industry leading, with half a year for 2C and a full year for the 2. Because of the price difference and spotlight feature, however, we recommend the 2C.

Both cameras have HomeKit Secure Video, which uses your iCloud account to store videos on Apple servers. This offering is extremely appealing, but we recommend not buying any product purely based on the promise of added features. For the same reason, we cannot recommend the Eufy Doorbell which doesn't have any HomeKit support.

Arlo Ultra

Arlo has been a big name for quite a while, and with both HomeKit and Google Home compatibility, this is an easy recommendation for the best wireless image quality. Cloud storage plans can be annoyingly required for some features, but what Arlo offers is an undoubtedly solid product and worth the extra cost.

Works with

buy now on amazon

Detailed review - Arlo Pro

Arlo Pro is connected by its own wireless base station and does not rely on your home WiFi network to stream video, which is a good thing because at 4K, that is a lot of internet bandwidth! The base station is compatible with all Arlos, which is great if you want the 4K video for your front yard, but only need 1080p (Arlo 2) for inside or the back yard to save some money. The wireless cameras all have a decent battery life of a month or more, and include standard features like 2-way talk and HomeKit/Google Home integration.

The Arlo Cloud plans are reasonable for the price, and they even include both video and standard doorbells that allow you to record and be aware of activity at your front door - all from one app. However, we recommend you match your doorbell to your front door lock, if at all possible. Regardless, the Arlo system is a great offering.

hardwired Peace of mind

Ubiquiti Protect

Unifi Video became Ubiquiti Protect and the price tag went up significantly, but it was worth it. These cameras are all top quality and the whole ecosystem is second to none – offering remote access of local recording, plus 4K and HD options for indoor and outdoor use. No hardwired solution comes close.

BUY NoW on amazon

Detailed review - ubiquiti protect

The first thing that you will notice unboxing this system is the build quality. Solid devices that are built to last. It goes uphill from there. Image quality is top notch day or night, and the software is super easy to use. If you combine this with your Dream Machine, you will need a separate powered ethernet switch, but all of the management is done through one device. Make sure to keep this and the hard drive used for storage out of sight and not easy to find/get to so that your footage doesn't get stolen as there is no easy cloud backup solution.

Pricing for the 4K versions can be hard to swallow, but the HD versions are competitive with anything else on this list. If you want expansive control of your network and your cameras, there is no other product we would recommend.

Honorable Mentions

Nest Cam

For those looking for a full integration like HomeKit Secure Video, but using Google, look no further. Nest Cam has good cameras, and great cloud product and interface - just check subscription plans first.

Works with

buy now on amazon

Reolink Go

The Reolink Go is not compatible with any smart ecosystem, but with wireless cellular connectivity, you can place it anywhere. It’s a great 1080p offering for those who want a backup plan (for a price). Combine it with a solar panel for a foolproof solution.

Works with

buy now on amazon

Wyze Cam

Wyze is a smart home company built out of the frustration of how expensive smart home products, and their incredibly cheap cameras are a great way to start. While they only work with Amazon and Google, for those in the system they are a great option

Works with

buy now on amazon