Best Video Doorbell Cameras of 2023

After poring over specs and customer reviews of 34 doorbells, the Eufy Dual Camera Doorbell comes out on top.
Best overall
Eufy Dual Camera Doorbell
4.3 out of 5 stars
4.25
  • pro
    Two cameras
  • pro
    No monthly fee
  • Icon Emoji  Fire
    19% OFF
Runner up
Nest Doorbell Battery
Nest Doorbell (Battery)
4.3 out of 5 stars
4.25
  • pro
    145º field of view
  • pro
    Smart detection
  • Icon Emoji  Fire
    15% OFF
Best for smart homes
Arlo Essential Wire-Free
4.3 out of 5 stars
4.25
  • pro
    180º field of view
  • pro
    Alexa and Google compatible
  • Icon Emoji  Fire
    27% OFF
Best budget doorbell
Ring Video Doorbell (2nd gen)
Ring Video Doorbell
(2nd Gen)
4 out of 5 stars
4
  • pro
    155º field of view
  • pro
    Theft protection

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Whether you want to keep your packages safe or see visitors, video doorbells deliver high quality at a low price—without a security system.

The Eufy Dual Camera Doorbell, our top pick, uses two cameras (one to monitor visitors and one to monitor doorstep deliveries) and smart detection to track whether people, animals, or packages are at your front door—all without a subscription. You even have free local storage.

The Eufy Dual doorbell is easy to install, though it doesn't match Arlo’s smart home compatibility or Ring's low price. Find the best doorbell cameras for your needs.

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Why try a wireless doorbell?

A wireless doorbell camera is a gateway smart home device. A video doorbell sends push notifications when it detects motion, records video day or night, and has two-way audio for talking with guests at your door.



Compare the best doorbell cameras

Product
Best for
Price
Resolution (aspect ratio)
Field of view
Power source
Prerecorded messages
Learn more
Best overall Main camera:
2560 x 1920 (4:3)

Secondary camera:
1600 x 1200 (4:3)
Main camera: 160º

Secondary camera: 90º
Battery, wired
Icon Yes  LightYes
Runner up 960 x 1280
(3:4)
145ºBattery, wired
Icon Yes  LightYes
Best for smart homes 1536 x 1536
(1:1)
180ºBattery, wired
Icon Yes  LightYes
Best budget doorbell 1920 x 1080
(16:9)
155ºBattery, wired, solar (panel sold separately)
Icon Yes  LightYes

Price is accurate as of post date. Read full disclaimer.

Eufy Video Doorbell 2K with base station
Deal of the week 🔥
4 out of 5 stars
4
Eufy Video Doorbell 2K
pro Crisp 2K video resolution
pro Local storage included
$305.15 (24% off)

Price is accurate as of post date. Read full disclaimer.

Reviews: Best smart doorbell cameras

1. Eufy Dual Camera Doorbell: Best video doorbell overall

Best local storage
Eufy Dual Camera Doorbell
4.3 out of 5 stars
4.25
$407.15🔥

Price is accurate as of post date. Read full disclaimer.

We've tested a lot of video doorbells, but in our eyes, the Eufy Dual Camera Doorbell comes out on top. Not only does it have two cameras (one facing visitors and one facing your doorstep to monitor for deliveries) but it's the only smart video doorbell on our list that doesn't require you to send footage over the web.

Its 16 GB of local storage gives you access to 180 days of footage without a subscription or broadcasting a feed on the internet. Plus, this video doorbell cam is easy to install with or without doorbell wires, thanks to its built-in battery.

pro
Pros
pro Two cameras
pro Local video storage
pro 2K video resolution
pro Battery or wired installation
con
Cons
con Pricey
con No HomeKit support

We can't overstate how practical Eufy's local storage is. There are no monthly fees, so the higher price comes out cheaper in the long run than Arlo and Ring. Plus, its six-month capacity blows runner-up Nest's three hours out of the water.

You don't pay extra for smart detection. The Eufy doorbell's people recognition feature distinguishes visitors from passing objects to minimise false alarms. And its face detection tells you when someone's face is on camera. (This is different from facial recognition, which tracks specific faces.)

Eufy has some of the best video quality of any doorbell cam. Compared to standard 1080p, its 2K video has more than double the number of pixels. This means clearer video, especially when using digital zoom or a TV to view your footage. We didn't notice a huge difference between Eufy and other brands on smaller screens without zooming, but it's nice to have anyway.

That said, the Eufy Dual Camera Doorbell has a couple drawbacks.

  • This doorbell camera system requires a hub to work. The hub is included, of course, but it adds a little more to the already-high price.
  • There's no way to increase the storage capacity beyond the 16 GB in the hub.
  • You'll need to drill some holes to install the Eufy Dual, so it's not the most renter-friendly doorbell out there.

Overall, the Eufy Dual Camera Doorbell scores the same 4.25 as Nest and Arlo but for different reasons. Having local storage is a huge boost to protecting your data from hackers, and two cameras instead of just one is a game-changer for frequent online shoppers.

Checklist
Doorbell installation tips

Before choosing a wireless video doorbell cam, check out your current doorbell setup. You'll need to know the voltage and whether you have a wired doorbell chime or not. If you don't already have a doorbell, look for a battery-powered model. Even better, products like Google Nest, Eufy, and Ring have dual-power options that work with wires or batteries.

2. Nest Doorbell (Battery): Runner up

Best overall
Nest Doorbell Battery
Nest Doorbell (Battery)
4.3 out of 5 stars
4.25
$279🔥

Price is accurate as of post date. Read full disclaimer.

The Nest Doorbell (Battery) is a close second to Eufy's offering, with smart motion detection and cloud storage that don't cost a dime. Most other brands lock one or both of these behind a paywall, so your best experience always costs extra.

True, Nest's paid plans still have exclusive features like facial recognition and extra cloud storage, but you're not paying for essential features like motion zones, person detection, and rich notifications.

pro
Pros
pro 3 hours of free cloud storage
pro Excellent smart motion detection
pro Battery or wired installation
pro Affordable cloud storage
con
Cons
con Above-average price tag
con Relatively narrow field of view
con Low video resolution
con Facial recognition requires a subscription

Free smart detection is Google Nest's secret weapon. On a typical day, your doorbell will observe dozens (sometimes hundreds) of motion events of people, animals, vehicles, and packages. Without smart detection, your camera records everything that moves.

If you don't want notifications and video clips from passing cars and neighbourhood cats, you can tell Nest to ignore them. Arlo and Ring can do this too, but you'll pay for it. Eufy's a bit better with human and face detection for free, but no packages, animals, or vehicles.

The Google Nest Doorbell has three hours of free cloud storage. While it doesn't offer as much protection when you can't review a clip within three hours, it's just right for most people.

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Local storage

The Nest Doorbell (Battery) even has local storage—it stores up to an hour of video without an internet connection.

Nest Aware has the best price for cloud storage for multiple cameras. On the surface, the base Nest Aware is twice as expensive as Ring or Arlo's plans, but it's a better value in every way.

  • Nest Aware covers unlimited cameras for just $9 a month. To do the same with Ring and Arlo, you'll pay for their pricier $15 plans.
  • You'll unlock up to 30 days of recorded clips, intelligent alerts and more features for your Google Nest smart speakers.
  • Nest Doorbell's best premium feature is facial recognition. You can label and name visitors in the app, and Nest tells you the dogwalker's at your door or Grandma's here for a visit.

We love that this Nest doorbell has both battery and wired installation options. While we prefer wires to keep recharging to a minimum, there's nothing like placing your doorbell where it works best.

Its lower video resolution and relatively narrow field of view don't look as good in a side-by-side comparison with Arlo and Eufy. But its video quality is great for everyday use, and there's a tall aspect ratio for a better view of your porch.

Positives aside, the Nest battery doorbell lacks the smart home prowess of Arlo, the local storage capacity of Eufy, and the affordable equipment of Ring.

3. Arlo Essential Wire-Free: Best for smart homes

Best for smart homes
Arlo Essential Wire-Free
4.3 out of 5 stars
4.25
$219🔥

Price is accurate as of post date. Read full disclaimer.

The Arlo Essential Wire-Free Video Doorbell stands out for its compatibility with the three major smart home platforms: Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, and Apple HomeKit. Even though Arlo's HomeKit support doesn't work without an add-on hub, you'll have a hard time finding a better HomeKit doorbell. This is a nice change compared to Nest and Eufy, which only support Google Assistant and Alexa.

pro
Pros
pro Excellent smart home compatibility
pro 180° field of view
pro 12x digital zoom
con
Cons
con Apple HomeKit support requires a hub
con No free cloud storage plan

We love Arlo's video quality. It produces clear, full images of visitors from head to toe, thanks to the 12x digital zoom, 180° field of view, infrared night vision, and 1:1 aspect ratio. It doesn't have nearly as much detail as Eufy's 2K resolution, but it looks nicer than Nest's video.

And, like many other video doorbells, Arlo offers extra features with a subscription, like more video storage and smart detection.

Arlo's cloud storage has competitive pricing—it costs $4.49 a month to record 30 days of video clips with a single security camera. This is half the price of Nest and only slightly more expensive than Ring.

Overall, the Arlo smart doorbell camera is some impressive tech. It even earned the same overall score as our top pick in our evaluation. As long as you don't mind a monthly fee, the Arlo video doorbell is a clear winner for better video quality and smart home connectivity.

4. Ring Video Doorbell (2nd Gen): Best budget doorbell

Best battery doorbell
Ring Video Doorbell (2nd gen)

Price is accurate as of post date. Read full disclaimer.

The Ring Video Doorbell (2nd Gen) boasts 1080p resolution, a 155° field of vision, noise cancellation, night vision, and customisation options through the Ring app. Its flexible power options, theft protection, and low price make it a fitting choice for renters and first-time homeowners alike.

pro
Pros
pro Battery, wired, or solar installation
pro Excellent cloud storage
pro Quick Replies
con
Cons
con Requires subscription
con Limited smart home support

This doorbell cam is budget conscious and environmentally friendly. You can power your new smart doorbell camera with existing doorbell wiring, a battery, or even a solar panel (for a little extra). It's a convenient way to extend the battery life without wiring.

Ring Protect Plus is one of the better deals for cloud storage. While it's more expensive than Nest's plan, Protect Plus throws in an extended warranty if you subscribe. Most video doorbell warranties last one to two years, so the extra protection might save some cash if Ring issues a product recall.

We also like Ring's theft protection feature for the security camera itself. While wireless doorbell cameras can deter porch pirates, there's no guarantee against camera thieves. If someone swipes it, Ring will replace it for free (even if you don't subscribe to a Ring Protect plan).

Ring recently added prerecorded messages. Choose one of six automatic Quick Replies for your doorbell to play, and guests can leave a message. Now you can screen visits from solicitors without rushing your shower. You can also choose a reply when viewing a live video if you don't want a blanket reply.

Still, the Ring video doorbell isn't as functional without a subscription. You'll have access to live video, two-way audio, notifications, and Quick Replies, but no smart detection of people or packages. And with no way to save videos, you'll obsess over every motion alert (or miss it altogether).

Ring is an Amazon product, so it's a great choice for Alexa users. It supports some other smart home platforms like Samsung SmartThings and IFTTT, but these aren't as popular as the two it doesn't work with: Apple HomeKit and Google Assistant.

At less than $150, you won't need two months' salary for this Ring. It's a good value, even if you need a subscription to unlock the best smart features.

Checklist
Ring's huge doorbell selection

We chose the Ring Video Doorbell (2nd Gen) because it's the most accessible of Ring's doorbells. But it's not as powerful as the Ring 4 ($319) and Ring Pro 2 ($399), which don't make our lineup for their high prices. Likewise, we didn't choose the Ring Wired ($95) because it doesn't have installation flexibility.

Final word

The Eufy Dual Camera Doorbell refreshingly works without a subscription. Its free features surpass those of other brands, while its local storage makes for safer data. We also love its installation flexibility with both battery-powered and wired options.

Whether you want to watch for a porch pirate stealing your packages or see who's at the door without getting up, a wireless video doorbell brings an extra touch of security to your front door. There are so many uses for doorbell cameras, but the right doorbell cam for you is the one that fits your needs.

Once you find your favourite doorbell, we suggest checking out a smart lock for a suitable smart home companion to let guests in. Or consider a wireless camera for places beyond the porch.

FAQ

None of the doorbells on our list require a monthly fee to view live footage or talk to visitors using two-way audio, but the majority require payment to store video and use features like smart detection.

Some brands—like Google Nest and Eufy—offer recordings via local storage or a free cloud plan. Additionally, Nest and Eufy provide smart detection features without a fee.

We recommend the Eufy Dual Camera Doorbell to anyone who wants to skip a monthly fee. It includes free local storage and allows for smart detection of people, packages, and vehicles.

Having a record of your visitors helps identify any suspicious characters who stop by. Video recordings of an incident boost your chances of finding the suspects who stole packages, vandalised your home, or attempted to break-in.

Depending on whether you pay a monthly fee or not, doorbell cameras can record as little as three hours and as many as 60 days. The amount of memory you need for footage depends on how often you check your doorbell app.

Most doorbell cameras use motion detection to record short clips. Still, the Nest Doorbell (Wired) has an option to record 10 days of continuous video if you pay for the Nest Aware Plus plan.

Under daytime conditions, the average video doorbell can see your front sidewalk without many issues. At night, you can expect great image quality 3 to 6 metres away.

Look for a video doorbell camera with at least a resolution of 1080p. If you want a camera that shows your doorstep the way you see it, look for a field of view of at least 120°. Still, fields of view around 160º are ideal for seeing beyond your porch.

While all doorbells on our list have excellent infrared night vision, Arlo Essential Wireless is the top performer.

Two-way audio is a standard feature in doorbell cameras; it lets you chat with visitors on your doorstep whether you're home or not.

We also like prerecorded messages and noise cancellation. Prerecorded messages are a lot like voicemail for your wireless doorbell camera—an automatic message that plays when you can't answer the door.

Noise cancellation is also helpful because it boosts the audio quality and makes it easier to understand what the other person is saying.

How we reviewed video doorbells

To choose the best smart doorbells, we pored over technical specs and thousands of customer reviews for 34 products. We compared features, price, reputation, reliability, and customer satisfaction.

After we narrowed the camera doorbells down to the best of the best, we pitted them against one another—looking for video quality, smart motion detection, customisation options, ease of installation, and any extra costs required. We also spoke with customers who own these video doorbells.

Finally, we put our favourite smart doorbells in order and broke down all the details to help you make the right purchase. Learn more about how we reviewed smart video doorbells and other products in our full methodology.


Disclaimer
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time of publish and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on the retailer’s website at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product. SafeWise Australia utilises paid affiliate links.
John Carlsen
Written by
John Carlsen

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