Blink Cameras Review: Indoor, Outdoor, Mini, and Doorbell

After hours of research, we found Blink security cameras are affordable, useful, and straightforward.
Best overall
Blink Outdoor security camera
Blink Outdoor
3.8 out of 5 stars
3.75
  • pro
    Battery powered
  • pro
    Indoor/outdoor camera
  • pro
    Long battery life
Best for inside
Blink Indoor Camera
Blink Indoor
3.8 out of 5 stars
3.75
  • pro
    Battery powered
  • con
    Indoor only
  • pro
    Affordable
Best for hiding
Blink Mini camera
Blink Mini
3.8 out of 5 stars
3.75
  • con
    Wired
  • con
    Indoor only
  • pro
    Tiny
Best for the porch
Blink Video Doorbell
3.8 out of 5 stars
3.75
  • pro
    Battery or wired
  • pro
    Indoor/outdoor camera
  • pro
    Affordable

SafeWise experts have years of firsthand experience testing the products we recommend. Learn how we test and review. We may earn money when you buy through our links.

Blink’s little (and we mean little) home security cameras offer straightforward video surveillance at a price nearly anyone can afford.

We weren’t particularly blown away by these home security cameras, but we don’t have any major complaints about them either. They offer industry-standard features such as 1080p video quality, two-way talk, and night vision. Plus, the app is very user-friendly.

Best of all, these tiny Blink cameras can be placed just about anywhere. If you’re looking for less obvious home security, the Outdoor, Indoor, and Mini cameras are a good choice.

pro
Pros
pro Full IFTTT integration
pro Great price point
pro Ideal for renters and small spaces
con
Cons
con No pro monitoring
con Narrow field of view


Compare Blink cameras

Camera
Best for
Price*
Dimensions
Power source
Learn more
Read review
Best overall 2.8 x 2.8 x 1.2 in.Battery
Best for inside 2.8 x 2.8 x 1.2 in.Battery
Best for hiding 2.0 x 1.9 x 1.4 in.Wired
Best for the porch 5.1 x 1.7 x 1.1 in.Battery or wired

Compare Blink subscription plans

Plan
Monthly cost
Annual cost
Cameras supported
Amazon discount on Blink
Extended warranty
Learn more
Blink Basic1
Icon No  LightNo
Icon No  LightNo
Blink PlusUnlimited
Icon Yes  LightYes
Icon Yes  LightYes

Amazon.com price as of post date. Read full disclaimer.

Blink security camera reviews

1. Blink Outdoor: Best overall

Best overall
Blink Outdoor security camera
Blink Outdoor
3.8 out of 5 stars
3.75
$99.99
pro Battery-powered
pro Indoor/outdoor camera
pro Long battery life

Amazon.com price as of post date.
Read full disclaimer.

The Blink Outdoor camera packs a lot of useful features into a small home security camera—including a good weather-resistant rating. It can also be used inside. If you want one camera that can do double-duty, this is a great option. Best of all, it only costs about $20 more to go with the Outdoor camera over the Blink Indoor camera.

It’s powered by batteries, so it doesn’t need it to live near an outlet. This grants you the flexibility to keep an eye on what’s going on inside the house or on the back deck.

We didn’t even bother mounting the Blink outdoor cam. It was just so darn useful to put it on the picnic table to watch for a car to pull into the driveway, then on the porch to watch for a package, and then inside to watch the pets.

Of course, if you want a dedicated outdoor camera, mounting it somewhere permanently is ideal so it doesn’t get knocked over. Installation is easy. It just takes two screws and a few minutes to attach this outdoor Blink camera to its forever home.

Blink Outdoor Camera’s features

  • 1080p image resolution: We found the video footage clear and colorful.
  • 110° field of view: The view is narrow but good enough for small yards or the porch.
  • Battery-powered: We love the portability and the two-year battery life.
  • Two-way audio: Sounded great, but does pick up background noises like crickets or cars passing by.
  • Operating temperatures: It works in areas that get between -4 to 113° F.
  • Night vision: The black-and-white footage is pretty clear. In complete darkness, it was hard to see faces.
Light Bulb
Save money on hardware

Because it has two-way talk, you can use the Blink Outdoor in a pinch as a video doorbell substitute. No need to add another piece of hardware to keep an eye on packages or talk to visitors when you’re not home.

2. Blink Indoor: Best for inside

Best for inside
Blink Indoor Camera
Blink Camera
3.8 out of 5 stars
3.75
$79.99
pro Battery-powered
con Indoor only
pro Affordable

Amazon.com price as of post date.
Read full disclaimer.

The Blink Indoor camera is one of the simplest home security cameras we’ve tested. Simple isn’t a bad thing, though. The Blink Indoor camera is ideal for when you want to keep an eye on your personal space or belongings in small spaces, like a dorm or apartment. It’s also an affordable option if you’re looking to check in on Fluffy or Fido when you’re at work or away on vacation.

Blink Indoor’s features

  • 1080p image resolution: The video was clear in a variety of lighting situations.
  • 110° field of view: The view is narrow but perfect for small rooms.
  • Battery powered: Move it from the bookshelf to the counter without needing an outlet.
  • Two-way audio: Nice and clear. It definitely gets the cat’s attention.
  • Night vision: The contrast is great, even in a very dark room.
Bell
Perfect choice for expanding

At $80 for a battery-powered camera, it’s hard to beat the Blink Indoor's price point if you want to keep an eye on multiple rooms throughout your home.

3. Blink Mini: Best for hiding

Best for hiding
Blink Mini camera
Blink Mini
3.8 out of 5 stars
3.75
$34.99
con Wired
con Indoor only
pro Tiny

Amazon.com price as of post date.
Read full disclaimer.

The Blink Mini is Blink’s smallest home security camera yet. It isn’t any bigger than a pill bottle. It’s an ideal pick when you don’t want your security camera to be too noticeable.

Like all of the Blink cameras, we found that the Blink Mini has clear video and sound. It’s a good little camera to stick just about anywhere in the house. We love it as a nanny cam for fur babies or human tots or to ensure your teenager doesn’t steal a favorite shirt from your closet.

Blink Mini’s features

  • Two-way audio: Almost as good as hearing someone in person.
  • Adjustable stand: You can point the security camera just about anywhere without moving it.
  • Night vision: Clear, but the video is a little washed out when the room isn’t completely dark.
  • Corded: We love that you don’t need to change the batteries.

Video: Blink Mini Pan-Tilt Mount Review

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4. Blink Video Doorbell: Best for the porch

Best for the porch
Blink Video Doorbell
3.8 out of 5 stars
3.75
$59.99
pro Battery or wired
pro Indoor/outdoor camera
pro Affordable

Amazon.com price as of post date.
Read full disclaimer.

The Blink Video Doorbell is the newest member of the Blink camera lineup. It's already making waves as one of the cheapest video doorbell camera on the market. At around $50, it's even cheaper than the Wyze Video Doorbell and the Ring Wired.

Be sure to check out our Blink Video Doorbell testing experience in the video below.

Blink Video Doorbell's features

  • Battery or wired: The wired power source is a great alternative if you don't want to swap the batteries very often. Batteries aren't rechargeable.
  • Two-way audio: Speak with guests and delivery people on your porch after they ring the bell.
  • Wide field of view: Video doorbells benefit from a wider field of view so they can see more of your porch. We're glad Blink included this feature.
  • Night vision: Clear video in complete darkness, but struggles when other light sources are present.

Video: We Test, Install, and Review the Blink Video Doorbell

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Subscribe to our YouTube channel and learn how to protect your home, loved ones, and belongings.


Amazon.com price as of post date. Read full disclaimer.

What to expect from Blink cameras

Blink camera similarities

All of the Blink cameras come with some pretty standard features:

  • 1080p image resolution
  • 110° field of view (135º on the Video Doorbell)
  • Night vision
  • Two-way audio
  • Built-in Amazon Alexa integration
Light Bulb
Alexa only

Blink is an Amazon-owned company, so it makes sense that the Blink cameras are compatible only with Alexa. This is a bummer if you're a Google Assistant fan. You can connect non-Alexa devices to the cameras, though, using IFTTT.

Tiny size

All of the Blink cameras are super tiny and fit in the palm of your hand. They are very discreet if you want to, say, hide the Blink Outdoor camera to peek out from behind a plant to catch footage of the neighbor who’s been walking their dog in your yard.

Installation

These pocket-size wonders are super easy to install. You just follow the on-screen instructions, and within around 10 minutes, you’re connected to Wi-Fi and the app.

One thing we didn’t like is that the Blink app doesn’t walk you through the steps of physically installing the camera. The little booklet that comes with the cameras doesn’t explain it either.

The newest Blink camera, the Blink Video Doorbell, has a bit of a reputation in early reviews for being hard to mount.

Checklist
Installation tip

With both the Outdoor and Indoor cameras, the mount must be forcibly pushed into the little hole in the back of the device. It would have been nice if the setup instructions gave you that heads-up. It took us a few minutes to figure it out.

Field of view

There is another similarity we didn’t particularly like. The Outdoor, Mini, and Indoor cameras come with a 110° field of view, which is narrower than other smart home security cameras, like the Arlo Pro 4 or a Google Nest Cam.

The industry standard falls around 140° to 160°, so we wish Blink would have given these cameras a wider view for more yard or room coverage. But at least the new Blink Video Doorbell has a 135º field of view, which helps it keep up with the wide-angle cameras on most doorbell camera rivals.

You can get around the narrow field of view by using Blink's new Mini Pan-Tilt Mount, which turns the Blink Mini into a movable camera with 360º coverage. Watch our review below.

Blink home security camera storage

When you purchase a Blink security camera, you get a free 30-day trial of the Blink Subscription Plan. After the trial, the basic plan costs $3 per month or $30 per year, per camera. If you have more than one camera, you can get the Plus plan for $10 per month or $100 per year.

We think that the subscription plan is worth it. At only $3 per month, you get the following:

  • Unlimited cloud storage for up to 60 days
  • Automatic recording when motion is detected
  • Video sharing
  • Photo capture (You can take photos of whatever the camera is seeing.)

Without a plan, you can still view live streams and get motion notifications through the app. And, if you want to save footage, you can do it locally by adding a Blink Sync Module 2 for an extra $34.99 if you get the Mini or the Outdoor. It comes with the Indoor camera for free.

The Sync will save footage for up to 10 cameras, and there aren't any monthly storage fees. It’s also tiny (notice a theme for Blink cameras?). So it doesn't take up a lot of space like local storage DVR or NVR boxes that come with security cameras like Swann.

Blink app

The Blink app is simple to use and has a lot of features. Here are just a few:

  • Customizable activity zones (down to the inch)
  • Adjustable volume for the camera’s two-way talk
  • Adjustable video brightness
  • Temperature detection so you can see the temperature where each camera is placed
  • Adjustable motion sensor sensitivity to lessen notifications

Screenshot: Alina Bradford, SafeWise

Our favorite feature is that you can customize activity zones by inches. With most security cameras, you draw a circle or square on the activity zone map where you want the motion sensor to focus. In the Blink app, this area is a grid and there’s no drawing.

You simply tap the squares where you don’t want the motion sensor to detect movement. It’s kind of like those I-am-not-a-robot captcha tests, but a lot less frustrating.

Plant leaf waving in front of the camera and setting off the push notifications? Don’t rip the poor leaf off the plant in frustration. Just a few taps in the app, and you can bask in peace and quiet.

Blink camera differences

That’s it for the similarities. Differences? The clue is in the names. The Outdoor camera is weather resistant, so it can be used both indoors and outdoors. The Indoors and Mini cameras are for indoor use only.

Another big difference is their power sources. Both the Blink Outdoor camera and the Blink Indoor camera use batteries. The Blink Mini camera has a cord. This means you need to place the Blink Mini near an outlet, but at least you don’t have to change its batteries. The Blink Video Doorbell works similar to other Blink cameras but has two power options: battery or wired.

Final word

Blink home security cameras offer an affordable option that delivers reliable motion detection and good image and audio quality. Blink cameras aren’t the fanciest out there, but they do a respectable job at a fantastic price.

  • Blink Outdoor is a versatile camera for indoor and outdoor surveillance.
  • Blink Indoor is a good choice for dorms, home offices and other small rooms.
  • Blink Mini is a tiny corded wonder that can fit just about anywhere.
  • Blink Video Doorbell is an affordable way to view your porch on a smartphone.

Blink cameras FAQ

All of Blink's battery-powered cameras use standard AA 1.5V lithium batteries. Two AA batteries come with each camera, and you can use any brand of non-rechargeable lithium batteries when it’s time to replace them.

Blink cameras work within 100 feet of the Blink Sync Module 2, which bridges the cameras to the mobile app and your home Wi-Fi network. The cameras can detect motion up to 20 feet from the camera.

These two cameras have been discontinued. 

Contributing writers: Rebecca Edwards, John Carlsen

How we reviewed Blink Cameras

We had multiple testers give the Blink cameras a try to help us identify what we like and where they fall short. Here’s a peek at how we put Blink through its paces:

  • We tested in various light conditions—natural, artificial, and under cover of darkness. We also used the cameras indoors and outside.
  • We enlisted a 13-pound cat named Leary and her cohorts to see how sensitive the motion sensors are.
  • We used the cameras’ IFTTT features to see how easy it was to set up routines and put the motion sensors on alert when we left the house.
  • We added voice control with an Amazon Echo.
  • The Blink Video Doorbell released after our first round of tests and we haven't been able to get hands-on with it yet.

In addition to our in-home tests, we also conducted research and compared Blink to other wireless security cameras. Factors we considered include price (check out our security camera price guide), overall value, customer experience, smart home compatibility, features, and ease of setup and cameras use.

For the full dish on how we test and review products, check out our full methodology.

Related articles on SafeWise


Disclaimers

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 at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product. Safewise.com utilizes paid Amazon links.

Certain content that appears on this site comes from Amazon. This content is provided “as is” and is subject to change or removal at any time.

†Google, Google Nest, Google Assistant, and other related marks are trademarks of Google LLC.

Alina Bradford
Written by
Alina Bradford
Alina is a safety and security expert that has contributed her insights to CNET, CBS, Digital Trends, MTV, Top Ten Reviews, and many others. Her goal is to make safety and security gadgets less mystifying one article at a time. In the early 2000s, Alina worked as a volunteer firefighter, earning her first responder certification and paving the way to her current career. Her activities aren’t nearly as dangerous today. Her hobbies include fixing up her 100-year-old house, doing artsy stuff, and going to the lake with her family.

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