Take Care of Your Home and Wallet With These Editor-Approved Cheap Security Cameras

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Keep close watch at home wherever you are. Home security cameras provide peace of mind with access to a live video feed, and motion detection notifications whether you’re just monitoring yours kids and pets from the other room or securing your doors from potential intruders. Many of these home security systems cost a pretty penny—we’re talking up to $300 or more—but finding an affordable security camera isn’t an impossible task.

There are cheap security cameras that offer comparable video quality and features to high-end models. And, many models are durable enough to use outdoors in addition on a desk or mounted in the corner of a room.

Protect your home, keep watch on your kids, or get a virtual peephole at your front door without breaking the bank. Check out our picks for the best security cameras for indoor, outdoor, or front door use that won’t cost you an arm and a leg to buy.

The Best Cheap Security Cameras

• Best Overall: Wyze Cam v3 Home Security Camera

• Best for Outdoors: Blink Outdoor 4 (4th Gen)

• Most Affordable: TP-Link Tapo 2K Security Camera

• Best for Indoors: Ring Indoor Cam (2nd Gen)

• Best Smart Home Compatibility: Google Nest Security Cam

What to Consider

Power Source

Security cameras use one of two power sources: batteries or corded power. Battery-powered security cameras provide far more flexibility, particularly outdoors and from higher vantage points. Most security camera batteries last for several months and some as much as two years or more before needing to be replaced. While battery changes are infrequent, the process of reaching your mounted security cameras can be arduous.

Corded power models are generally built for more convenient locations, like in your living room. Corded power provides more stability and once plugged in, never needs to be fussed with. That said, corded power security cameras are limited by how close they are to the nearest outlet.

Purpose and Design

Even among more affordable security cameras, there’s a variety of designs and desirable features to consider. Cameras intended for outdoor installation have weather resistant exteriors, long-lasting batteries, and, often, night-vision modes and motion sensors.

Indoor cameras meant for monitoring pets and kids typically have two-way speakers, so you can directly communicate with them from the camera. Many also have privacy screens or modes for when you’re home, or don’t want the camera recording footage.

Connectivity

While the majority of cheap security cameras offer wireless connectivity through an app and other devices, some require a wired connection to your home’s internet and the camera’s storage. Wired connections reduce lag and don’t require Bluetooth or Wi-Fi.

Keep in mind that the cheapest security cameras usually only come with live feeds, like our best overall pick from Wyze, so if you want to store a lot of footage from you camera, prioritize that feature—several of our recommendations below have limited local storage. Others use Wi-Fi-connected cloud servers that temporarily store content.

How We Selected

We made our final selections for this list after significant research on each individual security camera. We compared key specs such as video quality and connectivity as well as additional features such as the wall-mounting designs, motion detection notifications, and video storage servers. We chose each of the security cameras after paying close attention to these features as well as cross-referencing them with security cameras articles we have already published here at Popular Mechanics.

Because this list focuses on cheap security cameras, we were extremely cognizant of price. No security camera on this list costs more than $100 at the time of writing. Most options on this list cost well below that figure as well.

Cam v3 Home Security Camera

Marrying high-level security with affordability, the Wyze Cam v3 is a great option with an excellent reputation among homeowners and pet parents. The security camera comes with motion- and sound-detection technology that triggers automatic notifications to your phone, which is great for keeping tabs on front-porch deliveries or your kids during nap time.

The Wyze Cam v3 also comes with two-way audio for communicating directly with neighbors, delivery drivers, and pets, even when you aren’t home. Our deputy editor, Zoë Hannah, used hers to communicate with her crated puppy during long days in the office.

The security camera sets itself apart from the crowd with color night vision enhanced with image improvement technology. Hannah says this feature works great, and she could see her dog laying in the crate even when the entire room is pitch black.

The camera is also equipped with weather-resistance for outdoor use, and only requires one plug, though the power cord is quite short, so you may need an extension cord for outdoor setup.

Outdoor 4 (4th Gen)

With a weather resistant exterior and a two year battery life, this security camera from Blink is the ultimate model for outdoor installation. The fourth generation of the outdoor camera, this device comes with HD night vision, two-way audio, and motion detection.

The security camera connects directly to an app which you can monitor on your phone. Because Blink is an Amazon brand, all of the security cameras connect directly to other Amazon devices as well, so if you own a virtual assistant such as Alexa, you can check in on your cameras through them.

If you wish to store footage, Blink also offers a monthly subscription plan that gives you access to cloud storage, great app functionality, and person recognition software for your camera.

Tapo 2K Security Camera

One of the most affordable and durable security cameras on our list, the Tapo 2K camera is designed for long-term value. The device has an IP66 weather-resistance rating to prevent damage, even during extreme weather like rainstorms or snow.

It can save up to 128 gigabytes of local storage so you can review important footage each day without the risk of it being erased prematurely. That said, you need a microSD card or a Tapo Care subscription to save it.

The device has many other security-focused features including a night-vision mode and a motion-activated siren for when you’re out of town. While it does require wired connectivity, you can connect via smart devices once the camera has internet.

Indoor Cam (2nd Gen)

With two-way speakers for listening and speaking, color night vision, and customizable motion zones, this security camera from Ring has all the features you need in an indoor device.

The camera has motion notifications like many others on our list, but instead of just showing a clip from when the motion is first detected, Ring provides a few seconds of pre-roll so you get all the events leading up to it as well.

As an indoor camera, Ring built in several privacy features. This includes customizable privacy zones where the camera is restricted from recording or capturing footage. It also has a privacy screen that covers the camera and automatically stops the camera from recording both video and audio.

Nest Security Cam

The Google Nest security camera is designed for easy integration with your home and smart devices. The security cam connects directly to the Google Home app, and is therefore compatible with any smart device with Google Assistant, whether that is a Google Pixel, Google Nest Smart Speaker, or Chromebook.

One feature unique to the Nest camera is the one-hour local footage backup, so in the event of a Wi-Fi outage, the camera records up to a full hour of security footage directly on the device to prevent lost surveillance.

The camera also comes with built-in recognition software, so it distinguishes between people, animals, and vehicles for more accurate notifications.

Affordable Camera with Floodlight

For outdoor security at an affordable price, the Wyze Cam floodlight fits the bill. The LED lights provide up to 2600 lumens of brightness when on—perfect for lighting up a walkway or backyard—and can be adjusted to different brightnesses. The motion sensors on the camera extend beyond the visual range of the camera itself, with a total sensing spectrum of 270 degrees for solid coverage.

Along with the floodlights, the device has a 105-decibel alarm siren to deter any unwanted visitors, which is a handy feature for when you’re out of town for an extended time. You can attach another Wyze camera to this one for even more coverage, ideal for capturing multiple angles, and the entire device is weatherproof.

Affordable Video Doorbell

Make your doorbell an outdoor security camera with this option from Blink. The device is built to detect motion at y0ur front door, notify your smart devices automatically with a doorbell press, and provide a two-way communication platform with neighbors or delivery drivers even when you aren’t home.

The Blink doorbell connects wirelessly to your smart devices and Wi-Fi. The security camera also connected directly to any smart Alexa devices, for easy monitoring from anywhere in the house.

It also gives you the option of hardwiring it to replace your existing doorbell, so you can keep your current chime sound and avoid the awkwardness of having two doorbells.

Essential Indoor 2K Security Camera (2nd Generation)

This security camera from Arlo has features that make it ideal for home monitoring, including an automated privacy shield that slides over the camera lens, two-way audio, and HD night vision.

What sets it apart from many others on this list is the video resolution. The 2k camera quality provides clear images so you can catch details in the frame like a dog chewing something they aren’t supposed to.

The camera also zooms in, so if something is happening in the back of the frame, simply zoom in on it and get a closer look. Each Arlo camera also connects to a paid monthly subscription services that comes with 30-day cloud video storage and emergency response features.

Security Indoor Cam

Give yourself more than a static screen. Instead of buying multiple security cameras and paying the extra cost, consider this option from Eufy. Designed with rotate tilt, the camera moves in multiple directions, so it can focus on any space in the room.

What makes this camera special is its motion detection. Once motion is detected, the device will rotate and tilt, following the motion across the room.

This gives you a much longer, more comprehensive video of what happened as opposed to the stationary cameras on this list. The camera has a 360-degree panning range and a 96-degree tilt range, so you can cover entire spaces with just one.

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