The 4 Best Smart Doorbell Cameras of 2024 | Reviews by Wirecutter – The New York Times

A smart doorbell camera allows you to see whos on the other side of your dooreven when you arent homeso you can weed out guests who dont come bearing Girl Scout cookies.

We recommend the Google Nest Doorbell (Wired) because it delivers fewer false alerts than any video doorbell we tested, accurately distinguishes between people, animals, cars, and packages, and includes the option for 24/7 recording.

If you dont have existing doorbell wiring, the Eufy Security Video Doorbell S220 (Battery-Powered) is an easy-to-use option with a great image, and its battery can deliver about four months of service on a full charge.

This doorbell sends fast alerts, captures clear audio and video, and offers free and paid subscription levelsincluding an option for 24/7 recording.

Compatible with: Amazon Alexa, Google Home

The second-generation Google Nest Doorbell (Wired) delivered the best performance of any video doorbell in our latest tests. It was the most accurate when it came to identifying types of motion (person, animal, vehicle, or package), as well as when restricting alerts using activity zones to monitor specific areas. It can even identify specific people by name (with a Nest Aware subscription), although it needs to get a good look at the subject. We also found it to be very quick, both with smartphone notifications and producing a live look at activity as it was happening, without a delay. The Nest is also the only one of our picks to supply free cloud storagealthough its restricted to three hours. If you want to record and store motion clips from an unlimited number of devices for up to 30 days and get the aforementioned Familiar Face detection, a Nest Aware plan is $8 per month or $80 per year; bumping that up to $15 per month (or $150 per year) will get you motion event storage for up to 60 days or 10 days of 24/7 recording.

It displays a wide, 180-degree field of view in a square aspect ratio, which reduces blind spots around your porch. It also can ID people, animals, packages, and cars.

Compatible with: Amazon Alexa, Apple HomeKit (with a compatible base station, such as the Arlo SmartHub), Google Home, IFTTT, Samsung SmartThings

The Arlo Essential Wired Video Doorbell can distinguish among people, animals, vehicles, or packagesalthough we didnt find it to be as accurate or quick to respond as the Nest. For that advanced sensing and the ability to capture video clips up to five minutes long, you need an $8-per-month Arlo Secure subscription. But we find these features to be essential, and the price is fair (otherwise youre restricted to motion/bell alerts and live video streaming). The Arlo doorbell camera also captures crisp video, with a 15361536 resolution and a wide, 180-degree viewing angle in a square format; this provides a comprehensive vertical and horizontal view of whats going on in front of your door, whether its deliveries or visiting raccoons.

This compact model performs consistently and is cheap and easy to install, but it lacks some of the more advanced features of our top pick.

Compatible with: Amazon Alexa, Works with Ring

The Ring Video Doorbell Wired is the solid sub-$75 smart doorbell camera weve been waiting for. Its smaller than most Ring doorbells (and cheaper, too), it captures clear 1080p video, and its accurate with motion and person alerts. However, it doesnt offer alerts that are as detailed as our top two picks and the only smart-home platform it works with is Amazon Alexa. And even though its inexpensive, it does require a Ring Protect Basic plan to record motion events, which starts at $4 per month or $40 per year (and will be increasing to $5 per month or $50 per year beginning March 11, 2024).

This battery-powered model lasts up to four months with regular use, produces sharp 2K images, and has options for cloud and local storage.

Compatible with: Amazon Alexa, Google Home

The Eufy Security Video Doorbell S220 (Battery-Powered) combines solid performance with a strong battery that lasts about four months. It can store up to six months worth of footage for free on the indoor base station, or you can opt for Eufys cloud service, which includes 30 days of video history for $3 per month per camera (or $30 per year per camera). As with many battery-powered models, recording time is limited (in this case to 60 second clips), and there may be a brief gap in between recordings if motion continues. However, the S220s sharp 2K image and strong battery life make it the best smart doorbell for anyone who wants to go wire-free.

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The 4 Best Smart Doorbell Cameras of 2024 | Reviews by Wirecutter - The New York Times