Nest Cam Outdoor Review
Nest offers two outdoor cameras, the Nest Cam Outdoor and the more expensive and advanced Nest Cam IQ Outdoor.
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Last Updated on Oct 30, 2025
What We Like
- Great video, night vision, and two-way audio: The Nest Cam Outdoor hits or exceeds industry standards for these three categories.
- Integrations with Alexa, Google Assistant, and more: Whether you’re in the Google or Amazon ecosystem, the Nest Cam Outdoor will fit right in.
- Highly-rated app for Android: The Nest App has a 3.9 rating on the Google Play store as of 2024.
What We Don't Like
- No local storage: You won’t be able to have the footage automatically upload to a micro-SD card.
- Only paid person detection: Although artificial intelligence capabilities are available for the Nest Cam Outdoor, you’ll have to pay a minimum of $6 a month to get them.
- Discontinued: Nest no longer sells the Nest Cam Outdoor. Instead, you’ll have to buy it from a third-party seller. If you like what you see in the Nest Cam Outdoor, though, you’ll likely think the same about Nest’s newer and more affordable cameras.
Bottom Line
Editor’s Note: The Nest Cam Outdoor is no longer on shelves, so we recommend checking out ADT’s plans and packages. ADT has partnered with Google Nest and offers the latest Nest cameras. New signups even get a free Nest Video Doorbell.
Nest started out as a smart thermostat brand, but ever since it acquired Dropcam in 2014, it evolved into one of the leading home security companies. Over the years, Nest has released a number of security cameras, including the Nest Cam Outdoor, that propelled the brand into the spotlight thanks to their superior technology and premium features.
While the Nest Cam Outdoor is no longer in Nest’s active lineup, the camera continues to function and retains all its original capabilities. You can still find it at select retailers and through third-party online marketplaces. So the question we should be asking now is, does it still make sense to buy one in 2025?
Our Take On The Nest Cam Outdoor
Given that it still delivers its original features, the Nest Cam Outdoor remains technically capable today. That said, at $199 for the device, it may not represent the best value anymore. We recommend checking out these current alternatives we've tested, which offer comparable or superior smart features at competitive prices:
Promised Features
Nest Outdoor Camera Features Breakdown
| Camera | Nest Outdoor Camera |
|---|---|
| Price | $199 |
| Field of vision | 130° |
| Resolution | 1080p |
| Zoom | 8x |
| Two-way audio | Yes |
| 24/7 recording | Yes |
| Night vision | Yes |
| Cloud storage | Yes |
| Local storage | No |
| Battery or Wired | Wired |
| Learn More | View on Amazon |
The Nest Cam Outdoor looks promising right off the bat. It has the features that we want to see in security cameras, such as:
- 1080p HD video: Not shockingly, the Nest Cam Outdoor has the industry standard in video display.
- Integrations with Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa: No matter which ecosystem you’re in, you can vocally command your Nest Cam Outdoor and set it up for some home automations.
- Artificial intelligence capabilities: With Nest Aware, you can buy person detection for the Nest Cam Outdoor, in addition to cloud storage.
These specs might sound familiar, but let’s dive deeper into what the Nest Cam Outdoor actually delivers in real-world use.
Design and Aesthetics
The Nest Cam Outdoor is as sleek-looking as the other Nest cameras released after the second generation Nest Cam Indoor. In fact, it still sort of looks like the other cameras in Nest’s current lineup. Take a look at them in our full Nest camera lineup review.
As an outdoor camera, it operates in temperatures from -4 to 104 degrees Fahrenheit, which covers most U.S. climates but might not work in extreme conditions. The camera carries an IP65 rating, meaning it’s completely dust-tight and can withstand water jets from a 6.3mm nozzle—just don’t submerge it or hit it with high-pressure water. Since it’s powered via cable and adapter, you’ll never need to worry about battery replacement.
Necessary Features
The Nest Cam Outdoor impressed us when we first tested it, but the security camera landscape has evolved significantly. While 720p was common when this camera launched, today’s standard is 1080p HD, with many cameras now offering 2K or 4K resolution. Let’s see how the Nest Cam Outdoor holds up against current expectations.
Video
First, let’s talk about the video quality. The Nest Cam Outdoor has 1080p HD video, the ability to zoom in eight times, and a wide field of view of 130 degrees. Those figures are still impressive today, although less so than they were in 2016, the year the Nest Cam Outdoor was launched. 1080p HD cameras are now commonplace. In fact, we’re seeing a surge of 2K and 4K cameras, which have twice and four times more pixels than 1080p HD, respectively. An example is the 4K Lorex camera system we reviewed.
Still, an older 1080p HD may have some advantages over ones with higher resolution. For starters, they consume less data. Because of the lower resolution, 1080p HD cameras don’t put as much strain on Wi-Fi networks than 4K or 2K cameras. For the same reasons, 1080p cameras are also more reliable. They can livestream and record to the cloud faster and without much lag. Of course, if your network can support multiple 4K security cameras and you want high-quality surveillance videos, you should go with a 4K model. But if you want something that can capture details well without gobbling up bandwidth, a 1080p camera like the Nest Cam Outdoor is a solid choice.
Night Vision
Like the other Nest cameras, the Nest Cam Outdoor has infrared night vision through eight LED sensors. I prefer infrared night vision as compared to color night vision from bright white light because it’s more stealthy. While a bright white light in the middle of the night (excuse the rhyming) is something that you just can’t miss, infrared sensors are way more subtle. And if I’m using a security camera, I don’t want anyone to know that but me! That said, the Nest Cam with Floodlight, one of Nest’s newer cameras, can be an effective deterrent because it uses both infrared and color night vision. The bright flood lights turn on automatically when the camera detects motion, and that “surprise factor” can effectively dissuade thieves and intruders.
Audio Quality
The Nest Cam Outdoor features two-way audio, allowing you to communicate through the Nest app with anyone in the camera’s view. This capability is standard now, but it wasn’t always—earlier security cameras often had microphones without speakers, limiting them to audio recording only. With two-way audio, you can actually warn off intruders if you spot them approaching your property.
Storage
| Nest Free | Google Home Premium Standard | Google Home Premium Advanced | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Event Video History | 3 Hours | 30 | 60 |
| 24/7 Video History | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| Monthly Price | $0 | $10 | $20 |
| Yearly Price | $0 | $100 | $200 |
| Yearly Savings | N/A | $20 | $40 |
Storage remains a weak point for the Nest ecosystem. The Nest Cam Outdoor lacks local storage options entirely and only provides free cloud storage for event snapshots from the past three hours. To access actual video recordings, you’ll need a subscription—a limitation we also encountered in our Ring security camera review. We’ll talk more about Nest camera subscription costs and the other things it includes below.
Smart Platform Integration
As Google owns Nest, it didn’t surprise us that the camera integrates with Google Assistant and Chromecast, but we were pleasantly surprised to see that the Nest Cam Outdoor also integrates with Amazon Alexa and Fire TV. So not only can you command the cameras with your voice and livestream your footage on the big screen, but you can also hook the cameras up to the other connected devices in your ecosystem and make some convenient home automations.
Artificial Intelligence
The Nest Cam Outdoor doesn’t include artificial intelligence out of the box. It detects motion and lets you designate specific activity zones, but that’s where the free features end. With a Nest Aware subscription, the camera gains significant AI capabilities. You’ll unlock person detection, which distinguishes between people and objects like vehicles. You’ll also receive alerts for dog barking and human speech.
These AI features transform your notifications from generic motion alerts to specific, actionable information. Instead of just “motion detected,” you’ll know if there’s a person at your door, if a dog is barking, or if someone is speaking nearby.
Unfortunately, the Nest Cam Outdoor lacks facial recognition—it can identify that a person is present but not who they are. If facial recognition is important to you, consider Nest’s current lineup. The Nest Cam Battery we reviewed, a versatile indoor/outdoor battery-powered option, includes this feature. The Nest Cam with Floodlight and current Nest Cam Indoor also offer facial recognition, though all require a Nest Aware subscription to activate it.
Convenience
The Nest Cam Outdoor is easy to set up. Just plug in the camera, scan its QR code in the Nest app, and connect to Wi-Fi. Installation offers flexibility with the included magnetic mount—just attach it to any magnetic surface. If that doesn’t work for your location, you can screw it into a wall. The camera comes with a 10-foot cord plus a 15-foot extension, giving you 25 feet total reach from an outlet. We find the setup process particularly smooth if you already own other Nest products.
Value
The Nest Cam Outdoor still carries a $199 price tag when available, which is moderately high for a 1080p camera in 2025. However, considering its build quality, weather resistance, smart integrations, and video performance, you’re getting solid value. The camera’s durability and Google ecosystem integration help justify the cost, even with the additional expense of Nest Aware for cloud storage and AI features.
Video Review
We created this video review during our initial testing of the Nest Cam Outdoor. While subscription pricing has changed—Nest Aware is now Google Home Premium, and the price now starts at $10 per month—the camera’s operation and features remain identical. Watch our hands-on review to see the Nest Cam Outdoor in action.
Google Home Premium
Let’s explore Google Home Premium (formerly Nest Aware) in detail. Beyond cloud storage and AI capabilities, it enables activity zones—particularly valuable for outdoor cameras. Since your camera might capture areas beyond your property like the street, activity zones let you specify monitoring areas and ignore others, resulting in more relevant notifications.
Pricing has evolved since the camera’s launch. The Standard plan now costs $10 monthly for unlimited cameras—whether you have one or ten, they’re all covered. This plan includes the features we’ve discussed plus 30-day event video history. The premium Advanced plan runs $20 monthly but doubles event storage to 60 days and adds 10 days of continuous recording. This means you’ll have footage of everything from the past 10 days, regardless of whether motion was detected.
Mobile Application
The Nest app serves as your mobile command center for arming and disarming cameras, viewing cloud storage, receiving notifications, and livestreaming footage. Both iOS and Android versions maintain strong ratings above 4 stars, and our testing confirms the app prioritizes user experience with intuitive navigation and responsive controls.
Comparisons
Now I want to compare the Nest Cam Outdoor to two indoor/ outdoor cameras, the Arlo Pro 2 and the Logitech Circle 2.
FYI: The Nest Cam Outdoor was discontinued in 2021, but its replacement is even better. Read our review of the Nest Cam Battery-Operated Indoor/Outdoor Security Camera for more information.
Nest Cam Outdoor vs. Arlo Pro 2
The Arlo Pro 2 and Nest Cam Outdoor share identical video specifications and both feature two-way audio with Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa integration. The Arlo Pro 2 extends compatibility to IFTTT, Apple HomeKit, and Stringify. Neither camera includes built-in AI features, but both offer person detection through paid subscriptions. Like the Nest Cam Outdoor, the Arlo Pro 2 is discontinued but remains available through third-party sellers and continues functioning today.
Key differences emerge in storage and power options. While both cameras feature infrared night vision, the Nest Cam Outdoor’s implementation is superior. The Arlo Pro 2 provides both local and free cloud storage for seven days, compared to the Nest Cam Outdoor’s three-hour snapshot-only free tier with no local option. The Arlo Pro 2 originally cost $20 more than the Nest Cam Outdoor—a minimal difference for home security.
The Arlo Pro 2’s battery power makes it ideal for locations without nearby outlets, though it still requires Wi-Fi connectivity. Meanwhile, the Nest Cam Outdoor offers superior durability and better features and integrations overall.
For more information, read our full review of the Arlo Pro 2.
Nest Cam Outdoor vs. Logitech Circle 2
Now let’s talk about the Logitech Circle 2, an indoor/ outdoor camera $20 cheaper than the Nest Cam Outdoor at $180. Both cameras have 1080p HD video, but while the Nest Cam Outdoor can zoom in eight times, the Logitech Circle 2 can’t zoom in optically at all. But, it makes up for it with an 180-degree field of view, 50 degrees more than the Nest Cam Outdoor, so they end up being kind of equal for video. Unfortunately, neither camera has local storage.
Both cameras integrate with Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, and Fire TV, but the Circle 2 also works with Apple HomeKit. Keep in mind that the Nest Cam Outdoor works with Chromecast and Philips Hue light bulbs, so it will definitely come down to your personal preference. Neither camera comes with person detection, but they both offer it in paid subscriptions, the Circle 2 at $9.99 a month. Both cameras have two-way audio, but I preferred the Nest Cam Outdoor’s night vision to the Circle 2’s. Overall, I’d choose the Nest Cam Outdoor over the Logitech Circle 2. Even though it’s more expensive, the night vision is better which is particularly important for an outdoor camera.
To learn more, read our full review of the Logitech Circle 2.
See how Nest stacks up against the competition
It’s good to have options. See how Nest compares to these top security system picks.
Our Nest Cam Outdoor Research and Data
The following is the data and research conducted for this review by our industry-experts. Learn More.
Encryption
| In Transit | Yes |
|---|---|
| At rest? | Yes |
| All network communications and capabilities? | Yes |
Security Updates
| Automatic, regular software/ firmware updates? | No, product discontinued |
|---|---|
| Product available to use during updates? | Yes |
Passwords
| Mandatory password? | Yes |
|---|---|
| Two-Factor authentication? | Yes |
| Multi-Factor authentication? | Yes |
Vulnerability Management
| Point of contact for reporting vulnerabilities? | Fill out a ticket |
|---|---|
| Bug bounty program? | Yes |
Privacy Policy
| Link | https://nest.com/legal/privacy-statement-for-nest-products-and-services/ |
|---|---|
| Specific to device? | No |
| Readable? | Yes |
| What data they log | Address, environmental data, video, audio, device information |
| What data they don’t log | n/a |
| Can you delete your data? | Yes |
| Third-party sharing policies | Shares information with third parties. |
Surveillance
| Log camera device/ app footage | Yes |
|---|---|
| Log microphone device/ app | Yes |
| Location tracking device/ app | Yes |
Parental Controls
| Are there parental controls? | No |
|---|
Company History
| Any security breaches/ surveillance issues in past? | Yes, vulnerabilities discovered in 2019 |
|---|---|
| Did they do anything to fix it? | Yes |
Additional Security Features
| Anything like privacy shutters, privacy zones, etc.? | No |
|---|
Recap
We still recommend the Nest Cam Outdoor today, despite its age. It remains a capable camera with features that many newer models struggle to match. This speaks to Nest’s commitment to longevity—the original Nest Cam Indoor stayed in their lineup until 2023 despite launching in 2015.
The Nest Cam Outdoor follows this pattern. While it’s an older model, it’s far from obsolete. Here’s our final assessment.
The Nest Cam Outdoor is a great camera because of…
- Great video, night vision, and two-way audio: The Nest Cam Outdoor hits or exceeds industry standards for these three categories.
- Integrations with Alexa, Google Assistant, and more: Whether you’re in the Google or Amazon ecosystem, the Nest Cam Outdoor will fit right in.
- Reliable app: The Nest App maintains ratings above 4 stars on both Google Play and Apple App Store.
But it struggles in these areas…
- No local storage: You won’t be able to have the footage automatically upload to a micro-SD card.
- Only paid person detection: Although artificial intelligence capabilities are available for the Nest Cam Outdoor, you’ll have to pay a minimum of $8 a month to get them.
- Discontinued: The Nest Cam Outdoor is no longer being offered by Google. Instead, you can only buy it from third-party sellers.
It’s worth noting that Nest’s newer cameras offer better value than the discontinued Nest Cam Outdoor. The Nest Cam Battery costs just $179.99 but includes a 4K image sensor (though recording remains 1080p), built-in person detection, optional facial recognition, and completely wireless installation. If the Nest Cam Outdoor appeals to you, the Nest Cam Battery deserves serious consideration.
