A Wi-Fi-enabled security camera is an excellent way to keep an eye on your home while you’re away. You can check-in on the pets while you’re at work, and in the case of those with built-in microphones, quickly tell your kid that they’re supposed to be studying instead of playing video games. Even better, if you have an Amazon Echo device and use Alexa to do all the smart things in your home, an Alexa-enabled security camera can do wonderful things for you.
Budget-friendly
Wyze Cam v2
Staff pick
The second-gen Wyze Cam is everything you loved about the first generation but better. It offers 1080p live streaming and recording with a night vision range of up to 30 feet, and it now tags motion in both live stream and recorded video, detecting and outlining moving objects, people, or animals. This is the best bang for your buck.
$26 at Amazon
Top brand
Arlo Pro 3
Arlo Pro cameras are some of the best money can buy, period. The new Arlo Pro 3 carries on that legacy and expands upon it with footage now in 2560×1440 (as well as 1080p and 720p), high-powered infrared night vision, a 6500K spotlight, and a 3- to 6-month battery life. Available in packs of two, four, or six.
$400 for 2 Pack at Amazon
Indoor or outdoor
Logitech Circle 2
This wired security camera is great inside and out with wide-angle 1080p live-streaming footage, and you can store up to 24 hours of footage for free. You also get a free daily 30-second time-lapse, and the smart alerts come with thumbnails.
$200 at Amazon
Smart home OG
Google Nest Cam Indoor
The sleekly designed Google Nest Cam gives you a 24/7 live stream of your home, and you’ll get alerts in the Nest Aware app, with the ability to control all of your Nest products from one place. You’ll also get two-way audio, and you can hide it just about anywhere thanks to its diminutive size.
$200 at Best Buy
Pan and tilt
Wyze Cam Pan
Another budget option, Wyze Cam’s Pan, has a 360-degree horizontal range and a vertical range of 93 degrees. When it detects motion, it’ll even follow the target and tag it within its field of view. You get 14 days of rolling cloud storage from alert video, which is 180p at 15FPS.
$38 at Amazon
Blend in
Blink XT2
Blink’s cameras reasonably priced for the feature set, offering indoor or outdoor placement, free cloud storage for up to 2 hours of footage per year, customizable motion detection, and infrared night vision. The XT2 has a fairly minimalist design and is quite small, so it’ll blend in nicely wherever you place it.
$90 at Amazon
Integrated security
Ring Spotlight Cam
For 24/7 professional monitoring, Ring Spotlight Cam is your best option, since Ring offers Protect plans starting at $3 per camera per month. These cameras offer full HD live streaming and recording, as well as two-way audio and lifetime purchase protection from Ring — stolen cameras are covered.
$170 at Amazon
Cream of the crop
For great Alexa integration, you really can’t go wrong with the Wyze Cam v2, since it’s an inexpensive way to start your smart security journey, offering impeccable value for the dollar. This is the perfect smart security camera for people who aren’t looking for frills but would still like core functionality with Alexa.
If you’re looking for a little more in your camera, then sign up for monitoring and grab the Ring Spotlight Cam. The Ring Protect plans are inexpensive, and they come with further awesome features, like Ring Neighborhoods, which sends you real-time crime and safety alerts from other Ring users in your area.
