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Our pick, ADT, topped our list with its range of Google Nest cameras featuring motion-activated recording and facial recognition.
Updated July 16, 2025
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With ADT’s Video Package, you get 24/7 monitoring for your outdoor, indoor, and doorbell security cameras. Camera features include night vision, 720p HD video, remote live stream reviewing, and motion-activated recording.
With SimpliSafe, you can protect your entire home with both indoor and outdoor security cameras. They each support active monitoring features that allow SimpliSafe’s agents to use your cameras and deter crime before it happens.
Vivint’s high-tech indoor, outdoor, and doorbell cameras are supported by the top mobile app in the industry. The Vivint App stores video clips, gives you live video feed access, and sends you notifications when motion is detected so you’re always connected to your home.
You really can’t beat a good camera if you’re looking to improve your home’s overall security. Sensors are more affordable, and they can let you know if someone breaches your perimeter, but only cameras let you actually see what’s happening at your property.
In our experience, however, the very best cameras come attached to complete home security systems. Sensors let you know something’s happening; cameras let you pull up footage and see what it is. These days, there are even systems out there with cameras that provide video verification services, cut down on false alerts using AI, and even a few that have home automation capabilities.
Spoiler alert, ADT had the best mix of these features, and that mix helped elevate the company to the top of this list. No home security system or camera is right for everyone, though, so we recommend checking out the entire list before you decide where to invest your money.
The best way to make trustworthy and unbiased reviews is by hands-on testing home security systems ourselves. We buy the equipment, install the devices in our homes, and test them for weeks and sometimes months. It’s how we get a feel for what it’s like to live with the security system first-hand. We then use our real-life experience to give you honest recommendations.
Many factors come into play when testing home security systems, which means we have to find ways to even the playing field. One approach we use is installing all the equipment in the same environment – a two-story, 2,200-square-foot home owned by one of our experts. Testing security systems in a real house means we get accurate results and can make better recommendations.
We also buy the same equipment for each test unit and set them up in identical locations. You can see the spots we frequently choose to install home security devices below.
We considered different factors when choosing the best home security systems with cameras. Drawing from our extensive experience and expertise, these are the factors we deemed most important.
After reviewing each system with these criteria, here is how we rated the top five:
Rating the Best Home Security Systems with Cameras
We’ve all landed on review websites that cover everything from handbags to scented candles. But we’re different. Our team of experts exclusively focuses on safety and security equipment. It means we can scrutinize systems more thoroughly and make more in-depth recommendations. The experts who worked on this review were:
Our team has over 75 years of combined experience. That makes us the most accomplished home security team online. Since starting in 2016, SafeHome.org has been featured in several major outlets, including The Washington Post and The New York Times. Together, we have achieved:
All of our recommendations are based on first-hand product experience and a deep understanding of the security industry. Now, let’s find out more about our top picks.
Google Nest and ADT are a match made in home security heaven. Nest manufactures some of the best equipment on the planet, including hearty cameras with high-tech features like person detection, and facial recognition. Meanwhile, with over 150 years in the business, ADT is an industry leader when it comes to equipment systems and monitoring. Recent changes at ADT, including lowered prices and the option for self-installation with some systems, have made this company even more attractive. No surprise ADT tops this list, and so many others.
Google Nest Cams don’t feature 4K image sensors like Vivint’s cameras, but they still meet the industry-standard 1080p HD resolution. That’s clear enough for us to tell who’s at our door and to power their unique facial recognition feature.
Facial recognition enables Google Nest Cams to learn faces over time. For this to work, we either had to add pictures of our regular visitors through the app or tag people in the images our camera took. This process took about a month of weekly visits before our cameras could identify their faces.
FYI: We also used the Familiar Face features to ignore animals and cars as we live on a busy street. This way, we don’t get a notification every 30 seconds.
>> Read More: Google Nest Cam Review 2025
Setting up our ADT Outdoor Camera to overlook the back porch
When you buy an ADT home security system, you’re not just getting cameras as part of a package. You also get their best-in-industry monitoring. But this doesn’t come cheap. There’s only one option available for systems with cameras. We’re paying $49.99 per month, which includes ADT’s professional monitoring service, smart home integrations, and video storage via Nest Aware.
There are more affordable monitoring plans and you can bring ADT’s premium plan down to $39.99 if you install your own equipment. For some reason, they charge a premium on their monitoring plans if you have your system professionally installed. Either way, it unlocks all of ADT’s premium camera features including facial recognition and Trusted Neighbor.
Pro Tip: Trusted Neighbor can also come in handy during emergencies. You can program rules that decide when to let a trusted person inside your house – in our case, when it sees our brother on a Friday afternoon. You can also set scenarios. For example, when a smoke alarm triggers, you can set Trusted Neighbor to let your neighbor in. This can be life-saving, especially if you’re living with a stay-at-home senior. That’s one reason we named ADT the best security system for seniors.
Reviewing our activity on the ADT Control Panel
ADT has recently added the option to self-install security systems, but whether you go with that or the professional installation route, ADT’s cameras – or rather Google Nest’s cameras – are affordable when bought from ADT. There are no markups. Whatever they cost on the Google Store is also what they cost from ADT:
| Security Cameras | Price |
|---|---|
| Google Nest Cam (battery) | $179.99 |
| Google Nest Cam (wired) | $99.99 |
| Google Nest Doorbell (battery) | $179.99 |
FYI: If you choose a home security system that needs to be installed professionally, ADT charges start from $99.
| Equipment Cost | Packages starting at $349 |
|---|---|
| Monitoring Options | Professional or DIY |
| Monitoring Cost | Starting at $24.99 per month |
| Contract Length | Monthly |
| Installation Options | Professional or DIY |
| Smart Platform Integration | Alexa and Google Home |
Simplisafe’s camera lineup is limited. The company offers exactly one outdoor camera, one indoor camera, and one video doorbell. These are all high-quality devices, though, with features like night vision, 10x zoom, privacy shutters, and fields-of-view as wide as 165 degrees.Their real value, though, comes from SimpliSafe’s active monitoring features. With it, SimpliSafe’s monitoring agents can view your live feed during threats and then use the camera’s features to scare away any intruders. To use these features, you’ll need a Core, Pro or Pro Plus SimpliSafe monitoring plan.
SimpliSafe doesn’t offer a wide range of cameras. You can purchase a wireless outdoor camera or a wireless indoor camera. Here’s the thing, though: Their cameras are state-of-the-art. Not only do they contain advanced motion detection technology, but they also come attached to one of the most high-tech monitoring systems on the market.
The real advantage o SimpliSafe cameras is the way they integrate seamlessly with SimpliSafe monitoring to provide home security coverage you just won’t get anywhere else.
A close-up of SimpliSafe’s wireless indoor camera
The cameras are just the beginning. The Wireless Indoor works great with SimpliSafe’s Core plan with Intruder Intervention. What we liked most is that it lets SimpliSafe agents use video verification to check emergencies. They’ll send images to first responders to get them on the scene faster. And with two-way audio, agents can communicate with potential home invaders and, at least in theory, talk them down.
This service is more affordable than ADT. Self-monitoring with camera recording is just $9.99 per month. But if you want the Intruder Intervention features, it will cost you $31.99.
Pro Tip: SimpliSafe has added two new options that enable live guard monitoring on up to three outdoor cameras. Overnight protection (8 pm to 6 am local time) costs $49.99, while 24-hour monitoring costs $79.99 per month.
SimpliSafe’s cameras are all reasonably priced, if not exactly cheap. It helps that the company runs frequent sales, though. You’ll almost always find equipment at least 20 percent off, but on occasion, the discount can be as much as 70 percent off. And that’s just for starters. It’s not unusual for SimpliSafe to offer free cameras as part of its packages. We’ve even seen the company throw in two free cameras. In that case, this pricing information may not matter, but here’s a complete list of what the company charges for its three camera models anyway.
| SimpliSafe Camera | Features | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Outdoor Camera Pro |
|
$199.99 |
| Wireless Indoor Camera |
|
$149.99 |
Pro Tip: SimpliSafe is known for its sales; it’s almost always running one. Right now, systems are 50 percent off when you sign up for monitoring.
SimpliSafe’s DIY installation also saves you money. It’s an easy process that only took us 30 to 45 minutes. They also offer a free self-monitoring options, but we recommend their professional monitoring. That way you can take advantage of those active monitoring features for your cameras like we discussed earlier. Of course, you can always switch back and forth on an as-needed basis since SimpliSafe doesn’t require a contract.
| Connectivity | Wi-Fi |
|---|---|
| Power | Battery |
| Field of View | Up to 140° |
| Resolution | Up to 1536p |
| Storage | Cloud |
| Smart Platform Compatibility | Alexa and Google Home |
You pay premium prices for Vivint systems, but you get premium equipment. Vivint’s indoor, outdoor, and doorbell cameras are among the most high-tech on the market, with advanced detection capabilities and sophisticated smart home integrations designed to make your life safe and convenient. Best of all, Vivint’s security cameras come attached to complete security systems, featuring top-tier sensors, monitors, hubs, and keypads.
Vivint cameras are defined by their sophisticated technology. The Outdoor Camera, for instance, features advanced person detection that reduces false alerts and enables it to automatically identify threats. When it does, you can set it to automatically sound its siren and flash its LED light.
As with SimpliSafe, Vivint’s camera selection is limited. This is definitely a quality over quantity situation, though. All three models offer all the smart home integrations you could want and they can power automation features. We set our living room lights to turn on when our outdoor camera identified a potential threat, for instance, to make it seem like someone was home.
The Vivint Doorbell Camera fits in the palm of your hand
If you’re purchasing a Vivint system that includes cameras, you’re going to need the company’s Smart Control plan. That plan starts at $44.99, and the price increases depending on how many cameras you’re installing. For that price, though, you get full 24/7 professional monitoring. Our own tests showed that Vivint responds to alerts in about 25 seconds. That’s just a touch better than the industry average of 30 seconds.
Unfortunately, Vivint’s monitoring plans don’t come with a lot of bonus features, but every plan includes most of Vivint’s most impressive features, like Z-Wave compatibility. That means you can connect your Vivint equipment to over 1,000 smart devices out there, from thermostats to refrigerators.
Pro Tip: We heard a noise outside while we were watching a scary movie. We quickly had Alexa live-stream footage on our Fire TV so we could see what was happening. It was just the wind, but it was good to know we could keep an eye on things in picture-in-picture.
Vivint systems include high-tech everything, including cameras, but equipment doesn’t come cheap. At a minimum, you should expect to pay $1,000. Depending on your security needs, you could wind up paying a lot more than that.
Vivint’s camera pricing should give you an idea of how expensive Vivint can be.
| Vivint Camera | Price | Per Month Cost (60 month Contract) |
|---|---|---|
| Vivint Indoor Camera Pro | $249 | $4.17 |
| Vivint Outdoor Camera Pro | $399 | $6.67 |
| Vivint Doorbell Camera Pro | $249 | $4.17 |
Want to know more about what you get for these prices? Check out our complete Vivint review. And our guide to Vivint’s prices offers detailed pricing information.
| Monitoring Options | Professional only |
|---|---|
| Installation | Professional |
| Smart Platform Integration | Alexa and Google Home |
| Equipment Cost | From $599.99 |
| Monthly Monitoring Cost | From $30 |
| Contract Length | 48 to 60 months |
While they’re not a household name, they’ve definitely earned a solid reputation with industry insiders like us. Frontpoint offers a solid system, comparable with any system on this list. The company backs that up with the best customer service in the business. Frontpoint regularly takes the top spot on our annual top systems for customer service list. That customer service also regularly earns Frontpoint a spot on our list of the best overall home security systems. And, hey, lack of recognition can work in your favor, since companies like Frontpoint often work harder than other companies in order to get noticed. You reap the benefits.
Frontpoint cameras allow you to check live footage any time, or you can record clips to review later. Any time a camera picks up movement, you get an alert. Everything works through the Frontpoint app, and you can even use this to turn your system on and off. All the company’s cameras are wireless – indoor, outdoor, and the video doorbell – and all feature 1080p HD resolution and night vision.
A close-up of the Frontpoint Indoor Camera
We were particularly impressed with the outdoor model. The company doesn’t provide an IP number, but the camera is weatherproof and rated to temperatures below freezing. It can also capture images up to 49 feet away, which means you can see absolutely everything in and around your property. Last winter, it even helped us find the neighbor’s dog during a snowstorm. Out walking, visibility was near zero, and even calling the dog’s name didn’t help. When he showed up on our porch later in the evening, though, our camera sent us an immediate alert. We let him in, and got him safely home once the storm had passed.
FYI: The Slimline doorbell camera that Frontpoint offers is made by SkyBell. It features 1080 HD resolution, night vision, and a detection range of up to 8 feet. Check out our Skybell review to learn more.
Frontpoint still requires every customer to invest in a monitoring plan, but it recently rolled out some more affordable options. You can still go with the Ultimate Monitoring plan, which includes 24/7 professional monitoring of entry sensors, motion detectors, and environmental detectors. That plan also includes app control of your entire system and several powerful home automation features. That plan costs $49.99 per month.
For five dollars less each month, you can purchase the new Interactive Monitoring plan. It includes all the same features as the Ultimate Monitoring plan, with one exception. You don’t get access to live video or video analytics.
Pro Tip: One of the tricks the customer service team told us about was location-based arming reminders in the app. We admit it. Sometimes we forget to set the alarm. But now Frontpoint sends us a reminder notification once we’ve left the area. Then we just jump in the app and arm the system. We highly recommend enabling these alerts.
You can find out more about all of Frontpoint’s monitoring options by checking out our full review of Frontpoint.
Frontpoint’s equipment costs are relatively low. Don’t let the published retail prices scare you – the company is always running a sale, so you’ll never pay full price. At the moment, for example, you can get packages for up to 82 percent off those published prices in honor of Spring Break. You can save some money on installation as well, since all installation is DIY. Luckily, Frontpoint has streamlined the process so you really don’t need professional installers anyway. We managed to get our entire system up in under thirty minutes. With peel-and-stick options, it was place a sensor here, place a sensor there, then call Frontpoint to activate everything. Simple.
Here’s a breakdown of Frontpoint’s camera costs.
| Frontpoint Camera | Regular Price | Sale Price |
|---|---|---|
| Outdoor Camera | $229.99 | $137.99 |
| Indoor Camera | $119.99 | $71.99 |
| Premium Floodlight Camera | $299.99 | $180.00 |
| Wired Doorbell Camera | $199.99 | $119.99 |
| Wireless Doorbell Camera | $299.98 | $179.98 |
We’re not quite as high on Frontpoint’s monitoring prices. As a starting point, it’s one-size-fits-all, which means we paid the same amount to cover our tiny Brooklyn apartment as that guy in Montana with the sprawling ranch compound. In addition, the number is pretty high – over $40 a month. SimpliSafe charges more for its Pro and Pro Plus plans, but those plans feature AI monitoring and Video Verification services.
| Equipment Cost | Packages starting at $386.93 |
|---|---|
| Monitoring Options | Professional |
| Monitoring Cost | Starting at $14.99 per month |
| Contract Lengths | Monthly or 36 months |
| Installation Options | DIY |
| Smart Platform Integrations | Google Home, Alexa, and Siri |
We can’t talk about Alder’s security cameras without talking about Alder security systems. While these are top-tier cameras with crystal-clear HD video and tons of features, they’re even more astonishing when you integrate them into an entire system of Alder devices and connect them to a professional monitoring service that delivers some of the fastest response times in the industry.
We can go on ad nauseam about camera features (and we sometimes do). Alder’s a good example. The raw numbers are impressive: both cameras offer a generous 125 degree wide angle field of view, video clarity that’s up to twice that of 1080p HD, and color night vision that can see up to 33 feet. The outdoor model is hardy enough to be rated IP67. For those of you who haven’t memorized IP classifications, that means it’s dust tight and can withstand immersion in up to a meter of water.
Alder Indoor Camera
The tech on the inside of these cameras is just as impressive. Two-way talk means we can communicate with loved ones or let delivery persons know they can leave the food by the door. We even use it to remind our cat to stay off the furniture. The indoor camera knows our cat well enough not to send us alerts every time he zooms through the kitchen. And the outdoor camera is just as smart, which means we don’t get alerts every time a car happens by. Detection zones help us further fine-tune what our cameras see, and we control everything with our voice.
Pro Tip: We recommend activating the “Silent Exit” feature. It won’t announce when you arm or disarm the system, which is great if you don’t want to wake the kids or your partner if you told them you were going to be home before 2 a.m.
Alder doesn’t offer self-monitoring, though – how many times do we have to say it? – that’s to your benefit. The real strength of Alder monitoring is that systems are 100 percent celullar. There’s nothing more reliable – you can be sure your system will protect you even if the Wi-Fi should go down. Alder likes to claim that its response time is 3.4 seconds. That’s a bit of a stretch. In our own testing, we found it to be closer to 25 seconds. That’s still below industry averages. And we should point out that at a certain point, response times can be too fast. Yes, you want help on-site as fast as possible, but you also want enough time to cancel an alert if it turns out to be a squirrel banging on your window rather than a burglar.
FYI: If we have a complaint about Alder, it’s that responses don’t give us quite enough time to cancel alerts when we make a mistake. Ultimately, though, we’ll take times that are too fast over times that are too slow any day.
Alder likes to keep most of its pricing information close to the vest. There’s a good excuse for this: the company prefers to customize every system to the individual homeowner, and so your bottom line is ultimately going to depend on your very particular security situation. Still, that approach makes it hard to talk about what you should expect to pay for an Alder package. We can’t even tell you what individual equipment pieces cost, since Alder doesn’t let you buy just one piece of equipment. Plus, Alder doesn’t charge separate equipment and monitoring fees. Instead, everything is figured into one bottom-line monthly price.
Here’s what we can tell you. Prices start at around $55 a month and go up depending on what equipment you add to your package. You’re obviously going to pay less for monitoring if you have a single camera than if your home is wired like a Hollywood film studio. This approach can be appealing, especially if you’re looking to get a powerful home security system installed without having to put a lot of money down. The downside? It means agreeing to a minimum 36-month contract. Not all of us want to be locked into a home security system for that long.
| Equipment cost | Packages starting at $360 |
|---|---|
| Monitoring options | Professional |
| Monitoring cost | Starting at $40 per month |
| Contract length | 36 months |
| Installation options | Professional or DIY |
| Smart platform integration | Alexa and Google Home |
Cameras offer practical benefits for security and beyond. Here are advantages to consider.
The Alder cameras we tested made by the company Yi
The data backs up these benefits. We conducted our own research into the advantages of security cameras. Here’s what we found:
From Anthony Travaglia, Retired Police Officer, Home Security Expert:
Home security cameras are your eyes when you can't be home. They allow you to see why your alarm was triggered, so you can make an informed decision on how to proceed. False alarms can cost you money and waste first responders' time. Other than remote viewing, many home security cameras also allow you two-way communication with the person on the other side of the camera, so it's like you're home even when you're not.
ADT’s Outdoor Camera surveilling the perimeter
As a newer and smarter crop of security cameras enters our testing rotation each year, we continue to see amazing tech advances on both the hardware and software side, with Wi-Fi security cameras consistently dominating the market.
For folks who would rather use their cameras without Wi-Fi, or who live in an area with shoddy internet access, this wireless camera trend does limit your choices somewhat. But we have good news: It is still possible to own security cameras that don’t need Wi-Fi to work and will get you solid video footage and peace of mind.
If you’re looking for cameras like this, we suggest targeting your search to one keyword: Hardwired. Like the best hardwired security systems, cameras that can be hardwired into your home ensure a smooth, reliable connection without the need for Wi-Fi.
Keep in mind, though, that installation is more difficult in these, which is why we typically don’t recommend cameras like this for DIYers.
You’ll need a way to route cables from the hub (usually a network or digital recorder box) to wherever you’re installing the cameras. If you’re looking for a ceiling configuration with dome or bullet cameras, Swann makes some impressive hardwired (also labeled as wired or wired CCTV) systems that are built to be installed through ceilings, floorboards, and walls. But they’re going to be more difficult to install than a Wi-Fi system, by and large.
So, you’ll clearly have more work to do to get a hardwired camera online. But if this is the setup you’re after, we’re glad to see a few solid options out there. Here’s our roundup of the best wired security cameras available.
Crime is often the number one reason people choose to add cameras. But do they really work as an effective deterrent against burglaries, trespassing, and other property crimes?
Based on our research and experience, we've discovered that learning how criminals think is the best way to measure how effective home security equipment is. The University of North Carolina conducted a poll of convicted burglars,1 and 60 percent said they would check for a security system before deciding to break in, and 40 percent said they would likely leave the area if they noticed one.
While we can’t say security cameras will prevent break-ins 100 percent of the time, we will say this: When it comes to deterring crime, cameras are a solid and necessary tool for peace of mind and visual protection.
From Anthony Travaglia, Retired Police Officer, Home Security Expert:
“Cameras not only protect your home, but your neighbors homes’ and community/public property as well. Large field-of-view cameras can pick up criminals tampering with mailboxes, parked cars they want to steal, and all other public or community property that can be stolen or vandalized. Security cameras with a large field-of-view can help catch these criminals in the act.”
You really can’t beat a good home security camera when it comes to improving your overall home security. It’s one thing to know that someone or something has tripped an entry sensor. It’s a completely different thing to know exactly who or what that someone or something is. On the other hand, a security camera is always going to work best when it’s part of a whole home security system. Sensors alert you to activity, cameras let you see that activity.
If you’re looking for the best combination of home security cameras and systems, we recommend ADT. Their packages include Nest cameras, the most high-tech cameras on the market. In addition to top-of-the-line cameras, though, you also get the reliability of the ADT name and access to the very best professional monitoring plans.
If ADT isn’t right for you – and it might not be – there are some other great brands out there that feature solidly built cameras. Maybe SimpliSafe will be a better fit for you and your family, or Vivint, or Alder. We feel confident, though, that somewhere on this list you’re going to find the home security system with the mix of cameras and features you need.
What are the essentials and options with home security cameras?
Here are details about cameras and monitoring services.
University of North Carolina Charlotte. (2013 May 15). THROUGH THE EYES OF A BURGLAR – STUDY PROVIDES INSIGHTS ON HABITS AND MOTIVATIONS.
https://inside.charlotte.edu/news-features/2013-05-15/through-eyes-burglar-study-provides-insights-habits-and-motivations
