Best Cheap Security Cameras under $50

Home security cameras aren’t only for people who can drop a wad of cash on a fancy surveillance system. If you want to add a security camera but have a budget to stick to, we think that the Wyze Cam v3 is the one to beat.

While most cheap security cameras sacrifice features like smart home compatibility and cloud storage to push the price lower, Wyze delivers an unexpectedly solid experience that rivals the best home security cameras at any cost.

Cloud storage is another way Wyze distinguishes itself from other cheap security camera brands—which usually aren't competitive with mid-range brands like Arlo and Ring. Wyze Cam Plus is a rare exception with the cheapest monthly cloud plan of any home security camera.

It starts around $2 a month for each Wyze camera—and if you pay annually (about $15 a year), the effective monthly cost drops to $1.25 per camera. This is more than worth it, especially since Wyze's free cloud storage option imposes some tight restrictions: 12-second video clips and motion alerts, each with a 5-minute cooldown.

You can also use a microSD card if you want to save more and don't want to deal with a recurring cloud plan. The largest card the camera supports is a 32 GB microSD card, which is less than some rivals but big enough for reliable performance.

Wyze Cam v3 works both indoors and outdoors, offering more installation flexibility than indoor models like the Wyze Cam v2 and Wyze Cam Pan. Unfortunately, the default power cord isn't for outdoor use, so you need to buy a special cable (that's not available yet) for outdoor use.

It's also compatible with Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant^†—as well as Wyze's security system and smart home devices—making it an excellent smart security camera. Overall, Wyze Cam v3 beats other cheap wireless security cameras in almost every way, and we can't recommend it highly enough. Learn more about Wyze's noteworthy camera lineup in our Wyze cameras review.

This ZOSI C190 looks like what you expect from bullet cameras, which should scare away burglars on the prowl. You can find plenty of videos online from customers catching thieves in the act, thanks to this versatile, affordable HD security camera.

It's a bummer that this camera doesn't have cloud video storage like the Wyze Cam v3 does, but storing video on a microSD card is a cheaper option in the long run anyway. The 90º field of view is narrower than we'd like but won't cause too many problems if you find the right placement.

In addition to the ZOSI Smart mobile app, ZOSI also provides apps for PC and Mac computers. This is a great option for folks looking to use a bigger screen or cut back on smartphone use.

The ZOSI C190 doesn't work with many smart home platforms, but it's compatible with Amazon Alexa smart displays. Overall, you'll have a hard time finding a better outdoor security camera for a lower price. Learn more in our ZOSI security cameras review.

During our tests of the E1 Pro's upgraded sibling, the E1 Zoom, we discovered an exceptional devotion to video quality. It focuses not only on good-looking videos but also quality-of-life features. You can optimize this camera's video like none other by choosing different resolutions, frame rates, and bitrates—we love this kind of flexibility.

We also like that Reolink's free cloud storage is actually practical compared to similar offerings from Wyze and YI. It applies only to a single camera, and footage sticks around for just 24 hours, but the videos don't have onerous length restrictions. Reolink's paid cloud plans are a great deal if you have the maximum number of allowable cameras, but not so much otherwise.

Unfortunately, the E1 Pro's narrow 87.5º field of view keeps it lower on our list. Although the pan-tilt features help make up for the field of view, this camera doesn't have automatic motion tracking like other cheap pan-tilt cameras. It's also not for use outdoors.

Overall, the Reolink E1 Pro delivers a great user experience and excellent video quality. Learn more about why we think Reolink has some of the best video quality among security cameras in our Reolink cameras review.

We also like that it has 2K video resolution for a lower price than the Reolink E1 Pro. This gives videos more detail than a standard 1080p surveillance camera, which is impressive for a camera under $40. We also like that it has a 125º field of view, which is good for a camera of this price.

Eufy's cloud storage costs about $3 a month, bucking the trend of cheap camera cloud plans costing more than similar fare from Arlo and Ring. It's not as competitive as Wyze's cloud pricing, but that's a high bar to surpass.

As the name implies, this is strictly an indoor camera. We read many customer reviews saying it doesn't do well with colder temperatures, so unheated garages and workshops can limit its performance during the winter. Still, it's a solid choice for recording in your living room or hallway. Learn more about Eufy's security offerings in our Eufy Home Security review.

You can wave goodbye to blind spots because the YI Dome Camera U features a bidirectional rotation range that captures panoramic scenes. Much like the competition, YI recently started adding person and sound detection to its cameras—making its motion alerts more reliable overall.

Best of all, you can store all those sweeping images online with the free Kami Cloud plan. Unfortunately, the clips are only six seconds long, and the server deletes footage older than 24 hours. While you can fix this with a paid subscription, $5 a month for a single camera is more expensive than similar plans from Wyze, Ring, and Arlo. We also struggled with YI's sparse customer support resources online.

Overall, this is a nifty little PTZ camera for its privacy tools, but the cloud storage isn't worth the extra expense. Learn more about this and other cameras in our YI cameras review.

Cheap security cameras are now easy to find, so it's hard to stop at just five. Here are some other strong contenders worth checking out—alphabetical style.

The Abode Cam 2 (about $35) stands out as one of the cheapest security cameras you can use with a home security system. We love Abode's DIY security system because of its affordable professional monitoring and support for more smart home platforms than any other security system.

You don't need an Abode system to use the camera (it even works outdoors), but it doesn't have a microSD slot. This means you need to pay for a cloud subscription (around $6 a month) to save videos. Even though this is a higher price than other cheap cloud plans, it covers unlimited cameras. As long as you have five or more cameras, this is even cheaper than Wyze.

Amazon-owned Blink just released the Blink Mini for around $35. This wired indoor camera performed well during testing when we updated our Blink cameras review. But we noticed the night vision doesn't look as good with ambient light in a room—the darker, the better.

Unfortunately, it requires a paid subscription (about $3 a month) for cloud storage or a Blink Add-On Sync Module 2 (another $35) for local video storage. If you already have one of Blink's battery-powered cameras, you don't need to buy a sync module for your Mini. If you opt for the sync module, it supports up to 10 cameras and 256 GB of USB storage (about $30).

We think the highlight of HeimVision's cheap camera models is the HeimVision HM311 outdoor camera (around $36). This camera comes with 2K video resolution and a bold night vision range up to 98 feet. But we can recommend only it if you're using a microSD card to store video since HeimVision's cloud video storage has some of the worst prices we've seen in a wireless camera.

At a minimum, you can expect to pay $19.99 for three months of service on a single camera (there aren't monthly plans). That works out to around $6.66 per month—ouch. Even if you go with the cheapest camera—HeimVision HMA2 (about $20)—that qualifies for a slightly cheaper plan, you'll pay the equivalent of around $4 a month.

You might stumble across a Merkury Smart WiFi Camera (about $28) at your local Walmart and wonder if it's any good. We're here to say it's a decent option for the cash, thanks to support for Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant. But it doesn't have a cloud storage option.

You need to pony up for a microSD card right away if you want to use the camera for anything more than two-way audio and streaming video to your phone. Head over to our Merkury Smart WiFi Camera review to learn more.

The SV3C outdoor IP camera helps protect your home and property without breaking the bank. We like that this unit works with third-party home security camera software like iSpy, Blue Iris, and IP Camera Viewer. Additionally, it supports all video recorders that use the ONVIF technology standard, making it a great addition to an existing camera system.

It also provides motion detection zones, high-resolution images, and a 67-foot night vision range. This camera costs around $50 but doesn't offer compatibility with any smart home systems. Overall, this is a good camera, but we think that the ZOSI C190 is a better option all around.

The Voger VG360 (about $50) is a relatively new outdoor PTZ camera with an impressive vertical pan range of 110º. All of the other cheap PTZ cameras seem to top out at 90º, which means Voger gives you a bit more flexibility for positioning your camera lens.

Screenshots from customer reviews also show that this camera delivers clean 1080p quality, but we don't think it's as good as Reolink or Wyze. And Voger's website and user manual are light on details, presenting a challenge if you're installing cheap outdoor security cameras for the first time.

This Wansview Q6 security camera delivers a lot for around $30. You get 1080p HD video, a 350° pan range, and 4x digital zoom. Plus, two-way communication makes this a great solution if you want to check in on little humans or fur babies. And customers love how crisp the images are—even at night.

We like Wansview for many of the same reasons we like YI. It's an affordable brand that works for basic video monitoring in your home as a baby monitor, pet camera, or no-frills security. But Wansview's laggy video and lack of AI smart alerts make YI a slightly better choice. Learn more in our Wansview cameras review.

Wyze is the clear leader among budget camera brands with the Wyze Cam v3. It offers exceptional quality for less than $35: video quality, color night vision, weatherproofing, affordable cloud storage, and tons of companion smart home devices that also use the Wyze app. The only drawback is that it doesn't come with a power cord rated for outdoor use.

Cheap security cameras offer more features and better quality than ever before. So much so that it's hard to recommend anything else for folks wanting a quick, easy way to check on your home with a smartphone. If your budget's a bit more flexible, consider checking out our review of the best security cameras to see how pricier cameras compare.

We followed two rules when choosing cheap security cameras for our comparison: Each camera must cost less than $50, and each camera must have a Wi-Fi connection with a companion mobile app. Ahead of this update, we tested cameras from many brands on this list: Wyze, YI, Blink, and Reolink.

The models we tested may not be the exact ones we recommend here (like the Reolink E1 Zoom, which is an upgraded version of the Reolink E1 Pro). But we have over five years of experience testing security cameras, so we're confident in our conclusions with each brand on the following points:

• Video performance
• Mobile app usability
• Smart home compatibility
• Customer support resources

Learn more about our rankings and reviews process on our methodology page.

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