Best Smart Doorbell Cameras
Whether you’re looking for basic alerts or a full security package, smart doorbell cameras let you check in on who’s at your door from your smartphone or tablet. Our best picks include advanced features like person detection and smart greetings.
Wemo’s deep integration with iCloud and Apple HomeKit make it the top choice for homeowners who are locked into the Apple ecosystem. It also includes Alexa Greetings, which audibly greets visitors and relays pre-recorded messages.
Video Resolution
The market leader in video doorbells, the Ring Pro 2 delivers a sharp, square image and quick notification processing. It supports a range of smart displays and works with Alexa to give you hands-free access to visitors via voice commands. Its highlights include a new time-lapse feature that passively records periods of inactivity, better colors than competitors, and a quick reply function where tapping one of the pre-loaded responses will prompt the device to relay a message.
The Ring Pro 2 also offers advanced motion detection features like an adjustable zoom lens, a customizable spotlight, and a built-in siren to scare off anyone loitering near your front door. Its only drawback is that it requires electrical wiring and needs a monthly subscription to record and store video, but it’s still the best choice on the market.
A wired alternative to the Ring Pro 2, this model from Arlo has a sharp 2K resolution, an ideal square ratio for a full front porch view, and fast notification speed. It’s also an excellent value for its price, especially best smart doorbell if you want to pair it with a smart display. The only negative is a 5-minute recording delay on battery power and the inability to view a live feed without a paid subscription. However, its battery lasts an impressive three months in testing and the camera can be removed from the base to charge.
Night Vision
The SimpliSafe video doorbell does the basics well: It’s affordable, it has decent night vision, it can notify you of movement in your front yard and it works with a home’s existing chime. It does require doorbell wiring for power, but it can work with low-voltage systems or standard 230-volt ones. You can also opt to purchase a cloud subscription for features like package detection, which alerts you when your delivery is dropped and allows people to leave messages.
The Eufy Homebase video doorbell is another battery-powered option that works with most chimes, and it earns a CR ace rating in our tests thanks to its excellent motion detection, outstanding video quality and useful smart integrations. Its most significant drawback is that it requires an ongoing subscription if you want to record or view video clips.
If you’re committed to the Apple ecosystem, the Wemo Smart Doorbell is a solid choice. It has a simple software setup and uses end-to-end encryption to protect your recordings. It can detect multiple types of motion events—people, animals and vehicles—and alerts you within seven seconds of someone approaching the door. However, it lacks a local storage option or 24/7 recording and requires a connected HomePod smart speaker or Apple TV to process alerts. Moreover, its responsiveness to motion is slightly slower than the Ring Pro 2’s.
Audio
The Ring Pro 2 is a solid, high-end doorbell camera. It’s easy to install, works well with Alexa (but not other smart home ecosystems, like Google Home), best smart doorbell and has a crisp 1080p HD video feed that syncs to your smartphone or Echo Show or Fire TV display. It also has package and people alerts, color night vision, dual-band WiFi support, and smart responses that let your doorbell talk to a visitor for you. However, it doesn’t have the wide range of settings found on other Ring devices, and its motion zones aren’t as sensitive or customizable.
The SimpliSafe Doorbell SS3 is the only doorbell in our ratings to score well for data privacy, thanks to its encryption and the fact that it only uploads one screenshot per event. Its other strengths include good image quality and night vision, smart motion detection that detects people and vehicles and ignores pets, and a simple app that lets you set monitoring zones. It isn’t wired, though, and it has a short recording length.
For those who want the benefits of a smart doorbell without the commitment, consider the Ezviz DB2. This battery-powered model doesn’t need connecting to your mains but does require professional installation. It has excellent image quality, a variety of ringtones to choose from, and can alert you of visitors via an automated call to your phone or through a live stream on your tablet or smartphone. It doesn’t have facial recognition or the ability to speak to visitors, though, and there’s a subscription fee to keep using most of its features.
Installation
If you’re an Apple user and want tight integration with your existing HomeKit devices, consider the Logitech Circle View Doorbell. It’s the only HomeKit-compatible doorbell that works with an iPhone (as opposed to requiring a HomePod or Apple TV streaming device), and uses iCloud to store footage for easy access without counting against your iCloud storage plan. It also offers a picture-in-picture live video feed on an Apple TV, which is a unique feature. Its downside is that it doesn’t offer face recognition or work with other smart home platforms. And it requires a wired installation that connects to your existing chime wiring, so you’ll need professional help to install it.
If your home is wired, a true wired video doorbell is an excellent option because you don’t have to worry about changing batteries. The Ring Pro 2 is our top pick, offering package and person alerts along with color night vision and dual-band Wi-Fi. Its app is well-designed with pages of settings and a timeline view to scroll through your recordings. But it doesn’t include facial recognition, which is a drawback for some users.
Google users should gravitate towards Nest’s doorbell cameras and the wider ecosystem of products that can interact with them, including smart displays and speakers. For example, you can ask a Nest Hub speaker or smart display to show a live video of your front door and use them as an electronic wireless chime.
