We researched and tested dozens of top options, judging them on their cost, range, video quality, storage, installation, and ease of use. Our best overall pick is the Arlo Pro 4 Spotlight Camera because it has the right combination of high-quality features, including smart assistant compatibility and a standard siren and spotlight. Here are the best outdoor security cameras. The wireless, weather-resistant Arlo Pro 4 doesn’t have the highest resolution on this list, nor does it have the most intuitive app. However, it takes our best outdoor security camera title because it hits the sweet spot of features, quality, and cost. The reason why many cameras connect to a smart hub is to preserve the battery; having Wi-Fi integrated within the device, especially one with video capabilities, can make a dent. However, Arlo appears to have made moves to prevent this. During our testing, the battery only dropped by around 4 percent per week, meaning it should last for around six months between charges. This performance aligns with the company’s promises and is what we’d expect for cameras of this type, price, and quality. The color HDR camera on the Arlo Pro 4 records and streams in 2K resolution—more than enough to make out details like facial features and license plates. Plus, with a 160-degree diagonal view, spotlight, and siren, the Arlo Pro 4 provides good coverage and peace of mind—even at night. Camera-wise, the 110-degree field of view and 1080p Full High Definition (FHD) resolution is clear enough to see faces and license plates in daylight. It’s a little harder to make out such features at night, especially if your yard or driveway is pitch black, but thanks to Wyze’s Starlight Sensor, it’s noticeably easier than on cheaper cameras we’ve used. If you want automatic detection of faces, packages, and pets and unlimited recording, you’ll need to subscribe to Wyze Cam Plus. On the plus side, all recordings on both free and paid plans can be saved locally on the camera via a 32-gigabyte microSD card (sold separately). Despite the wide range of advanced features, the Unifi Protect app is intuitive and easy to use. You can also access your camera from a browser and PC. Although the field of view appears narrow—up to 64 degrees—this camera comes with tamper-resistant, 360-degree pan-and-tilt features, which you can control in real-time via the app. It’s easy to jump straight into the app via an alert and track visitors or intruders in real-time. While this camera is pricey, it’s a common choice for businesses and public spaces, such as train stations and shopping centers, meaning it should offer more than enough features to protect your home. Swann’s 4K Bullet Camera uses facial recognition for accuracy and its line-crossing software to draw lines in and around your property will trigger auto-recording and alerts. These boundaries could be a fence line, the perimeter of your yard, or a threshold within the property. Other benefits include a two-way talk function, audio recording, a siren, and seven days of rolling cloud video storage. The only real downside is that Swann cameras can be tricky to install and set up if you want to take full advantage of these features. You can buy a Swann Secure+ Plan and get up to 60 days of cloud storage plus package, pet, and vehicle detection if you want added security. Once the camera detects people or vehicles, it will send a notification before tracking them through its built-in 360-degree pan and 90-degree tilt feature. This range allows you to keep an eye on the visitor, even if they go outside of the initial field of view. Once alerted, the camera can also automatically activate the built-in siren and spotlights, while a two-way talk function allows you to speak directly to the visitor in real-time. Another beauty of these pan-and-tilt functions is that you can set the camera to “patrol” the property at set times during the day, highlighting any changes and saving them to the REOLINK app. Given the many customization options, the app is a little difficult to navigate and master, but it’s worth the effort. On the free Blink plan, you can live stream for up to five minutes at a time. You can increase this duration up to 90 minutes via a Blink subscription, which also gives you 60-days’ worth of cloud storage and video sharing. You can set alerts on all plans to detect motion automatically in the full field of view, or you have the option to customize motion zones. The catch is that this camera comes with a lower-than-average, 110-degree field of view and a lack of a siren. However, its two-way audio feature allows you to hear and speak to visitors in real-time as an alternative deterrent. Local storage provides the most control and access to the footage, but your SD card or flash drive size limits how much you can store. Cloud storage offers more capacity but won’t work without an internet connection, and there are also privacy issues since your files are in the cloud. All cloud-supported cameras in our list offer encryption as standard to mitigate this risk, but it’s worth noting.
Power Source
Security cameras typically use either an outlet (wired) or batteries (wireless) for their power source. “Battery power is the simplest power option,” advises Roth. “Many battery-powered video doorbells and security cameras can be set up in a matter of minutes, and their batteries will last several months with normal use before needing to be recharged.” Outlet-powered models offer peace of mind because they won’t run out of battery, but you should weigh this assurance against their more complex installation options. Wired cameras are best suited to heavy usage, allowing for 24/7 recording, but they will fail in the event of a power cut.
Installation
Installation options typically go hand-in-hand with the camera’s power source type. Battery-powered cameras are usually easier and faster to install and can be repositioned or removed easily. This flexibility makes them more suitable for renters who can’t make modifications to the home. Meanwhile, the installation of wired cameras ranges in terms of difficulty. Some wired cameras can be run into the house and connected directly to an outlet. Others require hardwiring to the mains. “Installing battery-powered products is predominantly about installing the mount,” says Roth. “Whereas hardwired products, which need to be wired to a standard junction box, may require professional support to give you peace of mind that everything has been installed safely.”
Video Quality
The higher the video quality, the clearer the view of your home and yard, but you don’t automatically need to default to 4K resolution (3840 x 2160 pixels). If you want the camera to act as a simple deterrent or alert you to visitors or intruders without recordings, you can get away with a lower-quality camera. If you’re buying a camera with a built-in light, or your yard is well-lit, then a high-definition (HD) camera and above should suffice. Some cameras combine a high resolution with infrared sensors to improve motion detection and range. Others may have a lower resolution but come with optical zoom or image enhancement software. As a rule, we recommend you buy the best quality to match your budget.
Why Trust The Spruce?
Victoria Woollaston is a freelance science, technology, and lifestyle editor with more than a decade’s experience testing and reviewing consumer products. She’s had first-hand experience using myriad security and smart home cameras, including the majority of options on this list. If you’re installing a wired doorbell camera, you will need to connect to your existing doorbell wiring. Alternatively, some doorbell cameras offer both outlet and battery power options, allowing you to choose how it’s installed and used. Elsewhere, you can buy some wired cameras with an additional plug-in adapter, meaning you get the speed of wireless installation with an outlet. This setup just requires the waterproof cable to be run through your house and secured in place. Mount the camera inside a box that blends in with the rest of your home’s exterior with a hole cut out for the camera sensor. This method won’t work for cameras that pan or tilt but is suitable for static cameras. Buying a camera in black rather than white can also help make it more inconspicuous, particularly at night. “Many outdoor security cameras need to be wired into your home’s junction box and, as such, are specifically designed for outdoor use,” says Roth. In this instance, installation may require running cables outside to bring them back indoors, adding unnecessary complications and costs. If you want a multi-purpose camera or a network of the same cameras inside and out, opt for models with explicit indoor/outdoor compatibility (and labeling). To learn more about the different types of security cameras and which specifications are most important, Woollaston spoke with Joshua Roth, Chief Technology Officer at Ring. Using these expert insights, she looked for outdoor security cameras that offered features to suit numerous installation types, budgets, quality, and range. She prioritized cameras with smart features that offer at least HD video quality. All the cameras in this selection are additionally durable, weather-resistant, and designed to withstand various temperatures.
