The 3 Best Indoor Security Cameras of 2024 | Reviews by Wirecutter

Nov 01, 2024

By Rachel Cericola

Rachel Cericola is a writer covering smart home. In addition to testing hundreds of smart devices, she has also tested dozens of ice cream sandwiches.

We’ve added the Ring Pan-Tilt Indoor Camera to What to look forward to.

It’s said you can’t put a price on peace of mind. Well, we’re doing it anyway—and it’s pretty reasonable.

An indoor security camera lets you keep tabs on the things at home that matter most, whether that’s your kids, your pets, or your prized vinyl collection.

We recommend the Eufy Indoor Cam C120, which is typically available for $35. It provides sharp 2K video, has four options for video storage, distinguishes between people and pets, and even detects the sound of crying. If you want to integrate it with other smart devices, it includes support for Amazon Alexa, Google Home, and Apple HomeKit.

This camera offers a sharp image, four choices for video storage, and a continuous recording option, and it can distinguish between different motions and sounds.

You save $9 (24%)

This 2K-resolution camera can produce detailed images and is less expensive than our other picks, but it doesn't include pet detection, and the cost to run multiple cameras is high.

You save $7 (19%)

This 1080p camera distinguishes among various types of motion and has both free and paid cloud storage. The latter adds in face recognition and options for 24/7 recording.

Although storing video in the camera is a nice option, we prefer cameras that save footage to the cloud, which is more secure.

Check under app settings to enable two-factor authentication (2FA), which restricts unauthorized access to your camera and recordings.

Using cameras should be a household decision, which may include babysitters, housekeepers, and tradespeople, depending on local laws.

All cameras respond to movement, but some can distinguish among people, pets, and passing vehicles.

This camera offers a sharp image, four choices for video storage, and a continuous recording option, and it can distinguish between different motions and sounds.

You save $9 (24%)

Compatible with: Amazon Alexa, Apple Home, Google Home

The Eufy Indoor Cam C120 captures stellar video day and night, has a decent 125-degree field of view, and distinguishes between different types of movement and sound, such as people, pets, or a crying baby. It also has more storage options than our other two picks. One limitation is that if you intend to make use of its 2K video resolution, you’ll need to have all motion-only triggered recordings go to a microSD card. If you use other storage options, such as capturing 24/7 video to a microSD card, a networked hard drive (NAS device), or cloud storage via a paid subscription to Eufy Cloud or Apple HomeKit Secure Video, your video is downgraded to a lower-resolution (though still sharp) 1080p.

Advertisement

This 2K-resolution camera can produce detailed images and is less expensive than our other picks, but it doesn't include pet detection, and the cost to run multiple cameras is high.

You save $7 (19%)

Compatible with: Amazon Alexa, Google Home, IFTTT, SmartThings

The TP-Link Tapo C110 is the least expensive indoor camera we recommend. The hardware is less than our other picks (about $25), and the camera has options to store video footage locally to a microSD card, whether you want to capture just motion events or continuous motion 24/7. However, cloud storage for the Tapo C110 is a bit more expensive than that of our top pick ($3.50 per month per camera), so if you opt for anything beyond a single camera, the cloud plan could potentially get costly. The C110 is the only one of our picks that doesn’t have the ability to identify pets, but it can tag people, as well as detect crying.

This 1080p camera distinguishes among various types of motion and has both free and paid cloud storage. The latter adds in face recognition and options for 24/7 recording.

Compatible with: Amazon Alexa, Google Home

The Google Nest Cam (Indoor, Wired) is built for the long haul—and longer, more advanced recordings. It captures the longest clips of our picks (up to five minutes), it can record 24/7 to the cloud (a subscription is required), and it can distinguish among people, pets, and vehicles. Unlike our other picks, it doesn’t have a microSD card slot or provide any other way to store recordings locally at home, but it’s also the only model that offers limited free cloud storage of recordings, though for just three hours after they’re captured. Nest also has the most cost-effective subscription pricing for owners of multiple cameras, starting at $8 per month for unlimited cameras—and signing up for a sub adds facial recognition.

An outdoor security camera will alert you the moment it detects prowlers, package deliveries, and unexpected (or unwanted) animals and visitors.

Investing in a security system is a great idea, but they aren’t one size fits all. Ask yourself these questions to find the one that’s best for you.

Advertisement

I first started testing smart-home devices more than 20 years ago, when the only smart-home devices were X10. I’ve been covering smart-home gear for Wirecutter since 2016 and have had my hands on everything from in-wall light switches, smart LED bulbs, and water-leak sensors to smart video doorbells, in-wall smart outlets, and security systems. I’ve also contributed to The New York Times, Wired, and Men’s Health, among others.

A standalone Wi-Fi camera can offer peace of mind, allowing you to know when the kids come home from school, keep an eye on what your pets are doing, discover who’s been hitting the liquor cabinet, or learn if a trespasser has entered your home.

Note: We don’t recommend using security cameras as baby monitors. Unlike purpose-built baby monitors, which allow you to view a live video and audio stream, indoor cameras tend to time out after a few minutes, which defeats the purpose.

Although the cameras we review in this guide do provide a basic level of security, they aren’t intended as a replacement for a full home security system, which includes door and window sensors, motion sensors, smoke detectors, and other security-specific accessories.

The use of security cameras raises important privacy issues for anyone who enters your home, be they guests, family members, or even people who live there. During our testing, we read the privacy policies for our picks, which spelled out how the companies collect data, why they collect it, and what they do with it. We specifically looked for policies that strayed from what we consider to be standard in the category. There are some common important points that everyone should understand. For instance, most camera companies say that, in certain circumstances, they will cooperate with police requests to view your camera footage—and may even do so without your permission.

On a less theoretical level, having a smart camera inside your home allows you to spy on and record the activities of others—without their consent or knowledge. Thus, installing an indoor security camera presents important ethical concerns, and in some locales it may be a legal concern, as well. If you plan to install an indoor security camera, the feelings and expectations of those in your household should always be part of the decision. Things to discuss and consider include where you choose to place the camera, when it’s in use, and who has access to the video. Visitors to your home, like babysitters, housekeepers, and even tradespeople, may need to be advised that you have a camera, depending on local laws. Ultimately, deciding which camera is best for you may depend on how conspicuous you want it to be and what you want it to record.

Advertisement

We’ve been testing indoor cameras for years. Although many models use PoE (power over Ethernet), we consider only those cameras that operate over Wi-Fi without the need for a networked video recorder. We also look for models that meet the following criteria:

To test indoor security cameras, I connected each one to a gigabit Verizon Fios network via a Wi-Fi router and the Asus ZenWiFi AX (XT8), our upgrade pick for mesh-networking kits. We used an iPhone 12, a Google Pixel 7 Pro, and an iPad to review the cameras and their companion apps, as well as an Amazon Echo Show 5, an Apple TV, and a Google Nest Hub.

Once we narrowed down our candidates, we reviewed privacy policies, sent questions to each company regarding privacy and security practices, and connected them to Firewalla Purple SE, a firewall device that monitors devices on a network and reports which are sending out data and to what country. We also monitor the practices of each company, review issues that come up in the news, and keep tabs on how each company responds to those incidents.

This camera offers a sharp image, four choices for video storage, and a continuous recording option, and it can distinguish between different motions and sounds.

You save $9 (24%)

Compatible with: Amazon Alexa, Apple Home, Google Home

The Eufy Indoor Cam C120 is everything you’d want in an indoor security camera. It records clear 2K video day and night, and it has the ability to tell the differences among general motion, people, pets, and even the sound of crying. And it’s just $35. It’s also the only camera we’ve tested that offers three ways to store video: internally on a microSD card (not included), to network-attached storage (NAS), or in the cloud, with either a Eufy Cloud subscription ($3/month or $30/year) or Apple HomeKit Secure Video (or HSV, a free video-storage service that comes with some paid iCloud plans; see Apple’s site for more info). Although Eufy downgrades all of your 24/7, NAS, and cloud recordings to 1080p resolution, we found that video remains detailed.

Pick your favorite storage option. The C120 provides several modes for recording and storing video. The only way to get full 2K-quality video (2304×1296 resolution) is to have it record motion-triggered clips to a microSD card. You can instead opt for continuous 24/7 recording to a microSD card, or motion-triggered recordings to a network-attached storage device via RTSP, as well as cloud recording through paid plans to Eufy ($3/month or $30/year for one camera) or HomeKit Secure Video (starting at $1/month for one camera). But all of those options require reducing the video resolution (see Flaws but not dealbreakers).

It can catch all different types of action—and respond to them. With or without a paid subscription, the C120 can distinguish among a human, a pet, and general motion triggers. It can also detect crying, which we tested using YouTube clips of teary people and babies—and it worked without fail. Another notable feature is Pet Command, which triggers the camera to play an audio clip whenever it detects a pet wandering into a designated activity zone. For instance, you can highlight the couch in the app so that if your pet jumps on it, the camera will announce in a robotic voice, “Hey, what are you doing there?” You can also record a customized response (“Pumpkin, stop scratching the carpet, you evil hellcat!”).

Eufy has had security issues. After a 2022 incident, Eufy announced that the company had fixed issues with its web portal. Aside from correcting issues on its end, we noticed new protocols during our most recent round of testing. First, to access video on the website, you will need to enable Web Portal Access in the Eufy Security app under the Control Center. This allows you to generate a PIN that is good from anywhere between one and 24 hours. If you want to use web access beyond that amount of time, you will need to generate a new PIN.

Video quality may not be 2K. Although the C120 is technically a 2K camera, it only records in a 2K resolution when saving clips to a microSD card. If you use a NAS hard drive, or rely on Eufy’s cloud plan or HomeKit Secure Video, all of your files will be converted to 1080p. It’s still very sharp video, but not the 2K you may be expecting.

We are monitoring privacy and security. As part of the same November 2022 incident mentioned above, a Eufy spokesperson confirmed that the company uses an AWS-based cloud server to deliver push notifications with a thumbnail preview image, meaning that even if you opt for local storage, that content will pass through the cloud. Eufy has changed language in its app to be more clear, but thumbnail-enhanced smartphone alerts are an option that can be turned off by going into your camera’s settings, clicking Notification, and choosing an option for how you want to receive those notifications.

Advertisement

This 2K-resolution camera can produce detailed images and is less expensive than our other picks, but it doesn't include pet detection, and the cost to run multiple cameras is high.

You save $7 (19%)

Compatible with: Amazon Alexa, Google Home, IFTTT, SmartThings

The TP-Link Tapo C110 is better than our top pick in a few ways. It can deliver 2K images both on a microSD card and to storage in the cloud, it’s more affordable, and we like that it’s smaller, too. However, a few minor shortcomings prevent it from being our top pick for most people. We think some people won’t be happy that it can detect only people or general motion, and it doesn’t work with Apple HomeKit.

The video looks great, no matter where you store it. The C110 is a 2K camera that can produce sharp images day and night, which we noticed while watching people come and go during the day and our cat slink around at night. When storing to a microSD card, image quality is on a par with that of our top pick, although because it will record in 2K to the cloud (unlike the Eufy), you may notice that images are a little more detailed when using cloud storage.

It’s cheap to buy, and free (or cheap) to use. At about $25, the C110 is the least expensive of our picks. And like our top pick, you can reasonably use it without having to sign up for a subscription plan because you can save videos to a microSD card. It records motion-triggered video clips up to three minutes long, or you can opt for 24/7 continuous recording (though you’ll fill up your card fast). Similar to the Eufy, when recording in continuous mode, the Tapo C110 will still notify you when there’s motion, isolate that motion as a clip, and allow you to download those, as needed. There is a cloud plan available, which adds notifications with thumbnails and storage for up to 30 days (you can access it anywhere, even if there’s a power outage). But the base plan is 50¢ more per month than our top pick ($3.50/month per camera), and if you plan to use more than two cameras, it’s actually the most expensive subscription of all our picks. (Eufy is $10/month for up to 10 cameras; Nest starts at $8/month for unlimited cameras.)

You can create a highlights reel. If you’re not the type to check on every little smartphone alert, the Video Summary feature can condense an entire day’s events into one short video. The feature is in beta and comes only with a Tapo Care subscription, but we found it worked very well. It replaces captured audio with a generic soundtrack, though, which is sort of weird.

This 1080p camera distinguishes among various types of motion and has both free and paid cloud storage. The latter adds in face recognition and options for 24/7 recording.

Compatible with: Amazon Alexa, Google Home

The Google Nest Cam (Indoor, Wired) looks more graceful than our other picks, and more importantly, it feels far more substantial and rugged—it looks like it could survive not only a fall but maybe a drop-kick, too. It’s also able to record longer clips, it offers free but limited cloud storage (see below), and with a subscription it can record 24/7 nonstop to the cloud. Once you add together the cost of the Nest Cam itself and the cost of a subscription plan, it’s definitely pricier than our other picks if you’re buying only one camera, especially since it is able to record only 1080p resolution (versus the 2K of the other cameras) and doesn’t have any built-in storage.

The most action in one clip. The Google Nest records the longest clips of all of our picks—up to five minutes—though it will record only as long as it detects motion. By comparison, the Tapo maxes out at three minutes, and the Eufy at two. All three cameras will create a new clip immediately after hitting their clip limit, so long as motion continues. (Tapo was the only model to consistently leave a four-second gap between clips, which the company says is so the clips won’t “overlap.”)

The most cost-effective option for multiple camera users. If you want to store recordings beyond a limited time (see below), you’ll need to subscribe to Nest Aware. The $8 monthly subscription may seem steep, but it covers an unlimited number of cameras. For comparison, the Eufy cloud plan is $3/month for one camera and $10/month for up to 10 cameras, and Tapo Care costs $10.50/month for three cameras or $12/month for up to 10.

It’s all about the cloud. The Nest doesn’t offer any type of local recording option, but it’s the only one of our picks that offers free cloud storage—although it will store clips for only three hours after they’re captured. If that doesn’t suit your needs, and you’d like to store and access clips for a longer time frame, you’ll need to pony up for a Nest Aware subscription, which starts at $8/month.

That Nest Aware subscription adds great features. Paying for Nest Aware not only allows you to save clips for 30 days (or 60, if you opt for Nest Aware Plus) but also adds in face recognition, so you’ll know which kid is coming home from school. We found it worked pretty well, as long as the camera gets a good look at the subject. Nest Aware will also monitor for sounds of glass breaking, as well as smoke and carbon monoxide alarms.

Advertisement

We tested a number of indoor security cameras that we didn’t prefer as much as our current picks but that are still good choices if they meet your particular needs. Note that we do not long-term test these models (as we do our top picks).

If you’re a Roku user: The Roku Indoor Camera SE provides a clear image and easy controls, and it has a platform that allows you to view Roku cameras on your Roku TV or streaming box. Though these cameras are made by Wyze (note that we no longer recommend Wyze devices), the app is managed by Roku. We prefer our top pick’s storage options, though Roku does offer local storage and a cloud plan for $4 per month (per camera) or $40 per year.

If you’re all in with Arlo: The Arlo Essential Indoor Security Camera delivers great 1080p video and alerts that can distinguish among people, pets, vehicles, and general motion. However, we found our picks to be more economical, and a newer Arlo camera is coming soon.

If you’re all in with Apple HomeKit Secure Video: The Aqara Camera Hub G2H Pro produces a great picture, plus it’s compact and inexpensive. It doubles as a Zigbee hub so you can connect other Aqara devices (like our sensor picks). It’s also compatible with HomeKit Secure Video—however, as with other HSV cameras, we encountered issues with the service when using this camera. Still, if you’re interested in creating a setup with HSV or Aqara, this is a good little camera. If not, we think our other picks would be better.

If you’re all in with Ring: The Ring Indoor Cam (2nd Gen) provides a clear 1080p image, person detection, and a removable privacy cover, which you can manually swivel to cover the camera while you’re at home. It is, however, typically more expensive than our top two picks, and it works only with Alexa.

We have paused all testing and recommendations of Wyze devices due to security concerns. For a full explanation, see this article.

We understand the appeal of pan-and-tilt cameras, which are able to scan an entire room and follow moving objects. However, we’ve reviewed several models—the Aqara Camera Hub G3, the Eufy Indoor Cam E220, the TP-Link Kasa Spot Pan Tilt (KC410S), and the TP-Link Tapo C210—and have yet to find one we’d recommend. Although many of these are perfectly decent cameras, each of them had mechanical issues and would regularly get stuck at different angles, resulting in missed action even when that action was happening right in front of the camera.

The Logitech Circle View and the Eve Cam both work with Apple’s HomeKit Secure Video, which we’ve had a lot of issues with. We love how secure the service is, but it consistently misses obvious movement that should trigger a recording—sometimes for hours or even days at a time.

Both the WiZ Indoor Camera and the TP-Link Kasa KC400 record sharp video, but we think our top picks offer a better user experience for a similar (or cheaper) price. We also dismissed the Abode Cam 2, the Blink Indoor, the Blink Mini, the Ecobee SmartCamera, GE’s Cync Indoor Smart Camera, the Kami Mini, and TP-Link’s Kasa Cam (KC120), due to missed motion triggers and overall concerns with performance.

The Canary Pro and Canary View are big and costly, and they don’t perform as well as our picks. Due to performance issues, we also tested and dismissed the Netatmo Smart Indoor Camera and the Honeywell Lyric C2 Wi-Fi Security Camera.

Advertisement

We’re planning to test the following indoor cameras:

This article was edited by Jon Chase and Grant Clauser.

Rachel Cericola

I write about everything from smart lighting and home security to Wi-Fi cameras and smart bird feeders. I’ve also covered ice cream sandwiches, robot vacuums, and snoring.

by Gabriella DePinho

You might not know Anker by name, but many of its products have become longtime Wirecutter favorites.

by Rachel Cericola

Wi-Fi security cameras can help protect your family and possessions. We’ve reviewed and picked the best models for every area of your home.

by Mel Plaut and Kaitlyn Wells

A good indoor security cam doubles as a handy pet cam.

by Rachel Cericola

Apple’s cloud service for security cameras has many great features, including the price—but we don’t recommend it for most people.

Advertisement