Cameras

What is a Smart Camera?

A smart camera is any sort of security or monitoring camera that takes advantage of smart technology to offer more features and added convenience. Think of them as app-accessible cameras packed with software. And right now, it’s easier now than ever to fully protect your home with this kind of advanced technology. Smart cameras let you easily access video surveillance of your property whether you’re at home or on the go.

There are a wide variety of smart cameras available that offer an assortment of features. Our smart camera comparison chart (towards the bottom of the page) has some of the most popular brands with detailed information to help you decide which system is right for you.

Benefits of Smart Cameras

There are several major benefits to having a smart camera, most of which are based around the increased safety and convenience associated with monitoring your home.

Peace of Mind – Even if your home is in a very safe area, there’s something to be said for the peace of mind offered by a security camera. A smart camera offers increased functionality, and makes it much easier to check in on your property whenever you feel the need.
Easy Access to Relevant Footage – The majority of smart cameras integrate with a mobile app or web client, allowing you to easily view and assess footage. Additionally, because most smart cameras are motion activated, it’s easy to find relevant footage and quickly check up on changes in and around your home.
Theft Deterrent – By simply having a security camera, you can significantly lower the risk that your house will be broken into. Thieves seek an easy target, and seeing a home decked out in security gear will make it much less likely that they’ll pick your home for theft.
Insurance Discounts – Many home insurers will offer a discount on your policy if you install a home surveillance system. The investment could more than pay for itself in the monthly savings on insurance bills.
Smart Home Integration – Many smart cameras integrate with existing smart home hubs and voice controllers, adding more convenience to your connected home.

These are just a few of the many ways a smart camera can enhance the comfort and security of your home. Check out the section below for some tips to take into account before purchasing a new smart camera.

Before Buying a Smart Camera

When shopping for a smart camera, you’ll want to make sure you take the following considerations into account to make sure you end up with a smart surveillance system that will meet your needs. There’s a lot of competition in the smart camera market, and many companies try to set themselves apart with misleading marketing promises. Sometimes a camera will be “capable”, but not actually deliver the promised feature. We want to protect you from a disappointing purchase, so make sure you research the features below:

Video Quality – Some cameras advertise 1080p capability, but actually only provide 720p instead. They may be capable of 1080p, but in reality only deliver the lower video resolution. Make sure you’re aware of the actual video quality of your smart camera before you make a purchase.
Maximum Number of Cameras – If you’re in the market for a large amount of cameras, make sure you’re aware of the maximum supported amount — there’s usually a limit to the number of devices that can be connected to one account. Many brands don’t support more than 15 devices, and require a membership or additional bases to support more than a few cameras.
Subscription Plans – Companies may advertise many features, but in some cases these features are only available with a subscription plan. Make sure you’re aware of what you’re getting for your money, and do your research on the various tiers of subscription plans.
Base – A lot of smart cameras connect to some sort of base — like Arlo and Blink — but there are also models capable of connecting straight to your WiFi. We’ve found that cameras with bases usually feature a little more smart home functionality.
Smart Home Integration – Speaking of smart home functionality, make sure you check out how your devices work with other smart home products. Even if you don’t have a smart home now, you may make the decision to establish one in the future. If you buy a camera with smart home integration, your security system will be ready to connect when you make that jump! Look at integration with hubs like Wink and SmartThings, and voice controllers like Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, and Siri HomeKit.

Stand-out Features from Popular Brands

Best Video Resolution
A smart camera that has a great video resolution ensures that you’ll always be able to see what’s going on with your home. Standouts in this category are the Canary and the Arlo Q Series.
Push-to-Talk
Push-to-Talk functionality adds a lot of convenience to your surveillance. Communicate with others while away from home, let guests know you’re on your way to answer the door, or yell at your pets to get off the couch! The Arlo Pro and are two models that offer this feature.
System Expansion
Being able to augment your smart cameras with additional devices and features will add capability for a more fully-featured security system. Two stand out models with support for system expansion are the Blink XT and . Though neither of the companies has released the systems yet.
Field of Vision
A camera with a wide field of vision covers more area and ensures you’ll always capture relevant footage. The Piper classic and offer a wide field of view for maximum protection.
People, Pet, and Car Detection
A truly “smart” smart camera should be able to detect and differentiate between people, pets, and cars. False alarms are annoying, and you want your camera to only alert you when there’s an actual problem. The Netatmo Presence is a great choice for this feature.
Pan & Zoom
Being able to pan and zoom allows a smart camera to get a more detailed view of its surroundings. The ability to close in on suspicious activity may make the difference between a false alarm and catching a sneaky intruder. The Arlo Q Plus come out on top when it comes to Pan and Zoom.

Indoor Smart Cameras Comparison Chart

	Arlo Q	Arlo Q Plus	Blink	Canary
Video Quality	1080p	1080p	720p	1080p	1080p
Base?	No	No	Yes	No	No
Power	Wired	Wired	Batteries	Wired	Wired/ Batteries
Rechargeable Batteries	–	–	No	–	No
Camera Ethernet Port	No	Yes	No	Yes	No
PoE	No	Yes	No	No	No
Local Storage	No	SD card	No	No	No
Free Cloud storage	7 days	7 days	Up to 2 Hours of recordings	1 day	100 videos
Subscription Plans	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	No
Alerts/notifications	App, email	App, email	App	App	App, email, text, call
24/7 Continuous Recording	Members Only	Members Only	No	No	No
Remote viewing	App, web	App, web	App	App	App
Live View	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Field-of-view	130°	130°	110°	147°	180°
Temperature Sensors	No	No	Yes	Yes	Yes
Two-way audio	Yes	Yes	No	Members Only	Yes
HomeKit	No	No	No	No	No
Amazon Alexa	Echo Show	Echo Show	Echo Echo Dot	Via Wink	Via IFTTT
Google Home	Via IFTTT	Via IFTTT	Via IFTTT	No	Via IFTTT

Arlo (VMC3040-100NAS) Q – Wired, 1080p HD...

Arlo Q Plus - Wired PoE, 1080p HD Security Camera...

Google Nest Cam Indoor - 1st Generation - Wired...

YI Home Camera 2, 1080p Full HD Wireless IP...

Outdoor Smart Cameras Comparison Chart

	Arlo	Arlo Pro	Arlo Pro 2	Blink XT	Canary Flex	Nest Cam IQ
Video Quality	720p	720p	1080p	720p	1080p	1080p
Base?	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No
Power	Batteries	Battery Wired	Battery Wired	Batteries Wired	Batteries Wired	Wired
Rechargeable	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	–
Siren	Arlo Base	Arlo Base	Arlo Base	No	No	No
Local Storage	No	USB at Arlo Base	USB at Arlo Base	No	No	No
Free Cloud storage	7 days	7 days	7 days	2hr of recordings	1 day	No
Subscription Plans	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Yes
Alerts/notifications	App, email	App, email	App, email	App	App	App, email
Remote viewing	App, web	App, web	App, web	App	App	App, web
Live View	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Field-of-view	130°	130°	130°	110°	116°	130°
Temperature Sensors	No	No	No	Yes	Yes	No
Two-way audio	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Members Only	Yes
Operating Temperature	-4° to 113° F	-4° to 113° F	-4° to 113° F	-4° to 113° F	-4° to 113° F	–40° to 113°F
HomeKit	No	No	No	No	No	No
Amazon Alexa	Echo Show	Echo Show	Echo Show	Echo Echo Dot	Via Wink	Echo Show
Google Home	Via IFTTT	Via IFTTT	Via IFTTT	Via IFTTT	No	Yes

YI Home vs. YI Dome

As smart technology has become more and more accessible, the dream of having an affordable and capable security camera is now a reality. The YI Home camera and YI Dome are two very similar products from the same brand that will make a great addition to any security setup, although we do feel the Dome pulls slightly ahead due to the motion tracking feature.

While YI doesn’t have the same market recognition as some other more popular brands like Ring or Arlo, they have some solid performers that offer impressive home monitoring with varying levels of features. Our favorite in this comparison is the YI Dome, although the brand does offer a 1080p version of the same camera that we’d strongly recommend considering as well.

Below, we go into detail on the similarities and differences of the YI Home vs. YI Dome. Read on for a full picture, or use the navigation bar to jump directly to the sections that interest you most.

YI LITE vs. YI 4K

YI as a brand has started to make a name for themselves in the smart camera scene, and are now well known for their high-quality action cameras. The YI LITE and YI 4K are both excellent products in their own right, and the “better” pick is going to depend on the quality of footage you’re looking for.

It’s up for debate as to where 4K recording is really worth the extra expense when 1080p footage is so clear and detailed already — especially when you consider that a lot of computers and TVs can’t really take full advantage of the quality that the format has to offer. However, there’s no doubt that 4K footage has the edge, and for those looking for the best possible picture, the YI 4K is an excellent option.

Below we compare the YI LITE vs. YI 4K to help you figure out what makes each option special. Read on for the full picture, or use our navigation bar to jump to the sections you care about most.

YI 1080p Home Camera vs. Home Camera 2

There are more options on the market than ever before when it comes to keeping your home protected, and a quality smart camera is a great addition to any home security setup. The YI 1080p Home Camera and Home Camera 2 are both great options for adding in intelligent surveillance, but it’s pretty clear that the Home Camera 2 is a significant upgrade over its predecessor.

While there are great perks to discuss with both camera, there are really no areas in which the 1080p Home Camera excels over the Home Camera 2. As the name suggests, the second iteration of the YI Home Camera is a new and improved model that offers upgrades in a number of important areas like motion detection, FPS, and night vision.

Below we go into detail on the similarities and differences of the YI 1080p Home Camera vs. Home Camera 2, but feel free to use our navigation bar to jump directly to the sections that you care about the most.

Canary All-in-One vs. Canary View

Smart cameras offer valuable protection for your family, and they are more economical than ever before. When comparing the Canary All-In-One vs. Canary View, it’s clear that both cameras have their perks to offer; we do feel, however, that the All-In-One model has some extra features that make it a little bit more comprehensive offering.

Canary’s cameras have some decent technology backing them, and the two models are pretty similar. The All-In-One adds in some extra features like air sensors and sirens, but at their core, these two models offer roughly the same sort of coverage. What really holds the Canary brand back, however, is the consumer-unfriendly subscription model.

Below we break down the similarities and differences of these two smart camera models. Read on for the full picture, or use the navigation bar to jump directly to the sections that interest you most.

Blink XT vs. Arlo Pro 2

Are Arlo’s extra features worth the price? Maybe. However, the lack of the ability to record live view with the Blink XT is a major downfall that is just too big to ignore, making the Arlo Pro 2 a better option in our book despite the extra cost.

Blink cameras offer some basic video monitoring features at a pretty accessible price, but there are some missing features that really hold it back from competing with other cameras near the price point. With that said, there are some good points to the Blink XT such as the temperature sensor and the free cloud storage. It’s definitely a viable option, we just don’t think it quite keeps up with the Arlo Pro 2’s host of features.

This is also basically comparing a more premium camera to a lower end model, so to be fair, the cards were stacked against Blink from the beginning. Although, you might not need all those extra features and the Blink XT might be just the right smart camera for your home.

So, let’s go into detail with a comparison of the Blink XT vs. Arlo Pro 2 to see what each camera has to offer. Read the whole article for a full picture, or use our navigation bar to jump directly to the sections you care about most.

Blink vs. Blink XT

When looking at the Blink vs. Blink XT side by side you, the only difference seems to be the color. However, there are a few other important differences to keep in mind when choosing between the two cameras like video quality and night vision support.

So, TL;DR no matter where you decide to set up the smart camera (indoor or outdoor), we recommend going with the Blink XT instead of Blink Indoor. Why? Well, let’s dive straight into the differences for more details and if you want to get a full picture of what each camera has to offer, just keep on reading the whole article or use the navigation bar to jump right to the sections you care about most.

Arlo Pro vs. Ring Floodlight Cam

Arlo has been on the market for a while now, and their products are some of the top performers in the smart camera scene. Ring made their name with excellent video doorbells, before coming onto the market with an excellent line of cameras that hold their own as well. When comparing Arlo Pro vs. Ring Floodlight, we do feel like Ring is the better option.

While the Arlo Pro offers a lot of flexibility in placement in installation because of its battery power, the Ring offers a lot of superior features like better video quality, better motion detection, a better field of view, and more. Both options are a good choice, but we don’t think it’s any secret that the Ring Floodlight has a bit of an advantage.

Below we go into detail on the similarities and differences of the Arlo Pro vs. Ring Floodlight Cam. Read on for the full picture, or use our navigation bar to jump right down to the sections that interest you most.

Arlo Q vs. Arlo Pro 2

Arlo has produced some seriously impressive camera solutions, and their product lineup continues to expand with bigger and better options for home video monitoring. The Arlo Q and Arlo Pro 2 are both excellent cameras in their own right, and it’s difficult to give a clear answer as to which one is the best overall. If you’re looking for an outdoor camera, there’s no doubt that the Arlo Pro 2 is your best bet, while the Arlo Q provides quality indoor monitoring without the need for a base station.

There are a lot of aspects that these two cameras have in common, but there are actually a significant number of differences too. Perhaps the most notable change when comparing the two devices is that the Arlo Pro 2 requires a base station to function. This is a little inconvenient and is an extra expense, but it also enables a number of features that are straight-up absent on the Arlo Q. With that said, the Arlo Q still pulls ahead in certain areas like dual-band WiFi and better motion detection.

Ultimately, the best choice is going to depend on what you’re looking for in a smart camera. Below we go into detail on the similarities and differences of the Arlo Q vs. Arlo Pro 2 to help make the decision a little easier, but feel free to use our navigation bar to jump directly to the sections you care about most.

Nest Cam Indoor vs. Nest Cam IQ

Nest is perhaps one of the most recognizable brands when it comes to smart products. Their Nest Learning Thermostat makes them a force to be reckoned with in the industry. However, their expansion into security and video monitoring has also been well received, and the Nest Cam Indoor and Nest Cam IQ are two incredibly popular products. Ultimately, we do feel that the Nest Cam IQ is the better product from a technical standpoint, but it’s also significantly more expensive. In most situations, the regular Nest Cam Indoor will get the job done just fine.

The main attraction with the Nest Cam IQ is the inclusion of Google Assistant in the device itself, and there’s no denying that that’s a useful feature. However, for those who already have a Google Home or are looking to purchase a standalone model in the future, it’s difficult to justify the extra expense. The Nest Cam Indoor has pretty much everything we look for in a security camera — all for a much more affordable price.

Google Nest Cam Indoor - 1st Generation - Wired Indoor Camera - Control with Your Phone and Get Mobile Alerts - Surveillance Camera with 24/7 Live Video and Night Vision

Below we break down the details in a comprehensive comparison of Nest Cam Indoor vs. Nest Cam IQ. Read on for a full overview, or jump directly to the section that interests you most using our navigation bar.

Ring Stick Up Cam vs. Arlo Pro

Ring and Arlo both offer a variety of video solutions at different price points, and as time goes on they have continued to improve upon their existing lineup. The All-New Ring Stick Up Cam comes in four options: , , , and Elite. The Ring Stick Up Cam Battery, Plug-in, and Solar are Gen 3 cameras, whereas the Ring Stick Up Cam Elite is rebranded Gen 2 Ring Stick Up Cam Wired.

The Arlo Pro, on the other hand, is the company’s mid-range offering — falling right in between the Arlo and Arlo Pro 2 cameras.

When comparing the Ring Stick Up Cam vs. Arlo Pro, it’s difficult to give a clear answer as to which camera is “best,” as they excel in different areas. For example, Arlo offers great features like video recording without a subscription, while Ring has better video quality and functions without a base station. Our top pick is the Ring Stick Up Cam Elite, but there are arguments to be made for both brands.

Below we go into detail on what each option has to offer to help give you a sense of which camera might be best for your home. However, feel free to use the navigation bar to jump directly to the sections that interest you most.

Ring Spotlight vs. Floodlight

Ring has been a staple on the the smart tech market since the introduction of their first Ring Video Doorbell, but their camera line has expanded into so much more. The Ring Spotlight and Floodlight Cam are two excellent options for monitoring the outside of your home, but we do feel that the Ring Floodlight is the superior option.

Comparing Ring Spotlight vs. Floodlight Cam is difficult because they have so much in common. It may seem at first glance that Ring Spotlight is the superior option since it offers more flexibility with battery, wired (AC), and hardwired installation options. However, the Floodlight outperforms the Spotlight in key areas like motion detection, night vision, and brightness, which makes that small advantage moot.

Below we go into detail on what each camera has to offer to help make your shopping decision a little bit easier. Alternatively, feel free to use our navigation bar to jump right on down to the sections you care about most.

Moon by 1-ring • Hub & Levitating Camera Review

The Short Story — Great idea, poor execution. It’s been two years, and they’re far from even having a working prototype. Here’s a Facebook group for those who’re wishing to get a refund.

Smart home hubs have gotten more and more advanced as time has gone on, and over the past few years, we’ve started to see different combinations of technology implemented that serve to improve the abilities of your connected home. While the primary purpose is to allow smart home tech to communicate with one another, create different triggers, and customize setups, multiple companies have shown us that there’s more than meets the eye when it comes to smart hubs.

Whether it’s the Echo Plus (a Zigbee hub with Amazon Alexa built in) or something as advanced as the Symbio by Toshiba (6-in-1 device with Z-Wave, Zigbee, and WiFi support), these hubs are smarter than ever before — and The Moon by 1-Ring is no exception.

Our comprehensive Moon by 1-Ring review is detailed below, so let’s dive into what makes this all-in-one smart home hub and camera so special.

Arlo Q vs. Nest Cam

If you’re in the market for a new smart home security camera system, we have two cameras that we’re going to compare and contrast for you: the Arlo Q vs. Nest Cam. From their image resolution to their accessories, this comparison will hopefully shed some light on these mid-tier indoor cameras that will help you decide which one is the right one for your home.

Reolink Argus 2 vs. Arlo Pro 2

Do you want your smart cameras to use local or cloud storage? Or, maybe both? In this article we’ll do an in-depth comparison between the Reolink Argus 2 vs. Arlo Pro 2 to help you choose the right one for your home. Feel free to navigate this article with the links below, though in this case you might miss out on some peculiar details that we bring up about the cameras in other sections. So, buckle up!

Reolink Argus vs. Argus 2

The Reolink Argus 2 is a newer and arguably better version of the Argus wireless camera. For about $30 more, the Reolink Argus 2 offers better power and night vision options compared to the original camera. Is it worth the upgrade? Let’s figure it out in our Reolink Argus vs. Argus 2 in-depth comparison.

Arlo vs. Arlo Pro Base Station

Whether you’re looking to upgrade your Arlo base station or are simply choosing between Arlo vs. Arlo Pro Base Station, you’ll find everything you need to know in this article. And if you don’t, well, let us know — We’ll be happy to answer all your questions in the comments section.

Nest Cam IQ Outdoor vs. Nest Cam Outdoor

The Nest Cam IQ Outdoor and the Nest Cam Outdoor are two quality products that promise a comprehensive smart camera experience. Although there are some major differences between the two models, which we’ll get into below, there’s also a good amount of similarities. Before we dive into what makes these cameras different, let’s start with what makes them the same.

Nest Cam IQ Outdoor vs. Arlo Pro

When it comes to picking out a smart camera for your home, it’s incredibly difficult to find all the information you need. Finding all the information about features and tech specs can take forever. What we’ve tried to do is compile all the information you’d need in order to make the decision between the Nest Cam IQ Outdoor vs. Arlo Pro. There’re a lot of differences between the two models, so we’ll start with what they have in common.

Both Nest Cam IQ Outdoor and Arlo Pro cameras feature a 130-degree field view, 850 nm LEDs for night vision, and talk-and-listen capability.

And with that said, let’s take a look at some of the main differences between the Nest Cam IQ Outdoor Camera and the Arlo Pro.

Arlo Pro vs. Circle 2

More and more “smart” devices are coming onto the market now than ever before — and smart security cameras are no exception. There are a wide variety of models on the market with an equally wide variety of differences. It’s helpful to look at what some of these devices have in common before diving into what sets them apart.

In this article, we’re going to focus on Arlo Pro vs. Logitech Circle 2. The main similarities that these two models have in common is their push-to-talk functionality and their weatherproofing.

You may be thinking that there’s not too much they have in common, and you’d be right! The Arlo Pro and Circle 2 are good at different things, and we’ll get into what these differences are in the sections below.

Arlo Pro vs. Canary Flex

Choosing between two smart home security devices is difficult. With so many features, and how interconnected and high tech our homes have become, there are more options than ever before when it comes to keeping your home safe and secure. And it’s sometimes hard to get a straight, no-nonsense account of what exactly a device has to offer.

So what we’ll do is try to give you a detailed comparison of the Arlo Pro and Canary Flex to help make navigating the smart security scene a little bit easier.

Piper classic vs. Piper nv

The and are two camera models with a good amount of similarities. Both the Piper classic and Piper nv are security cameras that don’t require a base station, and offer a convenient and easy setup. With both models, you can manage up to 5 units per account, and neither model requires a subscription (unlike Arlo, Canary, and Nest). Additionally, the Piper classic and nv share the same warranty, app, and field of view.

Unfortunately, these models also share some drawbacks. For example, neither model supports continuous recording (like the Arlo Q), which may be a dealbreaker for some buyers.

Though these models have a lot in common, there are a few differences that set these models apart which are important to consider before buying a camera. So let’s take a look at Piper classic vs. Piper nv!

Dropcam vs. Nest Cam vs. Dropcam Pro

Dropcam vs. Nest Cam vs. Dropcam Pro: how big is the difference among the three cameras? At a glance, it looks like there’s virtually no difference except for the style and price. Since Nest bought Dropcam, these three cameras run on the same app, making them have a lot in common. You can still use the Dropcam app, however Nest insistently recommends you switching to the Nest app.

Dropcam Wi-fi Wireless Video Monitoring Camera (Only) Black - Pre-Owned

Now, for a little backstory on the two companies; for anyone who doesn’t know, Dropcam sold their company to Nest, and the Dropcam CEO really regrets doing this. Why? Well, Dropcam was a great competitor, probably the strongest competitor to Nest and the company had the right mindset and product to succeed. Anyway, now that Dropcam is owned by Nest, we can only look at the difference in products now, because soon it’ll probably only be Nest branded cameras. So let’s look at the difference between the Dropcam, Nest Cam, and Dropcam Pro!

Arlo Security Camera Review

Today, in this Arlo security camera review we’ll go over the good and the bad aspects you should know before buying it. All the pros and cons are briefly summarized. Let’s check if this wireless security camera worth a shot.

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