The Best Outdoor Security Camera in 2023: Buying Guides

When it comes to innovative home technology, one of the top outdoor security cameras is essential if you want to monitor what is happening outside your beloved home. You need a camera that can not only provide a good image so you can see what's happening day or night but also one that can withstand the elements in all weather.

But how can you tell which security cameras will really give you peace of mind, which have the features you need, and fit in your budget when there are so many on the market? We have tested hundreds of devices from the leading manufacturers in a range of pricing points to see how they functioned in practical settings. Below is the list of our top choices.

• Best overall: Ring Spotlight Cam

• Best for smart homes: Nest Cam

• Best Budget: Wyze Cam v3

• Best video: Arlo Pro 4

• Best battery life: Blink Outdoor

1. Ring Spotlight Cam

Product’s Specifications

• Video resolution: 1080p 

• Field of view: 130° Diagonal, 110° Horizontal, 57° Vertical

• Night vision: Yes

• Extra Features: full-duplex audio, weather resistant, local storage, night vision, two-way talk, 25-feet night vision

• Smart Home Compatibility: Alexa

• Cloud Storage: $3/month and $30/year

Product’s Highlights

The Ring brand is well-known for its doorbell models, and Ring incorporates the same slick styling and intelligent technology into the little Ring Spotlight Camera. Using a PC or mobile device, you can easily connect with anybody in your home from wherever you are. Although it has a higher price, we believe its benefits and quality make up for it.

Ring Spotlight Cam offers a two-in-one anti-theft feature; when motion is detected, the video begins capturing, and the light turns on. You may also create your own unique motion zones to guarantee that the regions you wish to monitor are always safe.

Because this model is run by the power of a battery, solar panel, or hardwire, so you can install it anywhere you wish without worrying it will stop functioning when being out of power. 

Pros

• Good app

• Great battery life

Cons

• No local storage

• Best features need subscription

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2. Nest Cam

Product’s Specifications

• Video resolution: 1080p HDR 

• Field of view: 130 degrees

• Night vision: Yes

• Extra Features: full-duplex audio, weather resistant, local storage, night vision, two-way talk

• Smart Home Compatibility: Google Assistant

• Cloud Storage: $6/month

Product’s Highlights

This Net Cam from Google is one of the best outdoor security cameras that doesn't let us down. Numerous functions are available, including two-way communication, movement and activity alarms, and connectivity with smart homes. Since it works with the two most widely used smart home systems, Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa, we're particularly fond of its interoperability with smart homes.

Despite being the finest outside camera with continuous recording, the Google Nest Cam Outdoor requires a Nest Aware registration to use this function. Similar reasoning applies to person alerts, which lessen the incidence of erroneous alarms.

Recording footage from all of your Nest cameras costs between $6 and $12 per month, with savings if you pay for an entire year in advance. We have to rank this top security system in the second position on our list since some of its greatest features are only available with an additional financial commitment.

Pros

• Great app to use

• Wide view

• Fast setup

• Aesthetic design

Cons

• Best features need subscription

• Not high-quality video

• High price

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3. Wyze Cam v3

Product’s Specifications

• Video resolution: 1080p

• Field of view: 110 degrees

• Extra Features: Night vision, weather resistant, local storage, night vision, two-way talk

• Smart Home Compatibility: Alexa, Google Assistant

• Cloud Storage: Free for 14 days; after that $1.25/month

Product’s Highlights

The Wyze Cam v3 is the star of Wyze's whole series of security cameras. It costs less than $30 and outperforms the Wyze Cam v2 in every manner.

Thanks to a starlight sensor and two different types of infrared LEDs, the camera is good at recording at night, producing full-color video and a brighter image when the night falls. Despite these upgrades, you'll still receive better recordings during the day like most security cameras.

Pros

• Low price

• Local storage

• Free 14-day cloud storage

• Built-in siren

• Used for both indoor and outdoor

Cons

• Field of view limitation

• Free cloud storage video up to 12 seconds

• Wired cord for power

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4. Arlo Pro 4

Product’s Specifications

• Video resolution: 2K HDR 

• Field of view: 160 degrees

• Extra Features:  Weather Resistant, live streaming, two-way talk, night vision

• Smart Home Compatibility: Google Assistant

• Cloud Storage: $2.99/ month

Product’s Highlights

Arlo's new Pro series camera is a terrific product with many capabilities. This Arlo Pro 4 records 2K videos with a 160-degree field of view. It also offers two-way conversation, color night vision, a built-in siren, a flashlight and so on.

This camera is more expensive than the budget option, the Wyze Cam V3, but it is well worth the extra money. Spending $3/month, you can use more great features like movement detection, smart warnings, and 30 days of history storage. This best outdoor security camera also includes a local storage option as well. 

Pros

• Great performance

• Concrete design

• Used for both indoor and outdoor

Cons

• Limited free features

• Expensive 

• Wire-free design

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5. Blink Outdoor

Product’s Specifications

• Video resolution: 1080p

• Field of view: 110 degrees

• Extra Features: half-duplex audio, infrared night vision, two-way talk weather resistant, local storage, battery powered

• Smart Home Compatibility: Alexa

• Cloud Storage: $3/month and $30/year

Product’s Highlights

The Blink Outdoor is a great security camera for people looking for a totally wireless outdoor camera for under $100. The camera is run by two AA batteries which can be used for 2 years. It interacts wirelessly with a tiny base station linked to your Wi-Fi network. 

The Blink Outdoor is waterproof and has a handy mounting rack. The 1080p footage it records is adequate for the price. While it does not provide free cloud storage, it lets you save data and information locally on a USB. Cloud storage costs $3/month or $30/year. 

Pros

• Adequate audio and video quality

• Local storage

• Long battery life

Cons

• Poor person identification

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1. How many cameras will I require?

The number of outdoor security cameras you require is determined by several factors, including the size of the region to be covered and the camera's range of view.

If you want to monitor different places in your house, like the garage and backyard, you'll probably need a camera for each area. And depending on the size of the place you are installing the camera and its wide-angle vision, you may need many cameras to cover the entire area.

2. How can I determine whether a camera is weatherproof?

An outdoor security camera must be able to endure the vagaries of nature, and the easiest way to determine this is to look at the IP (Ingress Protection).

The first number in an IP rating indicates how difficult it is for dust and water to get inside the camera housing. The second one indicates how tamper-resistant the enclosure is.

3. How do outdoor security cameras acquire power?

Outdoor security cameras can be powered by a battery or by connecting to your home's electrical infrastructure.

Safeguarding your house is no longer a concern with the best outdoor security camera. We do hope that you can find the right one to protect your home without wasting a lot of money.