Getting into the world of video doorbells can be tricky. You need to decide if you want local storage or cloud storage, wired or battery-powered, wifi or Ethernet, etc. There are many things to consider, and depending on your circumstances, one model may work better for you than another. Most people (I assume) prefer to have a subscription-free video doorbell if possible, since most of us already pay too much for other subscriptions. I did my best to round up the best video doorbells that I could find, with an emphasis on subscription-free options, to help you narrow down the right one for you.
Not many cameras have such a wide range of important features and compatibilities for such a low price as the Arlo Video Doorbell, and that's why it's the best overall video doorbell camera for most people. This camera gives you the option to be wired or wireless with an easy installation, it supports all three major smart assistants (Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, and IFTTT), and has a wide 180-degree field of view capable of 2K resolution. The downside is that you must connect it over wifi, with no Ethernet option. It also only supports cloud storage, meaning you'll need an Arlo Secure plan starting at $4.99 per month to see your videos and unlock all of the features. You can read more about this camera in PCMag's review here.
If you're trying to cut down on monthly subscription expenses, Lorex offers all of its cameras subscription-free. I've been testing its latest 4K Wired Video Doorbell for some months and have been pleasantly surprised with the results. The camera offers 4K resolution, as the name implies, comes with a Chime Kit that works for existing mechanical chimes in your home, and comes with a 32GB SD card included to get you started on your subscription-free local-storage journey. What I really like about how this local storage works is that the camera automatically deletes the oldest videos once you fill up your SD card. In other words, you don't really need to have a bigger SD card since it automatically recycles through the videos, discarding the ones you (presumably) don't need. The wiring is straightforward as long as you already have wiring installed. The field of view is designed to be seen on phones, with a 9:16 aspect ratio that is narrow, but catches the bottom so you can keep an eye on packages. It has color night vision, a night light that shoots below it, and AI technology so you can choose what to be notified about and what not to.
Having a security camera connected with an ethernet cable means a solid, reliable internet connection that won't be affected by wifi jammers that robbers might use before a break-in. The Reolink Video Doorbell Wifi is the best camera I've tried with an Ethernet port (of course you can still use the wifi option). Like most of the video doorbell cameras here, it also needs no subscription and has local storage—plus a cloud storage option (no microSD card included). Like the Lorex, it auto-deletes the old footage so the local storage doesn't get full. It also has a pre-roll video feature that records six seconds before an event is triggered so you can have context on the event. The camera comes with a doorbell unit that you can plug into any outlet in your home to hear the chime. The field of view is designed to capture a wide 180-degree view, but you won't be able to see packages on your porch. For the price, it is a great value video doorbell camera. You can read more about this camera in PCMag's review here.
I get a lot of packages delivered to me, mostly from work to test tech products. I need to know when I need to rush home to pick up an important package, and no video doorbell camera does a better job at this than the Eufy Video Doorbell E340. It has two cameras, one to capture the person coming up to your door, and a second one aimed at what they are dropping off. You can see your videos in 2K resolution and in color at night. Like most of the cameras on this roundup, it's subscription-free with 8GB of eMMC local storage. If you want more storage, you can get the Eufy S380 HomeBase 3 which lets you add up to 16TB of additional storage and other features. You can wire or use the battery and it is compatible with Alexa and Google Voice Assistant. You can read more about this camera in PCMag's review here.
If you're looking for a video doorbell on a budget that just works, the Blink Video Doorbell and Sync Module Core is the best value for your money. Amazon owns Blink, so it's easy to find this camera for under $40 during its many sales (it was $35 during Prime Day). This specific camera comes with the Sync Module Core, a hub that connects the doorbell to Blink’s cloud servers, which allows you to store videos to it but you'll need a $30 per year subscription. You can wire or use this camera with its battery, and of course, it only works with Alexa. You can read more about this camera on PCMag's review.
The best video doorbell for you will depend on your needs. If you'll be away from home for long periods of time, get a wired video camera. If you are renting, a battery-powered video doorbell makes more sense since you don't need to do any wiring. For those with questionable wifi, get an Ethernet-powered video doorbell. A cloud storage option is convenient since it sends videos to your smart devices, but it usually comes with a subscription. A local storage video doorbell is great for people who want to skip a cloud subscription, and many local storage video doorbells now let you see your videos right from your phone without needing to take out the SD card, making them a much better option than cloud storage devices.
Think about what your preferences are and see which will suit you best. Any of the video doorbells on this roundup will be a great device.
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