Indoor security cameras have many uses around the home or business. They can keep an eye out for intruders, keep an eye on pets, monitor children, help guide guests and generally be on the lookout for anything unusual. If you’re interested in an indoor camera that can do it all, these are the top smart choices from the best brands on the market!
John Velasco/
Wyze Cam v3
Pros
very affordable
Works both indoors and outdoors
More details with color night vision
lots of security controls
This indoor/outdoor camera is ready for anything, including outdoor security. The 1080p cam is equipped with an advanced starlight sensor with full-color night vision and a new lens that can capture even more light in dark areas. There are both motion and sound sensors for alerts, and users can carefully adjust the motion zone and detection level to avoid false alarms in a specific environment.
Like many of our picks, the Wyze Cam v3 works with both Alexa and Google Assistant and it’s also certified for IFTTT if you want to create more advanced routines using the cam and its alerts. You’ll need a microSD card for local storage, but there’s free 14-day rolling cloud storage for temporarily saving videos while you’re away – one of the better cloud storage packages currently available for security cams.
John Velasco/
Nest Cam Indoor/ Outdoor (Battery)
Pros
Works both indoors and outdoors
Stores three hours of video history for free
Great contrast with HDR video
Magnetic plate has a strong connection
Shortcoming
heavy design
Details are a little soft
In this latest camera from Google, Nest’s simple design hides some cutting-edge technology — a wireless model you can install just about anywhere. 1080p video includes HDR compatibility and night vision. There’s two-way audio for communication, motion detection, and some seriously smart machine learning at work. The cam can detect people, animals, and vehicles, and if you look forward to the Nest Aware package, it can even learn familiar faces so you can customize all your alerts. Google Assistant compatibility is a given, but don’t expect the Nest Cam to work with Alexa.
Nest Cam (Battery) Aware comes with the ability to save up to three hours of alert-based history for free or more with a subscription. The downside to all the advanced Google tech is that this Nest Cam is significantly more expensive than anything else discussed so far. You get some great features available, but you’ll pay about the same as you would for other security cameras.
Nest Cam Indoor/ Outdoor (Battery)
Image used with permission of the copyright holder
Blink Indoor Security Cam
Pros
long battery life
two way audio
Simple Alexa integration
Shortcoming
basic motion recognition skills
Blink’s 1080p Indoor Cam is an excellent example of a security cam that is ideal for home or business while being highly affordable. It’s also wireless, making it especially easy to install wherever you want, on a shelf or on the wall. (Note: It includes two lithium batteries that will need to be recharged from time to time.) The cam includes motion detection that can send alerts to your phone when it detects activity and will alert you to talking guests and pets or intruders. Can send two-way audio to scare. It’s also compatible with Alexa, so you can use it with devices like the Echo Show to get a cam live feed.
You’ll also notice that the Blink Indoor Cam comes with a Sync Module 2 that’s designed to work with a USB flash drive to locally save the data captured by the cam. You can’t save data to the cloud without a Blink subscription plan, so the module is important if you want to keep video clips without paying any monthly fees. Although we chose a single-camera package, it’s easy to get a bundle with additional cams for a larger area.
Blink Indoor Security Cam
John Velasco/
Arlo Essential Indoor Camera
Pros
Privacy Shutter provides peace of mind
clear and clear night vision
Intelligent detection with Arlo Smart
Shortcoming
Artistic elements in video quality
The Arlo Essential Indoor Security Camera gives you everything you expect from a premium indoor camera. In addition to its 1080p video capture and impressive night vision, you’ll be able to set up activity zones, receive smart alerts with Arlo Smart, and get access to a privacy shutter.
It comes with an adjustable base that makes it easy to find the optimal viewing angle for your space. As if that wasn’t enough, Arlo includes a mounting bracket so you can place it on a wall or in the corner of a room. You’ll pay a little more for this camera than other cameras on the list, but if you don’t mind the extra expense it’s a great option.
Arlo Essential Indoor Camera
Image used with permission of the copyright holder
Blink Mini Pan-Tilt
Best indoor camera for 360-degree video
Pros
economical cost
simple setup
crisp sounding audio
Shortcoming
soft looking video footage
cheap construction
The Blink Mini is a solid device in its own right, although it’s not as capable as other cameras on this list. But when paired with the pan-tilt mount, it becomes an impressive smart home product and an easy recommendation. With the ability to record 1080p footage, adjustable motion zones, smart alerts, and the option to remotely rotate it to cover all corners of your home, few indoor cameras offer this kind of versatility. The Blink Mini Pan-Tilt Mount becomes even more impressive when you look at its affordable price. It doesn’t have a built-in privacy shutter, but that’s a small inconvenience for an otherwise well-rounded device.
Blink Mini Pan-Tilt
Best indoor camera for 360-degree video
Phil Nickinson/
Ring Stick Up Cam Pro
Pros
Works indoors and outdoors
Captures 1080p HDR footage
easy installation
Shortcoming
big size
no privacy shutter
The Ring Stick Up Cam Pro is a powerful device designed for indoor and outdoor use. If you’re using it inside, installation is as easy as charging its battery and placing it on your countertop. It also comes with a mounting plate if you prefer to mount it on your wall. The images are impressive thanks to its 1080p HDR footage capture, and it does a good job even in low-light conditions thanks to the color night vision. And like most Ring products, it offers real-time notifications, the option to set up privacy zones, and the ability to easily sync with the rest of your Ring devices.
One small caveat to keep in mind with the Ring Stick Up Cam Pro is its size. Unlike the smaller Wyze Cam v3 or Arlo Essential Indoor Camera, the Stick Up Cam Pro is larger. At a little over six inches long and a little less than three inches wide, it takes up a lot of space. It also doesn’t feature a built-in privacy shutter, although you can easily turn off motion detection by enabling Home Mode. Those quirks aside, the Ring Stick Up Cam Pro is a premium camera that will work well anywhere in your home.