Article updated on April 16, 2024 at 7:30 AM PDT
Protect your home with our picks of the best wireless security cameras, with options from Blink, Arlo, Nest and more. cctv camera with solar panel
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Does the cam work with your current smart home platform or voice assistants?
Is the app intuitive and the live view clear?
Does the camera offer your preferred method to store videos? Does it require a subscription or extra purchase?
Does the camera have useful motion detection that can recognize people apart from animals or vehicles?
Is the battery life rating something you're comfortable managing? Does the battery perform well under frequent use?
Does the camera brand have a reputation for fixing security breaches and protecting data?
Home security is a must-have today, and security cameras are the building blocks of a good home security system. If you have the budget and want a cleaner-looking setup, wireless security cameras are the way to go. Our top pick currently is the Arlo Pro 5S , which is a feature-packed model that surpasses our previous pick, the Arlo Pro 3. After spending over a hundred hours testing security cameras and years reviewing battery-powered security devices, our team of experts at CNET recommends the Arlo Pro 5S as the ultimate do-everything camera -- especially when you add a compatible Arlo hub.
The Arlo Pro 5S is a tad pricey, but you don't have to spend a lot to get a great security camera. For those on a budget, we've also included a range of affordable wireless options we've tested that would all protect your home well. Our list includes options that have extra-long battery life and some you can move from place to place (as well as a video doorbell option), so take a look at the complete list before you purchase a wireless security camera. We also have guides for the most affordable security cameras, as well as outdoor models, fit for any kind of weather.
This Arlo Pro cam is useful outdoors or inside.
What do you want in a wireless camera? We consider features like battery life, easy installation, a great viewing angle and smart home compatibility, plus extra capabilities that make the cam worthwhile no matter where you place it. The Arlo Pro 5S 2K-resolution camera brings more to the table than any wireless cam we’ve seen so far, including a battery rated for a very healthy six months and low power settings (enhanced by an optional Arlo system connection) to extend that to six months.
This camera offers as many features as possible to give users choices, like that low-power mode. The camera has extra functionality like 12x zoom and color night vision. Smart home compatibility is some of the best we’ve seen with support for Alexa, Google Home, Samsung and IFTTT settings (no Apple support, unfortunately). You can also use the built-in spotlight and siren to ward away intruders if you feel uncomfortable, or tap into the two-way audio to have a conversation.
Finally, the Arlo Pro 5S also offers a subscription service with tiers for cloud storage and professional monitoring. You can choose to buy a hub device like Arlo SmartHub and connect local storage if you prefer to stay off a plan.
This Arlo Pro cam is useful outdoors or inside.
With both mounting and table-stand options, you can take the Ring Stick Up Cam anywhere -- so it makes the most use of its wireless capabilities. You can move it from watching a child sleep to checking on the living room to monitoring an outdoor deck space where kids (or adults) are playing. (You get the idea.) Or find the perfect spot and mount it for a permanent HD view supported by HDR and color night vision.
While the Stick Up Cam Pro does well inside or out, you get the most use of its features outdoors, including the 3D motion tracking with “Bird’s Eye” view that can track where people move around your yard. Two-way audio is also included, but you’ll need a Ring Protect plan if you want video storage. If you’re put off by the Pro’s fairly high price, there is a standard Ring Stick Up cam available for significantly less.
Don’t forget, Ring recently changed its policy regarding police requests for user footage, limiting law enforcement to only emergency life-or-death requests for video instead of more casual orders. That’s a bit of welcome privacy compared to their previous stance.
If you’re hesitant to get a wireless security camera because of the battery requirements, you have a couple of solutions. One is a solar panel, which we’ll discuss below, but another option is finding a camera with excellent battery life so you don’t have to worry about it for extended periods. While battery life does depend on how often cameras are activated, the Blink Outdoor 4 can last up to two years in the right conditions before needing a recharge, the longest battery life we’ve seen on a camera like this.
Other important staples on the Outdoor 4 include two-way audio, infrared night vision and motion zone control. We especially like that it comes with a Sync Module 2 for Wi-Fi connections and local storage, so you don’t have to rely on the Blink subscription unless you prefer to pay for extras. Keep in mind, like other Amazon Blink cams this model only works with Alexa, so it’s most useful if you’re already part of the Amazon ecosystem with items like an Echo Show.
Google’s Nest cam (and most Nest products) are designed to be extra easy to use and install, ideal for people who want quick eyes on their important belongings with minimal work. Set up the Nest’s mount indoors or outdoors, and use the magnetic connection to snap the cam on, adjust it and take it offer easily whenever you need to recharge. That makes maintenance especially easy, which is important because of the lower battery life on this camera.
The HD cam included night vision and two-way audio, plus Google’s video storage package which includes up to 3 hours of cloud storage for free, a welcome deal only offered by a few brands these days. It also works with both Alexa and Google Assistant, so you don’t need to be heavily invested in Google products to get a lot out of this cam.
A floodlight camera is ideal for illuminating darker parts of your yard or driveway, but those tend to be spots where electrical wiring doesn’t reach -- so a battery camera can work very well. We found this Arlo model filled with impressive features including 2K resolution and color night vision. Plus, it’s one of the few security cams that works with Apple Home, although you will need to purchase an additional SmartHub. It also has an extra-wide viewing angle of 160 degrees like our other Arlo pick, making these cams good for viewing broad spaces.
While you can change some settings for motioning detection, objective recognition and similar features, remember that the floodlight will usually trigger movement. With a floodlight rated up to 2,000 lumens, that can be a serious charge on battery life and we’ve seen users complain that their batteries only last a few days. If this is a problem for you, the cam does come with a magnetic charging cable that’s suited for outdoor use, so you can rig up a wired alternative.
One class of wireless cams has embraced a solution to battery-charging woes: A solar panel that can keep the battery charged as long as there’s sufficient sunlight to keep it powered through dark periods. We appreciate Eufy’s approach that builds the solar panel into the camera so you don’t have to struggle with placement ( that does something similar).
Eufy’s camera also brings to the table important capabilities like a 600-lumen spotlight, 2K resolution and motion detection. We also like that you get object recognition (humans, animals, etc.) for free, as some cams on our list bundle that up with a subscription. Speaking of subscriptions, there are none for this Eufy cam: You’ll need to purchase an extra microSD card for storage, and we suggest you budget for that as well.
While Google’s Nest Doorbell does come with a wired version, we prefer the battery model. In our testing, we found it easier to place to get just the right from your front door, and the battery easily lasts at least a few months even with regular activations. Plus, that same Nest deal for 3 free hours of cloud storage is hard to beat in a video doorbell.
Features like two-way audio are even more important on a doorbell, and Google also uses some of its AI expertise to help identify packages, people and vehicles with other options locked behind the subscription. Plus, you get a few color options to better match your door and trim. If you don’t mind using the Google Home app to control the device, this is one of the best video doorbells we’ve found as a wireless model.
Wyze Cam Outdoor v2: Wyze cameras have a lot going for them, including affordability and strong feature sets, which is why we’ve picked them in several of our lists before. Wyze is currently facing repeated security breaches and vulnerabilities, including a 2024 incident that let 13,000 people see through strangers' cams (a similar incident also happened in late 2023). Until Wyze gets a handle on its security leaks, we can’t recommend it as a brand.
Arlo Pro 4 : The Arlo Pro 4 remains an excellent choice for a security camera. The Arlo Pro 5S nudged it off the list for us, but you may be able to save some money with the Arlo Pro 4 and still many of the same features.
Blink Outdoor 3 : This is another case where the newer Blink Outdoor 4 simply outclassed the Outdoor 3 so completely that there wasn’t room for both picks on our list.
Reolink Argus Eco + Solar Panel : While we did choose this Reolink cam as an affordable option for solar-powered wireless cameras, we prefer the much easier installation of Eufy’s solar cam, as long as you don’t mind paying more for it.
Nowadays, home security cameras are expected to work with at least one major smart home platform. Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant and Apple HomeKit are the main ones you need to look for. Apple Home app support is usually the hardest to find.
Wireless security cameras and video doorbells are often exposed to direct sunlight, weather and other natural elements, but many others are installed under porches, near shady trees and in all sorts of other settings. The camera must have crisp, clear video footage or even night vision so you don't get stuck with grainy and unusable footage.
Not all video storage is equal. You have two main options and picking one is up to your personal preference. There's cloud storage, which sends your video footage to a remote server to be saved, and local storage, which relies on a separate accessory or piece of hardware, usually a microSD card, to hold any footage you'd like to save. Usually, cloud storage requires a monthly fee, and companies typically reserve the right to share that footage with others in case of emergencies, such as an FBI search.
Motion detection is one of the most important features of DIY security cameras. You’ll want a feature that automatically records video and sends you alerts when the camera picks up motion. You also don’t want to get alerts and useless videos every time leaves blow by (or cars drive by, deer walk past, etc.). That’s where object detection comes in useful: The best security cameras can distinguish between vehicles, animals and people. The best versions like Google’s AI detection can also detect packages and, if you allow them, familiar faces at your door.
Wireless cams live and then literally die based on their battery life. When looking for a good battery, keep in mind that ratings are subjective, and batteries will drain faster depending on how often the camera is activated. We’ve found that most wireless security cameras fall in line with their ratings and last several months with at least a few daily activations. Ring’s Outdoor 4 cam is a notable outlier with its extra-long battery life, and solar cams offer an alternative way of charging.
No matter what battery option you pick, consider installing a wireless camera somewhere that’s relatively easy to reach to bring the camera or its battery pack inside for charging. Not everyone wants to climb a ladder every time.
You may want to look up privacy policies for the camera you are interested, and see if the brand has had any recent security issues. We look for brands that act quickly and make significant changes when they find a security issue like Eufy did back in the early 2020s. We also like to see changes like Ring removing its casual option for police to request user videos.
Hands-on testing is core to our evaluations of home security products. In short, when it comes to security cameras, we pay special attention to resolution, night vision and latency, extra features, general performance and overall value. We evaluate all of these elements in a real home environment over a week.
If you want to read more about our review process, check out our in-depth article on how we test home security cameras and video doorbells.
Wireless smart cams generally rely on your home internet connection to function, but that isn't always the case. Some devices, like Nest's wireless video doorbell, can save footage locally in case of an outage. Other systems, like Lorex's cameras, work using their own wireless network. That means as long as their base station has power, the wireless cameras will keep recording onto a microSD card.
The cost of smart security cameras can add up really quickly, so if you're looking for a whole system of cameras, more affordable options from developers like Blink or Wyze might be the right call for you. Getting an affordable video doorbell might be a good idea too -- and wireless options are getting cheaper every year.
Most wireless cameras use a simple screw-in mount or adhesive strips. Follow the manual’s directions carefully to prepare your mounting surface and install the base portion of the camera. When possible, avoid trying to install a camera on stone, metal, brickwork or fiber cement, as these surfaces aren’t easy to drill into and may not support a sticky adhesive (especially when temperatures change). Solid sections of trim, fence posts, eaves and other spots tend to work best in our experience.
Since you’ll have to take down a wireless security camera occasionally for battery recharging or other maintenance, it’s a good idea to choose a spot that’s relatively easy to access in the future.
solar kit power camera 12v Respect other people’s privacy and you shouldn’t have any legal issues with a wireless security camera. Generally, that means you can’t point a camera toward someone else’s backyard where they expect privacy, or into the windows of their home, etc. You also shouldn’t point wireless cameras so they look into your own bedrooms or other private places in your home.