D-Link Security Cameras Cost and Pricing

A Look at D-Link Pricing

Since their humble beginnings, we’ve seen D-Link make tremendous improvements to their cameras, both in design and technology. In early 2020, the brand released new cameras with edge-based2 A.I. features that can tell the difference between people and other objects, as well as detect the sound of glass breaking. This tells us that keeping up-to-date with the latest smart-home technology is a top priority for D-Link.

And all the while, we’ve seen this burgeoning brand manage to keep their prices relatively low – a trend we always like to see in this biz, as we believe that everyone deserves the chance to build a safe, burglar-proof home, regardless of their budget.

DCS-8630LH (D-Link Outdoor Spotlight Camera)

D-Link Camera at Night

For $150, D-Link’s outdoor spotlight camera provides a glimpse into your space never before seen by the naked eye, thanks to a 400-lumen spotlight that’s powerful without being too obtrusive.

After testing a number of spotlight cams – including the slightly boxier Spotlight Cam I tested from Ring – we have to say we really liked D-Link’s contribution to the spotlight camera space. Ring and D-Link happen to share much of the same features, including 1080p HD resolution, advanced motion detection, wide field of view, two-way audio, and inexpensive monitoring plans. Their prices are similar, too, with Ring’s version just slightly higher than D-Link at $160. Neither offers professional monitoring, by the way.

And, thanks to a built-in smart home hub, D-Link’s spotlight cam can now connect to your existing smart home ecosystem as easily as Amazon-owned Ring cameras can connect to an Alexa device (check out Ring camera costs here). In terms of spotlight cameras, we think D-Link presents a quality alternative. Plus, we happen to prefer this camera’s design to the Ring Spotlight, as it’s slimmer and more discreet.

DCS-8525LH (D-Link Indoor Pan & Tilt Camera)

D-Link Camera on Step

In terms of pan-tilt cameras, D-Link’s $99 indoor camera handled pretty well. One of the advantages of pan-tilt cams over traditional cams is that they cover a wider space, so you end up needing fewer cameras per room. Not only does this save money, it also prevents having to stack your house with equipment that might not blend in too well with your decor.

And speaking of blending, we liked the look of the camera, but we also think its design is becoming somewhat obsolete. Over the years, we’ve seen customers lean heavily toward slimmer designs of many of the industry’s best indoor cameras and away from bulkier, more robust builds of previous releases.

Lorex’s line of cameras, for instance, includes a solid indoor model for $50 that features an attractive magnetic mount design. That’s half the price of our D-Link. But here, we also have the option to mount upside down from a ceiling, as well as the ability to remotely pan and tilt over our space to capture ideal angles.

Snapshot of D-Link Camera Pricing

D-Link Video Storage Options

Since most people would rather have a root canal than be locked into a contract, the home security industry is teeming with cutting-edge DIY security systems that don’t require monthly fees or service agreements. If this interests you, we recommend checking out our guide to the best DIY home security systems. With D-Link, all cameras include a Micro SD port for internal storage using a micro SD card.3 This option lets you monitor your camera’s video and store history without paying for cloud storage. It’s a do-it-yourself approach to video monitoring.

But choosing cloud storage with D-Link does have its advantages. Namely, we learned you can monitor up to three cameras at once for only $2.49 per month. For context, that’s half the cost of monthly storage with Swann, another camera we tested, though you do get more space there. With D-Link, what you have is a viable, low-cost option for a decent amount of storage.

Snapshot of D-Link Cloud Storage Plans

A Look at D-Link Features and Tech

D-Link Cameras

True to their smart-home philosophy, D-Link provides a ton of customization on their cameras. The idea is to connect as many devices as possible – thermostats, kitchen ranges, light fixtures, printers, smart speakers, Wi-Fi routers, and smart plugs – to automate your home in a series of fluid, hands-free actions.

Today, we broke out some key features D-Link cameras share to help deliver that smart Internet of Things (IoT)4 connectivity to your home. For more ideas on automating your home using cameras, check out our home automation starter guide.

Customized Mobile Alerts	With D-Link, we were able to customize our motion alerts to improve our experience. D-Link’s motion settings allowed us to adjust clip length, restrict motion detection to specific areas, and adjust video resolution to ensure smoother viewing.
Wireless DIY Equipment	D-Link cameras are wireless, which means they don’t need to be hardwired into your home. You can install them basically anywhere you need to, whether you’re looking to catch porch pirates in the act or keep an eye on your roaming kitten.
Low-Cost Storage	D-Link offers two options for video storage: micro SD card (the slot is included, the card is not) or a paid cloud storage plan. Also, you can store your video history, record and save custom clips, and share video with others through the mydlink app.
Smart Home Integration	D-Link is smart-home friendly. In the mydlink app, we simply tapped the smart home compatibility button to set up our camera to connect with our Amazon Echo Show. From there, we could monitor our camera through voice commands. D-Link also works with Google Assistant devices as well as the If This Then That (IFTTT) ecosystem.
High-Quality Video	Most D-Link cameras these days will get you 1080p HD video indoors or out. The clarity of your videos might vary depending on the strength of your Wi-Fi signal, but for us, D-Link cameras performed much like their peers – mostly clear video and images, save for a few moments of graininess.
2-Way Voice	Two-way audio is a useful feature in security cameras because, essentially, it turns your camera into a megaphone that can send bad guys scurrying. Several D-Link cameras have it, and though it’s not essential, it certainly adds more peace of mind.
Night Vision	Many D-Link cameras have infrared night vision, which helps zero in on details you might miss in complete darkness. It’s great for detecting activity in dimly lit areas, which can be crucial if a criminal is in the vicinity.

D-Link Add-ons and Accessories

As I mentioned briefly above, D-Link didn’t start out exclusively in the camera space, setting them apart from the Rings and Arlos of the industry. D-Link’s inventory also includes smart home hubs, VPNs, Wi-Fi routers, smart plugs, adapters, water sensors, and USB hubs – all at pretty low prices, just like D-Link’s cameras. The idea is that you can use D-Link’s networking devices in conjunction with their cameras and smart home devices for optimal connection and automation around your home, so if you’re someone who likes to stay brand-loyal, you’ll be pleased with D-Link in this way.

I broke down a few of D-Link’s routers, add-ons, and other accessories below.

Snapshot of D-Link Products

Current Deals on D-Link Cameras

In addition to selling directly from their website, D-Link cameras are available at many big-box retailers and Amazon. From time to time, we’ll see markdowns on earlier generations of cameras after new releases come out. But currently, prices seem to be pretty unchanged regardless of the source.

It’s also good to remember that D-Link doesn’t bundle their cameras together.5 With the exception of a 2-pack option for the mydlink Mini, your only option to buy D-Link cameras is a la carte, which can be either a fun shopping experience or a real headache, depending on what kind of customer you are.

If you’d rather buy multiple cameras as a package or even as part of a whole-home security system, D-Link might not suit you. Instead, we urge you to check out SimpliSafe. Those systems, which you can learn more about in our in-depth SimpliSafe system review, are incredibly easy to install and contain a mix of cameras, sensors, and alarms.

Or, take a look at Canary’s camera packages and plans, which are a bit more straightforward and include only three cameras to choose from.

Final Thoughts on D-Link Cameras

D-Link DCS-8525LH

As we noted in our public safety guide to securing your home, security cameras are one of the best deterrents against burglaries. With a D-Link camera, there’s no doubt you’ll get quality equipment; after all, they’ve been making top-of-the-industry networking hardware since before the dawn of the millennium. But you’ll also get great camera performance when you need it most, with video that captures your space and sheds light on whatever crosses its path.

And if you’re not there to see the action for yourself, rest assured your cameras will alert you instantly and allow you to view and save the activity from wherever you are.

D-Link Camera on Door Frame

So when it comes to reliability and construction, D-Link cameras are priced fairly. But bear in mind that D-Link is pretty basic when it comes to features. Clearly not a high-tech brand, D-Link doesn’t sell ultra HD (2K or 4K) cameras or A.I. facial recognition, for instance. You’ll find those features in Arlo cameras, for sure, but you’ll also pay more for the equipment. If you’re curious about high-performance cameras, we recommend reading our in-depth Arlo review or our review of Vivint Cameras.

All told, we found D-Link’s line of devices to be solid and affordable, with basic functionality that won’t knock your socks off, but won’t let you down when it matters, either.

Frequently Asked Questions