Best Multi-Camera Security Systems

We looked at over three dozen kits across 15 brands to find the best multi-camera security system.
Best overall
EufyCam 3 series
4.1 out of 5 stars
4.1
  • pro
    4K resolution
  • pro
    135º field of view
  • pro
    Wire-free install
Best budget
Wyze Cam Outdoor 3 Camera System
Wyze Cam Outdoor
4.1 out of 5 stars
4.1
  • pro
    1080p resolution
  • pro
    110º field of view
  • pro
    Wire-free install
Best for smart home
Arlo Essential Spotlight 3 Camera System
Arlo Essential Spotlight
4 out of 5 stars
4
  • pro
    1080p resolution
  • pro
    130º field of view
  • pro
    Wire-free install
Best wired system
Reolink 5 MP 4 Camera System
Reolink 5 MP
3.9 out of 5 stars
3.9
  • pro
    1920p resolution
  • pro
    80º field of view
  • pro
    Wired install
Best bulk value
Swann 8 Channel
3.9 out of 5 stars
3.9
  • pro
    1080p resolution
  • pro
    90º field of view
  • pro
    Wired install

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.

Before stand-alone security cameras took over the market, multi-camera security systems were once the standard for video surveillance. Still, their camera bundles are often more affordable than buying extra Wi-Fi cameras.

We think the EufyCam S330 is the best of the bunch for its easy installation, wide field of view, built-in solar panels and affordable cloud storage. You can expand local storage up to 16 TB if you add an external hard drive, and you can use all of the camera's features sans subscription.

We've added more wireless cameras with easier installation than traditional wired systems in this update. We recommend both types, so choose the best multi-camera system for your needs.


Best multi-camera security systems


Compare the best multi-camera security systems

Product
Best for
Price
Multi-cam cloud storage
Local storage Icon Tooltip  Dark
Power source
Audio
Learn more
Best overall $9.99/mo.
(10 cams max)
16 GB in base station + add up to 16TBattery, solar
Icon Yes  LightYes
Best budget $1.99/mo.
(per cam)
Up to 32 GB microSD
(per cam)
Battery, solar
Icon Yes  LightYes
Best for smart home $9.99/mo.
(all cams)
With optional base station Wired, battery, solar
Icon Yes  LightYes
Best wired system Via FTP server2 TB in NVR Wired
Icon Yes  LightYes
Best bulk value Via Dropbox1 TB in NVR Wired
Icon No  LightNo

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

Reviews: Best multi-camera security systems

1. EufyCam S330: Best overall

Best overall
EufyCam S330
4.1 out of 5 stars
4.1
$799.99 (4 cams)

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

We love the EufyCam S330 because it offers more installation flexibility than wired systems. While it costs more per camera than most brands on our list, it is the only with built-in solar and also has the widest field of view, so you'll need fewer cameras overall. The 1-year battery life combined with "forever power" with the built-in solar is above average among wireless cameras. It even supports Google, Apple, and Amazon smart home platforms.

pro
Pros
pro Easy installation
pro 135º field of view
pro Affordable cloud storage
con
Cons
con Pricey add-on cameras
con No wired power source
con Limited local storage

The EufyCam S330 stands out for its affordable cloud storage that costs around $10 a month for the multi-camera Premier Plan. It stores video clips for up to 10 cameras for 30 days, which should work for most folks.

There's no option for continuous recording, but you probably don't need it because Eufy's motion-activated clips work well enough for your home. Continuous recording can zap battery-only powered cameras, but the new built-in solar panels should help counteract the drain on battery life. That said, you may want to consider a wired system like Reolink if you 24/7 video recording is your top priority.

Eufy has some of the best video quality among security camera brands, and while this model tops out at 1080p resolution, its video is clear and full of detail. It even has a spotlight if you want color night vision—along with infrared night vision.

EufyCam S330's local storage tops out at a meager 16 GB. Eufy says this is enough space for three months of video for a single camera. That said, if you need more storage, you can easily add an external hard drive for up to 16T worth of storage! With the four-camera kit, you'll get a similar capacity to cloud storage. Keep in mind that each additional camera saps storage space, giving you less time to review older videos if you stick with the built-in storage.

Overall, the EufyCam S330 is a great multi-camera system for folks that prefer cloud storage over local storage. It's charge-and-play wire-free installation with built-in solar power keeps it simple for most homeowners. Still, if you're more tech-savvy and don't mind running cables, a traditional wired system like Reolink is better for local storage.

Learn more in our full Eufy cameras review.

2. Wyze Cam Outdoor: Best budget

Best budget
Wyze Cam Outdoor 3 Camera System
Wyze Cam Outdoor
4.1 out of 5 stars
4.1
$189.94 (3 cams)

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

The Wyze Cam Outdoor offers the most affordable wireless security camera system on our list. Like EufyCam 2C, it runs on batteries and has an optional solar panel charger. It also has strong local storage and the option to view multiple live camera feeds at once.

pro
Pros
pro Affordable cameras
pro Local storage on microSD cards
pro Most affordable cloud storage
con
Cons
con 4-camera limit per base station
con No wired power source
con No discount for multiple cameras on cloud plan

The Wyze Cam Outdoor's base station supports up to four cameras, so it's not as robust as an 8-channel security system  like Swann or Reolink. Four cams are enough for most small homes, but you can also add more base stations or wired Wyze cameras if you want to expand.

One of Wyze's strongest features is its local storage. Each Wyze camera has a microSD slot that supports up to a 32 GB card, which gives them months' worth of storage for motion sensor-triggered video clips. You need to buy microSD cards for each camera—four 32 GB SD cards cost less than $50 total.

Wyze's cloud storage is a surprisingly good deal. A free cloud option saves tiny 12-second clips for up to 14 days. We recommend a paid Cam Plus subscription to remove the short time limit and add smart motion detection so your outdoor camera can tell the difference between people, animals, vehicles, and packages.

Wyze Cam Plus costs just $1.99 a month for a single camera—the annual plan drops it down to $1.25. Unfortunately, there's no plan option for multiple cameras—you pay for each Wyze camera, which makes Eufy and Arlo more affordable after you hit five cams on the monthly plan.

Overall, the Wyze Cam Outdoor is a great option if you want a wireless multi-camera system for less than $300—assuming you're buying microSD cards or subscribing to Cam Plus for video storage.

Learn more in our full Wyze cameras review.

3. Arlo Essential Spotlight: Best for smart home

Best for smart home
Arlo Essential Spotlight 3 Camera System
Arlo Essential Spotlight
4 out of 5 stars
4
$349.99 (3 cams)

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

The Arlo Essential Spotlight has better smart home compatibility than any other brand on our list. You can connect it to Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, Samsung SmartThings, and Apple HomeKit. (This last one requires a hub.)

pro
Pros
pro Excellent smart home integration
pro Affordable cloud storage
pro Works without a hub
con
Cons
con Best features require a subscription
con No video storage included
con Local storage requires an optional hub

The Arlo Secure multi-camera cloud storage plan costs $9.99 a month for 30 days of storage on unlimited cameras. Arlo Secure is even a better price than Eufy if you have more than 10 cameras. Still, Arlo Secure is practically a requirement for anyone wanting Arlo's best features: video storage, motion zones, and smart motion detection.

When you consider that Arlo Essential Spotlight is the brand's cheapest wireless multi-camera system but still over $100 per camera, then ongoing cloud storage costs add up for an expensive investment.

Arlo Essential Spotlight works without a hub, unlike other cameras on our list. This keeps starting costs low and makes for easier setup. Unfortunately, it also means you're in for a costly upgrade if you ever want local storage since you'll need to buy the hub and a storage device. The Arlo Pro 3 comes with a hub if you want local storage with Arlo, but it's more expensive and older—there's no guarantee how long Arlo will keep making it.

Overall, Arlo Essential Spotlight's excellent smart home integration and unlimited-camera cloud storage make it a solid alternative to the EufyCam 2C. We'd prefer that its video storage, especially for the overpriced hub, didn't cost extra.

Learn more in our full Arlo cameras review.

4. Reolink 5 MP: Best wired system

Best wired system
Reolink 5 MP 4 Camera System
Reolink 5 MP
3.9 out of 5 stars
3.9
$379.99

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

Reolink is the highest-rated home security camera brand on SafeWise, so we were happy that the Reolink 5 MP wired multi-camera system matched our high expectations. The 1920p (2K) video quality looks crisp and clear in various lighting conditions. It's not as easy to install as battery-powered systems, but the POE power connection makes it more reliable than Wi-Fi and analog systems.

pro
Pros
pro Massive, expandable local storage
pro Impressive video quality
pro Person and vehicle detection
con
Cons
con Narrow field of view
con Wired installation

We love that Reolink includes a huge 2 TB hard drive, and you can expand the system up to 12 TB if you need extra storage space down the line. It comes with four 2K cameras, but the NVR has eight channels—it can support eight cameras total (up to 4K resolution). The system supports various camera types from Reolink like bullet cameras, dome cameras, and pan-tilt-zoom cameras.

Light Bulb
How much video can 2 TB hold?

A 2 TB hard drive holds almost two weeks of high-quality 1080p footage for four cameras recording continuously at 30 frames per second1.  You can increase recording time without upgrading the hard drive:

  • Use motion-triggered recording instead of continuous recording.
  • Choose a lower frame rate, resolution, or video quality.

Pick a different video compression method (may affect video quality).

Reolink's POE cameras have built-in smart detection. This means your system will tag people and vehicles when recording videos and sending notifications to your smartphone, making it easier to keep track of when your child comes home from school.

As impressive as Reolink's POE IP camera selection is, they all have a narrow field of view around 80º. This means you need more cameras to see your whole yard than other brands on our list. Still, adding cameras to the system is more affordable than Eufy, Wyze, and Arlo.

The wired installation is time consuming since you need to find spots within reach of the 60-foot cables. You'll also need to drill holes and run wires, which is why many folks opt for professional installation to keep their sanity.

Overall, Reolink is a solid investment if you want the reliability, local storage, and performance of a wired system with multiple cameras. It's not an impossible DIY project, so you don't need a pro install, but it's still more intense than quickly mounting some battery-powered cameras and solar panels.

Learn more about why we love Reolink in our Reolink cameras review.

5. Swann 8 Channel: Best bulk value

Best bulk value
Swann 8 Channel
3.9 out of 5 stars
3.9
$479.99 (8 cams)

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

The Swann 8 Channel comes with eight outdoor cameras, making it an excellent bulk value for getting as many cameras as possible. Swann's 8-camera security system  uses wired cameras. Unlike the wireless camera models on our list, you don't need to charge a battery or worry about wireless interference.

pro
Pros
pro 8 cameras
pro 1 TB local storage
pro Remote access via smartphone or computer
con
Cons
con Wired installation
con Narrow field of view
con No audio on cameras

A standout feature of Swann's multi-camera system is the NVR, which is similar to a DVR but allows for live viewing and playback in real-time over the internet—plus, it comes with 1 TB of storage. If you need to store more video footage, you can even swap out the hard drive for one as large as 4 TB—perfect for over a week of 24/7 footage on eight cams.

The Swann Security app provides access to camera footage anytime from your computer or smartphone. You can also customize the sensitivity of the motion detectors on the cameras to reduce false alarm notifications.

Still, the installation will take a lot longer as you string each analog camera's 60-foot cable this way and that. Some folks might see the cables as an eyesore, but they're hard to avoid unless you spend extra on a professional installation.

The cameras in this Swann system are relatively low-tech. There's no audio compared to the rest of our top brands, and the 90º field of view means you need three Swann cameras to match the coverage of two Eufy cameras.

Overall, Swann is a great example of how much money you can save by using wired cameras with an NVR for tons of local video storage. But the extra effort to install isn't worth the tradeoff for some folks.

Learn more in our full Swann security cameras review.

More multi-camera system brands we considered

Amcrest

We like the Amcrest 5 MP (about $430) for its four high-resolution turret cameras, which come with a 103º field of view. This is wider than you'll see on most wired systems. Amcrest's NVR comes with 2 TB of storage space and support for eight video channels. Amcrest cameras use a POE power supply but the system costs about $80 more than Reolink.

Learn more in our full Amcrest cameras review.

Blink

The Blink Outdoor is a budget wireless multi-camera system with cameras costing less than $100. These cameras have an extremely long battery life of up to two years. Still, they don't record clips longer than a minute, even if you pay for a cloud storage plan or insert a USB stick into the base station that comes with the multi-camera kits.

Learn more in our full Blink cameras review.

Lorex

Lorex offers a vast selection of multi-camera systems like the Lorex Home Center and the Lorex 4K analog. We like the Lorex Home Center's smart display, making it easy to view cameras without rustling up a spare computer monitor or TV, but the storage tops out at 1 TB.

The 4K analog is a more traditional wired surveillance system with four cameras for around $300, making it an excellent alternative to Reolink for folks wanting affordable 4K video.

Learn more in our full Lorex cameras review.

ZOSI

You won't find a cheaper wired multi-camera brand than ZOSI, which comes with four cameras and an eight-channel, 1 TB NVR for around $190. Plus, add-on cameras cost about $20, so you can expand the system without breaking your budget. While ZOSI gets great reviews online, we think Wyze is the better budget option.

Learn more in our full ZOSI cameras review.

Night Owl

Night Owl is a popular wired multi-camera brand that you'll likely run across in a local retail store. We tested a Night Owl system in early 2021. We found it average but there's not much in the way of detailed product guides to help troubleshoot problems after installation—something Reolink, Swann, and Lorex all excel at.

Learn more in our Night Owl camera review.

Bell
Need help with installation?

Use an online service like ThumbTack to find a local pro. You can also get multiple quotes from reputable local installers to find the best option for your budget. See our FAQ for info on how much professional installation costs.

Things to consider before you buy a multi-camera system

There are a lot of features to consider when you're looking for the best multi-camera system for your property:

  • Wired or wireless: Wired cameras are trickier to install and usually require professional installation, but they don't need a battery and have better local storage.
  • Field of view: This is how much you can see through the camera lens. The wider the field of view, the better the visibility, and hopefully, the fewer cameras you'll need to cover a large space.
  • Video resolution: This refers to the clarity of the picture. Typically, you want at least 1080p or higher to see relevant details. Keep in mind that higher resolutions use more video storage.
  • Video storage: Most wired multi-camera systems come equipped with an NVR, which is handy because you need to store all that footage. Opt for an NVR with at least 1 TB if you intend to expand your camera system someday. Wireless cameras tend to rely more on cloud storage and use motion detection to create clips rather than recording continuously. Still, they usually require a monthly fee.
  • Night vision: Infrared night vision helps you record in the dark and is a standard feature on modern security cameras. It works best close to the camera—look for models that provide at least 30 feet of night vision range.

Final word

The EufyCam 2C is our pick for the best wireless multi-camera security system. Its wide field of view, easy installation, and affordable cloud storage make it a great choice for a simple system without unsightly cables or professional installation. It's not the best choice for local video storage, but we think it's a perfect fit for most folks.

If you're not ready to invest in multiple security cameras, we recommend heading to our wireless cameras review to see our top picks.

Video: How Many Security Cameras Do I Need?

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Multi-camera security system FAQ

Placing multiple security cameras around your home and yard has two benefits: deterrence and coverage.

  1. Deterrence: Security cameras are a strong visual deterrent for potential break-ins. As the possibility of identification increases, it's riskier to steal anything without getting caught.
  2. Coverage: Multi-camera systems are great for monitoring larger properties. While you can manage many stand-alone cameras from a mobile app, sometimes buying a system can save you the headache of trying to connect mismatched hardware later—especially with wired cameras.

Multi-camera systems work well for houses with multiple entry points on several different levels or if you have a business attached to your home. They are also ideal for large multi-unit properties with gated entrances (like some HOAs), extensive acreage, and remote vacation properties.

While we recommend all of our top picks for homes, you should consider a wired system from brands like Amcrest, Lorex, Night Owl, Reolink, and Swann for home business applications since they don't require charging batteries every few months.

Your space, situation, and the viewing angles of your cameras determine the number of surveillance cameras you need. In general, you need fewer cameras to cover the same area if the cameras have a wider field of view.

If you want complete coverage of your home, make sure your cameras can see every entrance to your home (including doors and windows). Also, consider a camera for your parking spot and any part of the perimeter you want to restrict access to, like a gate or fence line.

Our top picks all have menus or mobile apps where you can select a specific IP security camera to view live from your monitor or smartphone. All of them allow you to watch multiple cameras simultaneously, except EufyCam 2C, which doesn't offer the feature to save battery life.

Most online estimates say you should expect to spend around $100 to $200 per camera on professional installation for a wired system (not including the cameras themselves). This means you'll pay between $750 and $1,150 for cameras and installation, assuming you buy a 4-camera security system  for the market average of $350.

Suppose you're not keen on stringing security camera cables around the house and don't want to pay for pro installation. In that case, we recommend a multi-camera wireless security system from a brand like Eufy, Wyze, and Arlo, which is a much simpler DIY project.

Some brands, like Annke, allow you to connect wired and wireless cameras to the same NVR—it's not a standard feature. This doesn't apply to IP camera brands that transmit video over Wi-Fi like Arlo, Eufy, and Wyze.

The distinction between channels and cameras on multi-camera system packaging is essential:

  • Channels tell you how many cameras a DVR, NVR, or base station can handle. You need a channel for every camera you want to record or control. For example, an 8-channel security system works with up to eight cameras.
  • Cameras tell you how many cameras come in the box. A 4-camera security system is just what it sounds like and should include four cameras.

If you want to buy a smaller camera system and expand later, look for one that offers more channels than cameras. To accommodate the extra video storage you'll need for more cameras, consider buying a DVR or NVR that allows you to swap in or add another hard drive.

For example, you can swap Reolink's 2 TB hard drive for one as large as 6 TB and add a second 6 TB external drive for a total of 12 TB of space.

How we reviewed multi-camera systems

Night Owl camera test mount

Before writing our review, we looked through over three dozen multi-camera security systems across 15 brands to find wireless and wired options.

We narrowed our choices by keeping prices under $500—most systems over $500 are either costly 2K or 4K products or include more than eight cameras. All of the systems in our list use outdoor cameras and have a mobile app. Ultimately, we landed on our top 10 systems with three or more cameras.

While we have hands-on experience with most of the brands on our list, we haven't tested everything. To fill in the gaps, we also scoured user manuals, customer reviews, manufacturer specs, and online reviews to see what's great and not so great about the camera systems.

Check out our full methodology for an overview of how we approach product ranking and testing.

Related articles on SafeWise


Sources

  1. Seagate Technology LLC, "Video Storage Calculator | Seagate US," July 2018. Accessed December 14, 2021.
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.

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John Carlsen
Written by
John Carlsen
John is a technology journalist specializing in smart home devices, security cameras, and home security systems. He has over a decade of experience researching, testing, and reviewing the latest tech—he was the Smart Home Editor for Top Ten Reviews and wrote for ASecureLife before joining SafeWise as a Staff Writer in 2020. John holds a Bachelor's degree in Communications, Journalism emphasis from Utah Valley University. In his spare time, he enjoys hiking, photography, cooking, and starting countless DIY projects he has yet to complete.

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