Why I like it:

I’ve chosen the versatile C120 indoor/outdoor cam as the best pick for buyers who want a little of everything — with a fairly low initial cost, too. Tapo’s blend of subscription-free features (there is a Tapo plan, but it’s far from necessary) offers person recognition and onboard video storage with the purchase of a microSD card.

Another advantage of the C120 is its 2K resolution — higher than many of TP-Link’s budget models — and its magnetic base, which makes placement easy whether you’re using it indoors or out. Just keep in mind you’ll still need a safe outlet nearby. It also comes with color night vision and compatibility with both Alexa and Google Home/Assistant. TP-Link’s app also allows for a couple of neat tricks, including digital boundary lines that act as motion zones and customizable siren/light alarms.

Who is this for?

Buyers who want a highly versatile camera that doesn’t require fees to enable important features.

Who shouldn’t buy it:

Those who want a more compact design or a simpler app to use.

Why I like it:

I’m starting to give Wyze cameras a new chance now that it’s been a couple of years since Wyze has had any security incidents. This 2.5K-resolution, fourth-gen version of its flagship camera, while a bit delicate, offers a versatile indoor/outdoor design that you can mount (with included adhesive stickers) nearly anywhere you want, as long as there’s a suitable wired connection nearby.

For under $40, Wyze’s cam offers an impressive lineup of free features, including detection of vehicles, people, pets and packages (which I’ve tested) and settings to adjust the sensitivity of the camera in multiple ways. If you’re looking for an especially good budget choice, this Wyze cam closely rivals my top Tapo pick.

Finally, the camera has a microSD slot to support local video storage too, rounding off its free features.

Who is this for?

Buyers looking for a budget camera, people who want very good object recognition without paying for it,and people who want a camera that can function indoors or outside.

Who shouldn’t buy it:

People who need a wireless camera those focused on a durable, outdoor-dedicated camera.

Why I like it:

I found Aqara’s hub to offer smooth performance, a very clear app view of its 2K camera (1080p continuous recording), and pan/tilt functions to cover an entire room. You also get person detection and noise detection for free, and video storage via the microSD slot. Setup proved very straightforward, too, and there’s even some Apple Home compatibility along with Google and Alexa (hopefully more as the Matter standard embraces security cameras more fully).

This camera also has a hidden benefit with its “hub” status. It can connect to other Aqara security sensors to transform into a mini security system if you want, without needing any additional hubs, allowing for better whole-room protection and interesting home routines. That makes features like its customizable siren even more useful.

Who is this for?

Those looking for a crystal clear indoor pan/tilt camera that doesn’t demand fees for extras like object recognition, plus the opportunity to expand into other security sensors in the future.

Who shouldn’t buy it:

People who don’t care about other home security compatibility, or who don’t need a lot of AI identification features.

Why I like it:

Eufy has long been a reliable brand for getting important AI features like person and animal detection without the need for a subscription. Its latest 4K, pan/tilt outdoor two-pack goes another step and adds the HomeBase 3, which you can use for video storage (up to 16GB) without the need to buy a separate hub.

This cam comes not only with two-way audio for talking or sounding a siren, but also a built-in solar panel. Solar panel add-ons are common for wireless cams, but Eufy has included its panel as part of the design. Find a reasonably sunny place, and the camera will be able to keep its battery charged during much of the year, saving you a step.

The included HomeBase also comes with another benefit, enabling support for Google, Amazon Alexa and Apple (Apple HomeKit/Siri support is harder to find), which makes this cam a good choice for Apple fans who want some outdoor protection.

Who is this for?

Those looking for an extra-high-resolution pan/tilt outdoor camera that doesn’t require fees to enable AI and storage, and manages its own battery life in ideal conditions.

Who shouldn’t buy it:

People who won’t want a solar cam, users who can’t stand clunky apps or additional hubs to manage.

Why I like it:

If you’re looking to invest in a higher-end outdoor cam and don’t mind spending extra for a full suite of features when you know no subscriptions will be coming your way, Lorex has an excellent floodlight camera for looking over a large outdoor space. It offers 2K resolution, color night vision, two-way audio and an included 32GB microSD card. That’s a fairly complete package, even without the free person, vehicle and animal protection that’s also included — or the support for Alexa and Google Assistant.

But the biggest feature of this cam is the two LED floodlights. I like Lorex’s floodlight approach more than most: You can adjust the angles and set specific brightness and color temperature levels, as well as how easily they are activated. That’s a level of customization that is comparatively rare in home security lighting.

Who is this for?

People who want a customizable floodlight camera that doesn’t come with monthly subscription requirements, buyers who don’t want to buy an extra microSD card — but don’t mind paying more for a powerful camera.

Who shouldn’t buy it:

People who want to save money, or who already have plenty of outdoor lighting.

Why I like it:

Blink does offer a subscription plan with video recording and storage, but I’m adding it as an effective option because of the Sync Module 2 — this compact, square hub connects to the Blink Outdoor 2K Plus and allows you to plug in a USB flash drive and use it for local storage. That largely removes the need for any subscription. You still get Blink’s motion-activated alerts and incredibly easy-to-use app, so subscription fees become very optional.

Note that the Outdoor 2K Plus comes with a free hub, but it doesn’t have video storage, which is why you’ll need to upgrade to the Sync Module 2.

Otherwise, the Blink Outdoor 2K Plus follows the Outdoor 4 as one of my favorite models for battery life with lithium AAs that can last up to two years. The upgraded 2K resolution is also very welcome, and the Blink app is one of my favorite security apps for easy management, too.

Who is this for?

People who want an all-purpose wireless outdoor camera with batteries that last for years, preferably with a spare USB drive handy for storage.

Who shouldn’t buy it:

Those who can’t stand managing extra hubs, or are looking for indoor cams.

That can vary from subscription to subscription. Companies like Ring, Arlo and others lock their cloud video storage features in subscriptions, and while there are sometimes local workarounds, they’re rarely convenient or cheap. Advanced object detection is frequently accessed only through subscriptions, as are “rich” notifications and alerts that provide more detail about what’s happening. Certain video features, like extended live views, snapshot timelapses or home/away modes, can also be trapped in subscriptions.

More advanced subscriptions typically expand the plan for multiple devices and may add professional home monitoring and AI detection with better alerts. Arlo, for example, unlocks customized objection detection and AI video searches at higher tiers.

They’re getting more affordable all the time. You can find a 256GB (a massive amount of storage for a home security camera) microSD card for under $20 these days. Smaller cards will cost significantly less, around $10 or less, but you may have to delete videos more often with them.

If you like keeping and accessing your video in the cloud, you’ll probably have to pay a subscription. Free cloud storage does exist, but it’s hard to find. Google’s Nest cams offer free video storage for 3 hours, but you’ll need to act within that timeframe to save the video, so you’ll need to check alerts fast. Currently, we don’t know of any other cameras that have free video storage like this, but most will offer a monthly trial of their cloud services so you can see how they work.

That depends on how often and long it records. A 32GB card like the one Lorex provides in some cams can record for a few hours at 1080p, much less at higher resolutions. Upgrading to a larger card means you don’t have to worry about deleting videos as often.

Keep in mind, cameras record video only on activation, usually by motion detection, so you can manage activation by adjusting your motion sensitivity if you want to cut down on the number of videos that get uploaded.

NAS stands for network-attached storage and is often used in conjunction with NVR, or network video recorder. An NVR is similar to a DVR, except it records footage from your cams. NAS storage like this is typically used for large security systems with an array of cams that record a lot of footage and need a central database to store and view it.

An NVR isn’t necessary for the average home security system with local storage. Some may consider it for off-the-grid security or security systems that never need to connect to the internet.

Look at our recommendations to see picks from brands known for nonsubscription cameras. Top brands include Tapo, Reolink, Lorex and Eufy, which all focus on on-board storage options (although many do have cloud subscriptions if you change your mind).

Cloud storage loads videos onto servers managed by security companies. That generally makes it easier to manage and sort videos, take advantage of AI video searches and upload as many clips as you want without worrying about storage limits. It also makes it easier to download and share videos as needed. But you have to pay a monthly fee, usually $3 to $10.

Local storage is more private and doesn’t require fees, but you need to buy a separate hub or microSD card, and you’ll have to occasionally delete videos or arrange settings so videos auto-delete after a certain time.

Yes. Nonsubscription cameras still connect to Wi-Fi and enable remote control without a subscription. It’s very rare for any brand to lock live views and basic alerts behind a subscription.

That varies, but they usually do and all our picks have basic AI detection like this. However, it’s not usually as comprehensive or accurate as the type of detection that you get with a subscription service. Some detection, like facial recognition, is always locked behind a paywall.

Depending on the model of the security camera, you can typically expect either built-in storage, a local microSD card slot, a free cloud storage tier, or a combination of options. Some models from Reolink record directly to a microSD card while Eufy models have built-in 16GB of storage which is further expandable to as much as 16TB.