A smart doorbell camera, which connects to your home’s Wi-Fi network, lets you see who is at the door, even when you are not at home. Switching out your current doorbell for a new video doorbell might sound a little intimidating, but it’s actually a great option for many households, especially if you have a home security system to connect it to.
The best video doorbells on the market take out the typical push button doorbell and turned it into something much better. You can see who is knocking at your door, and you can talk to them…no matter where you might be, from down the street to across the globe. You can also link video doorbells to your other smart home devices, and if you also connect your doorbell to a smart lock, you can even let someone into your home remotely.
When you start looking for a smart doorbell, you must decide if you want to choose one that is wireless, and runs on batteries, or one that is powered by wiring. A wireless doorbell is easy to install, of course, and it can get power from the batteries instead of your home’s electric grid. However, the batteries of the doorbell actually die pretty quickly, and might only last a couple of months. Then, you have to buy and install new ones. These doorbells can also lose power very quickly in the cold weather. This means, of course, that there is a risk that your video doorbell will stop working at the worst time.
These doorbells come in all sizes and shapes. Generally, the cheaper models are bulkier and they have limited color choices. The more expensive models are sleeker and have colors that look natural with your home’s exterior.
Here are the best video doorbell cameras on the market and a brief review about all of them:
Ring Video Doorbell 2
Buy it from Amazon.com for $199
The Ring Video Doorbell 2 runs on battery power, and this is a great option if you have a doorbell that is not wired to your home’s electrical power. However, you can also hardwire the Ring Video Doorbell 2 if you want to. This, of course, makes it quite versatile.
This doorbell features 1080 HD video, and it allows you to see anyone at your door in both the day and night. With this doorbell, you also get alerts when you choose to use the Ring app.
Pros
- Both battery and wired options
- Easy installation
- IFTTT and Alexa support
- 1080p video
- Triggered recording with motion detection
Cons
- Subscription is required to view any recorded video
- No pre-buffered recordings
- Bulky
Resolution – 1080p
FOV – 160 degrees
Dimensions – 5.1 x 2.4 x 2.4 inches
Night Vision – Infrared
Monitoring – Optional cloud storage
Two Way Audio – Yes
Power Source – Battery or hardwired
You can easily connect the Ring Video Doorbell 2 to the same app as other Ring devices. If you have the app, you know that there is a “My Devices” screen, and on that screen, there is a button for each Ring product that you have. There is also a Neighborhood button, which allows you to share your recorded footage with your neighbors who also have the Ring app and have joined the same Neighborhood as you. You also can get alerts when one of your neighbors posts a video or when there is police or fire action nearby.
Ring Video Doorbell Pro
Buy it from Amazon.com for $249
The Ring Video Doorbell Pro is similar to the Ring Video Doorbell 2 except that it has no battery option and it is slimmer in size. This is a better option if you don’t have a lot of space or if you don’t want to deal with the batteries of the Ring Video Doorbell 2.
There is also better video quality on the Ring Video Doorbell Pro, even though the specs are close to what the Ring 2 has. When you touch this doorbell and the sound it heard, it immediately begins to record and there is a push alert sent to your phone.
Pros
- Sharp, 1080p video
- Slim design
- Supports voice commands from Alexa and IFTTT
- Easy installation
- On-demand streaming
- Motion detection
Cons
- Some distortion in the video
- More expensive than other options
- Extra fees to access recorded video
Resolution – 1080p
FOV – 160 degrees
Dimensions – 4.5 x 1.85 x 0.8 inches
Night Vision – Infrared
Monitoring – Optional cloud storage
Two Way Audio – Yes
Power Source – Hardwired
As you might expect now, the Ring Video Doorbell Pro uses the same app as the other Ring devices, as we have explained above. You get access to the My Devices screen and the Neighborhood section along with police and fire alerts.
Nest Hello
Buy it from Google.com for $229
The Nest Hello is a video doorbell that is Wi-Fi enabled, which allows you to speak and see any visitors through your smartphone and the built-in speaker and microphone on the doorbell. You can also share pre-recorded messages for when you can’t answer the door, and even use two-way audio to tell your family help when you are on the go.
Another cool thing about the Nest Hello video doorbell is that it includes something called Familiar Face recognition when the doorbell sees a familiar friend or family member. Also, this doorbell records, and then stores, your video for 24/7. Additionally, Google’s cloud service also tags any clips that include people or motion, and then it uses facial recognition to learn, and eventually identify, who is approaching your home.
Pros
- Face recognition
- Slim design
- Sharp, HD video
- Sound and motion detection
- Compatible with both Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa
Cons
- You need to sign up for a Nest Aware subscription if you want special features
- Electrical knowledge is required for installation
- Must have a chime box in existence
Resolution – 1080p
FOV – 160 degrees
Dimensions – 1.7 x 4.6 x 1 inches
Night Vision – Infrared
Monitoring – Nest Aware subscription
Two Way Audio – Yes
Power Source – Hardwired
You can install and access the Nest Hello data from the mobile or web-based apps that are used for all of the Nest devices. When the app opens, you will see a home screen that lists all of the Nest devices you have in your home. When you click on the doorbell, a new window opens, and you can see a video stream and timeline of significant events. You can swipe either up or down to rewind or fast forward through recorded video. You can choose a specific point in time, create a clip, and then save or share it to your device.
Arlo Video Doorbell
Buy it from Amazon.com for $139.95
The Arlo Video Doorbell is an option that is known for it’s wide-angle, diagonal view. This particular doorbell allows you to see a full view of your visitors, something that other video doorbells do not do. The Arlo Video Doorbell only has 720p HD resolution, but you also get two-way audio, the ability to pre-record a message, night vision, motion detection, and much, much more.
Pros
- Wide angle viewing
- No hub requirement
- Easy installation
- Works with Alexa voice demands
- HD video
Cons
- A bit bulky
- You must hardwire it
- Recorded video and smart notifications are only available with a subscription
- Doesn’t work with Google Assistant no IFTTT
Resolution – 720p
FOV – 180 degrees
Dimensions – 1.7 x 5.0 x 1 inches
Night Vision – Infrared
Monitoring – Cloud – $3.00 a month
Two Way Audio – Yes
Power Source – Hardwired
This video doorbell from Arlo uses the same app, both for iOS and Android, as other Arlo products, and it appease on the Devices screen when you open the app. You can view live streaming video, and then you can view different modes. You can also control your speakers, take a snapshot, and video record manually.
Eufy Video Doorbell
Buy it from Amazon.com for $159.99
This is a great looking video doorbell that has a lot of features that other devices do not offer, including the ability to story up to 30 days worth of video and the power to distinguish between motion from things like branches or birds and people. The Eufy Video Doorbell creates five minute recordings when motion is detected, and then stores the clips in built-in memory. This means you won’t have to worry about paying for a cloud plan. However, if you do want to use the cloud, it’s an option. Though this comes with a wireless plug-in chime, you can only use it with the Eufy system, and nothing else.
Pros
- Local video storage
- High resolution
- Works with both Google and Alexa voice commands
- Smart motion detection
Cons
- Lacks support for IFTTT
- Must be wired
- No integration with third-party smart devices
Resolution – 2k
FOV – 160 degrees
Dimensions – 1.7 x 4.8 x 0.9 inches
Night Vision – Infrared
Monitoring – Built-in storage
Two Way Audio – Yes
Power Source – Hardwired
The Eufy Video Doorbell uses the same mobile app that the EufyCam uses, so if you have that, you might be familiar with this. The home screen has panels that feature still imagea of all Eufy installed cameras on the property. You can tap the Play button to see a live feed, which you can view in full screen by turning your phone to the side. You can also see a zoomed in image if you choose.
Argus 2 Doorbell Cam Pro
Buy it from Amazon.com for $197
When you take a look at the cost of buying the Argus 2, you can see that it is a wonderful value for the money. It is free from wires, it is weatherproof, and you can even mount it magnetically. You get HD footage, local storage, color night vision, and a battery pack that is rechargeable. The night vision can see up to 36 feet away, and the images are crystal clear.
You can also use local storage with the Argus 2, so you don’t have to use the cloud if you don’t want to. You can, however, use the cloud option, but it’s $4.99 a month.
Pros
- Local video storage
- Smart motion detection
- High resolution
- Works with both Google and Alexa voice commands
Cons
- Lacks IFTT support
- Hardwire is the only options
- Cannot integrate with third-party smart devices
Resolution – 960p
FOV – 160 degrees
Dimensions – 2.9 x 2.9 x 0.9 inches
Night Vision – Floodlight
Monitoring – 24-hour cloud storage available
Two Way Audio – Yes
Power Source – Hardwired
This doorbell uses the same mobile app, available for iOS and Android, as other Argus smart devices. When you press the doorbell, you get a push notification to your mobile device. Open the notification to launch a video feed, which contains a microphone button, which allows you to do two-way audio. There is also a lock button to open and close any Argus connected smart lock.
SimpliSafe Video Doorbell
Buy it online at SimpliSafe.com for $169
The SimpliSafe Video Doorbell Pro has features we have seen on other smart doorbells we have talked about, including two-way audio and night vision. However, it doesn’t have a lot of the fancy bells and whistles that you might expect.
Keep in mind that this video doorbell is only compatible with other equipment from SimpliSafe, and you can’t use any voice commands nor integrate with IFTTT. SimpliSafe also doesn’t have a wireless option, so you must have an existing doorbell setup.
Pros
- Easy installation
- Outstanding video quality
- Works with all SimpliSafe security devices
Cons
- Doesn’t support voice commands not IFTTT
- You must have a subscription to view video recording
- There is no battery-operated option available
Resolution – 1080p
FOV – 162 degrees
Dimensions – 2.91 x 6.65 x 4.48 inches
Night Vision – Infrared
Monitoring – Requires a $4.99 plan
Two Way Audio – Yes
Power Source – Hardwired
This video doorbell uses the same mobile apps as the other SimpliSafe devices. From the main screen, if you have these devices, you can tap the three-bar icon in the upper left. There, you can tap on Cameras, hit the Doorbell option, and you can see a live stream, which you can see in full-screen. You can also use the Microphone button, which will allow you to communicate with anyone who is at the door.
