Best Night Vision Cameras of 2020

A security camera is like having an extra, all-seeing eye looking out for your home. But if your camera doesn’t have night vision, it can’t see anything that happens in the dark.

Getting night vision cameras is the best way to ensure full-time camera coverage. To help you out, we’ve rounded up four of the best night vision security cameras out there.

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EZVIZ C3W ezGuard Wi-Fi Security Camera: Best night vision range

See farther in the dark with EZVIZ.

One of the most important features in a night vision camera is how well it can see in the dark. This EZVIZ C3W ezGuard camera’s night vision is good for about 100 feet. That’s one of the longest verified night vision distances we’ve seen on the market.

The EZVIZ is also one of the less expensive offerings you’ll find in the camera world, although it’s missing a few nice-to-haves.

What we like

As we mentioned, this little beauty can see in the dark for up to 100 feet. In most US cities, that’s the width of several suburban streets. And get this: the EZVIZ mounts on a swivel base, which means that, in theory, it has a 360° field of view.

This camera even has a siren feature that you can turn on and off. If the camera detects motion, it’ll set off both the siren and a strobe light as a way to deter intruders.

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Storage

You have your pick between cloud and local storage with this camera. If you choose to use the cloud storage, you get the first month of EZVIZ CloudPlay free. After that, the prices depend on the number of cameras and storage length.

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The Home Plan isn’t a bad deal, so if you decide to use cloud storage, that’s what we’d go with.

What we don’t like

You can’t zoom in on stuff with this camera. Not manually, not automatically. So if there’s something in the feed you can’t quite see, you can’t get a closer look.

Also, sadly, this camera has to be plugged in, so you’ll need an (outdoor) outlet.

Arlo Ultra: High compatibility

The Ultra is ultra in its ability to connect with smart home brands.

If you’re a smart home junkie, we suggest the Arlo Ultra. It’s one of the most feature-rich cameras on the market, and it works with tons of major smart home brands.

The downside is that, at $400, you’re paying dearly for every feature this camera offers.

What we like

This camera is overflowing with fun, useful features. Color night vision? You got it. Person detection? Sure thing. Rechargeable battery? We’re glad you asked. The Arlo Ultra leaves you wanting very little.

One of our favorite things about this one is its connectivity. You can link your Arlo Ultra to several major smart home brands, like Amazon, Apple, and Google/Nest. You can also connect to smart home control platforms like IFTTT.

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Storage

Like the EZVIZ, this camera has both microSD and cloud storage capabilities. You even get a free year of Arlo Smart Premier when you buy an Arlo Ultra.

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What we don’t like

Arlo Ultra has color night vision. We’ve tested it out, and it’s a great feature. But Arlo’s not 100% clear on how far that night vision can go. That’s one of two reasons we ranked Arlo below EZVIZ.

The other reason is the sky-high price. Yeah, the Arlo Ultra comes with almost every feature imaginable. But you’re gonna pay through the nose for them.

EZVIZ Indoor Security Camera: Best budget pick

If you want nighttime security but don’t want to spend tons of money, check out the EZVIZ Indoor Camera.

All security cameras come at a price, but the price doesn’t have to break your budget. Try the EZVIZ Indoor Security Camera for the cost of a sushi dinner for one. You won’t get every feature on the market, but you’ll get all the basics, including night vision.

What we like

The EZVIZ Indoor Security Camera is super cheap yet competent. It has 33 feet of night vision, a zoom feature, and a magnetic base for easy installation. You also have two color options (black and white) if you’re particular about your camera’s appearance.

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Storage

The EZVIZ Indoor’s storage capabilities are identical to the EZVIZ C3W ezGuard’s. This camera has a place for local storage, but it also comes with a free month of CloudPlay.

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What we don’t like

This camera isn’t rated for outdoor use; it’s for indoor security only. And, like the other EZVIZ camera, the EZVIZ Indoor has to be plugged in to work. There are so many battery-operated cameras on the market (like the Arlo Ultra), so it’s frustrating that this isn’t one of them.

Reolink Argus 2: Best solar pick

Harness the power of the sun with the Reolink Argus 2.

If you want to go green with your nighttime security, we suggest the Reolink Argus 2. You’ll get 33 feet of colored night vision that you can power by solar energy. Unfortunately, you’ll have to buy the solar panels separately.

What we like

The Reolink Argus 2 works both indoor and outdoor and runs on either a rechargeable battery or a solar panel. And while this camera doesn’t have 100 eyes like the mythological figure it’s named for, its lens provides color night vision with starlight technology.

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Storage

In addition to the microSD card storage, you can also use the Reolink app for video playback. You get one gigabyte of free seven-day video history for a single camera before you have to start paying a fee.

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What we don’t like

You have to buy your solar panel separately. And, according to the product description, you also have to buy a USB cable to charge the battery. So no matter what you do, you have to spend extra money to keep this thing charged.

Other night vision cameras we like

We found a few more night vision cameras worth mentioning.

A lot of good security cameras have night vision. We couldn’t include all of them here, but we wanted to call out a couple more that are worthy of recognition.

Recap: Which night vision camera is best?

Make sure you don’t forget anything when you make your decision.

Here’s what we love (and dislike) about our top four night vision security camera picks.

EZVIZ C3W ezGuard: Best night vision range—Come for the 100 feet of night vision. Stay for the swivel base, siren, and strobe light. Just be prepared for the lack of zoom feature and tedious wrestling with an outdoor power plug.

Arlo Ultra: High Compatibility—With Arlo Ultra, you can connect with seemingly every smart device under the sun. You just won’t know quite how far you can see in the dark (and you’ll pay $$$).

EZVIZ Indoor: Best budget pick—Spend as little money as possible! But you’ll have to keep the camera indoors and plugged in for it to work.

Reolink Argus 2: Best solar pick—Save energy with this solar option, as long as you buy your own solar panel (or power cable).

Is your house ready for night vision cameras?

To install a functioning night vision camera with cloud storage, you’ll want speedy internet service.

Recommended internet plans

Cameras can eat up a ton of bandwidth, so depending on how many other Wi-Fi devices you have, you’ll want more Mbps rather than fewer.

Night vision camera FAQ

Should I buy a night vision camera from my home security company?

There’s always a risk involved in buying a camera from a security provider. Namely, the selection will be much smaller than if you hop online and buy a standalone device.

But there are upsides too. For instance, a camera from your home security provider will be compatible with your larger security system.

We’ve especially seen a lot of buzz about the night vision cameras from Vivint, Blue by ADT, and Ring.

Should I get an indoor or outdoor night vision camera?

We generally lean towards an outdoor security camera. Our reasoning goes as follows:

1. Most camera users are concerned about outside threats approaching their homes.
2. If you use a regular non-night vision camera indoors, it’s easy to flip on a switch to make up for the lack of night vision.

There are definitely exceptions to these instances. For example, you might want to put a camera in your baby’s room. Either way, we’ve included some indoor cameras in our line-up, so if you want an indoor night vision camera, you’ve got it.

Sources:

1. Flora Luo, Reolink, “Starlight Cameras: What It Is, How it Works, Videos, Best Picks & More,” July 8, 2020. Accessed October 1, 2020.

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