To keep the lights on, we receive affiliate commissions via some of our links. Our review process.
Afraid of what could be lurking in or outside of your house at night? Most security cameras advertise a night vision feature these days, but don’t let that simple claim keep you in the dark.
Not all night vision is created equal, so if viewing and recording in the dark are top priorities for your security needs, you’ve come to the right place.
Features To Consider In Night Vision Security Camera
Whether you live in a high crime area, just want to see what’s lurking in your yard or watch your baby at night, there are many excellent night vision camera options on the market.
- The best night cameras have high-quality infrared sensors, high-definition image quality and a wide or long range of view.
- Make sure the camera you choose specifies its infrared and lighting capabilities, and find out the viewing angle and range if night vision is a paramount factor.
- The idea of totally wireless outdoor cameras is fantastic, but you need to make sure your WiFi signal is strong enough.
- Additional features to consider: Video storage capabilities, real-time alerts based on motion detection, cost, and if the installation requires complicated wiring.
Best Night Vision Security Camera Winners By Category
Since night vision security cameras differ so much by cost, features, and equipment options, we’ve created categories and reviewed a winner in each:
Wireless | Range | Motion | Budget | Night Vision | Indoor
Best Wireless: Arlo Pro 2 Review
The Arlo Pro 2 (formerly owned by NETGEAR) wins our award for the best wireless WiFi night vision camera. This highly-rated security camera is easy to install inside or out with absolutely no wires required.
You connect the included base station to your WiFi router, which syncs up with your camera (you can connect up to 6 cameras to the base). Its performance is exceptionally reliable, especially for a WiFi camera.
Other standout features include rechargeable batteries, two-way audio, motion and sound-activated alerts, a 100+ decibel siren, a 130-degree wide-angle lens and HD video recording. The Arlo Pro 2 is an excellent choice unless you need super long-range night vision, but for most houses or yards, its 25-foot range should be all you need.
Access Motion-Activated Recordings
Note: you must pay a small monthly fee for Arlo Pro to have access to motion-activated recordings (otherwise it’s just a live stream).
Pros |
Cons |
|
|
Pricing
- $409.98 for 2 cameras and base station
- for 3 cameras and base station
- 1-year warranty; 3 months tech support
Best Long Range: EZVIZ C3W Pro Review
The EZVIZ CRISPr C3W Pro is our pick for the best long range night vision security camera camera. You can combine eight 100-feet long-range night-vision cameras and eight channels to give you full coverage and surveillance on your property.
This wired security camera kit runs on the EZVIZ platform, which lets you manage all your cameras and video in a central location. And EZVIZ works with their free mobile apps and smart devices using IFTTT (If This, Then That). Although this system requires wiring, users report easy installation if you have basic DIY skills.
Pros |
Cons |
|
|
Pricing
- Price: Check Amazon for availability
- 1-year warranty
Best Motion Sensor: Netatmo Presence Review
The Netatmo Presence Security Camera is our choice for the best motion sensor camera with night vision. This smart camera, which doubles as a floodlight, has sensors that can detect and differentiate motion from a car, a person or an animal. You can set up the Netatmo in your mobile app to switch on as a floodlight when it detects a person, car or animal (or all three).
This WiFi-enabled camera has a 50-foot night vision range, and you can remotely zoom in on specific zones in your yard, like your driveway. With free storage and real-time motion alerts, the Netatmo Presence is an excellent outdoor security camera.
Pros |
Cons |
|
|
Pricing
- Price: $269.99 for one camera
- 1-year warranty
Best For Budget: Amcrest 1080P WiFi Camera Outdoor Review
The Amcrest 1080P WiFi Camera is a great choice if you’re looking for an affordable, wireless, long-range night vision camera with a ton of smart features. You can configure 16+ cameras, get motion alerts and stream video directly to your smartphone or PC (supports Android, iOS, Windows and Mac).
You also get multiple storage options, including four free hours in the Amcrest Cloud, recording to a Micro SD card, your PC, an FTP server, a NAS and more. Some users report difficulty in the setup process, but Amcrest’s tech support gets high ratings.
Pros |
Cons |
|
|
Pricing
- Price: Check Amazon for availability for one wireless camera
- 1-year warranty
Night Vision: Foscam FI9901EP Review
The Foscam F19901EP is a powerful outdoor night vision camera with 30 infrared LEDs that work in complete darkness up to 65 feet away. This camera does require wiring, but it uses an Ethernet cable for reliable performance.
This model comes with a rich set of features including full HD resolution (2560 x 1440p), motion detection alerts, and multiple storage methods like an SD Card, NVR and Foscam Cloud Storage (at an additional cost). If you subscribe to their cloud, they’ll send you captured real-time images. Foscam is a trusted name in the security camera market, and this product is among their best.
Pros |
Cons |
|
|
Pricing
- Price: $59.31 for one camera
- Limited 2-year warranty
Read Our In-Depth Foscam Review
Indoor: Yi Security Home Camera 3 Review
Are you looking for an indoor camera with night vision? The WiFi-enabled Yi Home Camera 3 delivers excellent full HD video in both day and nighttime, giving you reliable monitoring of your baby, pets, home or business any time of day.
This camera’s smart technology standout features include baby crying detection, human detection and gesture recognition. Yi Home Camera 3 provides video and audio live streaming, recording and an included Micro SD card. You can also manage multiple cameras from the Yi iOS or Android app.
Pros |
Cons |
|
|
Pricing
What Are The Benefits Of Security Cameras With Night Vision?
Check out the video below to see Arlo catching thieves using night vision:
What’s The Best Indoor Security Camera?
If you’re in the market for WiFi-capable indoor security cameras in general (including those that don’t have night vision), we have a comprehensive review covering dozens of options in our best indoor security camera article.
Tagged With: Comparison