SimpliSafe’s innovative Active Guard Outdoor Protection with live video monitoring makes its outdoor camera stand out from the rest.
Editor’s Note: Our recommendation is to opt for an outdoor security system for maximum coverage of your home. You can control devices from your living room and speak to visitors via two-way communication before you open the door. micro surveillance cameras wireless
Outdoor cameras deter crime better than their indoor counterparts because the mere sight of them can send burglars packing. That’s why almost every home needs outdoor cameras, including yours. So, what are the best outdoor cameras you can buy right now?
We’ll name a few in this guide, but after testing dozens of outdoor security cameras rigorously, we came to the conclusion that the SimpliSafe Outdoor Camera Pro is the best option. It does what an outdoor camera is supposed to do – detect, record, and stream suspicious activity – but SimpliSafe’s monitoring subscription elevates it further. Now, SimpliSafe agents can monitor your outdoor cameras.
Of course, not everybody needs that level of protection. So to give you options just in case, we included our other favorite options from Lorex, Nest, Arlo, Ring, Wyze, and Blink. Learn all about them here!
What are Outdoor Security Cameras? Outdoor cameras are security cameras that are rugged and waterproof, and they typically come in different power options like solar, battery, and PoE. Otherwise, they aren’t much different from your regular security cameras. They can stream and record videos, detect motion, and offer two-way talk. However, some outdoor cameras offer more advanced features like motion-activated lighting, person detection, zone detection, etc.
>> Read More: Best PoE Security Cameras
Although outdoor cameras offer largely the same set of features as indoor cameras, they play a much broader function in home security. They are the first line of defense when it comes to detecting intrusion, as they are the ones responsible for perimeter security.
We’ve been testing security cameras for over a decade now, and we’ve learned that the most essential features of outdoor cameras include:
By looking at those features, comparing security cameras that offer them, and testing those cameras ourselves, we were able to round up the best outdoor security cameras available. So without further ado, here are the best security cameras to use outdoors – from the most rugged to the smartest.
Pro Tip: Never miss a beat with the SimpliSafe Outdoor Camera Pro paired with a SimpliSafe security system. Learn more in our SimpliSafe review (you’ll love the Video Verification feature).
SimpliSafe is one of the top home security systems, and what it does best is prevent or stop burglars. That’s why even though it offers only one outdoor camera, we strongly believe it’s the best option right now.
One reason is the hardware. The SimpliSafe Outdoor Camera Pro is battery-powered and has an IP 65 rating. When we reviewed the SimpliSafe outdoor camera, it lived for about 4 months before running out of charge. It also had good video quality (1080p with HDR), two-way audio, solid night vision aided by a spotlight, and a 140-degree viewing angle. Those aren’t particularly exceptional, but as we’ll discuss next, it’s how SimpliSafe uses those features to deter crime that makes this outdoor camera special.
One of the downsides of the Outdoor Camera Pro is that it requires you to have a SimpliSafe security system. You can’t use the camera otherwise, but even if you could, we’d still recommend using it with a SimpliSafe system because of the Active Guard Outdoor Protection feature.
Essentially, with the right SimpliSafe subscription, SimpliSafe can monitor the outdoor camera for you. You can go for overnight protection for $49.99 per month or 24/7 protection for $79.99. Expensive? Yes, but it’s worth it, in our opinion. SimpliSafe agents would be able to visually monitor your property if the camera detects a potential intruder. They’d also be able to speak to strangers trespassing into your yard to send them packing. And on top of all that, SimpliSafe would monitor your security system, give you cellular backup, and provide cloud storage for up to 10 of your security cameras.
FYI: When we tested this feature, we learned that the outdoor camera uses AI person detection to fine-tune its alerts. It didn’t trigger Active Guard when a cat wandered into our yard, but it did when the pizza delivery guy came to deliver our dinner.
The Outdoor Camera Pro is just one of the four available SimpliSafe cameras. If you also want front door protection, we’ve reviewed the SimpliSafe Video Doorbell Pro and it was pretty good. It’s hardwired, but it didn’t take us long to set it up.
There’s also an indoor camera model called Smart Alarm that offers a feature similar to Active Guard. Better still, if you’re on that $49.99 or $79.99 Plus or Pro plan, monitoring for the indoor camera is also included. The Outdoor Camera Pro does a wonderful job turning away criminals, but if they’re persistent, you can count on the other SimpliSafe products (and monitoring) to secure your house.
What jumps out immediately about Lorex is that it offers more than just a handful of outdoor camera options, unlike our top-pick, SimpliSafe. Lorex offers dozens of packages that include different types of outdoor cameras, like bullet cameras such as the ones we see in malls and dome-type cameras typically installed under an eave. They are some of the sturdiest cameras, too. Some of them can withstand external forces up to 22 lbs in addition to being waterproof and dust-tight.
Now, if you’re picturing a boxy brick of a device, that’s not how most Lorex cameras look. Some are bulkier than the competition, but most now have modern designs. More importantly, they have modern features too, like 4K image processing and person and facial detection. The biggest standout is the dual-lens camera, which combines two lenses in one device to provide the widest possible viewing angle.
>> More info: Best 4K Security Cameras
Lorex is also surprisingly affordable. Our Lorex system with four outdoor cameras and a DVR cost us only less than $600 – that’s a little more than $100 per piece, not counting the DVR. At that price, you can have enough cameras to cover every corner of your property, whether you have a small yard or a yard the size of a football stadium.
Of course, you’d want to maximize your cameras, so choose your camera placement wisely. We’d also recommend buying a smaller bundle. It’s better to buy more cameras a la carte style than waste money on one too many cameras.
Not all Lorex cameras are affordable. Lorex’s prices are a spectrum. On one end are simple plug-in outdoor cameras selling for less than $100. On the other end are high-end and high-tech options like the 4K Dual Lens retailing for around $250. In most cases, you can integrate both affordable and pricier Lorex cameras into one system.
One of the major features we love seeing in outdoor cameras is continuous recording. There’s always a lot going on outdoors, and if your camera relies only on its motion sensors to detect important events, you might miss a lot. Not so with Lorex. With a DVR or NVR plugged in indoors, the cameras can continuously record for days on end. Our four-camera setup stores about a week’s worth of footage.
The downside, however, is that we had to wire each of those cameras to the DVR. It wasn’t an easy task, as we had to snake the thick wires up the eave and through the ceiling. We even had to break out our power tools just to install Lorex. But it was all worth it. After we set them up, we just left them there constantly recording and waiting for any incident to happen.
The Nest Cam was as we expected from a Google-made security camera. We mean, just look at how neat the Nest Cam (battery) is below. But beyond just looks, it’s really smart. It can tell people apart from other moving objects, and it can even tell you if the person in the frame is a stranger or someone you know. We’ve never had to pull up its live feed to see if our homesitter has arrived.
As you can probably tell from its name, the Nest Cam (battery) is a battery-powered camera. That made our installation a lot easier compared to when we did Lorex. We didn’t need to plug it in and it connected to our Wi-Fi easily.
There was another outdoor Nest Cam though, but it requires hardwiring because it has built-in floodlights. It’s less versatile than the battery-powered Nest Cam, but should you need floodlights with a security camera, it could be a good choice. Just be prepared to pay an electrician to set it up. It needs to be hardwired to a junction box.
FYI: If possible, connect your outdoor cameras to your 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi, not 5 GHz. The former has a wider wireless range, so it’s better for security cameras you might have to place far from your router.
Unlike Lorex, Nest requires a monthly fee. There’s no free or local storage included in any of the Nest Cams. The good news is it’s affordable, at only $8 per month or $80 per year for unlimited cameras. There’s also an upgraded subscription for those who want continuous video recording (CVR) for $15 per month or $150 per year.
There are a couple of caveats to Nest’s CVR, though. First, because it uses cloud storage, it’s going to be bandwidth-heavy. It’s fine to have one or two cameras uploading clips to the cloud constantly, but more than that is too much for an average home Wi-Fi.
The other caveat is that the Nest Cam (battery) must have a continuous power source when enrolled in CVR. Again, this is because CVR requires continuous use of Wi-Fi to stream data to the cloud, which isn’t battery-friendly. In short, you’re going to need a weatherproof power cable and adapter to use Nest Cam (battery) with CVR.
The upside, compared to Lorex’s DVR continuous recording, is you get that 10-day history in full. That’s longer than the seven-day history of our four-camera Lorex system. You also don’t risk losing your recordings to incidents such as fire and crash-and-smash burglars who try to hide their crime by destroying security equipment like DVRs and security system panels. Nest keeps your videos safely stored in the cloud.
FYI: Well, maybe not so safe. Security systems and cameras can be hacked, especially if they’re connected to the internet 24/7. So when using a cloud-recording security camera, make sure your network is secure.
Nest security cameras had best-in-industry compatibility with Google Assistant. By incorporating a Google Home speaker, we controlled our security cameras and video with phrases like “Hey Google, show the garage camera.” We live-streamed, saved video to our tablet, used Chromecast TV, and more.
We also used voice to control other equipment monitored by the Nest hub. For example, we got a child’s room ready for bed by saying, “Okay, Google. Dim the lights in the baby’s room.”
Overall, Nest was the best option for DIY security cameras with continuous recording. They even offered professional installation for $79. Nest Aware pricing is competitive, too, at $8 per month.
For people seeking totally DIY home security, Arlo offered the best selection of outdoor wireless security cameras for $189 and up. Color night vision, floodlights, and facial recognition were among their special features. We chose from three lines of cameras that worked indoors or out. The main difference among these was the resolution: 1080p for the Essential line, 2K for the Pro line, and 4K for the Ultra.
We liked the Pro line in particular because it offered a good balance of price and features. The Arlo Pro 4, which costs $199, offers a 2K HD resolution with HDR, person detection, a built-in smart spotlight, up to 12 times digital zoom, and a six-month battery life.
If you want a longer battery life, go with the newer Arlo Pro 5S (pictured above). It costs $249, but it has a battery-saving mode that can extend the battery life by up to 30-percent, according to Arlo. It also offers upgraded connectivity features including dual-band Wi-Fi and SecureLink – a cellular-connectivity feature that enables the camera to work during power and Wi-Fi outages if you have the Arlo Security System in place.
The Arlo brand was also a great option for indoor video security. The Essentials Indoor, which is a plug-in indoor camera, is particularly popular because of its affordable price (around $60), clear video quality (1080p HD), and affordable cloud storage. And since Arlo’s app can stream from all Arlo-branded security cameras, you can build an entire security camera system combining Arlo’s impressive outdoor camera features with its affordable indoor cameras.
>> Related: Defender Security Camera Review
The Arlo app made monitoring Arlo cameras a breeze. All the cameras we added to our account appeared on the app, and from there, we were able to check on them, use features like two-way talk, activate their built-in smart lights and sirens, and review recordings.
Speaking of recordings, Arlo cameras need a cloud subscription, and it’s more expensive than that of Nest. 30-day event recording starts at $7.99 per camera or $12.99 for unlimited cameras. It costs almost $5 more than Nest Aware. But when you think about it, it’s not that bad. Arlo offers 4K cameras that require more storage space than Nest Cam’s 1080p cameras. So if you want to take full advantage of the pricier cloud subscription, consider adding 2K and 4K Arlo cameras to your setup.
Some special features of Arlo Pro outdoor security cams include:
Arlo’s main products were indoor cameras, outdoor cameras, and security floodlights. All in all, Arlo has the best deals on high-end home security cameras that we monitored ourselves. Their three weatherproof options covered the spectrum from 1080p to 4K, with infrared or color night vision. Discounts were given on two or more, and Arlo cloud storage for continuous video recordings was low-priced.
Ring first made it big with rather small cameras: doorbell video cameras about 2.5 inches wide and five inches tall. At the time of our review, Ring provided video security for entire properties, from the foot of our driveway to inside our home. As camera owners, we handled video security 100 percent independently instead of paying Ring for professional backup.
The outdoor security camera selection from Ring was impressive. While other companies had just one or two models, Ring had multiple options. For power, we were offered our choice of batteries, solar energy, or plug-in equipment. The cameras were priced fairly and had the best outdoor security features overall. Before discounts, Ring outdoor cameras started at $99 and up. Examples of special features on Ring’s weatherproof cameras included sirens, two-way talk, LED floodlights, and infrared night vision. The 100-decibel sirens on Ring’s outdoor cameras were activated via the motion of a trespasser or when we pressed a button in our Ring mobile app.
>> Learn More: Best Solar-Powered Security Cameras
Now, if you want security sensors in addition to security cameras, you could integrate a Ring Alarm security system. It’s a simple DIY solution with wireless sensors for security and home safety. The Ring Alarm is great for indoor monitoring, and with Ring’s outdoor cameras keeping watch of the perimeter, you’ll have a ring of security around your home.
We also liked that Ring integrates well with Alexa, the Amazon-made voice assistant. In particular, we enjoyed using Ring cameras with Alexa smart displays like the Echo Show 8 we reviewed. We could say commands like, “Alexa, show me my front lawn,” and the Ring cameras would start streaming live footage.
Ring works with Google smart displays too, like the Google Nest Hub we reviewed, but since Ring is owned by Amazon, we much preferred using Alexa.
These features were included with some or all weatherproof Ring camera models:
Typical setup time took five to 20 minutes per security camera, depending on its design, and no hardwiring was required.
DIY monitoring of Ring cameras with cloud video storage started at $3.99 per month, which was a best-in-industry deal. Ring securely stored all motion-triggered clips for our review, and we could keep the clips for up to 60 days each. For comparison, the cheapest Nest camera plan was $6 per month and included only 30 days of storage. Unfortunately, Ring did not let us record continuously, so only motion-triggered clips were saved, but for those with multiple cameras, a $10 per month plan exists that can store videos from any number of cameras installed in one location.
Wyze is best known for its value cameras, and the Wyze Cam Outdoor v2 is one of the latest additions from the brand. At $73.99 for a starter kit, it’s definitely a good purchase. It has a slew of value-adding features, like its six-month battery life, its use of PIR motion detection, and its ability to listen for smoke and CO alarms.
Our favorite feature has to be its support for local storage. Like most cameras from Wyze, the Wyze Cam Outdoor has an expandable local storage via a microSD card. It supports microSD cards up to 32 GB, and simply plugging one into the camera activates continuous recording. Even though the camera is small, it’s quite capable of protecting homes because of that.
The Wyze Cam v2 is just a part of the larger Wyze family of security cameras. And technically, almost every Wyze camera model can work as an outdoor camera. The base model, the Wyze Cam v3, is IP65 weatherproof. Just give it an outdoor-ready power cord and it’ll work outdoors.
The same is true for the more AI-heavy Wyze Cam v3 Pro, which has the same body as the Wyze Cam v3 but an upgraded 2K image resolution and faster AI detection.
Together, these other Wyze cameras can help the battery-powered Wyze Cam Outdoor make your home more secure.
Another thing that sets Wyze apart from the competition is that it can be monitored professionally, just like a home security system.
Here’s how it works:
When the monitored camera is triggered, its AI will kick in to determine if a person triggered the motion sensor or something else. If it’s not a person, it will only notify you. If it’s a person, the camera will send footage to the monitoring center. There, an agent will verify the alarm. If it’s a real alarm, they’ll try to get in touch with you and at the same time call the police if necessary.
Professional monitoring is available through the Wyze Cam Protect plan, which costs $3.99 per month per camera.
Blink sells dependable security cameras for as low as $34.99 and up and outdoor cameras (named Blink Outdoor) for as low as $99.99. Its cameras include mobile alerts and a bit of local storage via the Sync Module 2 without monthly fees, helping the brand and the Blink Outdoor take credit for being the most affordable outdoor camera option.
Cameras by Blink weren’t feature-rich but were good value for DIY video security. They were easy to install, had motion detection with customizable zones, and recorded with infrared vision at night.
How much storage did Blink provide for free? Each Sync Module 2 can connect with up to 10 Blink cameras, and while it doesn’t have any sort of built-in video storage, you can plug in a USB flash drive up to 256 GB to use as storage. Given the Blink cameras’ video resolution, 256GB should be enough to store months of motion and sound event videos.
If you wish to have cloud backup, though, Blink’s cloud plans are affordable, too. They start at $3 per month for 60 days of cloud storage for one camera, and go as high as $10 per month for 60 days of cloud storage for unlimited cameras.
As you compare outdoor security cameras, keep these important factors in mind:
There were always many factors to consider when choosing any type of security camera, but with outdoor security cameras, the factors only increased. To create our Best Outdoor Camera list for 2024, we started with our necessary features test. All of these cameras were weather-resistant and worked throughout the seasons for a variety of climates. Whether we were looking for wired or wireless, we were sure we didn’t want a camera that would hurt our wallets too much. Read on to learn more about our selections for 2024’s Best Outdoor Camera list, their costs, why we chose them, and more.
Clearly, there was a huge variation when it came to the pricing of outdoor security cameras, with the most expensive device listed at well over $200 and the most affordable coming in at just under $50. Of course, generally speaking, we got what we paid for, so we recommended buying a higher quality camera for a bit more money rather than a cheaper camera that had fewer necessary features. Regardless, we knew to be prepared to spend roughly $200 purchasing an outdoor security camera and additional funds on monthly or yearly storage plans.
So just how did we pick out the outdoor security cameras on our list? In this section, we discuss the methodology that led to our selections in detail.
Aside from simple aesthetics, we considered whether we wanted our camera to be wired or wireless. While having a camera wired to our home definitely made installation harder, we liked the idea that we wouldn’t have to worry about changing a battery. However, we also wondered how far many of the outdoor cameras would reach from outdoor outlets. Additionally, some cameras required hubs, bridges, or DVRs, so we also took those costs into account before we made our purchases.
The main thing we looked for design-wise was durability. That came in the form of a temperature range and an IP rating, which measured how susceptible an object was to both solids and liquids.
Make sure wherever you live and its weather conditions are compatible with your outdoor security camera before purchasing— you’ll thank me later.
Of course, like with any security camera, we applied our necessary features test to all of our outdoor cameras. Dive in with us as we review our thought process behind each type of feature we sought during the selection of 2024’s best outdoor security cameras.
Display-wise, we looked for a camera that had at least 1080p HD video display, the current industry standard. We also preferred cameras that zoomed-in optically and that had fields of view that were 120 degrees or greater. That gave us the widest, clearest, and most detailed view possible.
We looked for cameras that had both speakers and microphones built-in, as that enabled two-way audio and let us speak to whoever the camera was focused on. This proved quite useful not only for telling our kids to come in for dinner but also for scaring away luckers or potential intruders remotely. This was a security camera, after all!
We specifically selected cameras that included infrared night vision rather than color night vision via a bright white light. Infrared was much more inconspicuous, which was definitely a quality we looked for in a smart security camera. Additionally, we always tested out the camera’s night vision before making a purchase.
We were also big on ensuring that our cameras came with enough storage to make owning an outdoor security camera worthwhile. We preferred cameras that offered both cloud and local storage, whether that was through a Dropbox, micro-SD card, hard drive, or what have you.
Since smart security was pretty much the standard, we searched for cameras that fit perfectly into our smart home, whether it was through Amazon, Google, or Apple.
Another thing we preferred in outdoor security cameras was person detection, which helped us differentiate between people and other moving objects like animals, cars, etc. A. It made our notifications smarter and more specific, so it was easier to monitor our home with minimal effort.
We considered it extra points if the camera had facial recognition, which, after a period of time, learned specific familiar faces and identified unfamiliar ones.
The convenience of easy installation was a big deal for us, as most of the cameras we selected were DIY. While we knew we could always hire a professional if we weren’t confident, the majority of these cameras were designed to be installed by non-professionals in less than 20 minutes.
As we witnessed in the pricing rundown, the tags on these cameras varied. Nevertheless, when we decided to buy something, we always double-checked to ensure the price coordinates logically matched with the number of necessary features met.
Apps were our mobile command center for our outdoor security cameras. With each camera’s respective app, we live-streamed footage, viewed storage, received notifications, had conversations with visitors via two-way audio, and more. One mobile app element we searched for was a good rating on either the Apple or Google Play store, depending on the type of mobile device we owned. To meet our app standards, apps needed ratings of at least three-stars or higher. Of course, a lack of high ratings did not necessarily mean a deal-breaker since apps could always be updated.
Outdoor security cameras are typically wireless, powered by either batteries or solar panels. However, there are plug-in outdoor cameras available to those with nearby outdoor outlets. To power outdoor security cameras, either recharge your camera in the home, replace the batteries, plug it into an outlet or attach a solar panel.
The best outdoor security cameras are from the brands SimpliSafe, Lorex, Google Nest, Ring, Arlo, and Blink.
The best wireless outdoor security camera is the Arlo Pro 3.
wifi smart camera icsee Outdoor security cameras can range anywhere from $50 all the way up to $400, with the majority falling around $150 to $250.