Best Motion Sensor Security Cameras

SimpliSafe doesn’t offer professional installation, but its systems are so easy to set up that anyone can do it. During our SimpliSafe tests, we managed to get everything up in less than 30 minutes. It helped that the Wireless Indoor Camera is, well, wireless. Installation was basically just setting it on our mantle.

The outdoor camera wasn’t quite so easy to install, but SimpliSafe has been at this for a long time, and with a basic mounting kit and clear instructions, the whole process was fast and easy.

Setting up Activity Zones was just as easy with the SimpliSafe app. Perfect, since this feature helped us significantly reduce false alerts. We live on a busy street, so we excluded everything outside of our front fence. By default, the camera ignores pets, and you can add regular guests to a facial recognition library, which cuts down even further on notifications.

Our Wireless Indoor Camera knows who we are which is why the privacy shutter is closed.

You need a SimpliSafe professional monitoring plan to access these features. The Core Plan, just $32.99, includes Intruder Intervention, cellular backup, and 30 days of cloud storage.

For Active Guard Outdoor Protection, you need the Pro Plan at $49.99. That’s on par with ADT’s professionally installed packages. The main difference is that SimpliSafe agents are trained to actively deter intruders while contacting authorities, whereas ADT primarily focuses on dispatching authorities.

>> Keep Reading: SimpliSafe 2025 Packages and Pricing

The Google Nest Cams we bought with our ADT security system sent us alerts telling us who they saw.

ADT is becoming more DIY all the time. All of the company’s equipment can be self-installed, for instance, and the process is almost as easy as that of SimpliSafe. All in all, the ADT system we tested took about 45 minutes to install. We should point out that we didn’t purchase a Google Nest Cam with floodlight. That’s the one ADT device that requires an electrician.

While other cameras on this list offer facial recognition, no one does it better than ADT. The Trusted Neighbor feature automatically grants access to friends and family when they approach your house. You can even activate it at scheduled times. We configured our system to let our dog walker enter every Thursday at 10:30 AM. It’s easy to see why ADT ranks among the best smart home security systems.

>> Learn About: ADT Self Setup Review and Pricing Plans in 2025

We could write an essay about Lorex’s vast camera lineup. Even though all Lorex cameras offer motion detection, we recommend their active deterrence cameras, like the H30 series. They include AI-powered person detection to identify potential threats, and activate a siren and built-in spotlight to scare intruders away.

Both of our Lorex cameras feature motion detection, but we preferred the outdoor camera with active deterrence.

Even limiting yourself to active deterrence cameras, Lorex still provides dozens of options. It might seem excessive, but we appreciate the range of options. For instance, you could choose a single standalone cloud-compatible camera or build a commercial-grade multi-camera system.

Plus, Lorex makes it easy to self-monitor your system. During our testing, we got real-time alerts as well as access to both live footage and recorded footage. That’s right, we had playback options without having to sign up for a cloud storage plan. Lorex actually offers several different local storage systems, including DVR, NVR, and microSD cards.

With such an extensive inventory, you can always find a Lorex camera that suits your price range. For more, check out our list of Lorex’s prices and products.

Google sells just three Nest cameras: the wired indoor Nest Cam, the battery-powered indoor/outdoor Nest Cam, and the wired Nest Cam with Floodlight. All three come with advanced AI that not only improves security but simplifies home monitoring.

All three cameras include people detection. That cuts down on false alerts, making it easier to pay attention to each alert you receive. Google Nest Cams can send even smarter alerts with facial recognition. We had to teach our cameras to recognize our friends and neighbors, but after a couple of months, it was surprisingly reliable.

This impressive technology comes at a price. Cameras start at $99.99, double the price of Ring’s entry-level camera. You’ll also need a $10 to $20 per month Google Home Premium subscription for facial recognition and extended cloud storage. We still think it’s worth it.

Check out our Google Nest Cam review to get the full scoop on our live Nest tests.

Ring cameras don’t include facial recognition, but they still have an accurate People Only Mode. That prevented us from receiving a notification every time our neighbor’s cat sunbathed on our front porch. If our cameras sent all those notifications, we’d start ignoring them, which would leave our home vulnerable.

To cut down on false alerts even further, Ring offers customized motion zones. We set ours to avoid the neighbor’s yard. There’s also a scheduling feature we used to turn off motion detection every Tuesday morning at 5 a.m. when the street sweeper comes by.

When we did receive alerts from Ring, reviewing the footage was simple enough. The app automatically trims video clips and attaches them to alerts so we can quickly access the relevant footage. This helps make decisions faster.

Want to know more? Check out our Ring Cam analysis for a complete review.

Computer vision motion detection, which is what Arlo uses, works best with high resolution. That gives the algorithms the most data to work with when deciding if the moving object is a person or a pet. At a minimum, Arlo offers a 2K variant of all its cameras, and we recommend them for more accurate alerts. Our Arlo price guide covers all the prices of the 2K versions.

We like Arlo’s sleek, modern designs. Nobody wants an eyesore of a security camera dominating their home’s entrance. That might be the optimal location, though. With stylish cameras, you can install them without fear of disturbing your home’s curb appeal.

It’s easy to get caught up in all the amazing high-tech that’s making its way into the home security industry these days. We confess, we’re sometimes guilty of focusing on facial recognition software and geographic triggers to the exclusion of more important camera features like field-of-view and resolution. Reviewing Blink always reminds us that a security camera’s first job is to provide clear images of what’s going on at your home. Blink does that amazingly well, and it does it at a price that makes home security affordable for any family.

Don’t underestimate Blink cameras. They feature dual-zone motion detection and know the difference between a person and a vehicle. This significantly reduces false alerts, which ultimately keeps you safer. Too many false notifications can desensitize you to real threats.

With Blink, though, you get features like enhanced motion detection at an affordable price. No camera in Blink’s inventory costs more than $130. While advanced features are nice and can add convenience, we don’t think trading extras for affordability is a bad deal. Here’s the current breakdown:

Like most of the cameras on this list, Kuna cameras know the difference between human and other types of movement, which means you have fewer false alerts to deal with. In addition, they’re smart enough to differentiate between people, pets, vehicles, and packages. This means you can set them to screen out movement that’s less important to you. We get a lot of packages, so we don’t want to know every single time one arrives. On the other hand, if you’re expecting an expensive laptop, you probably want a notification the very instant it arrives on your porch.

Kuna claims that its cameras will eventually be able to recognize burglars solely based on their physical movements. Apparently, thieves move differently from the rest of us. We’ve seen AI do some pretty amazing things, so maybe? The important point is that you won’t have to purchase a new Kuna camera to take advantage of evolutions like these. According to Kuna, your cameras should grow and develop over time. The longer you have them, the more they improve – pretty unusual in the home security market.

We don’t mind Kuna’s unique approach to home security, but we do wish the company offered a few more options. Two models isn’t a lot to choose from, and Kuna doesn’t make any indoor cameras at all. Still, during our Kuna camera live testing, we were impressed by just how many features the company includes in these devices. When our camera picked up motion on the front porch at 2 am, for example, we had the option to shine a light on the situation. Turns out, a neighborhood possum was making its rounds, but once our light came on, it sauntered on its way. Alternatively, we could have kept things on the DL and simply checked out the footage. We like a home security company that lets us decide how to respond to events.