Best Video Doorbell Cameras

Video doorbells have gone from being something only a rich tech-savvy person had to something almost everyone in your neighborhood has. The popularity is for good reason. Doorbell cameras are a great way to protect your packages, keep an eye on visitors and avoid answering the door to strangers (or anyone else you don't want to chat with).

But not all video doorbells are created equal. Check out our top picks for the best video doorbells and join the forces of porch protection.

The Google Nest Hello is the smartest video doorbell we’ve ever seen. It can tell you if it’s a person or a package on your doorstep, and it can even tell you if it’s someone you know. Instead of getting a generic alert that says “motion detected,” you get specific, smart alerts that tell you what you really want to know.

One of the biggest problems with video doorbells is “notification fatigue.” If you get an alert every time a car drives down your street, then you’re going to start ignoring alerts from your doorbell cam.

The Nest Hello solves that problem by giving you smarter alerts about the stuff you care about. Plus, it can tell the difference between a visitor and a car (or a waving tree branch), so you don’t get motion notifications for nothing.

We also like that you can draw custom activity zones, so the Nest will watch the areas you need to monitor (like your front pathway) and not your entire yard or your neighborhood street. (Unless you want to perfect your spy skills and watch all those places at once.)

All of those cool features we just mentioned, like smart alerts and motion zones, require a monthly Nest Aware subscription. Without the Nest Aware subscription, the Nest Hello isn’t much smarter than any other dumb video doorbell.

The subscription is definitely worth it, but it is an extra bill on your plate every month. Plan to spend $6 per month for the lowest-priced plan.

Source: Arlo

The Arlo Video Doorbell is almost as smart as the Nest Hello—but for a lower price. Like the Nest, the Arlo Video Doorbell can identify people, packages, and animals, and you can customize motion zones so the camera will watch the right parts of your porch (and property).

The Arlo Video Doorbell has a couple unique features we really like, namely a built-in siren and video calls. The built-in siren is useful for scaring off package thieves. And the video call just means that the Arlo will call you when you have a visitor.

Most video doorbells just send you a push notification when someone shows up on your porch. But it’s easy to miss those notifications if your phone is always on vibrate or if you’re busy distracted by, you know, real life.

The Arlo Video Doorbell can actually call your phone when people come to visit, so you don’t miss telling the delivery person to please hide your package behind the flower pot.

Like the Nest Hello, the Arlo Video Doorbell requires a monthly subscription to get access to all its coolest, smartest features. Arlo Smart subscription plans start at $2.99 per month for a single camera.

If you’ve seen the news lately about some video doorbells being susceptible to hacks,¹ (*cough* Ring *cough*), then you might want a camera that’s a little more secure before you put it on your porch.

The Eufy Video Doorbell combines exceptional 2K video quality with encrypted local storage, so you don’t have to worry about your personal footage being leaked to the masses.

The Eufy Video Doorbell still lets you view your footage on the go through the mobile app, but it doesn’t store your videos in the cloud. Instead, the Eufy gives you encrypted local storage where your videos are kept with you and you only.

That also means you don’t have to shell out money every month for a cloud storage subscription plan like you do with Arlo and Nest.

Along with secure storage, the Eufy Video Doorbell still gives you some cool tech features. First of all, it has the clearest, best video quality we’ve ever seen on a doorbell camera. It records in 2K resolution. (That’s better than 1080p but not quite as good as 4K.)

You can also choose between a battery-powered or hardwired model. We recommend the hardwired model if you can swing it because the battery model doesn’t have quite the same features.

The Eufy claims it has person detection, meaning it can tell your human child from your neighbor’s cat. But this feature isn't always the most reliable.

This doorbell camera doesn’t have AI features either, like facial recognition or package detection. To top it all off, the Eufy Video Doorbell doesn’t work with your existing doorbell chime. Instead, it comes with a chime you plug into your wall.

If your main concern is privacy and security, but you still want a high-quality doorbell camera, then the Eufy is an excellent choice. But it’s not quite the smartest option out there.

A lot of traditional security systems have mediocre doorbell cameras. The ADT doorbell camera, for example, records in 720p. What is this, 2011?

The Vivint Doorbell Camera Pro breaks that stereotype. It works with your whole Vivint system (which is our favorite home security system, by the way), and it gives you top features like 1080p resolution and smart alerts.

Like our other favorite doorbell cameras, the Vivint Doorbell Camera Pro doesn’t just tell you it’s detected motion. No, it gives you details.

This doorbell cam can tell you when there’s a package on your porch, or when there’s a person standing at your door. You’ll know exactly what’s happening with just a glance at your phone.

The Vivint Doorbell Camera Pro also has a feature called Smart Sentry™. Basically, the camera will turn on its LED ring light and make a noise through its speaker when it detects an unexpected person on your porch.

Keep in mind that the Vivint Doorbell Camera Pro doesn’t have facial recognition, so it doesn’t actually know if that person on your porch is you or a stranger. You risk getting yelled at by your own camera.

The Vivint Doorbell Camera is not a standalone product—you get it along with a Vivint system. That also means its price isn’t listed online. You have to call in for a quote.

The Blue Doorbell Camera is part of ADT’s DIY home security offering. You can install this doorbell camera yourself, with or without other Blue security sensors, and you don’t have to sign a contract. Plus, you still get that reliable ADT name.

The Blue Doorbell Camera has 1080p resolution and top tech features like facial recognition and custom activity zones. It also works with Amazon Alexa and IFTTT so you can control the camera with your voice and set “recipes” with your other smart home devices.

We also like that the Blue Doorbell Camera sends video previews as part of its push notifications, so you have a better idea of what’s happening on your porch before you even open the app.

Personally, we think the Blue Doorbell Camera is a bit ugly. It’s also a bit expensive. At almost $200, this video doorbell costs more than sleeker models like the Nest Hello and Arlo Video Doorbell.

But if you want that ADT name on your yard sign, then Blue by ADT is more affordable than the traditional ADT security system—and the camera quality is frankly a lot better.

The Amcrest Video Doorbell has more flexible storage options than any other doorbell camera on our list. You can choose to store footage in the cloud, on a microSD card, or on an NVR device along with footage from all your other Amcrest cameras.

The Amcrest is hardwired into your existing doorbell wiring and includes some features we expect to see, like 1080p resolution and a nice wide field of view.

This doorbell camera is also pretty affordable at about $100. That’s cheaper than a lot of the top video doorbells on the market.

We also like that, as with other Amcrest cameras, the Amcrest Video Doorbell lets you use some third-party apps to control the camera and view your footage. Blue Iris fans, take note.

The Amcrest doesn’t have smart alerts, like person and package detection. And if you opt for the microSD card storage option, then you can’t download footage without pulling the card out of the camera, which is a hassle.

When you record interactions through the Amcrest camera, you also have to manually select the record button in the live view to start recording. And, even then, the camera will only record one side of the conversation: the doorbell’s side.

The Ring Video Doorbell 3 Plus has a feature no other battery-powered doorbell cam can claim: four-second rollback.

What does that mean, you ask? It just means that the camera will capture what happened four seconds before you actually get an alert. Which is useful if you want to see people’s faces and where they came from before they’re actually on your porch.

We like the four-second rollback feature, although you should know that the quality isn’t the smooth, HD resolution you’re thinking of. That four seconds of rollback footage shows up grainy and in black and white.

If you opt for a hardwired camera, then you can get this same feature in better quality. But if you need a battery-powered doorbell camera, then this model is the only one that can do the rollback thing.

Other than rollback, we like that the Ring has person detection and a wide 180º field of view. Plus, of course, Ring has 1080p HD recording.

Ring has faced criticism for a slew of security flaws in the past year or so.^2,3 Since the initial complaints came out, Ring has added two-factor authentication to its devices. But it’s unclear if Ring has really taken steps to fully resolve all the other issues that have been reported.

Until it steps up its security and privacy methods, Ring is not our top pick for video doorbells. But, as battery-powered models go, the Ring Video Doorbell 3 Plus has some compelling features. Just know what you’re getting into before you buy.

There are a million video doorbell models on the market these days, but only a few really good ones. These doorbell cameras help protect your house, prevent your packages from being stolen, and keep your front and back porch safe.

Google Nest Hello: Best technology—The Google Nest Hello has awesome tech features and smart alerts that will make your life easier. Just be prepared to pay for a monthly Nest Aware subscription.

Arlo Video Doorbell: Best value—The Arlo Video Doorbell is more affordable than the Nest and almost as smart. But similarly, you’ll want to opt for a monthly Arlo Smart subscription to get access to the best features.

Eufy Video Doorbell: Most secure—If you’re concerned about privacy, then the Eufy Video Doorbell is a good choice. It has secure local storage and still gives you excellent video quality.

Vivint Doorbell Camera Pro: Best for a security system—The Vivint Doorbell Camera Pro works with your Vivint security system and is a lot better than other security systems’ video doorbells. You’ll get smart alerts and features like Smart Sentry™.

Blue by ADT Doorbell Camera: Best reputation—The Blue Doorbell Camera gives you the ADT name without the contract. It’s a bit expensive, but you do get HD resolution and facial recognition technology.

Amcrest Video Doorbell: Best NVR option—If you want storage options, then Amcrest has them. The Amcrest Video Doorbell lets you store footage on an NVR device, a microSD card, or in the cloud.

Ring Video Doorbell 3: Best battery-powered—Ring has faced some criticism over its security and privacy practices, but its Ring Video Doorbell 3 Plus has a neat rollback feature you won’t find in other battery-powered cameras. Just be aware of the privacy risks.

Do you use a video doorbell camera? Do you have a favorite model? Tell us about your experience in the comments.

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