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SecureScore™: 8.5/10
Nest has designed their cameras to be part of the connected home. They are both functional and stylish. The Nest Camera line includes a range of outdoor and indoor cameras to choose from. These cameras feature a variety of features to secure and monitor your home, including 24/7 live video, a 3-hour snapshot history and night vision.
Ring offers a wide range of cameras for just about any scenario. Their security cameras include the Stick Up Cam, Spotlight Cam, and Floodlight Cam. Each option supplies a unique function to users and provides a high-quality design with top-tier features and a reliable, clear image.
The Arlo Home Security Camera system is 100% wireless, a DIY installation, and they only offer indoor and outdoor surveillance cameras with night vision and a security light, but no other features are available.
Nest has designed their cameras to be part of the connected home. They are both functional and stylish. The Nest Camera line includes a range of outdoor and indoor cameras to choose from. These cameras feature a variety of features to secure and monitor your home, including 24/7 live video, a 3-hour snapshot history and night vision.
Ring offers a wide range of cameras for just about any scenario. Their security cameras include the Stick Up Cam, Spotlight Cam, and Floodlight Cam. Each option supplies a unique function to users and provides a high-quality design with top-tier features and a reliable, clear image.
The Arlo Home Security Camera system is 100% wireless, a DIY installation, and they only offer indoor and outdoor surveillance cameras with night vision and a security light, but no other features are available.
A home security system without video cameras is like not having a security system at all. But, having video cameras is just one part of the equation. You also need to be able to access, monitor, control, and store your video recordings as well, if you want them to be of any use to you. A security camera without recordings would mean you would have to watch your security cameras 24/7 if you wanted to see what’s happening in and around your home at all times. And we’re guessing you probably don’t have time for that. Here are our top five picks for the best cloud security cameras in 2021.
1
Google Nest - Best Cloud Security Camera Overall
Being a Google product, the Nest Cam has some amazing features that include video recordings, not just video clips. It will also send you alerts when a person is detected on your property or in your home. And if you want advanced features, there is the Nest Cam IQ, which is a smart camera that can actually detect a familiar face versus one that’s not. Here is our Nest Cam summary along with a few of the Nest Cam pros and cons.
Pros:
Solid, Weatherproof Build
1080p HD resolution with 4K Sensor
Built-in Google Assistant
Person Alerts
Facial Recognition
Simple DIY Installation
Two-Way Talk
Intelligent Audio Alerts
Cons:
Relatively Expensive
Wired Cameras; No Battery Option
Some Video Recording and Processing Delays
Summary:
The Nest Cams are becoming more popular by the day. These cameras are available with 5-, 10-, or 30-day subscription options, and they cost $5/mo. or $50/yr., $10/mo. or $100/yr., and $30/mo. or $300/yr. respectively. These subscription plans come with a 24/7 continuous recording feature, intelligent alerts, video clips, and time-lapses, customized activity zones, and more for just pennies a day. Your subscription plan allows you to store your video recordings in the cloud for your chosen amount of time, so you can go back in time to see what happens when you’re not there. You can also share your videos with the authorities or others who might benefit from seeing them. Head over to our Nest Cam review to learn about our hands-on experience with this high-tech security camera.
The Ring line of security products are some of the most comprehensive, affordable, DIY security devices on the market. And since they’re wireless, they are perfect for everyone, especially those who live in an apartment or townhome. The Ring products are easy to install, have free to low-cost monitoring plans, and they are continually adding new features to their lineup of products. Here is our Ring summary along with a few of the Ring pros and cons.
Pros:
Easy DIY Installation
No Wires (for battery model)
1080p HD Video
Designed for Indoors or Outdoors
Highly Customizable Settings
User-Friendly Mobile App
Live Video Streaming
Two-Way Talk
Motion-Activated Notifications
Infrared Night Vision
Works Best With Alexa
Cons:
Occasional Missed Motion
No Advanced Video Resolutions (2K or 4K)
Equipment Costs Can Add Up
Professional Monitoring Only Available in U.S. and Canada
History of Privacy Issues/Hacking
Summary:
Ring has two cloud plans to choose from, and they cost either $3 per month or $30 per year for the Basic Plan, or $10 per month or $100 per year for the Plus Plan. Ring cameras are DIY installations which means they are portable so you can easily take them with you when you move. With Ring, you can also build your own system specifically to meet your individual needs versus buying a package of equipment you might not want or need. You also get real-time alerts and several backup options. See our full Ring Cam analysis to learn more.
The Arlo cameras are for you if you want a home security system that is basic and extremely easy to install and even easier to use. Arlo offers indoor and outdoor camera systems that are 100% wireless and that, in part, is why they are so easy to install. However, the Arlo system does lack some of the features that other home security systems offer. Here is our Arlo summary along with a few of the Arlo pros and cons.
Pros:
Well-Built Equipment
Super HD 2K Video
Color Night Vision
No Contracts Required
DIY Installation (100 percent Wireless)
160-degree Field of Vision
Noise Cancellation
Third-Party Integration
Cons:
Recording Delay Issues
Limited Home Automation
Lacking Advanced Security Features
Considerable Up-front Cost
Occasionally Buggy
SmartHub Requires Ethernet Connection
Summary:
Arlo has some of the best basic, but powerful home security cameras on the market. And, Arlo has just added some new A.I. technology to their lineup as well and it’s called the Arlo Smart. The Arlo Smart uses advanced technology to enable you to customize key aspects of your home security system. The Arlo Smart has a person detection feature that can distinguish between a person and other motion triggers. This A.I. and computer vision technology filter will immediately send you an alert when it detects a person while ignoring motion from other objects such as swaying tree branches, etc. This new option also has a package detection and vehicle detect feature as well. The Arlo cameras come with 7-days of rolling video with cloud storage. However, they also have additional plans if you would like more advanced features and longer cloud storage options.
The Arlo Smart option has three scalable plans. The Arlo Smart is $2.99 per month per camera and comes with a 30-day video history. The Arlo Smart Premier is $9.99 per month for up to 10-cameras and a 30-day video history. The Arlo Smart Elite is $14.99 per month for up to 20-cameras and a 60-day video history. They also have a Premium Video Recording option that is $1.99 per month per camera that allows you to upgrade your Ultra camera so it can record and store video clips in the cloud in 4K and view them from anywhere.
Check out our review of Arlo cameras to learn all about what it’s like protecting your home with Arlo.
Zmodo has some great offerings. With Zmodo, you not only get great cameras, but you also get advanced features (for a fee) and basic cloud storage for free. Zmodo’s camera systems also come with night vision that has a range of up to 98 feet in the dark (on selected cameras only), which is amazing compared to other brand cameras. And, Zmodo has smart home integration options available as well. Here is our Zmodo summary along with a few of the Zmodo pros and cons.
Pros:
Low-Cost Cameras
Simple, Discreet Design
No Paid Subscription Required
Clear 1080p Video Quality
Numerous Indoor Camera Options
Works with Alexa and Google Assistant
30-day Money-Back Guarantee
1-year Warranty
Cons:
Limited Features
Only 1 Outdoor Camera Available
Some Delay on Wake Time in App
No Built-In Siren or Two-Way Talk with Outdoor Cam
Summary:
There are so many great things about the Zmodo cameras such as their ability to work well with voice assistants. They also have night vision, pan and tilt cameras, smart motion alerts with set detection fields, time-lapse videos, edit and share features, two-way audio, multiple-user support, a mobile app, and more.
Zmodo offers three plans. Their Basic plan is free and comes with 12 hours of alert clips. All their paid plans come with advanced features and varying degrees of cloud storage. The 7-Day Plan is $4.99 per month or $49.90 per year and comes with 7-days of intelligent continuous cloud storage and 7-days of alert clip storage. The 30-day Plan is $9.99 per month or $99.90 per year and comes with 30-days of intelligent continuous cloud storage and 30-days of alert clip storage. And, Zmodo offers 50-percent off the purchase of any additional cameras you buy. See our Zmodo testing and review for more.
Finally, a home security company offering advanced high-quality cameras at unbelievably low prices, then adding free cloud storage to boot! The only drawback is that they only offer indoor video cameras, at least for now. Here is our Wyze summary along with a few of the Wyze pros and cons.
Pros:
Low-Price and Feature-Rich Smart Home Cameras
Easy Online Shopping with Clear Product Selection
14-Day Free Cloud Storage
Unique Motion Tagging Accelerates Video History
Motion Detection Zones Reduce False Alerts
Advanced Sound Recognition
Smart Home Accessories Available
Compatible with Alexa, Google Home, and IFTTT
Cons:
Indoor-Only Cameras
No Professional Monitoring Services
Corded Cameras Require Power Outlets
No Backup Batteries
Limited Video Storage without Upgrade
Summary:
The Wyze cameras come with some great features such as automatic motion tracking and tagging, night vision with a 30-foot range, smart sound recognition, time-lapse video, and they are very easy to use. However, the Wyze cameras don’t have any battery-powered options, so they have to be plugged into a power source to use them. The good news is, though, that Wyze will give you 14-days of free video cloud storage and if you prefer local storage, they will sell you a 32GB MicroSD card for your camera as well. Unfortunately, they don’t offer any paid video recording cloud storage options so you can store your videos for longer than 14 days. After the 14-day timeframe, the video recordings are deleted and can’t be recovered.
To dive deeper into Wyze pricing and plans, see our Wyze camera cost guide. And to learn about our full experience testing these security cameras hands-on, we recommend reading our in-depth Wyze camera review.
Do You Need a Hard Drive for Security Cameras?
Wireless technology has completely transformed the home security industry from its hardwired, analog beginnings decades ago. In addition to a much easier installation experience, we’re also getting more choices than ever in how we want to store our video history. Now, you’re no longer limited to just a hard drive.
But in many cases, saving and storing video to a hard drive works quite well as a camera setup. We’ve found IP camera systems with network or digital video recorder boxes to be a solid solution for storage.
FYI: Lorex makes a nice 4K Ultra HD NVR system, a great outdoor package for folks who want to record and store footage around the clock.
But we mostly test Wi-Fi systems that don’t sync up to hard drive recorders. Instead, we have access to a micro SD port built into the camera.
Those cameras, in our experience, end up working more like smart home devices than traditional security equipment. We simply pop in our micro SD card during installation and let the camera do (most of) the work, or, if that option is not available, we sign on to the cloud and pick a monthly subscription through the camera’s mobile app. In fact, we often prefer cloud storage over local video storage for security cameras.
We’re big fans of cloud storage plans. A cloud subscription will typically only set you back about $3 or $5 per month for 60-90 days of video history, image capture and video sharing, and other great features.
So the answer is no, you don’t need a hard drive for security cameras.
Pro Tip: Not really sure where to start and want to learn all the features and tech to look for in a security camera? If so, you’ll want to read our comprehensive home security camera purchasing guide.
How to Tell if a Security Camera is Recording
At random times throughout our home security journey, we run into scenarios where we need to figure out whether one of our cameras is recording. In some of our tests, the camera gives us a small red light to indicate that it’s online and recording; other times, the light is blue or green.
We found that some brands handle this differently than others, but generally all in the form of light indicators. Still, it’s helpful to know what our camera is going to look like when it’s all up and running. Why? For one, we don’t want to go through all the trouble of installing, pairing, and setting up all this equipment around our home, just to end up with cameras that don’t record when we need them to.
As an example, SimpliSafe’s super DIY setup process includes a great troubleshooting menu, pictured below, that explains what all those light indicators mean, so we knew as soon as we were finished with installation whether our cameras were working or not.
SimpliCam Light Indicators
In other cases, you might want to know if a camera is recording before you walk into, say, a summer property you’re renting. Depending on the laws in your state, recording rental property guests might be illegal. (Airbnb doesn’t ban property owners from installing cameras, just FYI.)
On the flip side, however, having security cameras in your property can certainly be beneficial to the tenant, as it can help protect their belongings. These are all simple yet beneficial tips to remember as you navigate the world of security cameras.
Of course, cloud storage isn’t the only feature to look for in a camera. Check out our roundup of the best security cameras to find the perfect match in features and pricing.
Features of Cloud Security Cameras
Wireless
A wireless cloud security camera is one that is battery-powered and doesn't require any hardwiring or an external power source to function. A wireless security system is generally very easy to set up because there are no wires or electrical issues to deal with.
Night Vision
The night vision feature gives your camera the ability to see in low-light conditions. This feature works by using infrared light or thermal imaging to observe objects at night or other low-light conditions.
Motion Detection
Motion detection sensors use multiple technologies to detect movement. Once movement is detected, it will trigger an alarm and send you an alert so you can respond accordingly.
App Control
App control refers to a brand's mobile app. Brand mobile apps give you the ability to access, monitor, and control your home's security and automation systems, as well as receive alerts in real-time from a single dashboard.
High Resolution
High resolution is the feature on a security camera that displays your video recordings. The higher the resolution is on any given camera, the more clear the images on your video streams will be. If you have a low-resolution video, your images will be grainy and/or blurry to the point you might not be able to distinguish people and objects.
Video Recording
Most, but not all, security cameras come with a video recording feature. A video camera will record using an intermittent or continuous recording option. The intermittent option only records when activity is detected. A continuous video recording is one that records continuously 24/7 without any lapses. Video recordings are then stored locally on the camera or sent to a cloud storage service.
Cloud Storage
Security camera videos are either stored locally (on the camera and/or SD card) or on the cloud. Cloud storage is a service that stores your cameras' videos on a remote server where you can access them using the internet.
Live View
A live view is when you are able to view your video camera feeds in real-time rather than going back and looking at stored recordings from a previous time. The live view is an important feature in helping to prevent crime because, without it, you won't be able to proactively respond to a potential intrusion/crime.
Smart Home Integration
The smart home integration feature is what allows you to control all your smart home's internet-connected functions and devices. Smart home integration allows you to control many of your home's features remotely, such as your security system, lights, door locks, thermostat, and more. Smart home integration requires the use of a base station or hub, such as Alexa, and devices that are all compatible with that hub and each other.
Jaime Fraze is an experienced digital editor in the tech, business and food spaces, having produced content for clients ranging from Fortune 500 corporations to fledgling nonprofits for more than 15 years. As a wife, mother and homeowner, she understands that buying home security products can be confusing and overwhelming. That’s why Jaime has constantly strived to ensure that every piece of content she produces has met SafeHome.org’s rigorous standards, and that her readers come away with the power to make better, smarter decisions. Learn more about Jaime here
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Updated July 15, 2021
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