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Indoor cameras are versatile for many uses, including home security, baby monitors, and pet cams. These multi-use security cameras are easy to relocate, and many have two-way voice so you can communicate with those at home while you’re away.
This is still an evolving category, and some indoor cameras have more features than others. Some companies lack in customer support, and some have poor camera performance. We suggest reading all of the indoor security camera reviews in this article before making a purchase.
While we’re confident our top three picks are the best overall options for the average consumer, each camera is unique, so you may have a specific need that is better met by a camera we’ve reviewed in the unranked section below our winners.
Article Overview
- Factors To Consider
- Winners
- Comparison Table
- 10 Brands Readers Wanted To See Reviewed
- What Else Do I Need To Keep My Home Secure?
What Should I Consider Before Buying?
Will you use your camera for security purposes, to monitor your baby, or to keep an eye on your pet? Find out which camera is best for your particular needs by familiarizing yourself with the features below.
What Is The Range Of View?
Pan and tilt technology allows a camera to pan left and right and tilt up and down, expanding the camera’s field of view. This feature is effective for widening your coverage area, which can help keep an eye on your pet or follow an intruder around. If you’re using it for a baby monitor, this may not be as important since your child will most likely be in a stationary place like a crib.
Does It Have Motion-Detected Recording?
You probably don’t care to see your home when nothing’s going on. However, if the camera detects motion, it means a person or pet has entered the field view, and an event may be occurring, whether it’s your cat going for her afternoon stroll or an intruder checking out your big screen TV. Many cameras automatically begin recording when they detect motion so you can keep tabs on any event.
Do You Need Video Storage?
Storage is important if you want to save footage to share with other family members (like your child’s first step) or with authorities (like an intruder raiding your home).
How Important Is Audio?
If you’re using your security camera as a baby monitor (check out our dedicated baby monitor reviews), you’ll probably want audio or you won’t hear your little one fussing. Suppose you’re using it as a wireless security camera system or watching a pet. In that case, you may be less concerned about audio, although it’s always a nice feature.
Two-way audio is beneficial if you’re using the camera as a pet cam. If Fido is rambunctious, you can chime in and calm him down.
Is It Wireless Or Hardwired?
Are you installing the camera in a location without a power source? Then, you might consider a wireless camera. If it’s close to a plug, then a wired camera might be a better option (so you don’t have to recharge it).
Best Indoor Security Cameras
We chose the best indoor cameras based on price, performance, features, customer reviews, and ease of use.
Arlo Ultra 2 Review
Arlo Ultra 2 is our number one pick because it’s wireless, has a wide 180° view, 12x zoom, 1080p to 4K resolution (depending on your settings), offers seven days of free cloud storage, and more. You can actually use the camera inside or outside since it has weatherproofing. It also features a built-in spotlight to help ward off any unwanted visitors.
With a paid Arlo Smart subscription plan, you can pick a plan to record only when it senses motion, so there are no unnecessary recordings (or continuous recording if you need footage beyond your motion detection recordings).
Arlo offers indoor-only cameras (Q and Q Plus), but they must be plugged in, and they cost nearly the same as the Ultra 2, so we opted to include the Ultra 2 in this article. To use Arlo cameras, a base station is required, which you connect to your WiFi router.
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Tech Specs & Pricing
- Two cameras and base station: $449.97
- Color night vision
- 4K HD
- 12x digital zoom
- Field of view: 180°
- Weatherproof
- Operating temperature: -4° to 113°F (-20° to 45°C)
Easy Installation
The video below shows how easy it is to install the Arlo Ultra 2.
Ring Stick Up Cam Battery HD Review
#2
Ring’s Stick Up Cam is our number two pick because it’s wireless, has a rechargeable battery, activity zones, 1080p resolution, and more. You can also use it inside or outside.
Everything is controlled through the Ring app, which is user-friendly, easy to install, connects to Amazon Alexa, and doesn’t require a base station. You can use Ring’s cameras on their own or in conjunction with Ring Alarm’s security system.
If you plan on using the Ring Stick Up Cam outdoors, you also have a solar power option, eliminating the need to recharge the battery. However, there’s a wire that connects the solar panel to the camera.
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Tech Specs & Pricing
- $69.99
- Night vision
- 1080p HD resolution
- Field of View: 110° horizontal, 57° vertical
- Operating temperature: -5°F to 122°F (-20°C to 50°C)
Monitoring Plan
Ring monitoring offers three options. If you want video recording, you’ll have to pay a monthly fee.
| Free | Basic | Plus | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | $3/month or $30/year | $10/month or $100/year |
| Coverage | One doorbell or camera | All devices at one address | |
| Ring & Motion Alerts |  |
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| Live Video On Demand | |
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| Warranty | One year | One year | Extended |
| Video Recording | |
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| Review, Share & Save Videos | |
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| Professional Monitoring | |
Read Our In-Depth Ring Camera Review
Amcrest ProHD Review
#3
The Amcrest ProHD rounds out our top three because it has a lot of positive reviews online, is extremely affordable, and easy to use. It has an excellent reputation and performs well, which keeps its users happy.
Like our top two picks, it has an app to alert you of any activity picked up by the camera. You can also opt to save footage to a microSD card to avoid any recurring fees.
This camera is one of the least expensive cameras that we review. The downside is that it does require a nearby outlet and isn’t wireless like our top two picks.
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Tech Specs & Pricing
- $47.99
- Night vision up to 32 feet
- 1080p HD
- Field of view: 90°
- Remote pan/tilt
Comparison Table
Below is a quick comparison of the cameras reviewed in this article. All cameras can be used indoors and have motion detection.
| Price | Wireless | Rechargeable Battery | Audio Activated Recording | Free Cloud Storage | Activity Zones | 1080p | Pan/Tilt | Zoom | Field Of View | |
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| 1st: Arlo Ultra | $449.97 for two cameras & base station | |
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7 Days | |
4K & 2K option too |
12x | 180° | ||
| 2nd: Ring Stick Up Battery HD Cam | $69.99 | |
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130° | |||
| 3rd: Amcrest Pro HD | $47.99 | 4 Hours | |
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90° | ||||
| Altec Lansing | $79.38 | |
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360° | ||||
| Blink XT2 | $79.99 | |
Up To 1 Year | |
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110° | ||||
| Canary Flex | Check Amazon for availability | |
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24 Hours | |
116° | ||||
| D-Link | |
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170° pan, 120° tilt | |||||
| Foscam R4S | $69.99 | |
7 Days | |
2K 4MP | |
6x | 350° | ||
| Nest Cam IQ | $299.99 | |
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8x | 130° | ||||
| Reolink Argus 2 | Check Amazon for availability | |
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130° | |||||
| Samsung SmartCam | |
Local Only | |
4x | 130° | |||||
| Wyze v2 | $25.98 | |
14 Days | |
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8x | 110° | |||
| Zmodo Sight 180 C | 7 Days | |
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180° |
10 More Indoor Security Camera Brands Reviewed
There are other options for indoor security cameras besides the top three we’ve chosen. Depending on your unique needs, you may find a good fit. Below are some other cameras we’ve reviewed (in alphabetical order).
Altec Lansing | Blink | Canary Flex | D-Link | Foscam | Nest Cam | Reolink Argus | Samsung | Wyze | Zmodo
Altec Lansing Voice Activated Smart Security System Review
More and more cameras offer full functionality and therefore market themselves as security systems. But at the end of the day this is a camera and one speaker with built-in Google Assistant. At first glance, this looks like a deal at an affordable price since you’re getting two devices. However, many customers complain that the camera doesn’t connect to WiFi easily, which is a big problem for a WiFi security camera.
However, this camera is feature-rich with motion and sound detection, digital pan, tilt, zoom, and two-way audio. So if you want an affordable security camera with a smart speaker as well, this may be a nice fit for you.
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Tech Specs & Pricing
- $79.38
- Cloud service available through Danale
- Digital pan, tilt, zoom
- 1080p HD
- Field of view: 360°
Read Our In-Depth Review of Altec Lansing
Blink Indoor Review
You can connect up to 10 Blink cameras on one account, so you’ll be able to monitor a significant portion of your home. Blink has outdoor cameras that you can use for the exterior of your home too. Unfortunately, there are no pan, tilt, or zoom capabilities, so your view angle is stagnant at 110°.
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Tech Specs & Pricing
- $79.99
- Basic Cloud Storage: $3/month or $30/year for 60 days rolling for one camera
- Plus Cloud Storage: $10/month or $100/year for 60 days rolling for unlimited cameras
- 1080p HD
- Field of view: 110°
- Operating temperature: 32° to 95°F
Read Our In-Depth Review of Blink
Canary Flex Review
Canary Flex is one of the most versatile weatherproof, HD security cameras on the market. You can use it inside or out, wire-free, or plugged in, and upright or mounted on a wall.
Canary offers a cool 360° magnetic swivel base that you can fix on a flat surface or easily mount on a wall, and you can rotate it in any direction you want. Canary Flex has a great picture quality day and night.
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Tech Specs & Pricing
- Check Amazon for availability
- $9.99/month for video history
- Night vision up to 25 feet
- 1080p HD
- Field of view: 116°
- Operating temperature: -4° to 113°F (-20° to 45°C)
Read Our In-Depth Review Of Canary
D-Link DCS-8525LH-US Review
D-Link has many cameras available with different features. Here we review D-Link’s DCS-8525LH-US camera, one of their indoor camera models. This camera didn’t make our top three because D-Link consistently comes out with newer versions replacing outdated versions that aren’t up to par with the competition.
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Tech Specs & Pricing
Foscam R4S Review
Foscam has multiple cameras available. The Foscam R4S 4MP IP WiFi Security IP Camera gives you some impressive features, including high-resolution 4MP/2K resolution at a surprisingly low price point.
You can store footage locally on an SD card or several other storage solutions. Too many customers complain of unreliable connections and poor tech support to include this camera in our top three.
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Tech Specs & Pricing
- $69.99
- 1080p HD
- 8x zoom
- 300° pan, 100° tilt
- Night vision up to 26 feet
- Field of view: 110°
Read Our In-Depth Foscam Review
Nest Cam IQ Review
Nest Cam IQ (owned by Google) is one of the most popular indoor cams on the market. It’s easy to install — all you have to do is plug the camera in and download the Nest app to your Android or iPhone.
The camera updates over the WiFi network, so you don’t have to worry about updating it yourself. It can be mounted on a tripod, wall, ceiling, or stand on its own.
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Tech Specs & Pricing
- $299.99
- Nest Aware: $6/month or $60/year for 30-day event video history (optional)
- Nest Aware Plus: $12/month or $120/year for 60-day event video history + 10-day 24/7 video history (optional)
- Night vision
- 1080p HD
- 8x zoom
- Field of view: 130° diagonal
Read Our In-Depth Review Of Nest Cam
Reolink Argus 2 Review
The Reolink Argus 2 was very close to making our top three because of its low price point and features offered. However, there were a few things that kept it from making the list.
We like that the Argus 2 can be used inside and outside. It’s solar-powered and also has a rechargeable battery. Additionally, it includes the mounting hardware and a silicone sleeve, so there are no additional purchases needed to use this camera. The Argus 2 has color night vision available depending on the lighting situation, making night mode even more clear than its competitors.
The biggest downside is that this camera isn’t commonly purchased, and it has more negative reviews than our top picks. Customers complain about various things, including the setup process, motion detection, poor customer support, unreliable performance, and more.
With these types of complaints, we can’t warrant it being in our top three. If Reolink could standardize its performance better, there’s a chance it will make our top three in the future.
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Tech Specs & Pricing
- Check Amazon for availability
- Night vision up to 33 feet
- 1080p HD
- Field of view: 130°
- Operating temperature: 14° to 131°F (-10° to 55°C)
Read Our In-Depth Reolink Review
Samsung SmartThings GP-U999COVLBDA Review
Samsung’s SmartThings GP-U999COVLBDA camera has many of the features consumers want in their security camera. The image quality is good, but users still find issues with tech support, the device, software, and app.
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Tech Specs & Pricing
Wyze Cam v3
The Wyze Cam v3 is an affordable starter camera if you’re looking for a basic way to monitor activity indoors. It has HD picture quality, night-vision, and two-way audio (which is standard with most security cameras).
You can adjust the sensitivity settings, set a schedule for when it records, and set rules for when an action happens. Wyze Cam can also detect and alert you of smoke alarm sounds, works with Alexa or Google Assistant, has a timelapse option, and doesn’t require any tools to mount.
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Tech Specs & Pricing
- $34.18
- FHD 1920x1080p
- Color night vision up to 30 feet
- 8x zoom
- Viewing angle: 130º diagonal
- 80db waterproof speaker
- Built-in siren
- IP65 weather resistant
Zmodo Sight 180 C Review
The Zmodo Sight 180 C is an affordable option for indoor surveillance. Motion detection alerts are sent to your smartphone, and you can customize your alert schedules with home/away/sleep modes, motion detection zones, and more. Unfortunately, there are more complaints about these cameras than our top three, so it didn’t rank.
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What Else Do I Need To Keep My Home Secure?
An indoor camera isn’t the only thing you’ll need to keep your home secure, so be sure to check out our reviews of outdoor security cameras, night vision cameras, and DIY security system reviews to learn more.
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