Merkury Smart WiFi Camera Review

The Merkury Smart WiFi Camera is a pleasant surprise as far as cheap security cameras go. It won't turn heads with features but is a decent security camera that fits into a respectable smart home ecosystem. Merkury Smart WiFi Camera doesn't have cloud video storage, which is probably a deal-breaker for most folks. Still, it's not bad for a home security camera that costs less than $40.

As far as technology goes, the Merkury Smart WiFi Camera isn't too complicated compared with other cameras around $40. It boasts 1080p video resolution, which provides enough detail for most folks without chewing through storage space and internet bandwidth too quickly.

The resolution works well with Merkury's 115º field of view, which shows a clear view of a room, especially if you install the camera in a corner. The infrared night vision on this wireless security camera works well and nearly matches daytime videos' clarity—similar to competitors like Wyze Cam and Eufy.

We didn't have much experience with Merkury Innovations before this review, but it was surprising how much smart home equipment the brand sells.

There are 19 smart home devices in the lineup (16 cost less than $40), including smart lighting, smart plugs, video doorbells, security cameras, and entry sensors.

In general, we found favorable customer reviews for these products—they're cheap enough to try out in your smart home but easy to return if you don't like the results.

Each smart device (including the Merkury Smart Camera) connects to Wi-Fi and uses the Geeni camera app. They even work with voice assistants like Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant,* and Microsoft Cortana.

While we like the Cortana compatibility since there aren't many smart home devices that support it, it's not as useful as Alexa and Google Assistant.

The biggest weakness of the Merkury Smart WiFi Camera is that it doesn't offer cloud storage. Instead, you have the option to take screenshots and download short clips from live video feeds. For all other video storage needs, you must have a micro SD card.

The good news is that this IP camera supports cards up to 128 GB, which can last for months before it starts to overwrite older stored footage. Merkury says the camera generally uses about 1 GB per day, so even a smaller card is sufficient for long-term storage when the camera records with motion detection.

The bad news is that it doesn't come with a micro SD card in the box. So you'll need to spend an extra $10–$25 on a card for your camera, diluting its affordability. Most competitors don't include micro SD cards either, so this is more of a general gripe than a real drawback.

Like most security cameras, this unit connects to your home Wi-Fi network, so you can control it from your smartphone using the Geeni app (Geeni is a sibling brand to Merkury Innovations).

The Geeni app has a straightforward layout that's easy to use for live viewing your camera feed, watching stored footage, or talking with people using the Merkury Smart WiFi Camera's two-way audio.

1. Connect the camera, USB cable, and power adapter before plugging it in.
2. Use the Geeni app (iOS and Google Play) to connect the camera to your Wi-Fi network.
3. Adjust the settings, link to a voice assistant, and insert a memory card as needed.

You can place the camera on any flat surface or attach it to a wall with the included adhesive pad. We like that the camera's bendable stand allows you to point the lens at a particular vista like an entrance or pricey home theater setup.

Unfortunately, this camera doesn't support 5 GHz Wi-Fi networks, so you may need to adjust your phone's settings to 2.4 GHz during the setup process if you're struggling to connect to the camera.

We also found some user reviews that note occasional Wi-Fi problems like dropped connections and laggy video. But these issues don't seem to affect most folks.

On the surface, Merkury Innovations doesn't offer a ton in terms of customer service. The manual lists a phone number, and the main website has an email form for getting assistance, but you have to dig deeper for additional support options.

For example, the manual directs users to the support site for Geeni cameras, which adds live chat support to the list. But this is more helpful for the Geeni app than this specific smart security camera. You can also access basic support through the Geeni app.

As we read critical user reviews on retail sites like Walmart and Geeni's social media pages, we often saw the company following up to offer more assistance. So we’re hopeful that the company pays attention to customer feedback and works to fix problems.

Overall, Merkury Innovations' customer service isn't as seamless as interacting with Wyze, Arlo, and Ring—but it's still very responsive and helpful.

We were skeptical when we started researching the Merkury Smart WiFi Camera for this review, but we were pleasantly surprised by this nifty little camera.

While its specs are mostly average and won't outshine Wyze, Merkury's biggest strength is its posse of affordable smart home devices. Check out our guide to cheap security cameras for our top picks to watch over your home on a budget.

We have years of experience reviewing security cameras, so we approached the Merkury Smart WiFi Camera with several goals. Specifically, we researched the camera's technology, installation, and customer support options. We also looked at customer reviews to balance our perspective with real-world performance.

Learn more about our review process in our methodology.

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