Best Home Security Cameras of 2022

Few things in life matter more than the safety of those you care about, so the pressure of choosing exactly the right security camera can feel a bit overwhelming. Or it might be the opposite; after all, how different can two security cameras actually be? Thanks to advancements in technology, even two cameras from the same company can have vastly different features.

Modern security cameras are rich in features that can help you shield your home from intruders. From two-way audio to mobile notifications, a security camera can go the extra mile to protect your home better than ever before. If you like to stick with the basics, there are plenty of options in that regard, too. Your safety is priceless—but that doesn't mean you have to shell out thousands of dollars for top-of-the-line equipment.

The features that make the most sense for your home depend on your needs. For example, if you spend a lot of time on the road, you'll probably want a camera that allows you to tune into a live home feed from your phone. (This is also a great way to avoid those pesky solicitors when the doorbell rings!) On the other hand, if you're always home and seeking a little extra protection, you may want to choose a no-frills wireless option instead.

With so many brands and products to sift through, you may feel a little overwhelmed with picking the right product. Whatever your budget or safety concerns may be, there's a home security camera on this list that can help you rest a little easier ​and​ worry a little less. Our team looked at price, installation, mobile apps, monitoring plans, video quality, and much more to determine what cameras made our list of ​best security cameras of 2022​.

1. Best Overall: Arlo Essential Wireless Security Camera
2. Best Outdoor: SimpliSafe Outdoor Security Camera
3. Best Indoor: Wyze Cam v2
4. Best Wireless: Alder YI Wireless Camera
5. Best Doorbell Camera: Ring Video Doorbell

The Essential Wireless Security Camera from Arlo is the home security system that covers all your bases at the budget-friendly price of $129.99. Whether you want to keep watch on the inside of your home or monitor outdoor activity, this Wi-Fi-enabled camera has you covered. With 130-degrees of 1080p video and high-definition recording capabilities, you'll finally be able to identify your neighborhood doorbell ditcher.

One thing you'll love about this camera (besides the fact that it helps you solve neighborhood mysteries) is its fuss-free installation and upkeep. The camera comes with a simple wall mount and assembly kit that's easy to set up, plus a quick installation guide to get you started. The body is compact enough for smaller spaces, but that doesn't mean you're compromising on quality and durability.

If you're somebody who waits until your device is barely hanging on to life until you give it a charge, this camera was made for you. It has battery life that puts all of your other devices to shame—a single charge will keep this camera rolling for six whole months. Even better, Arlo sells optional solar panels that can power your device with direct sunlight.

This camera includes color night vision with an integrated spotlight that lets you see shadowy figures in full detail. And though it may be tiny, it can withstand the cold, heat, wind, and rain, keeping your home guarded no matter what the seasons bring. You'll also get a kick out of the two-way audio capabilities, so you can thank your Amazon delivery driver or remind your kids to start their homework as soon as they get home from school.

When you look at how Arlo cameras integrate with the Arlo Secure app, it's easy to see why this company is one of the top choices in the home security space. The app sends you alerts when objects are detected within the scope of your camera, allowing you to react to situations as needed. But don't fret—you won't be bombarded with a notification each time your dog perks up at a distant sound. You'll only get notifications for the activity zones you customize and select during setup.

Arlo's intelligent alert system also uses object detection to differentiate between people, packages, animals, and vehicles (which is excellent for those of us who are more excited by a box at the door than a visitor). The app lets you activate a siren, call a friend, and dispatch emergency services with a simple tap. When you purchase the Essential Wireless Security Camera, you'll reap all the benefits of the Arlo Secure app for three months with no extra cost. After your trial, plans for the app run from $2.99–$14.99 per month.

​Shop Arlo Essential Wireless Security Camera​

If you're interested in catching all the action that happens ​outside​ of your house in high-definition 1080p video, look no further than the $169.99 Outdoor Security Camera from SimpliSafe—with eight times digital zoom power, you'll almost be able to see your grass growing.

This feature-rich camera is equipped with a 140° ultra-wide field of view, so you can monitor everything from your porch to your mailbox. When you combine these features with a motion-activated spotlight and crisp video clarity, there's no chance of a villain sneaking through the dark. Plus, with full-color night vision, this device sees it all.

Your Wi-Fi-enabled SimpliSafe camera connects to your mobile device through the SimpliSafe app, alerting you when there's suspicious activity on your property. Thanks to the system's neural network processing, the camera can distinguish between your harmless pet and a harmful intruder. And if you live next door to a ​particularly​ nosy neighbor, you'll be delighted to learn that you can create custom activity zones that allow you to monitor activity where it makes sense for you—the camera's two-way audio will come in handy if you'd like to exchange some words.

Some of this outdoor security camera's most impressive features are in the build. This product was designed to brave the elements, no matter how extreme your environment may get. From snow and rain to extreme weather patterns, no forecast can make this thing waiver. It can handle -20ºF to 113ºF and is certified with IP65 dust and water resistance–though we don't recommend taking it swimming or hiking with you.

Additionally, this camera has two Wi-Fi antennas for an ultra-reliable connection when you need it most. It's powered by a rechargeable battery that can last a whopping 3–6 months on a single charge.

When it comes to securing your home, SimpliSafe works overtime. Once your camera's burglary sensors kick in, the built-in siren and spotlight go off, sending unwanted visitors off your property while alerting bystanders of the situation.

Installing the SimpliSafe Outdoor Security Camera is seamless; there's no wiring required! Once you attach the screw-in mount to your location, all you have to do is set the camera on top. A powerful magnet will hold it in place, and a simple button will instantly connect you to your security dashboard in the SimpliSafe app.

​Shop SimpliSafe Outdoor Security Camera​

Why would you prefer the second generation of a camera over the third? Easy: the Wyze Cam v2, unlike the v3, has pan and tilt functionality. If you're somebody who relies on house sitters or leaves your pet unattended for long periods, you may want to invest in Cam v2 from Wyze. This device is equipped with an impressive 360° horizontal and 93° vertical range, allowing you to keep tabs on your entire space when you're far from home.

This camera was designed specifically with your furry friends in mind. Pan Scan™ technology sets a patrol route for your camera, scanning the room continuously according to your pre-set waypoints. Thanks to this feature, you can finally discover which of your dogs has been helping themselves to the trash. The camera automatically tracks motion with processing power that follows movement faster than Fido can dash for the trash can. With the addition of two-way audio, you can even scold your pet before they go to town on last night's leftovers and praise them when they retreat back to their bed.

With Wyze's Cam V2, security doesn't stop when the sun goes down. This camera catches nighttime activities in 1080p color night vision. The award-winning Starlight Sensor illuminates details in vivid color, even when light is low in environments as dark as 0.1 lux. When you couple this technology with a wide field of view, nobody will be sneaking under the cover of darkness.

This home security camera captures up to three days of continuous video and is compatible with a 32 GB microSD card to help you secure your footage. Event Videos are automatically uploaded to the cloud through end-to-end encryption and are accessible for up to 14 days without any additional subscription or monthly fees.

Setting up your Wyze camera could not be easier. The camera comes with a power adapter and cord, so you can plug it in and set it in the room you want to monitor. If you'd like to mount your camera, there's a convenient ¼"–20 threaded screw hole on the base that's compatible with most standard camera mounts.

Beyond keeping your family safe from intruders, the Wyze Cam V2 will send you an alert when it hears a smoke or carbon monoxide alarm, giving you extra peace of mind about potential threats to your home. When it comes to securing the inside of your sanctuary on all fronts, you truly can't go wrong with Wyze. And when you consider the $49.98 price point, this security camera is an absolute steal (pun absolutely intended).

​Shop Wyze Cam v2​

Nearly all of your devices are wireless now, from your headphones to your mouse—so shouldn't your home camera follow suit? The YI Wireless Camera from Alder will enhance the security of your home without unwanted cords or cables. Instead, this camera uses a robust, rechargeable battery to power its 1080p high-definition resolution.

This product is equipped with artificial intelligence-based facial recognition, so you know exactly who your kids have brought over with real-time alerts sent directly to your device. Thanks to two-way audio, you can even remind your spouse to start dinner if you're working late hours at the office. Don't worry, they'll get used to the mysterious commands coming out of thin air in no time.

Alder's YI Wireless Camera works overtime at night with enhanced night vision with infrared LED technology. The sleek body is stylish yet discreet, with a 112-degree field of view with advanced motion detection technology. If you're a new parent who's trying to catch up on sleep, the camera's baby crying detection capabilities will come in handy after hours, too.

Beyond keeping a watchful eye on your home, this wireless security camera from Alder stores footage in the cloud for free. The camera is intelligent enough to detect a weak connection, converting live footage into standard definition to not disrupt the stream, cause buffering, or strain your bandwidth. When your connection is strong, the camera defaults to high-definition footage that you can store in a microSD card.

Alder isn't like other companies that leave you to your own devices with a siren notification. When you pick out your security package, you're signing up for 24/7 support and professional monitoring from the Alder team. With Alder, your camera is only one piece of the security equation.

​Shop Alder​

Ring is dominating the home security space with devices ranging from video doorbells to outdoor cameras. If you've seen a viral video of a porch pirate recently, it's pretty likely the footage was captured on a Ring Video Doorbell. Thanks to Ring, you can keep a watchful eye on your front door at all times with real-time notifications that keep you connected from anywhere.

The Ring Video Doorbell monitors your front door with 1080p HD video powered by a built-in, rechargeable battery. It offers a 155° horizontal and 90° vertical field of view and Wi-Fi connectivity to stream activity around your home.

With two-way talk and live video from the Ring app, you can let a friend know that you'll be down in a minute straight from your mobile device (or tell that solicitor that they'll have better luck at your neighbor's house). If you're partial to your Alexa smart home system, you'll be pleased to know that Ring Doorbells integrate seamlessly with Amazon voice assistants. Hey Alexa, add a Ring Video Doorbell to my Amazon cart—it's only $99.99.

Ring's porch-monitoring power goes much further than watching your front door. With package alerts, you'll know exactly when your deliveries arrive. With the device's Quick Replies feature, you can even pre-record messages and greetings to touch base with visitors when you're out.

Essentially, Ring's Video Doorbell is kind of like having your own personal bouncer at the front door, except this one won't remove any unruly guests—that's still on you.

When it comes to giving you extra peace of mind, Ring Video Doorbells are equipped with a few features that take security into consideration. The Control Center allows you to view and customize security settings to your preferences. You can also opt into Ring Protect, a service that activates video recording, photo capture, and people alerts starting at just ​$3.00​ per month.

Other features that make Ring stand out in the market include night vision, motion detection alerts, and neighborhood safety notifications. Ring has features like Smart Greetings that respond with context-based answers depending on who's at the door, as well as the Birds-Eye View feature that displays an estimated path someone takes took through you yard.

​Shop Ring Video Doorbell​

When selecting a home security system to safeguard your family, the best option varies from one household to the next. While a video doorbell may make sense for you, your friend may get more value out of a full-fledged security ecosystem with professional monitoring. Between installation and potential monthly fees, it's well worth your effort to find the right fit for you.

The initial price is an essential factor in your home security search. Still, it's best to also be mindful of other features like DIY installation, storage capabilities, mobile app integration, and monthly fees. Once you've ranked the features that make the most sense for your home, you'll be on your way to more peace of mind.