Best Outdoor Security Cameras of 2025

At $199.99, SimpliSafe’s Outdoor Security Camera is one of the most expensive options on this list. It also requires a paid subscription if you want access to its best feature, Active Guard. But we’re convinced it’s worth it.

Active Guard unlocks facial recognition to help reduce false alarms. You can also set up activity zones to ignore passing automobile traffic and people on sidewalks. In fact, when we reviewed the SimpliSafe Outdoor Camera, we managed to get our number of false alerts down to zero without compromising our safety.

Of course, if you want these features, you’ll have to invest in one of  SimpliSafe’s professional monitoring plans. SimpliSafe does offer self-monitoring for no monthly cost, or you can self-monitor with video recording for $10 a month. If that’s the route you’re planning to take, though, we suggest going with a cheaper camera. The real value of the SimpliSafe Outdoor Camera is in its professional monitoring capabilities.

>> Learn More: SimpliSafe Security System Review 2025

Like our other SimpliSafe equipment, the Outdoor Camera was easy to install.

ADT is still relatively new to the DIY installation game, but our ADT security cameras were a snap to set up. ADT let us sync our Google and ADT accounts, so we were able to monitor everything with a single app. And even with just the ADT+ app, we still had access to Nest features like Familiar Faces and personalized notifications. We were able to fine-tune these cameras to meet our specific needs.

We also set up ADT’s Trusted Neighbor feature, which made it easy for our brother to feed our cat while we were on vacation. When the system recognized him, it sent him a phone notification. Once he responded, the system disarmed and opened our smart locks automatically.

As with SimpliSafe, you need an ADT professional monitoring plan to access these bonus features. Plans start at $39.99 per month and include cellular backup, text alerts, and smart home integration. You also get 30 days of cloud video storage. The pricing is more expensive than Ring and Arlo, but ADT offers more advanced security features and professional monitoring.

We unboxed the Nest Cam with floodlight ourselves, but we needed an electrician to connect to our internal wiring.

Lorex cameras aren’t the easiest to purchase and set up. There are dozens of models to choose from, and the customer service is only available during daytime hours. That makes their DIY installation process more difficult. But it’s also how Lorex offers such low prices for high-quality cameras.

Once we went through those initial hurdles, we found the equipment provides great value. Our four cameras feature a motorized varifocal lens, adjustable field of view, and night vision. There’s also a 1 TB DVR for storing 24/7 video without a monthly fee. After a week with these cameras, we almost forgot about those initial struggles since the equipment is so high-quality.

All Ring outdoor cameras come with night vision, two-way talk, and integrate with Alexa and Google Home. Some premium models also include unique features like 3D motion detection and high-decibel sirens. The intuitive Ring app made it easy for us to put these features to use, enhancing our ability to self-monitor our system.

Our router is located at the back of our house, but Ring’s signal strength ensured our front porch cameras had a strong connection. And we were able to install those cameras exactly where they would do the most good. With a variety of power options – plug-in, battery, and even solar – we didn’t have to worry about whether or not we were near an outlet.

As for pricing, the Stick Up Camera is the lowest-cost option. Operating on batteries, it is regularly $99.99. The Spotlight Cam Plus, available in battery, wired, plug-in, or solar power, is priced at $169.99 to $229.99. The Spotlight Camera Pro, also available with four power options, costs $229.99 to $249.99. Self-monitoring is free, or you can add video storage for $10 a month. We recommend a plan with professional monitoring, though, which starts at $20 a month.

Here’s a complete rundown of Ring’s outdoor offerings and their prices:

Stick Up Camera Pricing Breakdown

Floodlight Camera Pricing Breakdown

Spotlight Camera Pricing Breakdown

We tested Arlo’s Pro security camera to check out the capabilities of their most popular model. It features 2K HDR that offers a clearer picture than the industry-standard 1080p resolution. It also features a 12x digital zoom that doesn’t cause any blurriness. We like the wide 160-degree field of view, too. We could see our entire driveway when mounted above our garage.

As for the Ultra 2, it offers 4K resolution and a 180-degree field of view. That means slightly better specs for about $120 more. There’s also a cheaper option with lower specs.

Arlo also stands out for its cellular connectivity. It doesn’t need a Wi-Fi connection, making it a good choice for protecting a barn or any other structure that’s not near your house. Here’s an overview of Arlo’s outdoor cameras and their prices.

Arlo Camera Price Breakdown

Beyond the basics we mentioned earlier, Nest Cams include unique high-tech features like sound detection so you receive alerts even if your camera can’t see what’s happening. Built-in two-way audio lets you talk to whoever might be passing through your yard, so you seem like you’re home even when you’re not. Person detection eliminates false alerts, which ultimately keeps you safer.

The Nest app is as sophisticated as the ADT+ app. The Nest system sends intelligent alerts any time it picks up activity. Intelligent means you know what the alert is about without having to pull up footage. We know when the mail arrives every day, because we get a notice that says “mailman.”

The app can also be set to provide thumbnail images of everything it captures, so you can catch up on anything you missed during the big meeting. And with Nest Aware enabled, you can create and share video clips with neighbors or the police. We used the time-lapse feature to let the couple across the street know how much time their cat spends on our front porch.

On top of making cameras, Google Nest also makes a suite of smart home products. We own the Nest thermostat. By syncing them together, we were able to use our Nest Cam’s facial recognition to automatically raise and lower the temperature when it sees us leaving in the morning and arriving in the evening. That saved us about $40 per month on our heating bill in the winter.

See our full Google Nest Cam analysis to really understand what it’s like to protect your home with this popular camera system.

Blink only offers one outdoor camera model, but you can pair it with two different Sync Modules. Here’s a quick comparison:

Blink’s Outdoor Cameras

*with the purchase of a $3-per-month Blink subscription

We found both remarkably easy to install. It helps that they are battery-powered. Our house is over 100 years old and doesn’t have outdoor outlets, so we couldn’t string up a bunch of power cords even if we wanted to. In addition, though, battery-power meant we could place both of these cameras high. Not only could we see more of our yards, but we were sure no one could tamper with them.

Battery power is an awesome convenience, but we cannot stress enough that these are not cheap, flimsy cameras. For example, in addition to battery power, Blink cameras offer complete integration with both Google Home and Amazon Alexa. Arming and disarming them was as simple as giving a voice command. That’s nice when you’re arms are full of grocery bags. Want to know more about these cameras’ pros and cons, head over to our complete Blink Camera review for all the details.

As much as any other home security company on this list, Wyze understands just how vital outdoor cameras can be. The Wyze website even takes the time to explain why outward-facing cameras are so important. As we point out above, they’re your first line of defense. Protect your perimeter and you and your family are going to be safer.

To help ensure your safety, Wyze cameras also include some pretty sophisticated AI technology and a well-designed app. The technology can distinguish between different kinds of movement so you don’t have to worry about getting alerts every time a leaf falls from a tree. Basically, cameras know when they’re looking at a person. Then, when they send an alert to your mobile device, they tag that alert as Critical. Even if you’ve set your phone to Do Not Disturb, Critical alerts get through.

We’re deep sleepers and don’t like waking up to alerts. So we signed up for Noonlight, Wyze’s 24/7 monitoring service. That way, the monitoring center would call 911 if we didn’t respond. Wyze also offers cloud storage plans starting at $2.99 per month for one camera or $9.99 for unlimited cameras. We always recommend professional monitoring, though.

Zmodo offers several outdoor security cameras — all very affordable compared to similar outdoor cameras. You get 12 hours of free cloud storage. There are no fees or hidden charges. The picture quality is pretty great on the cameras. The software supports multiple cameras. Therefore, consider Zmodo if you want an affordable outdoor surveillance camera. You can customize your outdoor security camera setup to best suit your needs. There are also several cloud storage plans to choose from and start at just $4.99 a month. We recently tested Zmodo cameras in our home. You’ll be surprised by what we found.