Want to watch your home from anywhere on the planet and keep tabs on what’s going on in your absence?
With the latest motion detection and two-way audio, it’s easy to find out exactly what’s going on in your house, apartment, or man-cave with the latest indoor security cameras.
Like tons of other gadgets, security cameras have also gotten smart. Most smart home appliances let you play with the settings and some even have Alexa integration.
Thanks to improvements in artificial intelligence, indoor cams have gotten pretty hi-tech. The most popular ones have motion detection and higher-end models can even tell the difference between people and animals on the best machines, there is now real-time facial recognition available.
Given all that, the best indoor security camera isn’t always the smartest and most expensive. It just needs to cover most bases and allow you to watch your home from anywhere.
So If you need to keep an eye on your crib when you’re out and about, we found the best-rated indoor security cameras you can buy today.
How to watch your home from anywhere
Best indoor camera – The Nest
For audio and video capability, the Nest Cam Indoor is the best indoor security camera available today. We particularly love the setup, app, alerts, two-way communication, and very impressive video quality.
Nest Security Camera, Keep An Eye On What Matters to You, From...
- 24/7 live stream video in full 1080p HD over Wi-Fi. Check in from anywhere at anytime. Send clips to family or friends in 1920x1080 resolution.
- Night vision featuring 8 high-power infrared LEDs provide light for clear video in the darkest conditions.
- 24/7 live stream video in full 1080p HD over Wi-Fi. Check in from anywhere at anytime. Send clips to family or friends in 1920x1080 resolution.
- Night vision featuring 8 high-power infrared LEDs provide light for clear video in the darkest conditions.
- Mobile alerts and notifications let you know as soon as your camera spots activity. Take action or save the event for sharing later. 3-hour snapshot history makes sure you don't miss a thing.
- Industry-leading security means that your video feed and information is well protected. Enable two-factor authentication and take your account protection to the next level.
- Free trial of Nest Aware for 30-days. Experience 10-day video history intelligent alerts and activity zones. Keep the service starting at $6 per month for your Nest devices after the trial ends.
- Talk and listen with 2-way audio. Say hi tell the dog to get off the couch or remind the kids to put the milk away. All with the touch of a button on the Nest app.
- Easy setup with flexible mounting and free Nest app. Place the camera on a shelf mount to the wall, or use the magnet base. Then plug into a wall outlet and the Nest App walks you through the rest.
- 2-year Limited Warranty
Watch your home from anywhere from work to the beach – with the Nest Aware service, you get continuous, 24/7 recording but it’s not free. There are several plans available which range from 5 days of storage up to 30 days. When you purchase the Nest Cam, you automatically receive a 30-day trial of 24/7 continuous video recording to get you started.
You’re also able to view ‘live” and recorded video but it does use a fair bit of bandwidth. Like all of Nest’s cameras, it automatically adjusts the quality of the uploaded video based on your connection speed.
After you have your Nest Aware subscription (minimum $5 per month), the camera can differentiate between people and pets, and it can be asked to send you notifications only when it detects people. You also get access to all of the Nest Cam’s features including precise alerts.
At the time of writing, the Nest Cam has the widest compatibility with smart-home devices such as Hue bulbs, Skybell doorbell cameras, and the very cool MyQ garage-door controller. Oh, it also is compatible with Google Assistant.
So if you want to know exactly what’s going on at home when you’re at work or in the gym, the Nest security camera will make sure you never miss a thing!
Runner-up – The Arlo Pro (with siren)
If you grab a Netgear Arlo Q, you get seven days of free storage, totally customizable activity zones, and a crisp and clear image.
Arlo Pro by NETGEAR Security System with Siren - 1 Rechargeable Wire-Free...
- Works with Alexa for voice control (Alexa device sold separately)
- 100 Wire free : Free of power cords and wiring hassles, easily place Arlo Pro cameras wherever you want and monitor your home from every angle
- Works with Alexa for voice control (Alexa device sold separately)
- 100 Wire free : Free of power cords and wiring hassles, easily place Arlo Pro cameras wherever you want and monitor your home from every angle
- Night vision: 850 nm LEDs illuminates up to 25 feet, IR cut off filter. Field of view: 130 degree, Focus range (ST) Fixed focus (2 feet to infinity). Video resolution configurable up to 1280 x 720.Weather resistant Arlo Pro cameras are Weather resistant so you can place them anywhere indoors and out
- Rechargeable Batteries : Arlo Pro cameras include rechargeable batteries that support fast charging. Video resolution Configurable up to 1280 x 720
- 2 Way Audio : Built in mic and speaker enable push to talk capability, so you can listen in and talk back
- 7 Days of Free Cloud Recordings : Arlo Pro comes with rolling 7 day cloud recordings. Live stream or view recorded video and audio for up to 7 days
- Works with Amazon Alexa/Echo Show/Fire TV/Google Assistant View your live video with a simple voice command. Works with IFTTT, Samsung SmartThings, and more. Wireless range: 300 plus feet line of sight
- Arlo Smart adds powerful intelligence to your Arlo cameras. Customize alerts to detect people, specific zones, and contact emergency responders right from your smartphone’s lock screen (optional service, includes 1 month trial)
- Note: Does not include wall mount
Unlike the Nest, the Arlo Q doesn’t record continuously – it must reset after every recording, which results in short gaps between the clips. Of course, this makes it less useful for home security but it’s a great little camera for watching your kids or pets.
The Arlo Q can record 15, 60, or 120-second clips, or you “record until activity stops,” (which works out at about 5 minutes). It produces clear and colorful 130-degree videos and also still images.
The camera works surprisingly well in dim light (using the Night mode) and the images remain crisp and clear even when zoomed with the camera’s 8X zoom capability.
The Arlo Q connects to any Wi-Fi network and you can also link it with other Arlo indoor/outdoor cameras with the Arlo app (available for iOS, Android, FireOS, and any Web browser).
With this app, you can easily access your recordings, set your activity zones, and change the sensitivity so you don’t get alerts every five minutes. The Arlo Q can be used with IFTTT, SmartThings, Wink, Alexa, and Stringify.
Also great – The Amazon Cloud Cam
Fans of Alexa will love that this cool indoor camera syncs easily to your Alexa account.
Amazon Cloud Cam Security Camera, Works with Alexa
- Stay connected 24/7 - Catch activities as they happen in 1080p Full HD. Watch, download, and share the last 24 hours of motion alert video clips for free.
- Notifications – Get notified when Cloud Cam sees activity. Check in anytime or watch motion clips on the Cloud Cam mobile app.
- Stay connected 24/7 - Catch activities as they happen in 1080p Full HD. Watch, download, and share the last 24 hours of motion alert video clips for free.
- Notifications – Get notified when Cloud Cam sees activity. Check in anytime or watch motion clips on the Cloud Cam mobile app.
- See clearly in the dark - Night vision lets you detect what’s happening around the clock. Turn on/off night vision LEDs in the Cloud Cam App.
- Two-way audio - Check in with the family or tell your dog to stop barking.
- 30-day free trial of Cloud Cam Plans – Get Smart Alerts and advanced features like person and audio detection, Zones, and see up to 30 days of video history.
- Works with Alexa - Just ask Alexa to show your live feed on your Amazon Fire TV, Fire Tablet, Echo Show, or Echo Spot.
- Cloud Cam is always getting smarter with more advanced notifications, detection, and features. Just announced: get notified when Cloud Cam detects specific sounds: glass breaking, a baby crying, a dog barking, or a smoke/carbon monoxide alarm.
- For Amazon Key, purchase the Amazon Key Home Kit, which includes Cloud Cam (Key Edition). You need Cloud Cam (Key Edition) that features a Key Edition power cable to enable Amazon Key.
It features 1080P video, motion alert sensors, real-time notifications, and it lets you download, store and save 24 hrs of video totally free.
The Amazon Cloud Cam is cheaper than most of its competitors and is better than most models costing double the price. It’s very easy to set up and you can record and keep HD footage for 24 hours for no cost (or you can store it for longer if you opt for Amazon’s monthly subscription).
The Cloud cam also has a two-way talk feature, excellent audio recording, and night vision but it doesn’t allow continuous recording. This camera only allows you to save clips when the device detects movement or people in its field of vision.
The Cloud Cam mobile app is also excellent and very straightforward to use. It only has three screens to worry about: an account management panel, a live feed screen, and a settings list.
On its own, the camera only has motion detection but if you opt for Amazon’s cloud subscription, the camera gets a “people detection” function, which means it can tell the difference between people and pets. Also with the subscription, you can section-off areas and tell the camera to ignore activity in that particular area.
It’s a pity that the Cloud Cam does not have facial recognition (like the Nest) but if it did it would be much pricier. That, unfortunately, means you’ll get many notifications if the camera is facing a busy part of your home, like the front door or hall, or living room.
To conclude, the Cloud Cam is a well-built indoor security camera and the most capable camera for a very reasonable price.
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