Home security cameras can be an invaluable addition to your home, helping keep your property, loved ones, and pets protected while giving you peace of mind. In this guide, we’ll cover how to buy the best home security camera for you. We’ll cover everything from the definition of a home security camera to what features you need and what to look for in a quality home security camera.

What Is a Home Security Camera?

A home security camera is a surveillance device that lets you keep an eye on your property from wherever you are, using an internet connection to transmit live or recorded footage to your smartphone or camera.

 Home security cameras have many distinguishing features. In particular, they:

 Communicate either wirelessly over Wi-Fi or using wires

Are powered either by wires, batteries, or a wall outlet

Are designed to be used indoors, outdoors, or both

Can livestream video and be controlled through a smartphone app

Offer standard or (more typically) high-definition video resolution

Can zoom in on footage using a digital zoom

Record continuously, 24/7 or when triggered by motion

Have “night vision” so they can see in the dark

May incorporate two-way audio and a built-in alarm

May feature wide-angle lenses and/or pan/tilt capabilities to see beyond a standard field of view

Purchasing a Home Security Camera

Buying a home security camera is a relatively simple process. Follow these five steps to purchase the right one for you.

 Decide what parts of your home you want to protect

Choose your power source

Determine your budget

Pick the right features

Consider your privacy

Decide What Parts of Your Home You Want to Protect

Make sure to cover all the places where a burglar could enter your home, as well as the main areas that an intruder would have to walk through. In addition, determine if you need indoor cameras, outdoor cameras, or both, and where you want to position them. When you’re installing cameras both indoors and outdoors, make sure they’re high enough that an intruder can’t grab the camera or cover it in some way,

 Choose Your Power Source

Decide if you want wired or wireless cameras. Wired cameras don’t need a power source nearby, but they do need to be wired back to a central recording device. As a result, they typically require professional installation. Many wireless cameras need an outlet outside or inside; the latter will require drilling through your exterior wall to route the power cord, but it will prevent someone from unplugging the camera or cutting the cord. Some wireless cameras can be powered by a cam battery that will need to be charged periodically, either with a wall outlet or solar power if the camera is designed for it. The main advantage of wired cameras is that you can record continuously to a local device, and therefore you don’t need to pay monthly cloud storage fees or worry about being hacked. For their part, wireless cameras are much easier to install and many have more advanced features, such as facial recognition, activity zones, and more user-friendly mobile apps for viewing footage remotely.

 Determine Your Budget

Prices for a single wireless camera range from as low as $25 up to $399. The average cost for a complete system to cover your home is $200 to $2,500, depending on how large your property is and what model of camera you choose. If you need multiple cameras, the purchase cost and ongoing video storage fees can add up quickly. However, you can install these cameras yourself to save on installation costs. If you do opt for professional installation, it starts at $100 per camera. Wired cameras are generally less expensive upfront, and there are no ongoing video storage fees. However, count on installation costs of about $200 per camera, typically with a four-camera minimum.

 Pick the Right Features

Key features of a home security camera are motion-activated recording, smartphone alerts, good-quality resolution, and night vision. These will help keep your property secure. Other features that can be helpful include two-way audio, built-in sirens and floodlight, and a wide field of view to capture more area with fewer cameras. Advanced software features to consider include cameras that can differentiate between people and animals, and those that monitor specific activity zones to help filter out false alerts. Also, think about whether you need a camera that will record continuously or just when something happens. Recording continuously will ensure that you don’t miss anything, but it requires a lot of Wi-Fi bandwidth and video storage.

 Consider Your Privacy

Wireless cameras transmit footage over the internet and store it on a cloud-based server, which means it technically can be viewed by other people. To reduce this risk, only buy cameras from companies you trust and that advertise the security of their cameras. Look for built-in privacy features, such as geofencing (which turns your cameras off when you’re home and on when you leave, based on your phone’s location); or a physical camera shutter that can block the lens. In addition, only consider wireless cameras that offer two-factor authentication (which sends you a text or email with a special code after you type in your password) to guard against hacking.

 Do I Need Home Security Cameras?

Protecting our homes and the people and property in them is something we all want to do. Home security cameras offer a simple, relatively inexpensive way to do this. Installing a home security camera inside or outside allows you to see what’s going on remotely through your smartphone at any time. A camera can also alert you to any activity on your property thanks to built-in motion sensors. While property crime is declining in the U.S., package theft is becoming a big problem in many neighborhoods, with 36% of Americans in 2019 reporting they had been a victim.

 However, good home security cameras can provide peace of mind when you’re away from home. The footage can be used to alert authorities or prosecute a perpetrator, and research has shown that just the presence of a camera can deter a potential thief. Most perpetrators, if they see a camera, see the home as a harder target, If you have cameras visible, it’s a huge deterrent.

 While the experts we spoke with all recommend that you install a monitored home security system for complete home protection (most of which offer cameras), installing home security cameras by themselves is an option if you don’t want things like motion sensors and the expense of professional monitoring. Security cameras can be self-monitored, sending alerts to your smartphone when they detect noise or motion. With two-way audio and sirens built into the cameras, you can act on the alerts and potentially ward off trouble.

 What to Look for in a Home Security Camera

Key features to look for when buying a home security camera include:

 Motion Activation: A camera should start recording as soon as motion is detected and store that footage somewhere that can be accessed for a period of time. This is sometimes referred to as event-based recording.

Smartphone Alerts: A good security camera should offer customizable alerts that are sent to a smartphone or tablet.

Resolution: The higher quality resolution video a camera records, the more detail you’re going to see. Most of today’s cameras offer full high-definition (HD) video (1080p or 2 megapixels). Super HD (1440p/4 megapixels or 2K) and ultra HD (8 megapixels or 4K) are increasingly popular as they produce sharper, clearer images. Full HD will be fine for most people, but if you want to zoom in close on a person’s face or license plate, look for super or ultra HD and an 8x or 12x digital zoom lens.

Night Vision: Outdoor security cameras should have night vision with a good range. Cameras don’t see as far at night as they do during the day, and night vision range varies from about 30 feet to 300 feet. Look for a camera with night vision that has a range of at least 50 feet. Color night vision is also an option on some higher-end cameras.

Audio: A built-in microphone allows you to hear as well as see what’s going on. A speaker for two-way audio is a good upgrade so you can also talk through the camera to whoever is on your property.

Storage: Most cameras store their footage in the cloud (a remote server connected to your camera via the internet). Local storage is also an option for some, either on a microSD card in the camera or a separate connected hard drive.

Field of View: The wider the field of view, the fewer cameras you will have to install to cover your entire property. Look for a field of view between 130 and 180 degrees.

Design: You want your cameras to be noticeable to potential burglars but also look attractive when mounted inside or outside.

Privacy Features: If you’re concerned about privacy, look for a geofencing feature that will turn a camera off when your smartphone is in the house and back on when you leave.

Security Features: Two-factor authentication is an important security feature that helps guard against hacking. This means you have to confirm it’s you logging in to your account by using a second method, such as a phone call, email or text message.

Advanced Features: A built-in siren or floodlight can act as an extra deterrent, and enhanced software capabilities such as the ability to set activity zones, differentiate people from animals, recognize faces, and zoom and pan give you more control over what your camera sees.

Integrations: Smart wireless cameras can communicate with smart home systems to give you extra features, security, and convenience. When integrated with Amazon’s Alexa or Google’s Home ecosystems, for example, you can use voice commands to pull up security footage on a smart speaker with a screen or a com

 What are Mistakes to Avoid in Buying a Home Security Camera?

The No. 1 mistake people make when buying home security cameras is buying cheap, no-name brands, according to Frankel. “Those cameras typically tell a tale, They may say the camera is 4 megapixels, but it’s actually 1 megapixel, and you have no way to hold them accountable. Additionally, he says that companies use poor security practices, such as setting default passwords and storing footage on unencrypted cloud servers. This makes cameras from those companies more vulnerable to hackers.

 The second most common mistake is not considering your home’s Wi-Fi capabilities when purchasing a camera. Streaming live video and uploading the video to the cloud uses a lot of bandwidth, and you will need to have good upload and download speeds to view footage properly. Shoot for 1 megabit per second (Mbp) per camera for HD resolution, and up to 7 Mbps per camera for 4K. Additionally, your Wi-Fi signal may not reach to where you want your cameras to be. A wireless camera on one end of a 2,000-square-foot home won’t get a good connection to a Wi-Fi router on the other end of the house, resulting in poor quality video and frequent “drop-offs” (where the camera isn’t connected to the Wi-Fi and therefore doesn’t record). A camera system with its own base station. can help with this problem. Alternatively, you may want to upgrade your home’s Wi-Fi, either with a Wi-Fi extender or a mesh network.

 A common misconception about security cameras is that they will record everything. This was the case with traditional CCTV cameras, which would record until the hard drive filled up and then record over previous footage. Wireless, cloud-based cameras record only when they detect motion, so you don’t have to scroll through endless hours of footage to see if anyone was on your property. Some wired cameras can record continuously, but you’ll have to pay a higher video storage fee.

 Finally, get cameras with enough resolution to see the details you need – at least 2 megapixels, It depends on what level of detail you’re looking for. Do you want to be able to zoom in on your camera and see a license plate? If so, get a 2K or 4K resolution camera.

 How Much Does a Home Security Camera Cost?

The home security cameras in our ratings start at $59 and go up to $399 for an individual camera. Some decrease in price if you buy multiple cameras. Advances in wireless technology and the reduced cost of components, such as Wi-Fi chipsets, have brought the cost of camera hardware down significantly. However, you’ll pay more for cutting-edge software features, such as person detection, activity zones, and zooming and tracking capabilities. Higher-resolution cameras cost more because they have higher-quality sensors and lenses. Outdoor cameras are more expensive than indoor cameras because they require weatherproofing, plus they may include theft-deterrent features.

 How to Maintain a Home Security Camera

Home security cameras are relatively self-sufficient. However, because of their connection to the internet, it’s crucial to keep the software updated for security reasons. Check your camera’s mobile app periodically for firmware or software updates, and install them promptly according to the camera’s instruction manual. Frankel also recommends rebooting your camera system at least every 60 days by unplugging it and plugging it back in to keep it up to date.

 It’s important to clean a camera’s lens in order to maintain a clear picture – especially outdoors, where it can gather dust and debris easily. Periodically clean the lens with a non-ammonia-based glass cleaner and a lint-free paper towel or microfiber cloth. Don’t use a cleaner with alcohol or ammonia, which will damage the protective coating on the lens. Also keep any landscaping around the cameras in check; a branch waving in the wind in front of your camera will obstruct your view and send you endless notifications.

 Bear in mind that most outdoor cameras are weather-resistant, not totally weatherproof, and they have temperature operating limits. If you’ve experienced severe weather, check all the cameras afterward or remove them beforehand if possible.