Watch your home from anywhere!!
Several companies that manufacture home security products have simplified the process, which directly caters to do-it-yourselfers. What Is the best indoor security camera? Well, we’ll find out!
We’re going to go over the top 6 indoor security cameras that can be installed without the costs of hiring installation professionals.
The runners-up are:
- SimpliSafe
- Ring
- Nest
- Honeywell
- Amazon
- Arlo
All of these companies have other products and packages that will secure your windows, doors, and exterior. But as the title denotes, we’re going to put their other products aside, and concentrate on what these companies offer with their cameras only.
Since many of these brands have similar features from one another, we’ll point out things that stand out for each camera. In the end, we’ll try to figure out who has the best indoor camera out of these six contenders, using their lowest cost items.
Simplisafe Simplicam
- 120-Degree Field of Vision
- Microphone
- HD Video & Audio
- 24/7 free Live Streaming
- Motion Alerts
- Intelligent Motion Detection Technology
- Plugs Into Outlet
- Connects via Wi-Fi
- 30 FPS- H.264 Encoding
- Night Vision
- No Paid Subscription Necessary to Use the Camera
Though there are impressive features provided by this little camera, the most impressive is the intelligent motion sensor. This sensor detects human body temperatures. Things like moving branches, birds flying by outside your window, cats and dogs, or other ordinary things that move around won’t start sending you false alarms.
Ring Indoor HD Security Cam
- 1080p HD
- Live View
- Night Vision
- 140° Diagonal, 115° Horizontal, 60° Vertical Field of View
- 2-way Audio with Noise Cancellation
- Plugs Into Outlet
- Connects via Wi-Fi
- No Paid Subscription Necessary to Use the Camera
- Advanced Motion Detection with Customizable Motion Zones
This security camera allows you to set up motion zones within the field of view. This means that if there’s something in the field of view that might wind up sending you false alarms, you can eliminate that section from triggering the camera. This is a useful feature that will save you a good deal of set up time and aggravation, dealing with false alarms.
Google Nest-Cam Indoor Security Camera
- 130 Degree Field of View
- Night Vision
- Up to 1080p HD
- Plugs Into Outlet
- Speaker – Microphone 2 Way Audio
- Connects via Wi-Fi
- 8x Digital Zoom
- 30 FPS
- Video and Audio Triggering
- No Paid Subscription Necessary to Use the Camera
The 8x zoom feature is beneficial in the event you need to get greater detail on something that has triggered the camera. Also, you can zoom the camera in to remove outlying things such as windows or other potential natural triggers in a room. The audio triggering technology used with this camera is also a benefit because things don’t always fall within the frame. Any loud bangs or breaks will send an alarm to your Nest app.
Honeywell C2 Wi-Fi Security Camera
Click Here For Today’s Best Price!!
- Connects via Wi-Fi
- Up to 4 FOV Zones to Modify Trigger Sensitivity
- 1080p
- 30 FPS
- 6x Digital Zoom
- 145 Degree Field of View
- Night Vision
- Geofencing
- Works with Amazon Alexa
- No Paid Subscription Necessary to Use the Camera
Honeywell has created a unique feature corresponding with the Honeywell app and the camera called Geofencing. This feature tracks your location, telling the camera to activate when you’re away, and shut down when you’re approaching your home. This can be turned on or off, so that you can leave the camera on after you’re in your home for the night.
Amazon Blink Indoor Home Security Camera
Today’s Price Can be Found Here!! (this is an add-on camera, it would need the sync module for it to function)
- 720p HD
- 2 Way Audio
- Connects via Wi-Fi
- Battery Powered
- 30 FPS
- 110 Degree Field of View
- Light to illuminate Low-Light Settings
- Temperature Monitoring
- No Paid Subscription Necessary to Use the Camera
Despite the lack of night vision, the Blink Indoor Home Security Camera has one thing that the others don’t- battery operation. The lack of worrying about the limits of a power chord opens up your options when it comes to the placement of your camera. Also, this camera uses temperature monitoring to catch any strange temperature discrepancies that cross the sensors.
Arlo Wire-Free HD Security Camera
Check Here for Current Pricing!!
- 1080p HD
- Connects via Wi-Fi
- 110 Degree Field of View
- Digital Pan & Zoom
- Night Vision
- Battery Powered
- Base Station
- Indoor/Outdoor Weather Resistant Shell
- Adjustable Sensitivity Motion Detection
- No Paid Subscription Necessary to Use the Camera
- Smart Scheduling – Geofencing
The Arlo Security Camera has one leg-up on the other cameras because it is weather resistant. This makes it a more versatile camera and gives you unlimited mounting possibilities up to 300 feet from the base station. The motion detector sensitivity can be manipulated by extending or retracting the sensor’s reach. This is good to avoid unnecessary alerts.
What is the Best Indoor Security Camera Out of these 6?
To narrow down the playing field, a number of questions will have to be answered.
1. Which camera is the cheapest? At just under $60.00, Ring takes the mantle as the most affordable out of these six.
2. Which camera has the most features? After looking into the functions of all of these cameras on their manufacturer’s pages, Nest takes the lead relating to the number of useful features.
3. Which Camera would be the easiest for the do-it-yourselfer to install? All of these cameras are friendly on the DIY community. However, because of the lack of power chords and needing to worry about placement distance from outlets, the Amazon Blink and Arlo come in neck and neck in this category.
And the Winner Is!
Out of the six security cameras, the best of the bunch would be the Nest-Cam Indoor Security Camera. This is determined by what you get for the money in terms of essential security features. The Nest camera has all of the basics (which other more expensive candidates don’t have), and a lot of extras- and still doesn’t require a base station to use.
Other cameras were eliminated for several reasons. No night vision, no 2-way audio, and no zoom capabilities were among these factors.
Conclusion
All of the factors that were used to determine which is the best security camera were based only on the features available, and the degree of getting what you’re paying for. The more expensive cameras might have fewer yet more powerful features.
If you don’t care about the camera having 2-way audio, but don’t want to deal with power wires, then you’d probably not want to go with the Nest and instead get the battery-operated Blink or Arlo Cameras.
At the end of the day, the best choice for you will significantly depend on your needs. Everyone has a different set of requirements, and it’s important to make sure you have that established before selecting a security camera.
Please leave a comment, a suggestion, a question, or any input you may have on this article and the products we’ve been discussing. The experience individuals have varies greatly and your input is valuable!
Thank you for providing this in-depth and thorough review! I’m very excited I came across your information as recently my family and I were discussing getting an indoor security camera from when we are out of town. We have heard from friends that Amazon sells some decent brands. There are many to choose from which can be overwhelming. We also have two dogs so it is important for us to have a camera that does ‘live view’ streaming for pet monitoring in real time which I see the Blink Indoor Home Security Camera provides from Amazon. Do you know if the video records and if so, for how long? Thank you for sharing!
Hi Lindsey and thanks for your comments and questions. The camera will record up to a 10-second clip upon the detection of motion. These clips are stored in the cloud, and you can set it to save for 7 days, 14 days, or even up to a year. Once you reach your maximum storage the oldest clips will auto-delete. In the event motion is ongoing, the camera will continue to capture these clips with a short delay between each clip (as the camera turns off and back on). But there is also a micro USB connector on the camera which would allow you to add your own on-site storage.
I hope this helps!
Darrin
About a year ago when I used to live with my aunt, she had the Arlo camera kit around her whole house. Inside, outside, in the garage, literally everywhere. It worked really well and it was easy to install. From the other camera systems that you provided, I can see that all of them are extremely affordable and with high quality coverage which is something we all want. In times like the ones we’re currently living we need to stay safe in our homes and what better than having one of these cameras sets?!
Thanks for your comments Stephanie! They are all great cameras and each have their own specific need to fill. Feel free to comment or ask questions on here anytime.
Darrin
As we live on the outskirts of our small country town, we have been wondering if a security camera setup is in our future. You have given us such a wide selection of both prices and features. I am not particularly tech-savvy, so wondered what you mean when you say easy to install? Will there be wires to run, holes to drill?
I don’t mind asking for help with the install part, but was just wondering beforehand if we are talking high degrees of difficulty. Also, are the directions complex? I hate to admit that sometimes the directions are not as clear to me as they might be. This will help me know how many meals I need to be prepared to cook for my son. who is the one I’ll probably ask for help from? Will it be a 3-hour job ar a 5-hour one? I know, these are unimportant to you guys who are more technology knowledgable than me. That is why we appreciate your instructive reviews of things that may be coming up for us.
Hi Sami! Thanks for your comments and questions. There are no wires to run. Most of the cameras on this review have plugs that go right into the wall, but the Blink is battery powered. So, it’s simply a matter of finding your spot, attaching a few screws and turning the units on. Very simple, and all of these reputable companies have support that is helpful and friendly. And the reason I believe they offer such available help is because almost no one ever has to call them. 🙂
I hope this was helpful.
Darrin
Thank you for the insightful review of internal safety cameras with the special do it yourself feature. These devices are essential commodities these days that breaking in into houses and unwarranted loitering around private premises are on the increase. The “Amz Blink IHSC” is especially attractive to me with the in-built battery feature. The cost is also modest. I am going to give this one a consideration.
Thanks for your comments Debbie! I’m certain you will like the Blink camera. Let me know on here your thoughts if you try that one. 🙂
Thank you for this very informative article! We had an intruder in our yard a couple of weeks ago and ever since then we’ve been thinking about getting a security camera. I have a couple of questions though: what is the difference between indoor and outdoor cameras and can indoor cameras be used outdoors and vice versa? We have a dog and he stays inside during the day when we’re at work – would his movement trigger the camera and are there security cameras that are designed specifically for pets (I noticed the Simplisafe doesn’t get triggered by pet movement, but I’d like to know whether there are any other options)? Thank you for your help in this topic!
Thanks for you comments and questions. An outdoor camera is designed to withstand the elements, primarily moisture. Sometimes you’ll find that a camera designed for outdoors is also suitable for indoors, but never the other way around. As far as pets, most of these products have features to exclude pets and other annoying triggers from alerting you unnecessarily. It’s a matter of setting the preferences where it works for your situation. You would likely find any of these products to be satisfactory.
Thanks again for your comments and questions.
Thank you for your comprehensive review. I am really surprised by how little the cost if for these indoor security that can be installed by yourself. So it really shows the value and savings that people can make if they are willing to install themselves.
One thing that has put me off the indoor security cameras is the ongoing costs of paid subscriptions for monitoring costs. So its really helpful to see that you highlight this in your reviews.
What I am going to do is check out my currently not working indoor security camera, read the manual and if I cannot get the thing working, then I have your excellent review to come back to and buy from. Thank you so much
Thanks for your comments John! Certainly come back and check out the products we review if your camera doesn’t come back to life. If you have questions, let us know.
Hello there! Thanks a lot for this article. Thank you for the insightful review of internal safety cameras with the special do it yourself feature. These devices are essential commodities these days that breaking in into houses and unwarranted loitering around private premises are on the increase. Thank you very much
Thank you for your comments. 🙂
Hello there, thank you for this very detailed and informative post on the best indoor security camera, I have often wanted to get a security camera that I can install myself because I’m not really a tach savy person hence my nees for this, so after a careful read of features of the above cameras I could say that the one that best fits my need is the Amazon Blink Indoor Home Security Camera. As it has everything I require and not too expensive.
Awesome Jomata! Let me know what you think about it after you get it!
hello Darrin,
so thoughtful of you to put up such a lovely article on the best indoor camera for DIY several functions, security cameras go a long way to keeping us Safe by monitoring activities that goes on in our environment in our absence… you’ve got quite amazing samples of these cameras but I’ve got eyes on the Amazon Blink Indoor Home Security Camera… I look forward to making an order
Thanks Evans!
Hello there, a big thanks to you for sharing this insightful article on what is the best indoor security camera. This information is exactly what my aunt has been searching for, she is moving to her new apartment and she needs a good camera that is DIY. I will definitely forward this to her, I am pretty sure she’ll love it.
She will love it! 😎 thanks for your comments.
Hey great info you have there. This is exactly what I need right now, to have a security system and monitor the activities that is going on in my organization and warehouse. The Ring indoor security camera will definitely be effective for this job since it has the ability to work perfectly in the day and at night coupled with it’s advanced motion detection. I will check it out.
Thanks! You will like the Ring products!
Hello dear, thanks for sharing such amazing concise information with us all, I was actually doing some research online when I saw your post, wow what wonderful content you have here, your review about the cameras is really something nice, I plan on getting one for my gaming store, love it, thanks for the info, I’ll surely do some recommendations
Thanks for your input. I hope you find the cameras you choose to be better than expected.
Good information, I haven’t heard much about SimpliSafe but Ring I have heard a lot about. I appreciate how all the security cameras where compared and how the conclusion came to be that the Nest-Cam Indoor Security Camera was the best one because of its price, features, and its overall value! Thanks for the unbiased review.
Thanks for your comments Darnell! If you have any questions at all, please feel free to hit me back on here anytime.
Darrin
Adding an indoor security camera to your home can be a blessing. You can keep tabs on your pets, check on your house while you’re away, and have peace of mind that can only come from knowing your home is safe and secure no matter where you are.
What I like is the No Paid Subscription Necessary to Use the Camera. Nowadays it’s getting cheaper, cheaper and cheaper, and convenient! 🙂 For me, my cameras have helped to keep my mind at peace. Everyone should have one installed at home.
Thanks for your comments! Feel free to come back if you ever have questions.
Thank you for narrowing this down for us. There’s a mobillion of them out there and little aside from the companys’ own sales literature. Chris.
Thanks for your comments Chris! There are a lot of companies and a lot of products. Many of them overpriced! Keep checking here for updates and new products for the DIY Home Security enthusiast.
Best,
Darrin
Have looked at cameras and systems some with my wife. There are so many sold its very hard to narrow down the field. You have helped people settle on indoor brands to compare here.
I like that we are looking at cameras that install easily inside. Not really wanting to climb around in the attic to install wired cameras outside under the eves or whatever. Clip there went the cord and no more video.
The questions around security systems and cameras in our day should allow for inexpensive self installation. Great post in a great niche. Chris.
Thanks Chris! I appreciate your input.
It is amazing how many security cameras there are out there! But you have adequately laid out the features of the most notable ones in my opinion. I didn’t realize the differences before this article, but it gives me something to think about as I’m in the market for a few cameras to protect my family. I love the DIY aspect and the fact that some of them are battery powered. That isn’t always clear within the websites where they are sold. Thanks for the info. I have a lot more to go on and will come back probably with more questions soon.
thanks for sharing..I look forward to sharing this on my blog
No problem, and do feel free to come back here with any questions and we will do our best to answer them for you.
Indoor security cameras are becoming a necessity during these times of lockdown, not only as a theft deterrent, but also because people are working from home, including teachers and students.
I like the particular cameras you’ve highlighted in this article (for the most part), and I could understand the differences clearly. There are different needs and people can find something for their particular needs within the companies you’ve reviewed. And the prices are reasonable. Better than I thought for some of those items before this review.
One question though: All of these companies seem great, so why do they not all offer wireless options?
Great question! There are so many options possible that could go into security cameras that it would be impossible for every company to offer every possible niche of a product or every feature. It would be hard to manufacture ALL of the varieties and keep up. So, they each do whatever it is they do best and add a little to it as time goes on.
I hope this answered your question.
Thanks for your comments and questions. Pop in anytime to discuss home security issues.
Darrin
My first question: can these indoor security cameras be installed and operated by a novice. I want to be able to view camera shots from my computer and save those I deem necessary.
My second question: are these cameras rechargeable or solar cameras?
I really believe it’s time, the way society is today, to have security cameras around my home. It would definitely make me feel much safer.
Thanks for your questions! Yes, these cameras are super easy to use and install. But each of these cameras offer great customer support just in case someone gets into a situation where they aren’t quite sure how do perform a particular task.
None of these cameras listed here are solar powered. A couple of them are battery powered and the rest are to be plugged into the wall. But since this article was about inside cameras, I’ve not listed any of the solar ones nor outdoor cameras at all, but they are available too. There are actually a few cameras that are great for indoor or outdoor! Click through to see their products and other products that may be available.
Darrin
Thank you Darrin for the post.
I am in the process of getting my own place; hence, this article comes across very useful for me in terms of education as a buyer.
The products are surprisingly not as expensive as I thought. There is a wide range of options available depending on my needs and my preferred functions from a security camera. It is also very useful to learn about not only the features of each choice but also their advantage and limitation to compare.
Regards,
Tam.
Thanks Tam! Yes the prices are lower than most people would think and easy to install. Hit me back once you decide on something and let me know what you think.
Darrin
Wow, thank you so much, Darrin, for this excellent work and guide concerning indoor security cameras. The explanation is so simplified and as you said, the Nest-Cam Indoor Security Camera is actually worth the price and for it to be purchased at that price tag while there are other more expensive cameras without its functions make the Nest cameras to have more ranks.
I am so delighted that there are no paid subscriptions using these cameras and hope to get back to your works when I begin my construction soon. Do you think the prices will fluctuate (more expensive or cheaper) as time goes by especially due to the crises at hand?
Thanks for your comments and questions! It’s hard to say as far as prices. Lately, within the last few years, we’ve seen prices go down or stay the same as the quality would increase, which is a decrease in price. But the last three months have seem some strange trends within the market. May guess is that prices will start going up soon.
Hello! I have always known Nest cam indoor security camera to be the best, having wonderful features and keeping an eye on what matters, from anywhere. Amazon blink indoor home security cameras seem to be pretty good too, but I still like the Nest cameras better overall. I had commented on another of your posts recently about liking SimpliSafe as an overall great company with great offerings, and I still intend to go that route. However, I may get a SimpliSafe package but add a couple of Nest cameras to that package. Is there any drawback to doing it that way and mixing and matching equipment?
Thanks again for checking things out at SecurityUnveiled.com! Certainly it is always better to get all of your security equipment from one company, and in an ideal world, that is how it would work out. Not so much when there are so many companies and so many products. Each company seems to have a product or two that the others do not, and it may just be a special thing a person wants or needs but they don’t feel like that company’s other products are for them. Well, that’s kind of where you are, and it is understandable. Some offer wireless while others so not. Some offer battery powered while others don’t. Some allow you to watch a security camera from your phone with no subscription while others do not. The main drawback I see is that if you mix and match, you’ll be dealing with two different apps and two different companies in dealing with your home security needs. My advice would be to see if you could live without the one odd piece of gear from a second company or if something from your main company of choice could adequately fill that need. If not, no biggie, it’s still just slightly inconvenient at times, but may be worth it depending on your needs.
Thanks for your comments and questions.
Darrin
As a college student living in Atlanta, Georgia, it’s essential for me to make sure my home is secure, even when I’m not there. That being said, this list was extremely helpful in aiding me in my decision on the matter of security cameras. I read through all of the features listed under each brand and believe that for my budget the Ring camera makes the most sense. I found its adjustable cones of vision and motion filters very appealing, and at that price point I’ll be able to set up two different ones to cover as much of the house as possible. Thank you for this great information! It’s so nice to see all of the products compared in one place instead of trying to sift through the whole internet.
Thank you so much Maria! You will love the Ring cameras. They are easy to set up and deal with, and the app is easy as well. Hit me back soon to let me know how you are liking the cameras.
Thanks again!
Darrin
Hi, thank you for sharing this review on the best indoor security cameras. Since I have been using Nest Cam security cameras for some time now, I was not shocked when you rated these products among the best. Aside from the great quality of the photos and videos, these are easy to install and easy to understand how to operate. In y opinion, these are the best products in this category that are on the market right now.
Thanks again for the article and for the information you’ve provided!
No problem! Thanks for your input. It is always helpful to hear from those who actually use the products. I appreciate your comments. feel free to drop in any time with any updated input.
Thank you for providing this detailed review. I and my family were recently discussing getting an indoor security camera. I was actually searching online and there are a lot to choose from. We need a camera that does live view streaming as we are not always at home. Do i still have access to watching the video at the end of the day? Thank you for this.
Great question! Most of the products mentioned in this article have available programs where you can pay a small monthly fee for a little bit of storage space (in the cloud). Each of their programs are different and as you search out the product best for you, that could be a deciding factor. For instance, Arlo offers 7 days of free rolling storage space. Nest only offers 3 hours. Some will offer 24 hours. But most all of them these days offer paid subscriptions which aren’t very expensive since they are only dealing with storage space for your cameras.
Hopefully that is helpful and answers your question.
Best regards,
Darrin
Thank you for this detailed review on the best indoor security camera. After reading the review for all of the recommended cameras, I am definitely going with your choice of the best indoor security camera which is Nest-Cam indoor security camera. It’s got everything anyone wants for an indoor security camera. The smart home part of this product is also of interest to me.
I wish I knew this information before! Thanks for the info!
These cameras are really great! And it’s amazing what you can do with them, especially if you are smart-home oriented.
Please let me know after you’ve had it a few weeks. Give us a review for others to get a rounded-out view of these products.
Thanks!
Darrin
Out of the 6 different security cameras you’ve listed and reviewed, I’ve never heard of Arlo, Nest-cam, and Ring indoor. I think the plugin ones are more convenient and interesting. Most of them say the work with Wi-Fi, does that mean you can view the recordings on smart phones? How does it save the recordings? This would be helpful if you can provide these info. Thanks.
Hi John and thanks for the comments and questions. With most cameras, you would be able to view the feed, either present or past, on your smartphone or computer. Depending on the particular camera and the particular package you may choose, the videos can be saved in the cloud for you to access and they would remain there for a significant amount of time. All of the details vary from company to company, but you can view the websites for the products you’re thinking of purchasing and they will list their particular storage options. Just click on the links above within this post. If you have any further questions, please feel free to hit me back on here at any time.
Thanks again John!
Darrin
Great! This is really a well detailed and informative article, i really learnt a lot, i gained lots of insight, i think most people need to get security conscious and getting a security camera won’t be a bad idea, i always have the thought of getting one but i don’t have good understanding of security cameras so i was hesitating but your article has given me all the knowledge i need, i think i will go for Honeywell C2 Wi-Fi Security camera, i love the features and they are all affordable..Thanks for the insight
No Problem and thanks for the comments. 🙂
Thank you for the detailed informative article. You have made shopping for the indoor security camera very easy.I really like the intelligence in these devices. The fact that there are some that are able to differentiate body temperatures is just amazing. The features of these different cameras as you outlined is gold to someone who has been shopping for a security camera. Thank you.
No problem! I’m very glad to be of help. I’m sure you will like whichever orioduct you choose. Always fee free to drop in and give us an updated review on what you like or dislike.
Thanks for the comments!
Darrin