Best Easy to Use Outdoor Security Cameras
The 10 Best Wireless Security Cameras of 2022
We tested over 30 wireless security cameras to find the best features, video quality, and cloud storage.
We love the convenience and flexibility of wireless home security cameras, and the Reolink Argus 3 Pro holds onto its post as the top pick around these parts. Reolink sports 2K video quality, a bright spotlight, and a wire-free design—features it shares with Arlo Pro 4, our previous winner. But Reolink offers a smaller price tag.
Although Arlo Pro 4 offers more advanced features like motion zones and better smart home compatibility, Reolink offers local storage, a longer warranty, and a very affordable solar panel add-on. These small improvements make a huge difference when the best wireless security cameras are so similar.
Find out which cameras on our list are truly wireless, which ones you can use indoors and outdoors, and what smart features each offers in our comparison tables and security camera reviews.
Here are the best 10 wireless security cameras of 2022
- : Best overall
- : Best budget camera
- : Best for smart home
- : Best tech
Google Nest Cam (Battery)
- : Best indoor camera
- : Best for Alexa
Ring Stick Up Cam Battery
- : Best pan-tilt
- : Best all-in-one camera
- : Best battery life
- : Best ultra-budget camera
Compare the best wireless security cameras
Amazon.com price as of post date. Read full disclaimer.
Video: The Best Wireless Security Cameras of 2022
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Best wireless security camera reviews
1. Reolink Argus 3 Pro: Best overall
We love the Reolink Argus 3 Pro because it performs on nearly the same level as the Arlo Pro 4 for 65% of the price, making it an easy choice to top our rankings as the best home security camera. While Reolink's cloud storage isn't as good as the options from Arlo and Ring, its microSD card slot gives it a local storage advantage. You don't need a paid subscription to save videos from your Reolink camera.
It doesn't hurt that it's also an affordable solar security camera. You can pick up a Reolink solar panel for around $30, which is almost half the price of solar panels for Arlo and Ring cameras.
Pros
Affordable (especially the solar panels)
Excellent video quality
Bright spotlight
MicroSD video storage
Cons
No removable battery
No motion zones
We highly recommend the Reolink Argus 3 Pro over the normal Reolink Argus 3. Its 2K video resolution, larger battery, and support for 5 GHz Wi-Fi give the Arlo Pro 4 a run for its money. This camera uses a rechargeable battery or solar power, so you have a lot of flexibility for camera placement. Still, it lacks a removable battery like Arlo Pro 4 and Ring Stick Up Cam—you can't quickly swap in a spare.
It outlasted Arlo Pro 4 in long-term battery tests, which is another notch in Reolink's belt. The local storage helps reduce the camera's Wi-Fi usage (which chews through batteries) for better performance overall. This contrasts with our experience of batteries draining fairly quickly if you record or view video often without a solar panel accessory. Our test wasn't exactly taxing on the cameras, so you can expect to drain the battery in a month or two under normal conditions.
During our tests, we noticed that this camera lacks motion zones and has a narrower field of view (122º) than average, but it's still one of the best choices for most folks. It even boasts compatibility with smart home platforms like Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa.
Its starlight night vision gives you clear images up to 33 feet without extra ambient light. Overall we found setup easy, and the camera outperformed our expectations, so we're enormous fans of Reolink. Read our in-depth review of the Reolink Argus 3 Pro to learn more.
2. Wyze Cam v3: Best budget camera
The Wyze Cam v3 builds on the foundation of Wyze's original sleeper hit by introducing outdoor capabilities, a built-in siren, improved night vision, and a higher frame rate for smoother video. While the v3 saw a small price bump shortly after release, $36 is still a steal for a wireless camera this good.
Pros
Affordable price
Powerful color night vision
Indoor and outdoor capabilities
Built-in siren
Cons
Wired power cord
Special power source for outdoor operation
Wyze Cam v3's night vision is noteworthy because it uses a starlight sensor with two types of infrared LEDs to produce color video at night. This is also one of the first Wyze cameras to record videos at 20 frames per second (fps) during the day, which gives it smoother video playback and live viewing than Wyze's older cameras.
We're fans of Wyze's free cloud storage that saves small 12-second clips for up to 14 days. The Wyze Cam Plus paid cloud storage plan allows for full-length video clips and is great for folks wanting better video recording without buying a microSD card. It's also one of the cheapest plans from any security camera company—costing just $2 a month or $15 for an annual plan.
A window mount, spotlight kit, and floodlight mount are three compelling accessories for the v3. The window mount improves recording video through a window—typically a no-no with indoor cameras. The LED spotlight kit brings Wyze Cam v3 closer to Arlo Pro 4 in nighttime functionality, while the floodlight camera mount offers the best lighting experience for this cam.
One of the only things we don't like is that you need a power cord, which limits placement options. To make matters worse, outdoor operation requires a special cord. Head over to our Wyze cameras review to learn more about the best bargains in security cameras.
See footage from the Wyze Cam v3 in our full review.
3. Arlo Pro 4: Best for smart home
The Arlo Pro 4 offers compatibility with more smart home platforms than any other entry on our list. It works with Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, Apple HomeKit, and Samsung SmartThings. Although it's no longer our top pick, it's still one of our all-time favorites.
We love that it's 100% wire-free— it doesn't need a power cord and still manages to outperform the competition. Its Wi-Fi connection and battery make it easy to install anywhere a ladder can reach.
Pros
2K video resolution
100% wire-free design
Indoor/outdoor versatility
Smart home integration
Cons
High price
Paid cloud storage
The Arlo Pro 4 is an excellent battery-powered camera, especially if you want a quick setup, multiple cameras, and outstanding video quality. Its 2K video captures more detail than 1080p outdoor cameras and records clear video any time of day thanks to infrared night vision and a built-in spotlight.
It's a breeze to set up, thanks to a helpful tutorial in the Arlo app. And the magnetic wall mount makes it easy to install anywhere. While you have to pay for cloud video storage on the Arlo Pro 4, it's one of the more affordable subscriptions out there at $2.99 a month.
Arlo 4 fixes the biggest drawback of Arlo Pro 3 in that it no longer requires a base station, which was available only when buying two or more cameras. This makes it a more affordable choice, though it's still more expensive than the average wireless camera (including some Arlo cameras). The price plays a major role in the Reolink Argus 3 Pro claiming the top spot on our list—something Arlo held for many years.
Read our full Arlo Pro 4 and Arlo camera reviews to learn more.
4. Google Nest Cam (Battery): Best tech
The Google Nest Cam (Battery) † is awesome for image, video, and sound quality. Plus, it fixes one of our biggest complaints about the Nest Cam IQ by opening up most of its smart alerts to users without a Nest Aware subscription.
Pros
Great video quality
Battery-powered
Local backup storage
Quality design and aesthetic
Cons
High price
Facial recognition requires subscription
This is Google's first battery-powered security camera, and we're pleased to say its battery holds up well in tests. Still, Google says the battery won't charge in freezing temperatures, so you may need to bring it inside to warm up during the winter charging sessions. There's even built-in video storage that keeps the camera recording up to a week's worth of clips when the internet drops.
There's even free cloud storage now, making Nest a lot more viable for folks on a budget. It stores only three hours of video clips, but that's better than Arlo and Ring's complete lack of free storage.
Among the smart alerts you can use for free are person, animal, and vehicle detection, along with motion zones. Using so many features without a monthly subscription is a big improvement.
You still need to pay to use the facial recognition, but we're not as excited about that. We especially like that you don't need to pay a separate fee for each IP camera in your home.
Read more in our review of the Nest cameras suite.
5. Eufy Solo IndoorCam C24: Best indoor camera
The Eufy Solo IndoorCam C24 makes a big splash as the best indoor camera for most folks. This comes down to excellent 2K video quality and a low price, which means you can buy multiple cams for the house. Its smart home integrations are a nice bonus too.
Pros
Excellent video quality
Local video storage
Low price
Great smart home integration
Cons
No weatherproofing
Wired power cord
Eufy comes with a microSD card slot for local video storage—just like Wyze. This means you don't pay anything after buying a memory card. Eufy has a paid cloud storage plan, but it doesn't really add any features to the camera beyond storing your video remotely, making the added features and discounts of Nest, Arlo, Ring, and Wyze more appealing.
It's one of the best options for smart home compatibility compared to Arlo, our smart home pick. We love that it's compatible with Apple HomeKit, which is less common than the Google Home and Alexa options available on most home security cameras. (Eufy also works with those two platforms.)
It's indoor-only, making it one of few cameras on our lineup without weatherproofing to watch your yard. There's also no battery power option for this model, though Eufy makes some excellent battery-powered models like the EufyCam 2C.
Overall, we think that the Eufy Solo IndoorCam C24 is worth it for Apple HomeKit fans or if you want a budget indoor camera with outstanding video quality. Learn more in our Eufy cameras review.
More brands we recommend
Amazon.com price as of post date. Read full disclaimer.
6. Ring Stick Up Cam Battery: Best for Alexa
The Ring Stick Up Cam Battery is completely wire-free, so you have a ton of flexibility in where you put it. And it costs around $100, making it a fairly affordable security camera you can use both indoors and outdoors. It's an ideal wireless camera for an Alexa smart home, though we'd like it better if it supported Google Assistant and HomeKit like Arlo does.
If you need a wireless outdoor camera on a budget, the Stick Up Cam Battery is a great bet. Ring also has one of the most competitive cloud storage plans on the market, Ring Protect Basic costs just $4 a month for 180 days of storage.
We've seen reports of short battery life on Ring products (some say it lasts about a month), and recharging the Stick Up Cam is a tedious process since you need to remove the battery each time. There's a wired option—Stick Up Cam Plug-In—but you lose the flexibility of anywhere installation.
You can get a solar panel accessory so you don't need to remove the battery as often, but it'll cost you extra. Read our full Ring Stick Up Cam review to learn more about this great little camera—or check out our Ring Alarm review to see how Ring products all work together.
7. Amcrest 4MP ProHD: Best pan-tilt
At SafeWise, we're Amcrest fans, and this wireless indoor security camera doesn't disappoint. Its remote pan-and-tilt function, easy setup, and variety of video storage options make this one of the best home security cameras available for under $100.
While this camera records video without issues, there's a noticeable lag when you view live video. Unfortunately, the user manual is hard to follow, and mounting the Amcrest 4MP ProHD on the wall limits the camera's rotation options. But we still like the local storage and the addition of two-way talk. Learn more in our full Amcrest cameras review.
8. Abode Iota: Best all-in-one camera
The Abode Iota is a high-end home security camera and security system in one. This compact device delivers two-way talk, high video quality, and sensitive motion detection. Although you need to pay for cloud storage to keep video recordings, we like that Abode's plans cover unlimited cameras. It's also compatible with Amazon Alexa, Apple HomeKit, Google Assistant, Z-Wave, and Zigbee devices.
It also comes with the option to add 24/7 professional monitoring. Abode's professional monitoring starts at just $20 per month, and there's no contract required. Learn more in our full Abode cameras review.
9. Blink Indoor: Best battery life
Blink is an Amazon-owned brand focusing on budget cameras. The Blink Indoor is an attractive little camera you can buy for about $80. Thanks to an indoor-only design, this makes it cheaper than most other wire-free cameras.
It has a long battery life of up to two years—much longer than the competition. It achieves this by recording short clips and turning off Wi-Fi when the camera is inactive. Connecting to Alexa and Fire TV devices is easy, and you can even see a live view on Alexa smart displays like the Echo Show.
The Blink Indoor has optional local storage if you connect a USB drive to the included Sync Module. There's also a paid cloud subscription (about $3 a month) to save videos, but it stores only about two hours of footage, which is tiny compared to most brands. Still, the Blink Indoor is a good option if you want an affordable wire-free indoor security camera to use with Alexa.
Check out our Blink cameras review for more information.
10. YI 1080p Home Camera: Best ultra-budget camera
If you want to spend as little money as possible on a security camera (that's at least still pretty good), then you'll love the YI 1080p Indoor Security Camera (about $25). It even makes for an affordable Wi-Fi nanny cam in a pinch with YI's baby crying detection. This sends a notification to your phone when your little one sounds off that they need some TLC.
Unlimited free cloud storage is another great feature. You can also share app access with up to five people. But watch out if you're an Android user—there are several reported issues with the Android app.
Check out our full YI Home Camera and YI cameras review to learn more.
Camera brands not in our review
Final word
There are so many wireless security cameras to choose from—we barely scratched the surface of what kinds of cameras are out there. Still, the Reolink Argus 3 Pro is a standout option with 100% wire-free operation, local storage, cheap solar panel, and impressive video quality.
It's not a perfect camera, especially since it lacks the motion zones you can find on most competitors, but it's a refreshing change from cloud-centric brands like Arlo and Ring.
See our list of frequently asked questions below for more information about wireless security cameras. If you're looking for a wireless camera that works with a security system, you can start with recommendations from our best home security systems.
Wireless security camera FAQ
Unfortunately, security cameras can be vulnerable to hacking, but we have a handful of protective tips for you.
Nearly every security camera we looked at supports encryption. This protects the camera's data stream (like videos of your kids after school) from prying eyes.
No matter what security features come with your CCTV camera, these tips can help you maximize the privacy of your security cameras:
- Buy a camera with a recognizable name and purchase it from a trustworthy seller.
- Make sure your home Wi-Fi network is secure.
- Create unique, strong passwords for your camera and any apps you use to access it.
- Keep firmware up to date on your camera and your Wi-Fi router.
- Turn off remote viewing when you don't need it.
- Block your camera's lens when you're not using it—a post-it or a piece of painter's tape will work.
Get more tips from our video on how to protect your cameras from hackers.
We've learned that many people want a wireless security camera to keep an eye on the people and pets they love. If this is your goal, here are some things to consider:
- Two-way communication: This lets you listen in and talk to the pets or people at home.
- Night vision: Clear low-light images are essential for using the camera as a baby monitor.
- Field of view: Most security cameras use a wide-angle lens, while baby monitors and nanny cams often use a more narrow range of vision to focus on the baby.
- Pan and tilt: If you're viewing pets or older kids remotely from the office or on a beach, you may want to move the camera angle.
Wireless cameras can't have it all. It would be great if they could watch things inside by day, and keep an eye on what's going on outside after dark, right? But it rarely works.
Most indoor security cameras will pick up glares and reflections when aimed out a window. This obscures the outside view, making it useless.
If security both outdoors and indoors is a priority for you, we recommend getting the right type of camera for each area. You may be able to find an indoor camera (like Wyze Cam v3's window mount) that claims to be specifically designed to minimize the glare and reflection of a window, but be sure to read a lot of customer reviews to back the claim up.
If your goal is to protect against intruders, we recommend an outdoor security camera first and foremost.
Outdoor security cameras can deter criminals and provide an early warning before someone enters your home. While indoor security cameras often help people catch a burglar after the fact, you have a better chance of sending a thief running with an outdoor camera.
And if you want to connect to the police, you should look into a security camera system that comes with an option to add professional monitoring.
CCTV and security cameras have been around since the early 20th century. But cameras like those on our lineup didn't come onto the scene until the new millennium.
Contributing writer: Rebecca Edwards
How we reviewed wireless cameras
Photo credit: John Carlsen, SafeWise
We looked at price, image quality, reliability, ease of setup, smart features, night vision, and customer satisfaction to find the best wireless security cameras.
We tested most of these camera models in our homes and have experience using all of the brands in our lineup. We also read expert reviews, researched industry standards and camera specs, and consulted thousands of customer reviews to supplement our testing.
- 200+ hours of research and testing
- 33 in-home tests
- 50 products considered for our top 10
- 150+ products evaluated
Battery-powered cameras that fall entirely into the wire-free category, like Reolink and Arlo, got extra credit when it came to ranking the best home security cameras this year. But we couldn't dismiss high-quality Wi-Fi cameras from Wyze and Eufy just because of a compulsory power cord.
Find out more about how we rank and review products in our full methodology.
Related articles on SafeWise
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product. Safewise.com utilizes paid Amazon links.
Certain content that appears on this site comes from Amazon. This content is provided "as is" and is subject to change or removal at any time.
†Google, Google Nest, Google Assistant, and other related marks are trademarks of Google LLC.
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