Cheap Motion Detectors

Wyze Cam Pan costs a third of what similar cameras cost but with all the functionality of a pricier device, making it one of the best cheap security cameras around. It has motion-activated recording, free 14-day rolling cloud storage, a 360-degree field of view with horizontal panning, and 93-degree vertical panning. Our testing experience showed that its Wi-Fi connection was also much more reliable than other cameras we've tested.

One of the best motion features on this camera is its motion tracking—it will pan to follow motion around the room, catching everything on video so you don't miss a second of the action. The camera also features two-way audio, but its one drawback is that the speaker on the camera is pretty crackly. It might be hard for people (or intruders) at home to understand you if you're talking through the app.

At less than $12 per light, the Aootek Solar Motion Lights are a smart investment for outdoor security. Each light has 48 bright LEDs that give you 180-degree lighting coverage. Features like this mean they’re some of the best motion sensor lights on the market. The lights are solar powered, so they're easy to install because you don't have to run any wires. On the flip side, you're limited on placement since they need full sun exposure to work.

Aootek motion lights have light sensors so they can sense when it gets dark, and you have three different lighting settings to choose from. You can set them to automatically turn on full power at nightfall and turn off when the battery runs out, automatically turn on dim when it gets dark and get bright when they detect motion, or have them stay off until they detect motion. Some customers say the sensitive motion detectors trigger false alerts by sensing far away moving objects like cars. Reviewers suggest putting a small piece of tape over part of the sensor to reduce sensitivity.¹

If you need multiple sensors for a low price, the Seanme Motion Sensor Alarm might be your best bet. It's around $37 for four sensors and a receiver, so you can place them throughout your home for optimal coverage. The sensors are wireless, but they each require three AAA batteries (not included). The receiver device plugs directly into an outlet.

When a sensor is tripped, the receiver's LED lights illuminate and it will play any one of 38 different chimes of your choice. While the receiver's chimes sound a little too cheerful to act as an alarm, turning the volume up high will probably be enough to startle an intruder. Unfortunately, you can choose only one chime for all four sensors, so unlike app-based motion sensors, you won't be able to tell which sensor triggered the alert.

At only 1-inch square, the Wyze Sense Motion Sensor is the tiniest wireless motion sensor on our list, but it still picks up motion at 26 feet with a 120-degree field. In our testing it detected motion perfectly and notified us every time on the Wyze mobile app. The only reason we put Wyze Sense near the end of our list is because you need a Wyze Bridge and a Wyze camera for it to work (either the Wyze Cam or the Wyze Cam Pan). Still, the sensor itself costs only $6, so you won't have to break the bank to get all the components you need for it to work.