Wyze Cameras Review

Wyze offers affordable indoor, outdoor, and doorbell cameras with local storage and some smart features

indoor/outdoor
Wyze Cam v3
Wyze Cam v3
4.5 out of 5 stars
4.5
  • pro
    Indoor/outdoor
  • con
    Slow-motion alerts
pan and tilt function
Wyze Cam Pan
Wyze Cam Pan v2
4 out of 5 stars
4
  • pro
    Pan-and-tilt functionality
  • con
    No pet detection
hardwired doorbell camera
Wyze Video Doorbell
Wyze Video Doorbell
3.3 out of 5 stars
3.25
  • pro
    Small size
  • con
    No physical doorbell button
wire-free outdoor camera
Wyze Outdoor
Wyze Cam Outdoor v2
3.5 out of 5 stars
3.5
  • pro
    Wire-free
  • con
    Poor audio quality
Mindy Woodall
Aug 17, 2022
Icon Time To Read7 min read

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Wyze cameras have low prices and impressive features, all combined in small, cuboid packages. Even Wyze's most expensive camera (the Wyze Cam Outdoor) is still under $80, and you can get a basic indoor camera from Wyze for about $20.

Don't think just because these cameras are cheap, they're low-quality. While they have a few quirks, Wyze cameras generally work well for the price point. Plus, all of Wyze's cameras offer both local and cloud storage options, and most of them support 24/7 continuous recording. That's something you usually only see from high-end cameras like Google Nest and Arlo.

Let's go over all of the Wyze security camera details to find the best one for you and your home.



Wyze cameras comparison
Model
Image
Price
Indoor/outdoor
Learn more
Wyze Cam v3Wyze Cam v3
$35.98

Indoor and outdoor

Wyze Cam Pan v2Wyze Cam Pan
$51.29

Indoor

Wyze Video DoorbellWyze Video Doorbell
$42.98

Outdoor

Wyze Cam Outdoor v2Wyze Outdoor
$79.98

Outdoor

Wyze Cam BlackWyze Cam Black
$33.98

Indoor

Amazon.com List Prices (as of 8/17/22 8:35 PST) Full disclaimer

What to look for in security cameras

When looking for a home security camera, you'll want to consider the price to benefits, make sure it provides clear video, and double-check that it has the home integration you need to connect with the rest of your home devices. 

Security camera features that work best for homes:

  • Fair price
  • Record in at least 1080p resolution
  • Cloud or local storage
  • Night vision
  • Two-way audio
  • Home integrations

By now, it's expected to get at least 1080p video quality with your security camera so you can capture clear video. Most every security camera also gives you the option for video storage.

Night vision is an ideal feature just in case anything occurs during the late hours, and two-way audio is perfect for when you don't want to open the front door.

Lastly, if you have a smart home, or own an Amazon Echo or a SamsungSmartThings hub, having a security camera that connects will make life easier. 

How Wyze cameras work

Wyze cameras are small, plug-in Wi-Fi cameras with HD recording and local storage
Wyze Cam v2 shown mounted on a dark wood wall

Source: Wyze

Wyze's biggest selling point is affordability: all of its devices come at impressively low prices. You won't have to break out any Benjamins for these cameras.

Aside from the budget-grade price tags, all of Wyze's cameras look pretty similar. They're all small, and made of white or black plastic. They all record in 1080p resolution, and all but one requires a power cord. The Outdoor v2 Cam is Wyze's only wire-free camera option.

Local and cloud storage options

All of Wyze's cameras offer both cloud and local storage options (except for the Video Doorbell and Video Doorbell Pro, which are cloud storage only).

With all four of Wyze's security cameras, you can insert a microSD card into the Wyze camera itself and store video recordings locally, which makes it harder for hackers to swipe it than if it's in the cloud.

But if you prefer cloud storage, Wyze gives you just a snapshot's worth of rolling cloud storage for free, so if you want to see more than a few seconds, you're going to want to subscribe to Wyze's Cam Plus plan.

Wyze Cam Plus plan comparison
Plan
Price
Cooldown period
Smart detection*
Learn more

Basic

No cost

5 minutes

No

Cam Plus Lite

Your choice

5 minutes

Yes

Cam Plus

$1.99 per camera/mo.

None

Yes

Data valid as of 8/17/22. Offers subject to change.
* Person, package, vehicle, and sound detection

The Cam Plus plan also lets you skip the "cooldown period," which is where Wyze cameras take a five-minute break after recording a 12-second clip. That's a lot of action you could be missing outside those 12 seconds, so we recommend getting Cam Plus if you can.

Wyze Cam v3 features

The Wyze Cam v3 is a new-and-improved version of Wyze's original indoor camera
Wyze Cam v3

Source: Wyze

Wyze Cam v3
Wyze Cam v3
The Wyze Cam v3 works as an indoor or outdoor security camera.
pro Night vision
pro Weatherproofing
One-time purchase of
$35.98

The Wyze Cam v3 is the latest addition to the Wyze camera lineup. It's an upgrade over the earlier Wyze Cam v2, with better night vision and weatherproofing so you can use it outside. It also just looks a little nicer than its predecessor, with rounded edges instead of the v2's blocky straight lines.

Wyze Cam v3 features:

  • 1080p resolution
  • Color night vision
  • Two-way audio
  • Indoor/outdoor functionality
  • Motion detection
  • No-cost cloud storage
  • IP65 weather rating
  • Local storage option
  • 24/7 continuous recording option
  • Built-in siren
  • Sound detection for smoke and CO alerts
  • Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, and IFTTT integrations

The Wyze Cam v3 still has local storage with a microSD card, and you can use it to set the camera to record 24/7 for a constant view into your yard/living room/driveway.

If you subscribe to the Cam Plus or Cam Plus Lite plans, then the Wyze Cam v3 can also tell the difference between people, packages, and cars. That's handy for sorting through the notifications on your phone to see what's important.

Wyze Cam Pan v2 features

The Wyze Cam Pan v2 is an indoor camera that can scan a whole room
Wyze Cam Pan

Source: Wyze

Wyze Cam Pan
Wyze Pan Cam v2
The Wyze Cam Pan v2 lets you keep an eye on a large space in your house with just one indoor camera.
pro Night vision
pro Sound detection
One-time purchase of
$51.29

For the price, the Wyze Cam Pan v2 is a neat little pan-and-tilt camera. If your house has an open floor plan or just a very big room, then a panning camera is a great way to keep an eye on the entire space with a single device.

Wyze Cam Pan features:

  • 1080p resolution
  • 360º rotation for full-room view
  • No-cost cloud storage
  • Local storage option
  • Automatic motion tracking
  • Night vision
  • Two-way audio
  • Sound detection
  • Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, and IFTTT integrations

The Wyze Cam Pan v2 has four preset "waypoints" it uses to show you a quick scan of the most important areas in a room. You can adjust these waypoints to make the camera automatically point where you need it, so you can check out your living room, your kitchen, and your dining area at once without wrangling the arrow buttons.

Wyze Video Doorbell features

The Wyze Video Doorbell is a small camera that replaces your existing doorbell
Wyze Video Doorbell

Source: Wyze

Wyze Video Doorbell
Wyze Video Doorbell
The Wyze Video Doorbell is inexpensive and can tell the difference between a human and an Amazon package.
pro Motion detection
pro Built-in LED light
One-time purchase of
$42.98

The Wyze Video Doorbell is new to the Wyze lineup, and it still has a few kinks to work out.

First off, the positives: this doorbell camera is very small, which is great if you want something subtle (unlike the huge, blocky Ring video doorbells). It also has package detection with a Cam Plus plan, so you'll get an alert when your Amazon delivery shows up.

Wyze Video Doorbell features:

  • 1080p resolution
  • Motion detection
  • Two-way audio
  • Built-in LED light
  • No-cost cloud storage
  • IP65 weather rating
  • 3:4 aspect ratio
  • Hardwired power
  • Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, and IFTTT integrations

As for the negatives, the Wyze Video Doorbell doesn't have adjustable motion zones, which will get very annoying very fast if your porch is close to a busy street or sidewalk. You'll get a motion alert every time a car drives by.

Plus, the Wyze Video Doorbell doesn't have a physical button for visitors to press. You can ring the doorbell, but it's more of a touchpad than a button, which can be confusing for the delivery person standing on your porch with their arms full of boxes.

Wyze Cam Outdoor v2 features

The Wyze Cam Outdoor v2 is Wyze's only wire-free camera
Wyze Outdoor

Source: Wyze

Wyze Outdoor
Wyze Cam Outdoor v2
The Wyze Outdoor v2 security camera is wire-free so you can put it just about anywhere.
pro Weatherproofing
pro Motion detection
One-time purchase of
$79.98

The Wyze Cam Outdoor is Wyze's first attempt at a camera designed for the great outdoors, and it's a bit hit-or-miss.

This camera is weatherproofed to withstand the elements, and it's wire-free, which makes it easy to install wherever you need it.

The Wyze Cam Outdoor also has an interesting travel function where you can take the camera with you out of Wi-Fi range and it will still record--kind of like a low-cost GoPro you can use on your next outdoor adventure.

Wyze Cam Outdoor features:

  • 1080p resolution
  • Battery-powered for wire-free setup
  • IP65 weather rating
  • 3-6-month battery life
  • 25-ft. night vision
  • Two-way audio
  • Motion detection
  • No-cost cloud storage
  • Local storage option
  • Offline video recording
  • Base station required
  • Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, and IFTTT integrations

Those positives aside, the Wyze Cam Outdoor v2 has terrible audio quality. It's quiet and muffled at the best of times, and that's not accounting for windy days or background noise. And unlike Wyze's other cameras, the Wyze Cam Outdoor v2 can't record 24/7--not even if you use a microSD card.

Other Wyze cameras

Wyze has one other camera model on offer: its original indoor model, the Wyze Cam Black

Wyze Cam Black

Wyze Cam Black

Source: Wyze

wyze camera
Wyze Cam Black
This little indoor Wyze Cam Black is easy to hide anywhere in your home.
pro Small
pro Sound detection
con No weatherproofing
One-time purchase of
$33.98

The Wyze Cam Black is not the cheapest indoor camera, but you'll pay only $34 for this little camera, and you'll still get clear 1080p video quality, night vision, two-way talk, and motion detection.

And Wyze doesn't just stick to the basics, oh no. The Wyze Cam Black also has sound detection (if you subscribe to Cam Plus), so it can tell you if it hears your smoke alarm or carbon monoxide detector go off. And the Wyze Cam Black's magnetic base and adjustable stand make it easy to put this camera anywhere you want, whether that's on a shelf, the ceiling, or your refrigerator.

Recap: What are the best Wyze cameras?

Wyze's cameras are perfect for budgeters and anyone else who wants small cameras

Wyze Cameras are all impressively cheap but still manage to come with features we see in cameras that cost over $100. If you want a versatile, indoor/outdoor camera for less than $40, the Wyze Cam v3 is hard to beat. And you can back it up with Wyze's other indoor, outdoor, and doorbell cameras.

  • Wyze Cam v3: The Wyze Cam v3 works indoors or outdoors, and has advanced features like color night vision, 24/7 recording, and sound detection. Not bad for $35.
  • Wyze Cam Pan v2: The Wyze Cam Pan v2 lets you keep an eye on a large space with just one indoor camera. It can scan around to view an entire room or floor space, and it has Wyze-standard features like 24/7 recording and local storage.
  • Wyze Video Doorbell: The Wyze Video Doorbell isn't the best doorbell camera we've ever seen, but it is affordable and can tell the difference between a human and an Amazon package.
  • Wyze Cam Outdoor v2: The Wyze Outdoor v2 is affordable, and wire-free, so you can put it just about anywhere. But the audio quality is lacking, and it can't record continuous footage.

Not sure if Wyze is for you? Check out these other reviews:

Methodology

When comparing cameras, we consider multiple factors to find the best one. Factors include the following:

  • Price
  • Features
  • Subscription costs
  • Power source
  • Performance

Whenever possible, we spend several hours with the cameras we review to make sure it's worth the price, worth the monthly subscription, and performs well.

FAQs

Yes, all of Wyze's cameras need Wi-Fi. They connect wirelessly to your network and use your internet connection to record, store, and send video footage.

Yes, all of Wyze's cameras work with Amazon Alexa. You can view your camera's live stream and listen in on the camera's audio on Alexa smart displays. Just know you can't watch recorded videos or talk to people through Alexa.

Wyze cameras don't integrate with Ring directly, but both Ring and Wyze devices work with Amazon Alexa. If you have a Wyze indoor camera and a Ring Video Doorbell, then you can control both from your Alexa devices.

Yes, three of Wyze's cameras can record 24/7: the Wyze Cam v3, the Wyze Cam Pan v2, and the Wyze Cam v3. You'll need to insert a microSD card into the camera and enable 24/7 recording in the Wyze app first.

All of Wyze's cameras need to be plugged in except the Wyze Cam Outdoor, which is battery-powered.

Certain content that appears on this site comes from Amazon.com. This content is provided "as is" and is subject to change or removal at any time. 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.com at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product. Reviews.org utilizes paid Amazon links.

Mindy Woodall
Written by
Mindy Woodall
Mindy has been writing about technology for seven years. She covers all things smart home for Reviews.org, and keeps track of the latest robot gadgets. Mindy attended the University of Utah and her work has been featured on the likes of Parents.com, Digital Care, Hostfully, and more.

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