Best Outdoor Security Cameras
Updated by Alexia on
Outdoor security cameras are your home's first line of defense, security devices that capture and record criminal activity around your home. The Ring Spotlight Cam tops our list of the best outdoor home security cameras, and it's neck and neck with the Arlo Pro 4. The Ring Spotlight Cam has the brightest lighting, but it's Arlo's comprehensive smart home compatibility and great video quality that set it apart.
Plus, the best security cameras capture clear footage in any light; most have infrared night vision. Below we review five of the top brands. Read our full comparison to see how it compares to other top outdoor cameras in terms of features, cost, and ease of installation and use.
Here are the best outdoor security cameras
- Ring Spotlight Cam: Best value
- Google Nest Cam(battery): Best for smart homes
- Arlo Pro 4: Best video
- Wyze Cam Pan v3: Best Budget pick
- Blink Outdoor: Best battery life
The best outdoor security cameras compared
| Camera | Best for | List price* | Power source | Resolution | Field of view | Night vision | Learn more | Read review |
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Best value | $199.99 | Battery, wired, solar | 1080p | 140º | Color/infrared | View on Amazon |
Read review |
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Best for smart homes | $199.00 | Wired | 1080p | 130º | Infrared | View on Amazon |
Read review |
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Best video | $247.00 | Battery, solar | 1440p (2K) | 160º | Color/infrared | View on Amazon |
Read review |
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Best Budget pick | $39.97 | Wired | 1080p | 120º lens (360° pan, 180° tilt) |
Color/infrared | View on Amazon |
Read review |
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Best battery life | $99.99 | Battery | 1080p | 110º | Infrared | View on Amazon |
Read review |
*Amazon.com price as of post date. Read full disclaimer.
Best outdoor home security camera reviews
1. Ring Spotlight Cam: Best value
Ring Spotlight Cam-
Battery, wired, or solar
Built-in motion spotlight
 Pros |
 Cons |
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Completely wire-free Built-in spotlight Two-way talk 110-decibel siren Easy to install Battery, solar, or hardwired options Two color choices: black or white Motion detection |
Expensive price tag Short battery life Spotlight interference with night vision Recorded video requires cloud subscription
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Ring is known for its excellent Ring Video Doorbells, and after success in this space Ring has put these proven technologies into the Ring Spotlight Cam Pro. We didn't rank Spotlight Cam Pro #1 because it's the most expensive on our list. It has a great spotlight and unique motion detection. And you can combine it with the Ring Alarm security system for total outdoor security.
Three new features set Spotlight Cam Pro apart from its class: Aerial View, 3D Motion Detection, and Preroll. Bird's eye view lets you see where objects are in motion while you're not in live view. These features use radar to see exactly who is entering your property and even show their route on a satellite map.
Ring doesn't have a brand for free video storage. That means no rich notifications, human reminders, or recordings without paying for a Ring Protect plan. To properly take advantage of some of the best motion detection features, you'll have to pay $4 per month or $40 per year for a subscription. If you have multiple Ring cameras in your home, the price goes up. But the compatibility between the camera and other devices is another big reason to recommend this camera. Ring has a complete suite of smart home products that connect to each other, and connectivity helps them work better.
Learn more in our Ring Spotlight Cam review.
2. Google Nest Cam Outdoor: Best for smart homes
Google Nest Cam Outdoor-
Wired only
Works with Google & Alexa
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Pros |
Cons |
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Easy to install (no wires) Comes with two-year warranty Weatherproof Intelligent alerts Dual-band Wi-Fi Works with Alexa and Google Assistant Face recognition Provides 130° view with wide-angle lens |
Expensive No wireless power option Doesn't support Alexa, HomeKit, or IFTTT Some features require a subscription
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The Google Nest Cam (Battery) meets many requirements in the world of home security. It offers great flexibility in where it can be mounted, and if you need to mount it to an exterior wall, a bracket is included, as well as weatherproof cables (from $59) and indoor brackets ($59) that you can buy separately.
The biggest draw to the Nest Cam is the excellent smart motion detection, which can tell you if a person, animal, or vehicle is passing by. And you don't need a subscription to use it like you do with Arlo and Wyze. Another new addition, if you don't want Nest's industry-leading paid plans, is the ability to store up to three hours of video after recording without a subscription. It only costs $6 if you subscribe to a cloud service plan. You can unlock an unlimited storage plan, which is less than half the price of similar Arlo products, which is a good deal.
Nest Cam supports Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa when it comes to smart home. While the Nest Cam doesn't have a built-in siren or spotlight like the Arlo and Ring, you can use two-way audio to scare strangers away.
Learn more about this sleek camera in our Google Nest Cam battery review.
3. Arlo Pro 4: Best video
Arlo Pro 4-
Battery, solar
1440p (2K) video quality
|
Pros |
Cons |
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Completely wireless and easy to install 2K HDR video Color night vision Works with Alexa, Google, HomeKit, and IFTTT Lots of third-party integrations Built-in siren No hub required |
Some features require Arlo Smart subscription
|
The Arlo Pro 4 Spotlight Camera is a wireless outdoor security camera that installs in minutes without a lot of tech or DIY home knowledge, delivers stunning 2K video, and offers a wealth of features and tons of integration options.
By adding multiple Arlo cameras to your Arlo home security system, you have an interactive outdoor security camera system that monitors every access point in your home, more friendly on smart home compatibility, it supports Google Home, Apple HomeKit, and Amazon Alexa.
If you're a big HomeKit fan or looking for a home security camera that you can use without a subscription, Arlo's Pro 4 might not be the best choice for you. Otherwise, it's our favorite outdoor smart camera on the market.
Learn more in our Arlo Pro 4 review.
4.Wyze Cam Pan v3: Best Budget pick
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Wyze Cam Pan v3 -
Wired only
Sees up to 80 ft. in the dark
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Pros |
Cons |
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Immensely affordable Pan-and-tilt functionality Weatherproof design Intelligent alerts Color night vision Sharp video |
Some features require a subscription
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In our review of the Wyze Cam Pan v2, we praised its affordable price, strong third-party device support, and smooth mechanical pan and tilt controls. The latest in the line, the Cam Pan v3 ($33.99), offers all of these same features in a weatherproof construction for a few bucks less.
The device captures 1080p video at 20fps, has a 120-degree field of view, and can digitally zoom in up to 8x. It relies on four infrared LEDs for black and white night vision, while a starlight sensor helps improve color night vision recordings.
Out of the box, Wyze's camera can record video to a microSD card (sold separately), or you can use a limited amount of free cloud storage. For improved cloud storage, you can upgrade to a Cam Plus subscription for $2 per camera per month—the cheapest cloud plan on our list.
Learn more in our Wyze Cam Pan v3 review.
5. Blink Outdoor: Best battery life
Wyze Cam Pan v3-
Battery only (wireless)
2-yr. battery life
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Pros |
Cons |
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Two-year battery life Wireless camera Extreme temperature monitoring IP65 weatherproof rating |
No way to upgrade cloud storage Short recording duration
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The Blink Outdoor is a small, smart, discreet battery-powered weatherproof 1080p security camera that offers motion detection, cloud and local storage, Alexa voice control, and support for third-party smart devices.
Like its predecessor, the Blink Outdoor is weather-resistant and powered by two AA lithium batteries that can last up to two years on a single charge. I've owned the XT2 for over a year and it and its battery are still going strong.
With an IP65 rating, the Blink camera isn't waterproof, but it is. It can withstand a typical rain shower or sprinkler splash, but don't expect it to survive a hurricane.
Find out more in our Blink camera review.
Final word
We recommend the Ring Spotlight Cam as your best security camera for the outdoors because it's easy to install, it has an excellent spotlight, and it has unique motion detection features. You can combine it with the Ring Alarm security system for total outdoor security.
Check out our FAQ section to learn more about outdoor cameras. For an overview of our favorite cameras in different setups, head to our reviews of the best wireless security cameras.
Outdoor security camera FAQ
We generally prefer wireless security cameras because they are easy to install. While many models double as solar-powered cameras to increase time between charges, this often requires the purchase of a separate solar panel. Otherwise, you'll have to periodically recharge the battery to keep the outdoor camera running.
Wired cameras aren't always bad. If you don't want to deal with batteries, choose a wired camera that plugs into an electrical outlet or is hardwired to a circuit. Installation may involve additional drilling for power wiring, but will limit your placement options. Most wireless cameras also support wired power cables.
We don't recommend using indoor or nanny cams outside as they lack weatherproofing and are more susceptible to weather changes.
While indoor cameras are often more affordable than outdoor cameras, it pays to invest in a camera that can handle the weather. In this way, both indoor and outdoor scenes can be used
All outdoor cameras allow you to view live video and receive some notifications without a subscription, but it's more complicated when you want to record video:
- The Reolink, Wyze, YI and ZOSI all have local video storage via a separately purchased microSD card.
- While some Eufy cameras use microSD cards, most outdoor models have built-in storage. You can only increase storage by purchasing a base station like the Eufy HomeBase 3.
- Arlo cameras require a compatible base station to save video without a subscription.
- Google Nest, Reolink, Wyze, and YI are great options for a little free cloud storage.
In addition to free storage options, you can expect most outdoor camera manufacturers to offer paid cloud storage subscriptions.
The number of outdoor cameras you need depends on how far you want to protect your property, including the area you want to cover and the field of view of the cameras.
A good baseline is to have a camera at each access point, such as the front yard, garage, and backyard. (For the front porch, consider switching to a video doorbell.) From there, you can add more cameras until you get the coverage you want.
How we reviewed outdoor security cameras
When rating the best outdoor security cameras, we looked for the features that matter most to consumers, including price, reliability, subscription service, smart home compatibility, weather resistance, and night vision. We've tested several wireless outdoor security cameras indoors and at home. We looked at dozens of expert reviews and thousands of customer reviews to round out our research.
Learn more about how we rank and review products in our full methodology.
Disclaimers
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