Best Outdoor Security Cameras

Outdoor security cameras can be your home’s first line of defense. The Ring Spotlight Cam tops our list as the best outdoor home security camera because it does double-duty as a smart security camera and a motion-activated security light. Wireless outdoor security camera systems like Arlo Pro 3 and Blink Outdoor also impressed with integrated security that can cover the front yard, backyard, and any other outside areas all at once.

Find out how each outdoor camera performs for features, cost, and ease of installation and use.

As soon as the Ring Spotlight Cam detects motion, video starts recording and the light comes on—that’s two burglar deterrents in one. You can even set custom motion zones to make sure the areas you want to monitor are always protected.

And because it can be powered by battery, solar panel, or hardwiring, you can buy the Ring Spotlight Cam that works for where you want to install it. Plus, the addition of a built-in siren that you can sound from your phone makes this camera a mini all-in-one security system.

Learn more in our Ring Spotlight Cam review.

Although the Google Nest Cam Outdoor is the best outdoor camera with continuous recording, this feature is only available if you add a Nest Aware subscription. The same goes for person alerts, which reduce the number of false alarms due to wandering dogs or rambunctious tumbleweeds.

Fees range from $6 to $12 per month to record video from all of the Nest cameras in your home, with a discount if you pay for a whole year upfront. Because some of the best components of the Google Nest Cam Outdoor require you to shell out extra cash, we had to place this high-tech security camera at the number two spot on our list.

Learn more about this sleek camera in our Nest cameras review.

Looking to install one soon? We've got an installation guide to help out with that.

When you add multiple cameras to your Arlo Pro 3 system, you have an interactive outdoor security camera system that can keep an eye on every access point to your property. And because there are no wires (you can place them anywhere), we've deemed Arlo the best wireless outdoor security camera.

We recommend the three camera kit, which includes the base station and built-in sirens. And even though there's no free cloud video storage option on this system, you can connect local storage to the base station if you don't want to pay for cloud storage.

Learn more in our Arlo camera review.

You won’t get all the bells and whistles that come with a smart security camera, but the ZOSI delivers where it matters. We were impressed by this powerful night vision security camera that can capture activity up to 80 feet away. It's not a stretch to say this is also our night vision pick, considering the video quality you get in complete darkness.

It also has one of the highest weatherproof ratings of all the cameras on our list. And ZOSI leaves nothing to chance—this outdoor Wi-Fi camera has specially designed housing that makes it nearly impossible for a vandal to disable or snatch the camera.

Learn more in our Zosi cameras review.

The Blink outdoor wireless security camera also has affordable cloud storage. There are low monthly subscription fees, but storage is limited. Blink’s server lets you store up to 1,440 five-second clips (that’s about two hours). Once you’ve reached your max, the server drops the oldest alerts to make room for new ones. And you can’t record clips longer than sixty seconds. For the price (about $100 per camera), we’d like to see increased cloud storage and recording duration.

With an IP65 rating, the Blink camera isn't waterproof, but it is water-resistant. This means it will withstand a typical rain shower or a splash from the sprinkler, but don't expect it to survive a hurricane.

Learn more in our Blink cameras review.

Our top five outdoor home security cameras are a formidable bunch, but there are a few notable brands that didn't quite make the cut:

• Wyze Cam v3, another popular budget pick. Check out our full review of the Wyze line of cameras.
• Reolink Argus 3 Pro, one of the best exterior video cameras with a solar charging panel. Learn more in our full Reolink Argus 3 Pro review.
• Vivint Outdoor Cam Pro, the best outdoor security camera system with professional monitoring. Read our complete Vivint cameras review to find out why we consider it the best-of-the-best for full-service smart home security.

We recommend the Ring Spotlight Cam as the best camera for outside your house because you can choose the power option that works best for you. With its motion detection system, video recording, and built-in siren, it provides solid protection while deterring break-ins.

To find the best outdoor security cameras, we looked for the features that matter most to consumers, including cost, reliability, ease of use, smart home capabilities, weatherproofing, and night vision. Our team tested multiple wireless outdoor security cameras in-house and at our homes. Plus, we looked at more than 20 expert reviews and thousands of customer reviews.

• 16 hours researched
• 32 products considered
• 1,200+ customer reviews
• 13 coffees consumed

To make our list, cameras needed to stand up to weather and have good night vision. We also liked cameras that use a wireless connection, are motion-activated, and offer some smart home compatibility. For this list, we only considered standalone outside cameras rather than those available as part of a professionally monitored outdoor security camera system.

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