Best Outdoor Security Cameras of 2025
Our number one pick, SimpliSafe, combines their technology to offer unique security features designed to protect the perimeter of your home.
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Last Updated on Oct 15, 2025
- Battery-powered setup allows the camera to go wherever you needs it to be
- Backed by the SimpliSafe security system for full indoor and outdoor coverage
- Optional Active Guard Outdoor Protection with live video monitoring
- ADT uses Nest’s facial recognition technology to disarm you system and unlock smart locks for trusted regular guests
- Create automations to switch on lights when motion is detected
- Award-winning professional monitoring with 12 centers to ensure it’s always online
- All Ring cameras pair well with Alexa smart speakers and displays
- Outdoor cameras can come with a built-in spotlight or floodlight, depending on the model
- Each Ring outdoor camera have multiple power options, including solar, battery, and a standard power cable
Outdoor security cameras don’t just deter thieves. Some of the best security cameras use AI to distinguish between someone lurking in your front yard and the neighbor’s dog passing through. Others let you set automation rules like turning on the porch lights when you approach the house or unlocking the smart lock on the front door for approved guests.
With so many outdoor cameras offering various features, how do you know which one you need for your home? We recommend SimpliSafe if you’re only interested in crime prevention, although it’s not the only option. ADT offers excellent professional monitoring, Ring seamlessly integrates with Alexa, and Nest is one of the easiest to install. Let’s take a look at our top picks to help you make the right choice.
What are Outdoor Security Cameras? Indoor and outdoor cameras are pretty similar, except outdoor cameras are built to withstand the elements. Both types can stream and record videos, detect motion, and offer two-way talk. Some outdoor cameras have a high-powered spotlight or floodlight and offer more advanced features like motion-activated lighting.
>> Read More: Best PoE Security Cameras
A Quick Overview of Outdoor Cameras:
- Outdoor cameras are built with weatherproof housing to protect them from the elements.
- Video quality, night vision, and smart motion detection are the most important features in outdoor cameras.
- Lorex sells the widest selection of outdoor cameras; we found them surprisingly smart and high-tech in our Lorex review. See for yourself.
How We Picked The Best Outdoor Cameras
With over a decade of hands-on experience testing security cameras, we’ve identified the essential features that matter most for keeping your home and family safe:
- High-quality video resolution: Outdoor cameras must provide a clear image across wide spaces in all lighting, whether it’s sunny or raining.
- Clear night vision: Since criminals tend to be more active after dark, cameras need infrared or color night vision capabilities that maintain enough clarity to identify perpetrators.
- Smart video recording: Advanced motion detection and AI features help cameras distinguish between important events (like intruders) and routine activity (like passing cars), recording only what matters.
- Two-way audio: While visible cameras deter most criminals, two-way audio lets you tell persistent intruders to stay away or you’ll call the cops even when you’re not home.
Getting hands-on experience with outdoor security cameras made it easier to assess these features and narrow down our top picks. Let’s take a look at our findings and why these security cameras made the list.
Pro Tip: We make the most of our SimpliSafe Outdoor Camera Pro by pairing it with a SimpliSafe Pro monitoring plan. This unlocks Active Guard Outdoor Protection and video verification, which can reduce police response times1.
Outdoor Security Cameras Overview
| System |
SimpliSafe
|
ADT
|
Ring
|
Nest
|
Arlo
|
Wyze Cam Outdoor v2
|
Blink Outdoor
|
Lorex
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ranking | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th | 6th | 7th | 8th |
| Ratings | 9.9/10 | 9.8/10 | 9.5/10 | 9.2/10 | 8.8/10 | 8.3/10 | 8.4/10 | 9.0/10 |
| Price | $199.99 | $179.99+ | $79.99+ | $179.99+ | $49.99+ | $73.99+ | $99.99+ | $99.99+ |
| Resolution | 1080p HD | Up to 1080p | Up to 1080p | Up to 1080p | Up to 2160p | Up to 1080p | Up to 1080p | Up to 2160p |
| Field of View | 140° | Max of 130° | Max of 140° | Max of 130° | Max of 180° | Max of 130° | Max of 110° | Max of 160° |
| Monthly Plan | $4.99+ | $39.99+ | $3.00+ | $6.00+ | $2.99+ | $1.67+ | $4.99+ | N/A |
| Read Review | SimpliSafe Review | ADT Review | Ring Review | Nest Review | Arlo Review | Wyze Cam Outdoor v2 Review | Blink Outdoor Review | Lorex Review |
The Best Outdoor Cameras of 2025
- SimpliSafe - Best for Crime Prevention
- ADT - Best Outdoor Security Camera with Professional Monitoring
- Ring - Best Outdoor Security Cameras for Alexa
- Nest - Best DIY Outdoor Cam
- Arlo - Best Wireless Outdoor Security Cameras
- Wyze Cam Outdoor v2 - Best Outdoor Security Camera with Local Video Storage
- Blink Outdoor - Best Value
- Lorex - Best Hardware and Technology
A Closer Look at our Top Picks
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1. SimpliSafe - Best for Crime Prevention
Product Specs
Connectivity Wi-Fi Power Battery Field of View Up to 140º Resolution 1080p Storage Cloud Smart Platform Compatibility Alexa and Google Home SimpliSafe is one of the top home security systems, and it’s known for being simple yet effective. In keeping with this mission, SimpliSafe only offers one outdoor camera. However, we strongly believe it’s the best option on the market.One reason is the hardware. The SimpliSafe Outdoor Camera Pro is battery-powered and has an IP 65 rating. When we reviewed the SimpliSafe outdoor camera, it lived for about 4 months before running out of charge. It also had good video quality (1080p with HDR), two-way audio, solid night vision aided by a spotlight, and a 140-degree viewing angle. Those aren’t particularly exceptional, but as we’ll discuss next, it’s how SimpliSafe uses those features to deter crime that makes this outdoor camera special.
The SimpliSafe Outdoor Camera Pro installed along our property’s fence. Active Guard Outdoor Protection
One major drawback with this camera is that you can’t use it as a standalone device. It must connect to a SimpliSafe base station that acts as the brain of your security system. Because we highly recommend a SimpliSafe security system anyway, this isn’t a big drawback for us.
We’re particularly impressed by the way the Outdoor Camera works with the Pro and Pro Plus SimpliSafe subscriptions, which cost $49.99 and $79.99 per month, respectively. This combo enables the Outdoor Camera’s AI threat detection and Active Guard Outdoor Protection. When it detects a threat, a SimpliSafe agent uses your camera to assess the situation and scare off any perpetrator with the camera’s speaker, siren, and spotlight. These top-tier subscription plans also give you cellular backup and provide cloud storage for up to 10 SimpliSafe cameras.
FYI: When we tested this feature, we learned that the outdoor camera uses AI person detection to fine-tune its alerts. It didn’t trigger Active Guard when a cat wandered into our yard, but it did when the pizza delivery guy came to deliver our dinner.
All-Around Protection
The Outdoor Camera Pro is just one of the four available SimpliSafe cameras. If you also want front door protection, we’ve reviewed the SimpliSafe Video Doorbell Pro and it was pretty good. It’s hardwired, but it didn’t take us long to set it up.
SimpliSafe agents can also protect the inside of your house if you have the Wireless Indoor Camera. This feature, Intruder Intervention, is included in the Pro and Pro Plus plan prices. But hopefully the SimpliSafe agents won’t need to access it, as they do a pretty good job of turning people away using the Outdoor Camera Series 2 and its built-in siren and spotlight.
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2. ADT
Product Specs
Resolution Up to 1080p Field of View Up to 128° Power Wired, battery Connectivity Wi-Fi, ethernet Video Storage Cloud Smart Platform Compatibility Alexa and Google Home ADT offers the Google Nest Cam and Google Nest Cam with Floodlight for outdoor protection. The specs are similar between the two, except the Nest Cam with Floodlight adds a motion-activated light and color night vision. But both models are IP54 water-resistant, have two-way audio, and recognize faces day or night – which unlocks one of ADT’s best features, Trusted Neighbor.
Scrolling through some of the familiar faces our Nest Cam recognizes Facial Recognition and Trusted Neighbor
Trusted Neighbor stood out to us when testing ADT. Using the Nest Cam’s facial recognition feature, we could choose which frequent guests to approve access to our house. We chose our neighbor, who waters our plants while we’re on vacation. When the Nest Cam identifies them, the system disarms and the smart lock unlocks.
You can also set rules for emergencies. For example, if your smoke alarm detects a fire and your pets are inside, you can use Trusted Neighbor to unlock the door and let them out.
FYI: Nest Cams recognize more than just faces. We received different notifications for package deliveries versus vehicles entering our driveway. The outdoor cameras also alerted us when our cat wandered past to sunbathe on the front step.
Monitor What’s Important
Personalized alerts for every motion event can get overwhelming fast. You can toggle alerts manually, but activity zones simplify things by focusing cameras on the most important areas around your house. We outlined our front yard so the Nest Cams would ignore sidewalk pedestrians and street traffic.
Professional Monitoring and Installation
To access these camera features, you’ll need an ADT subscription. Unlike SimpliSafe, ADT only supports cameras with their Complete plan, starting at $39.99 per month. It unlocks video storage and all of the features in the Google Nest Cam. We find it costlier than most of the competition, but keep in mind that the plan also includes ADT’s industry-leading 24/7 professional monitoring.
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3. Ring - Best Outdoor Security Cameras for Alexa
View on Amazon Links to Amazon.com
Product Specs
Resolution Up to 1080p Field of View Up to 155° Power Wired, battery, PoE, solar Connectivity Wi-Fi, ethernet Video Storage Cloud Smart Platform Compatibility Alexa and Google Home
Ring is more than a video doorbell company. The Amazon brand has expanded into security cameras for the whole house. You don’t even need to buy a monitoring plan. Ring has a self-monitoring option that’s free. But we recommend signing up for a subscription as there are some great features like cellular backup and cloud storage for up to 180 days that make it worth your while.
Ring Spotlight Cam Pro with its light on Great Selection of Outdoor Cams
Ring’s outdoor camera lineup dwarfs those of ADT and SimpliSafe. Pricing for Ring’s outdoor cameras starts at $79.99, but goes up to over $200. There are also more power options with battery, solar, plug-in, hardwired, and even Power over Ethernet. Most recently, Ring started offering 4K cameras too, which ADT and SimpliSafe have yet to release.
We recommend comparing the features of the different models. For instance, the Outdoor Cam Plus can’t do 24/7 recording, but the Floodlight Cam Pro and Spotlight Cam Pro can. All options include a remote-activated siren, color night vision, and real-time notifications.
>> Learn More: Best Solar-Powered Security Cameras
Now, if you want security sensors in addition to security cameras, you could integrate a Ring Alarm security system. It’s a simple DIY solution with wireless sensors for security and home safety. The Ring Alarm is great for indoor monitoring, and with Ring’s outdoor cameras keeping watch of the perimeter, you’ll have a ring of security around your home.
Ring Alarm Equipment with Alexa We also liked that Ring integrates well with Alexa, the Amazon-made voice assistant. In particular, we enjoyed using Ring cameras with Alexa smart displays like the Echo Show 8 we reviewed. We could say commands like, “Alexa, show me my front lawn,” and the Ring cameras would start streaming live footage.
Ring works with Google smart displays too, like the Google Nest Hub we reviewed, but since Ring is owned by Amazon, we much preferred using Alexa.
These features were included with some or all weatherproof Ring camera models:
- 1080p resolution
- Custom motion zones
- Infrared night vision
- Two-way talk
- Spotlight
- Siren
It took us anywhere from five to 20 minutes to set up each camera. We didn’t buy the hardwired models, but we chose to mount some cameras to surfaces, which is why some took a little longer.
Affordable DIY and Pro Monitoring
Ring offers three subscription tiers. The Basic plan covers one camera or doorbell for $4.99 monthly. It includes an impressive 180 days of video history, when most of the competition offer only 30 days.
For multiple cameras, choose the Plus ($9.99 monthly) or Pro plan ($19.99 monthly). They both support unlimited cameras at one address. The Pro plan also adds up to 14 days of continuous recording, among a few other premium features. Both plans also allow you to add professional monitoring for an extra $10 per month, but this monitoring applies only to the Ring Alarm. If you want live guard monitoring similar to SimpliSafe’s Pro plans, you can get it for an additional $99. It’s quite expensive.
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4. Nest - Best DIY Outdoor Cam
View on Amazon Links to Amazon.com
Product Specs
Resolution Up to 1080p with HDR Field of View Up to 130° Power Wired, battery Connectivity Wi-Fi Video Storage Cloud Smart Platform Compatibility Alexa and Google Home
The Nest Cam is available as a standalone product without an ADT subscription. You’ll lose features like 24/7 professional monitoring and Trusted Neighbor, but the cameras still send personalized alerts for people, animals, and vehicles. If you’re trying to cut down false alarms, they can even ignore movement caused by animals and vehicles. We also like that it has facial recognition when added to a Nest Aware plan. We think that’s a great feature to have in an outdoor camera.
FYI: Facial recognition technology continues to improve, now achieving 99.5-percent accuracy.2 The rate will likely increase as companies better implement AI and machine learning.
Nest Camera and box As you can probably tell from its name, the Nest Cam (battery) is a battery-powered camera. That made our installation a lot easier compared to when we did Lorex. We didn’t need to plug it in and it connected to our Wi-Fi easily.
There was another outdoor Nest Cam though, but it requires hardwiring because it has built-in floodlights. It’s less versatile than the battery-powered Nest Cam, but should you need floodlights with a security camera, it could be a good choice. Just be prepared to pay an electrician to set it up. It needs to be hardwired to a junction box.
Pro Tip: Connect outdoor cameras to your 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi network instead of the 5 GHz band when possible. The 2.4 GHz band offers superior range and wall penetration, making it better for cameras positioned far from your router or separated by multiple walls.
About CVR, Do-It-Yourself Monitoring, & Pro Monitoring
You might not need an ADT subscription to use Nest Cams, but you’ll still pay a monthly fee – and it’s affordable. We paid $8 per month for unlimited cameras, or you can sign up for one year and pay only $80. If you need continuous recording, it will cost you $15 per month or $150 for the year. Here’s what’s included in the plans.
Nest Aware Nest Aware Plus $8/month or $80/year $15/month or $150/year 30 days of event history clips 60 days of event history clips No CVR 10-day CVR Familiar Face alerts Familiar Face alerts Access to e911 Access to e911 FYI: While most cloud-dependent cameras can’t store recordings offline, we discovered the Nest Cams cache event clips locally for up to three hours. This clever backup feature ensures footage is still recorded during brief Wi-Fi outages.
Just be aware that Nest’s CVR uses cloud storage – meaning it’s bandwidth-heavy. If you have more than two cameras constantly uploading video clips to the cloud, your Netflix stream might end up looking a little pixelated.
You should also note that CVR won’t work if your Nest Cams are running on batteries. If you have the Nest Cam (battery), you’d need to plug it into a weatherproof outdoor plug. That kind of defeats the purpose of buying a battery-powered outdoor camera, but sadly, that’s the only outdoor Nest Cam that doesn’t have hulking floodlights built in.
The advantage over Lorex’s local DVR recording is Nest’s extended 10-day cloud history. That’s longer than the seven days our four-camera Lorex system provides. Cloud storage is also safer because it eliminates the risk of losing recordings to damaged hardware, though it does require a reliable internet connection.
FYI: Well, maybe not so safe. Security systems and cameras can be hacked, especially if they’re connected to the internet 24/7. So when using a cloud-recording security camera, make sure your network is secure.
Four samples of Nest Cam video quality Compatibilities
As you would expect, Nest Cams can be operated with Google Assistant. We connected ours to the Google Home speaker to use voice commands. Some of the things we asked were to stream the garage camera on the TV and save videos to our Android smartphone.
We also used voice to control other equipment monitored by the Nest hub. For example, we got a child’s room ready for bed by saying, “Okay, Google. Dim the lights in the baby’s room.”
Overall, Nest makes the best DIY security cameras with continuous recording capabilities. They even offer professional installation starting at $115 if you want the help.
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5. Arlo - Best Wireless Outdoor Security Cameras
View Packages Links To Arlo.com
Product Specs
Resolution Up to 4K HD Field of View Up to 180° Power Wired, battery, solar, PoE Connectivity Wi-Fi, ethernet Video Storage Cloud Smart Platform Compatibility Alexa and Google Home
For DIYers seeking premium features, Arlo offers the best selection of outdoor wireless security cameras that don’t need a subscription. Pricing starts at $50, but every model includes color night vision and lighting capabilities, while flagship cameras add 4K video and cellular connectivity.
Arlo Pro 5S 2k mounted outside The Pro 5 2K is the standout to us with its 2K HDR video, color night vision, and impressive 12x zoom. It also has a 160-degree field of view and can last up to eight months on a single charge. That’s better than the Nest Cam’s three-month average. You can get your hands on this for just $179.99.
For something more advanced, you could grab the Ultra 2. It’s the most advanced security camera in Arlo’s lineup. It has a 180-degree view, 4K HDR, and it sends instant alerts the second motion is detected. The Ultra 2 has a built-in siren that sounds automatically when motion or audio is detected, so it can scare off intruders like SimpliSafe’s Active Guard Outdoor Protection. We also learned we could trigger it manually from the Arlo smartphone app and used it to scare raccoons off our garbage bins.
We’re also impressed by Arlo’s collection of indoor video security cameras. The Essential Indoor 2K costs just $39.99 and features 2K video, night vision, and two-way audio. We particularly like its automatic privacy shield that closes when the camera is unarmed. It also includes a siren – a feature absent from SimpliSafe’s Wireless Indoor Camera.
>> Related: Defender Security Camera Review
Monitoring Arlo Cameras
We used the Arlo app to monitor our cameras. It was easy to switch between live feeds, use the two-way talk feature, and activate smart lights and sirens. We could also review our notification history and watch video events.
Camera view and events on the Arlo Secure app To save recordings, you’ll need a cloud storage plan which costs $9.99 per month per camera or $19.99 per month for unlimited cameras. Both plans store up to 30 days of clips. While pricier than Nest Aware’s $10 unlimited plan, 4K cameras require more storage than 1080p models. To maximize value from Arlo’s subscription, we recommend deploying their 2K and 4K cameras throughout your property.
Pro Tip: Save 20 percent on Arlo subscriptions by choosing annual billing. The upfront payment provides significant savings over monthly plans.
Features
Some special features of Arlo Pro outdoor security cams include:
- Wire-free installation
- Color night vision
- Motion-activated spotlights
- Facial recognition
- White, black, and camouflage print
- Arlo Pro 3 and Arlo Ultra support Apple HomeKit.
Arlo’s main products were indoor cameras, outdoor cameras, and security floodlights. All in all, Arlo has the best deals on high-end home security cameras that we monitored ourselves. Their three weatherproof options covered the spectrum from 1080p to 4K, with infrared or color night vision. Discounts were given on two or more, and Arlo cloud storage for continuous video recordings was low-priced.
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6. Wyze Cam Outdoor v2 - Best with Local Video Storage
View on Amazon Links To Amazon
Product Specs
Resolution Up to 2K HD Field of View Up to 130° Power Wired, battery, solar Connectivity Wi-Fi Video Storage Cloud, local Smart Platform Compatibility Alexa and Google Home
Wyze is best known for its value cameras, and we recently saw great value from our Wyze Cam Outdoor v2. We paid $73.99 for the camera and got a slew of features in return: six-month battery life, PIR motion detection, and ability to identify smoke and CO alarms.
Our favorite feature has to be its support for local storage. Like most cameras from Wyze, the Wyze Cam Outdoor has an expandable local storage via a microSD card. It supports microSD cards up to 32 GB, and simply plugging one into the camera activates continuous recording. Even though the camera is small, it’s quite capable of protecting homes because of that.
Wyze Cam OG and Wyze Cam OG Telephoto The Wyze Family
The Wyze Cam v2 is just a part of the larger Wyze family of security cameras. And technically, almost every Wyze camera model can work as an outdoor camera. The base model, the Wyze Cam v3, is IP65 weatherproof. Just give it an outdoor-ready power cord and it’ll work outdoors.
The same is true for the more AI-heavy Wyze Cam v3 Pro, which has the same body as the Wyze Cam v3 but an upgraded 2K image resolution and faster AI detection.
Together, these other Wyze cameras can help the battery-powered Wyze Cam Outdoor make your home more secure.
Affordable Cloud Storage and Monitoring
Another thing that sets Wyze apart from the competition is that it can be monitored professionally, just like ADT. This requires the purchase of a separate monitoring system that includes a base station, keypad, and sensors. Here’s how it works with your Wyze cameras:
When the monitored camera is triggered, its AI will kick in to determine if a person triggered the motion sensor or something else. If it’s not a person, it will only notify you. If it’s a person, the camera will send footage to the monitoring center. There, an agent will verify the alarm. If it’s a real alarm, they’ll try to get in touch with you and at the same time call the police if necessary.
Professional monitoring is available through the Wyze Home Monitoring plan, which costs $30 per month. If you want to self-monitor your system, there are plans for video storage and other features starting at $2.99 per month.
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7. Blink Outdoor - Most Affordable Outdoor Cameras
View on Amazon Links to Amazon.com
Product Specs
Resolution Up to 1080p Field of View Up to 143° Power Battery, wired, solar Connectivity Wi-Fi Video Storage Cloud, local Smart Platform Compatibility Alexa
Blink sells reliable security cameras starting at $34.99, with the Blink Outdoor 4 available for $99.99. These cameras include mobile alerts and local storage via the Sync Module 2 without monthly fees, which is one reason we believe Blink is among the most budget-friendly outdoor camera option.
Blink Outdoor 4 Camera Cameras by Blink weren’t feature-rich but were good value for DIY video security. They were easy to install, had motion detection with customizable zones, and recorded with infrared vision at night.
How much storage did Blink provide for free? Each Sync Module 2 can connect with up to 10 Blink cameras, and while it doesn’t have any sort of built-in video storage, you can plug in a USB flash drive up to 256 GB to use as storage. Given the Blink cameras’ video resolution, 256GB should be enough to store months of motion and sound event videos.
If you wish to have cloud backup, though, Blink’s cloud plans are affordable, too. They start at $3 per month for 60 days of cloud storage for one camera, and go as high as $10 per month for 60 days of cloud storage for unlimited cameras.
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8. Lorex - Best Overall Outdoor Cam
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Product Specs
Resolution Up to 4K HD Field of View Up to 180° Power Wired, battery, PoE Connectivity Wi-Fi, ethernet Video Storage Cloud, Local Smart Platform Compatibility Alexa and Google Home
If you prefer to choose from a range of security cameras, then ADT or SimpliSafe might not be for you. While it’s a great camera and our number one pick, we’d recommend checking out Lorex, which offers outdoor security cameras in various shapes and styles.
You’ll find bullet cameras like the ones used in malls and models with advanced features like facial recognition. We even considered one that has two lenses to create a wider viewing angle. Lorex’s price range is also budget friendly, with cameras starting at $55 and going as high as $1400 for top-of-the-line 4K models.
>> More info: Best 4K Security Cameras
Lorex Cam Outside Scalability of Lorex Security Camera Systems
Despite their advanced features, Lorex systems remain affordable. We only paid $700 for four cameras and a DVR. This covered our entire property, though you might be able to get away with a smaller package if you strategically place your cameras to maximize coverage.
This should be easy as Lorex has a wide range of cameras available with different fields of view and security features. Keep in mind that you can mix and match models. You could get a wireless 4K camera to cover the front yard and a cheaper plug-in outdoor camera for lower-priority areas.
Setting up our Lorex 4k Dual-Lens Camera
Continuous Local Recording
If you live in high-activity areas, continuous recording to a DVR could be worth your while. Cameras that only record events can miss moments or start recording too late. Lorex records 24/7 and stores every second so you can review it later. The DVR that came with our four-camera system could store a week’s worth of footage.
Just prepare yourself that you’ll need to wire each camera to the DVR, which isn’t easy. We had to snake the wires through the ceiling and use power tools to put the cameras in place. It’s worth it, though, as you don’t need to constantly check batteries or adjust for a better wireless connection. Once they were online, they started recording.
Features to Look For
As you compare outdoor security cameras, keep these important factors in mind:
- Power Source: Choose between plug-in (reliable but limited placement), battery (flexible but needs recharging), or solar power (eco-friendly but weather-dependent). Each top brand offers wire-free models with rechargeable batteries lasting three to eight months. Wired cameras often include short battery backups for power outages.
- Continuous Video Recording: Some outdoor security cameras only recorded audio and video when triggered by trespassers. Others could record continuously. Continuous video recording was sometimes advertised as CVR.
- Resolution: Resolution on leading cameras ranged from 720p to 4K. The most common was 1080p, which meant video that was 1080 pixels tall and 1920 pixels wide.
- Recording Cost: While live viewing is typically free through smartphone apps, recording footage usually requires a paid subscription. Plans range from $3 to $20 monthly depending on features like cloud storage duration and camera quantity, but you can avoid this monthly fee with a camera that supports local storage like Blink or Lorex.
- Two-Way Voice: Our selections for best outdoor security cameras captured exceptionally clear audio. Ideally, they’d have all had echo cancellation and other advanced audio features. Some also had two-way voice, which let us holler at potential criminals or stay in touch with family members around our property.
- Doorbell Video Camera: A wide-angle doorbell camera guarded our doorstep and provided us with a long-range view. A smart-motion detector ignored running squirrels and swaying trees and alerted us of a person’s presence, even if they didn’t ring the bell. A smartphone app let us use two-way talk and gave the impression that we were at home, no matter where we were. Additionally, some doorbell security cameras, such as the Nest video doorbell, recognized familiar faces and played pre-recorded messages for expected visitors.
We recommend starting with the essential features first, such as durability and power source. Then consider upgrading to features like AI technology and intruder deterrence. The outdoor camera should also give you good bang for your buck. While we’re on the subject of costs, let’s compare the prices of the best outdoor security cameras.
Pricing Rundown
| Outdoor Camera | Price |
|---|---|
| Nest Cam with Floodlight | $279.99 |
| Lorex H2O 4K Wired Dual Lens Security Camera | $279.99 |
| Arlo Pro 5S | $179.99 |
| Nest Cam Battery | $179.99 |
| Ring Spotlight Cam Battery | $199 |
| Canary Flex | $169 |
| Blink Outdoor | $99.99 |
There are outdoor security cameras to suit every budget. Naturally, you’ll get what you pay for. We recommend spending a little extra for high-quality cameras that don’t need to be replaced annually. When setting your budget, don’t forget to factor in additional costs like professional monitoring and cloud storage.
Outdoor Security Camera Methodology
So just how did we pick out the outdoor security cameras on our list? In this section, we discuss the methodology that led to our selections in detail.
Design
Aside from simple aesthetics, we considered whether we wanted our camera to be wired or wireless. While having a camera wired to our home definitely made installation harder, we liked the idea that we wouldn’t have to worry about changing a battery. However, we also wondered how far many of the outdoor cameras would reach from outdoor outlets. Additionally, some cameras required hubs, bridges, or DVRs, so we also took those costs into account before we made our purchases.
The main thing we looked for design-wise was durability. That came in the form of a temperature range and an IP rating, which measured how susceptible an object was to both solids and liquids.
| IP Ratings | Solids | Liquids |
|---|---|---|
| 0 | Not Protected | None |
| 1 | A large body surface like the back of a hand, but no intentional contact with a body part | Dripping water falling vertically |
| 2 | Fingers of similar objects | Dripping water falling from 15-degree tilt |
| 3 | Tools, thick wires, etc. | Spraying water |
| 4 | Most wires, screws, etc | Splashing water |
| 5 | Dust protected | Water jets 6.3mm and below |
| 6 | Dust tight | Powerful water jets 12.5mm and below |
| 7 | N/A | Immersion up to 1m |
| 8 | N/A | Immersion over 1m |
Make sure wherever you live and its weather conditions are compatible with your outdoor security camera before purchasing— you’ll thank me later.
Features
Of course, like with any security camera, we applied our necessary features test to all of our outdoor cameras. Dive in with us as we review our thought process behind each type of feature we sought during the selection of 2025’s best outdoor security cameras.
Video
Display-wise, we looked for a camera that had at least 1080p HD video display, the current industry standard. We also preferred cameras that zoomed-in optically and that had fields of view that were 120 degrees or greater. That gave us the widest, clearest, and most detailed view possible.
Audio
We looked for cameras that had both speakers and microphones built-in, as that enabled two-way audio and let us speak to whoever the camera was focused on. This proved quite useful not only for telling our kids to come in for dinner but also for scaring away luckers or potential intruders remotely. This was a security camera, after all!
Night Vision
We specifically selected cameras that included infrared night vision rather than color night vision via a bright white light. Infrared was much more inconspicuous, which was definitely a quality we looked for in a smart security camera. Additionally, we always tested out the camera’s night vision before making a purchase.
Storage
We were also big on ensuring that our cameras came with enough storage to make owning an outdoor security camera worthwhile. We preferred cameras that offered both cloud and local storage, whether that was through a Dropbox, micro-SD card, hard drive, or what have you.
Smart Platform Integrations
Since smart security was pretty much the standard, we searched for cameras that fit perfectly into our smart home, whether it was through Amazon, Google, or Apple.
Artificial Intelligence
Another thing we preferred in outdoor security cameras was person detection, which helped us differentiate between people and other moving objects like animals, cars, etc. A. It made our notifications smarter and more specific, so it was easier to monitor our home with minimal effort.
We considered it extra points if the camera had facial recognition, which, after a period of time, learned specific familiar faces and identified unfamiliar ones.
FYI: Companies are now experimenting with AI algorithms to identify real-time threats.3 These AI systems can even detect suspicious people and vehicles, enabling faster response to security incidents.
Convenience
The convenience of easy installation was a big deal for us, as most of the cameras we selected were DIY. While we knew we could always hire a professional if we weren’t confident, the majority of these cameras were designed to be installed by non-professionals in less than 20 minutes.
Value
As we witnessed in the pricing rundown, the tags on these cameras varied. Nevertheless, when we decided to buy something, we always double-checked to ensure the price coordinates logically matched with the number of necessary features met.
Mobile Application
We used mobile apps to manage our outdoor security cameras. The apps let us adjust settings, stream live footage, view storage, and review notifications. We even used the app to have conversations with visitors via two-way audio. To meet our standards, we required user-friendly apps with easy access to features.
How To Power Outdoor Security Cameras
Outdoor security cameras are typically wireless, powered by either batteries or solar panels. However, there are plug-in outdoor cameras available to those with nearby outdoor outlets. To power outdoor security cameras, either recharge your camera in the home, replace the batteries, plug it into an outlet or attach a solar panel.
Outdoor Security Camera FAQs
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Is it better to have wired or wireless outdoor security cameras?
Wired outdoor security cameras are more reliable and offer a consistent connection. The only challenge is choosing a spot to route cables. Wireless outdoor security cameras offer greater flexibility, but they depend on strong Wi-Fi or cellular signals.
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Do you need the internet for wireless outdoor security cameras?
Some outdoor security cameras, like the Arlo Go 2, connect to cellular networks instead of your home internet. This is handy if you live in a large home and your Wi-Fi coverage is limited.
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How do you choose an outdoor camera?
We recommend reviewing the weatherproof ratings for outdoor cameras, checking the night vision resolution, and understanding how you access footage. Extra features like two-way audio, person detection, and smart home integration are also worth considering.
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Where is the best place to put cameras outside the house?
You should install outdoor cameras at all entry points and position them to monitor windows, driveways, and garages.
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How high should an outdoor security camera be?
We recommend mounting cameras eight to ten feet off the ground. It’s high enough that thieves can’t reach it and you’ll get the most out of the camera’s field of view.
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National Monitoring Center. (2025). Video Verification.
https://nmccentral.com/video-verification/ -
Precedence Research. (2025). Facial Recognition Market Size, Share, and Trends 2025 to 2034.
https://www.precedenceresearch.com/facial-recognition-market -
Grand View Research. (2025). AI In Video Surveillance Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis Report.
https://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/artificial-intelligence-ai-video-surveillance-market-report
