The best home security cameras in 2023

They say home is where the heart is—and with a home security camera at the heart of it, that home can be safer. After all, your heartful home is where your stuff is, where your loved ones may be, so it could be where your mind is even when you’re out. If you find yourself constantly stressed when you leave home—worrying about your packages, pets, property, etc.—setting up security cameras can offer peace of mind alongside advanced features. Whether outdoors or indoors, security cameras now can be completely discreet if desired, sometimes require as little as two screws or double-sided tape to install, and may offer instant smartphone alerts and even live video you can monitor remotely. No longer a massive investment of money or space, the best home security cameras integrate easily and let you check in on and around your home from the beach or the master bedroom.

• Best overall: Arlo Ultra 2 Spotlight 2 Camera Kit
• Best wireless: Ring Stick Up Cam Battery
• Best floodlight: Ring Floodlight Cam Wired Plus
• Best smart: Canary Flex Home Security Camera
• Best starter bundle: Wyze Cam v3 2-pack
• Best budget: Blink mini Compact Indoors Plug-in Cam

How we chose the best home security cameras

We looked at user reviews and critic recommendations and consulted our past security coverage to find the best home security cameras. We paid attention to features like battery life, camera resolution, viewing angle, and storage options to weed out the vulnerable from the proven protected picks.

The best home security cameras: Reviews & Recommendations

There was a time when a security system involved unsightly cameras that had to be professionally installed. Spools of wiring would lead to a VCR, where routinely, you’d need to rewind or replace the tape if you needed to review the evidence following an intrusion (assuming the cassette hadn’t run out, broken, etc.). Well, those days are long gone. One of our picks should help bring you and your home into the digital age if you haven’t already made the switch.

Best overall: Arlo Ultra 2 Spotlight 2 Camera Kit

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Specs

• Resolution: 4K
• Battery life: 4-6 months
• Viewing angle: 180 degrees
• Storage: microSD card

Pros

• Weather-resistant
• Built-in siren
• Long battery life

Cons

• Expensive

The Arlo Ultra 2 Spotlight kit is where all the bells meet all the whistles, which is what you’d expect from a $600 surveillance system. Included are two wire-free, weather-resistant cameras with up to six months of battery life. A 180-degree diagonal viewing angle offers coverage of every corner, while a spotlight and two-way audio assist in identifying visitors, plus a siren can discourage intruders. The cameras, magnetically connected to a screw-secured mount, can display live 4K video with HDR and color night vision, record to internal storage (a microSD card, sold separately, accessed through the included Arlo Hub), or retain 2K/4K cloud video clips depending on your plan with the (optional) Arlo Smart subscription service. The cameras set up quickly through the Arlo app and play nice with all the major smart platforms—Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, Apple HomeKit, and IFTTT—making it easily one of the best home security cameras.

Best wireless: Ring Stick Up Cam Battery

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Specs

• Resolution: 1080p
• Battery life: 6 months
• Viewing angle: 130 degrees diagonal, 110 degrees horizontal, 57 degrees vertical
• Storage: Cloud (available with subscription)

Pros

• Robust app
• Lots of accessories and integrations
• Indoor- and outdoor-friendly

Cons

• Strategic placement is important
• Some features require Ring’s cloud plan

When you hear the brand Ring, you may immediately think about doorbell cams, which is understandable considering the name and how the company started. But the product range includes whole-house solutions at an approachable price (a “Ring of security” is the new branding), including a completely wire-free option in a sleek, cylindrical form factor that’s both indoor/flat surface and outdoor/mount friendly. This Ring Stick Up Cam Battery has 1080p video with a 110-degree horizontal/57-degree vertical field of view, so strategic placement is important. And some features require paying for Ring’s cloud plan, but it’s a quickly up-and-running value with a robust app, particularly great for folks who already have Alexa devices (Amazon now owns Ring). And, because it’s an Amazon product, there are copious accessories (such as solar panels), for those inclined to upgrade.

Best floodlight: Ring Floodlight Cam Wired Plus

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Specs

• Resolution: 1080 p
• Battery life: One year
• Viewing angle: 140 degrees horizontal, 80 degrees vertical
• Storage: Cloud storage

Pros

• Built-in 105-decibel siren
• Motion-activated lights
• Works with Alexa

Cons

• Reviews note problems with controlling the lights using Alexa

The Ring Floodlight cam projects 2,800 Lumens across a wide viewing angle to spook intruders and capture HD video in the harsh light of a soft white glow. Compare that to the 300-375 Lumens of a traditional spotlight cam. While placement isn’t as flexible, constrained to an outdoor, weatherproof electrical box for hardwiring, the Ring Floodlight offers all the same conveniences (night vision, a speaker, and a siren) of its battery-run brethren, plus the extra oomph. And, like products across the Ring line, alerts and video can be sent easily to various Echo speakers/screens, which can also accept commands for the Ring (which, don’t worry, also works with Google Assistant and IFTTT). Software handles everything, including custom scheduling for your floodlights; no physical hub required.

Best smart: Canary Flex Home Security Camera

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Specs

• Resolution: 1080p
• Battery life: 2-3 months
• Viewing angle: 116 degrees
• Storage: Cloud storage

Pros

• Weatherproof
• Discreet
• Can choose between wired and wire-free

Cons

• More robust features only with a Premium Service plan

If you’re looking for flexibility, you’ll find it in both the Canary Flex name and feature set. Housed on a magnetic 360-degree swivel base, this smart security camera can operate wireless or plugged in, features up to 1080p HD automatic night vision video (though 720p is the default on a weak streaming connection), and two-way audio for spooking crooks and soothing children. There’s person and package detection (just don’t expect facial recognition akin to the much pricier Google Nest IQ cam, which is the best smart-home camera for AI if you’re restricting your search to indoor models). There’s no local storage, so you will need to pay for a service, but the Canary camera shares all the standard features of competitors and integrates with both Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant. It lacks a limit on where you can use it, however.

Best starter bundle: Wyze Cam v3 2-pack

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Specs

• Resolution: 1080p
• Battery life: 6 months
• Viewing angle: 130 degrees
• Storage: microSD card

Pros

• Two-way audio
• IP65 weather resistance
• Continuous recording with microSD card

Cons

• Lacks removable battery

While it won’t win awards for aesthetics (unless you have fond memories of playing with building blocks as a child), the WYZE Cam exceeds in inexpensive efficiency as long as you don’t mind dedicating some in-home space. The WYZE outdoor security camera is weather-resistant for deployment around your home (network) perimeter, but it’s also easily detachable with a “Travel Mode” that allows you to take the camera with you to record video directly to your phone without WiFi. There are sacrifices—like the lack of a removable battery, so you have to dismount the entire camera for charging—but it’s magnetically connected, so that’s just a simple twist.

Best budget: Blink mini Compact Indoors Plug-in Cam

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Specs

• Resolution: 1080p
• Battery life: Two years
• Viewing angle: 110 degrees diagonal
• Storage: Cloud storage

Pros

• Two-way audio
• Day and night HD video
• Motion detection

Cons

• Needs more cameras for more comprehensive coverage

Amazon’s most cost-efficient entry into the security camera market, the Blink mini meets the baseline features of competitors at a $35 price tag. It’s a palm-sized cube, must be plugged in (not uncommon for an indoors model), but is extremely practical. If you want the most approachable way to get 1080p livestream video with infrared night vision into your Alexa-maintained (or IFTTT-automated) monitoring routine, and don’t need native smart features like person/package detection, this is the best minimalist model to pick. It doesn’t feature the same audio triggers as Ring devices, and only saves clips to the cloud. More cameras, restricted to available wall sockets, might be required for the most comprehensive, widescreen coverage, but at this price that’s not a heavy lift.

Things to consider when choosing the best home security cameras

When it comes to picking the best home security cameras for your space, I spy with my little camera eye a lot of options. The size and cost of gear have gone down (units are available from $30 to $300), but the feature set has only expanded.

Easy-to-install models range from black-and-white video to streaming in vivid color, capturing just “standard” HD all the way up to 4K, storing video locally or in the cloud, permanently or temporarily. Some security cameras run 24/7, some are motion-activated, while others only come to life at the press of a button. There are those that have a fixed field of view, others that pan and tilt, some that are ruggedized with floodlights and/or night vision, and ones intended to be near well-lit wall sockets only. You get the idea. In this guide, we’ll walk you step-by-step through the main decision points so you can truly pick the model that will work best for you. (If you’re on the market for a home security system and not just cameras, we’ve got you covered there, too.)

Do you want 4K resolution in your home security cameras?

Regular HD resolution (1080p, or 2 megapixels) is fine if you just need to confirm the presence of your restaurant take-out deliveries and get some protection against porch pirates and trash pandas. But what if you’re in a really high-traffic area, or have some high-value targets outside—an Airstream or a boat, for example. If, in the event of an incident, you want the ability to really zoom in on details, then Super HD (4 megapixels, or 2K) and especially the best 4K security camera (a full 8 megapixels) are the superior choice. If vandalism or an actual intrusion occurs, any footage collected could assist the police and/or insurance claims.

But remember: While wireless is convenient, all the resolution in the world won’t matter if your WiFi is subpar. Most connected security cameras support the 802.11 b/g/n standard and suggest a broadband connection with at least 2Mbps upload speed, but that’s the bare minimum for potentially spotty 1080p. If you want to stream in 4K without lag or pixelation, you need a stable connection of at least 25Mbps. Consider a new WiFi router or a WiFi booster to help expand your network.

Want to go totally wireless for less?

The best wireless security camera is always going to fit your needs and budget. You won’t get 4K at the $100 price point, but you can easily cover every corner without cutting corners (just cost). You can still get the convenience of a removable rechargeable battery and an understated enclosure that can withstand the elements. The most necessary features—at least 1080p HD video with infrared night vision, as well as two-way audio—are there no matter where you are.

An outdoor floodlight camera can offer extra security

Maybe you have a large, but not well-lit yard, and you noticed someone or something has been rummaging through your trash. If you want to find out if it’s a person looking for personally identifiable information or animals appreciating your taste in home cooking, you may need more than a solitary spotlight. Or maybe you have a work shed located in a darker recess of your property. The best floodlight camera will have advanced motion detection but also customized activity zones so that every bird passing by doesn’t trigger it. At worst, you’ll feel more secure and possibly end up with footage of some adorable animals feasting on leftovers.

Do you want a flexible, smart security camera?

Imagine you recently had a child, and you want a baby monitor, but you also plan to get a fancy new grill, and you’ll want to keep an eye on it overnight. You realize you need to slowly build out surveillance systems, but you don’t want them to get locked into any one ecosystem or environment because your needs and/or devices are evolving. In your case, the best security camera will be one that’s low-profile, battery-powered, weatherproof, and swift to install, while not being brand-exclusive like the Ring or Google Nest.

FAQs

Final thoughts on the best home security cameras

• Best overall: Arlo Ultra 2 Spotlight 2 Camera Kit
• Best wireless: Ring Stick Up Cam Battery
• Best floodlight: Ring Floodlight Cam Wired Plus
• Best smart: Canary Flex Home Security Camera
• Best starter bundle: Wyze Cam v3 2-pack
• Best budget: Blink mini Compact Indoors Plug-in Cam

Before you drill any holes or put a dent in your savings, survey where and when you need surveillance. Take into consideration device support and room for expansion. The best home security cameras will fit the physical footprint and type of activity you need to monitor, giving you consistent, reassuring coverage.

Why trust us

Popular Science started writing about technology more than 150 years ago. There was no such thing as “gadget writing” when we published our first issue in 1872, but if there was, our mission to demystify the world of innovation for everyday readers means we would have been all over it. Here in the present, PopSci is fully committed to helping readers navigate the increasingly intimidating array of devices on the market right now.

Our writers and editors have combined decades of experience covering and reviewing consumer electronics. We each have our own obsessive specialties—from high-end audio to video games to cameras and beyond—but when we’re reviewing devices outside of our immediate wheelhouses, we do our best to seek out trustworthy voices and opinions to help guide people to the very best recommendations. We know we don’t know everything, but we’re excited to live through the analysis paralysis that internet shopping can spur so readers don’t have to.