Best Security Cameras without a Subscription

Many things require a subscription, and you can probably rattle off at least five services pulling cash from your bank account every month. Security cameras might be on that list already—but they don't have to be.

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Eufy's security camera strategy is perfect for skipping a monthly fee: it makes outstanding standalone products when many manufacturers build security cameras to sell subscription plans. This fee-free mentality is evident when you see that Eufy's paid cloud storage doesn't unlock any additional features, like smart motion detection, rich notifications, or video recording. Essentially, Eufy's cloud storage backs up your local storage.

Lorex is notable as the only brand on this list that doesn't offer a cloud storage plan. Fear not; you can still access Lorex cameras and video recordings from a mobile app. Additionally, Lorex is one of the only home security camera brands that include a microSD card with every camera—32GB in this case—and you dwon't need a separate purchase to use your camera to its fullest.

But the best thing about Lorex is that its latest cameras support microSD cards up to 256GB. For comparison, many other brands top out at 128GB, cementing Lorex as the best option for folks using this storage option.

Simply put, Google Nest offers the most effective smart motion detection features among home security cameras without subscription fees, only reserving facial recognition and hazard alarm detection for paid cloud storage plans. Nest is far and away the best camera brand to use with Google Home, and its Amazon Alexa compatibility is quite good.

While noteworthy, Nest didn't make our list because of free cloud storage. The latest Google Nest cameras all include three hours of free cloud storage, which seems tiny but goes further than you'd think. Realistically, there's a good chance that if you wait to save an important video immediately, you'll remember when it's too late, or it blends in with other clips in your video history.

There's a strong case for subscribing to a Nest Aware plan. Dollar for dollar, it offers the most value of any cloud storage plan. For $6 per month, you can save video from unlimited cameras—a privilege typically reserved for plans that cost $10 or more on brands like Ring, Wyze, and Arlo. Considering that Eufy, Tapo, and Reolink don't even offer unlimited-camera plans, it's clear that Nest Aware is a steal.

TP-Link has long produced some of the best smart home gear on the market, and our only regret is that we should've covered it sooner. Tapo is still a relative newcomer to the US market compared to Kasa, TP-Link's other smart home label. Between TP-Link's two smart home brands, Tapo is the clear winner for security camera selection, offering cameras for as little as $20, which is cheaper than Wyze.

As you'd expect from a budget camera brand, Tapo locks some features behind a paywall, including rich notifications and smart detection, which Tapo calls Smart Sort. Still, Tapo has a better no-fee approach than Wyze, which is a bit of a hassle without a subscription.

Reolink is a favorite among SafeWise reviewers because it produces some of the best video quality we've seen during testing. This brand isn't perfect, but it balances the good and bad in a sweet spot without costing too much. Reolink tends to dominate our rankings in other categories, but the local storage options for its standalone wireless cameras lag behind those of Eufy and Lorex. However, Reolink's multi-camera systems have storage capacities on par with what Lorex offers.

Aside from rich notifications, which show a photo preview with each motion alert on your phone, Reolink doesn't lock any features behind a paywall. While Reolink's cloud storage is great, it's generally more expensive than other entries on our list. Reolink provides seven days of free cloud storage for a single camera, which is helpful for smaller homes.

Any brand on this list will work without a subscription, but the EufyCam 3 is an easy recommendation for anyone wanting peak performance in outdoor settings. The built-in solar panels keep it ready to catalog every person, animal, vehicle, and face that crosses its field of view. It's certainly a pricey option, but the 4K video resolution, easy installation, and excellent HomeBase 3 base station are absolutely worth the extra investment. If it's too rich for you, Eufy's huge selection of security cameras likely has a more affordable option up your alley.

We set two ground rules for this list. One, we ignored brands where the most valuable camera features require a subscription. This restriction meant that Arlo, Ring, Wyze, and Blink didn't make the cut. In our experience, these brands are borderline unusable without a fee. While it might seem odd that Wyze isn't a contender, the brand's latest cameras lack free cloud storage, and its approach to local storage on microSD cards is worse than before.

As for our second rule, we prioritized brands that offer the best features—namely smart motion detection and video storage options. Ultimately, we decided that Eufy, Lorex, TP-Link Tapo, Google Nest, and Reolink fit the bill. Google Nest is the sole entry that relies on cloud storage, but we think a little goes a long way.

We chose the best security camera models that represent what each brand brings to the table. Some of these features easily apply to other models in most cases, so we also highlight alternatives for each brand to give you an idea of what's available.

• Security Camera Cost & Installation Fees
• Should I Choose Local or Cloud Storage for My Security Camera?
• Best Wireless Security Cameras
• Best Cheap Security Cameras under $50