The Best Smart Doorbell Camera

I’m a writer covering smart home for Wirecutter. I have been writing about technology for over 20 years, and I have written guides about home security, smart light switches, and smart bird feeders.

For this guide:

• I have tested more than 250 security cameras over the course of eight years.
• I built a test rig outside my home that can house up to four hardwired doorbells simultaneously.
• In accordance with Wirecutter standards, I return or donate all products I’ve tested once my assessment of them is complete, which may involve longer-term testing by my colleagues and me. I never hang onto “freebies” once testing is done.

Smart doorbell cameras are for people who want to be able to screen visitors the way they do phone calls. They allow you to see in real time who is at your door and decide whether you want to engage or simply ignore it.

Smart doorbell cameras replace an existing doorbell with a hybrid device that bundles together a ringer button, a video camera, a microphone, a speaker, and one or more sensors. In most homes with a powered doorbell, you can simply swap out your old doorbell button for a smart one and use the existing wiring; a few models require a bit more power, and others can also run on rechargeable batteries.

While smart doorbell cameras do provide a measure of security by keeping tabs on your front stoop (and may even catch someone swiping packages), they shouldn’t be thought of as a replacement for a bona fide security camera. All of our picks are intended to detect motion up to 20 feet away — though we found that some can detect and record activity beyond that range.

Installing an all-seeing and hearing sentry by your front door necessarily raises issues of privacy — both yours and that of your unwitting neighbors. Make sure to read terms of service and privacy policies, as well as the scenarios and suggestions we provide in “How to Keep Unwanted Eyes From Spying on Your Security Cameras.” Also, keep in mind that some neighbors, postal workers, pizza-delivery drivers, and other guests may not appreciate being recorded — and may be protected by local or state laws.

We’ve been reviewing smart doorbell cameras for more than nine years and have tested dozens of them. When deciding on the best one for your needs, there are several important considerations, many of which aren’t the kind of thing you can learn by reading specs on the side of a box.

• Video limitations: Although most doorbell cameras support a 1080p or even 2K resolution, we’ve found that the images are never as sharp as what you’d get with a typical smartphone camera, especially for subjects at a distance of a dozen feet or more. Also, streaming high-resolution video chews up internet bandwidth, so be sure your home network can support it.
• Storage: Subscription-based cloud storage (with video saved over the internet to a remote server operated by the manufacturer) is the norm these days. Some users prefer to store video recordings locally on a microSD card or a connected hard drive due to data safety concerns. However, if you lose power or someone steals the camera or your card, you won’t be able to access those recordings.
• Alerts: All doorbell cameras will alert you when someone pushes the button or the camera detects motion. Many can also tell you what that motion is, labeling it as a person, a vehicle, an animal, or a package, with some cameras capable of tagging clips of people with specific names.
• Audio: A good doorbell camera should have a built-in microphone so you can hear chirps and chatter. They also feature a speaker for two-way communication, allowing you to talk to whoever shows up at your door.
• Smart-home integration: Most doorbell cameras offer some type of smart-home integration, such as support for Amazon Alexa, Apple Home, Google Home, IFTTT (If This Then That), Samsung SmartThings, and more. Those will allow you to view who is at the door on smart displays or trigger devices (such as smart outdoor lights) when someone approaches.

To test smart doorbells, each contender gets mounted to an outdoor rig that houses up to four doorbells and is connected to a gigabit Verizon Fios network via an indoor Wi-Fi router (approximately 40 feet from the cameras) and a mesh-networking kit, the Asus ZenWiFi AX (XT8). I used an iPhone 12, a Google Pixel 7 Pro, and an iPad to review the cameras and their companion apps. When issues come up, such as too many or too few alerts, I try to optimize the settings to get the best possible results for each doorbell.

Once we narrow down candidates, we review privacy policies, send questions to each company regarding privacy and security practices, and have a look at their network activity using a Firewalla Purple SE, a firewall device that monitors the communications of all devices on a network and reports which devices are sending out data and to what country. We also monitor the practices of each company, review issues that come up in the news, and keep tabs on how each company responds to those incidents.

Top pick

The best smart doorbell camera

Google Nest Doorbell (Wired, 2nd Gen)

This doorbell sends fast alerts, captures clear audio and video, and offers free and paid subscription levels — including an option for 24/7 cloud recording.

Buy from Google Store

May be out of stock

Buy from Amazon

$170 from Walmart
(price varies by color)

Compatibility: Amazon Alexa, Google Home

The Google Nest Doorbell (Wired) is the best video doorbell I’ve tested. It reacts quickly to motion, both by sending alerts and displaying a live view on your mobile device. It also was the most accurate of the doorbell cameras I tested when it came to distinguishing types of motion and restricting alerts and recordings when using Activity Zones. It’s the only one of our picks to offer free cloud storage, although it only stores video recordings for a three-hour window; there are subscription options to store events longer, and even the ability to record everything to the cloud 24 hours a day, seven days a week. It also works with existing chimes, or you can set up a smart speaker to announce visitors. The image resolution is 960×1280, which is lower than our other picks, but I didn’t have any problems making out details — and that lower resolution may be less of a burden on your home Wi-Fi network, allowing you to stream more smoothly.

The smartphone alerts are more reliable. The Nest doorbell is able to distinguish between people, animals, vehicles, packages, and general motion, and it does it better than any video doorbell I’ve tested. It also has an optional Familiar Face Detection feature, which allows you to tag visitors, family members, and regular guests by name — although it has to get a good look at the person’s face. (See Flaws but not dealbreakers.) An important note about privacy: Consider that your neighbors may prefer not to be tagged by facial recognition, or recorded at all — and it may actually be illegal to do either of those in some locales.

Despite lower resolution, it actually works better. The previous Nest doorbell captured a 1600×1200-pixel image in landscape orientation, while this model does 960×1280 in portrait mode. The angle allows for a better head-to-toe image of what’s directly in front of the door, and the recorded video is bright and vivid. (I also think the lower resolution allows for fewer potential hiccups on an overburdened home network.) Audio is also always clear on both ends; the microphone can be turned off and camera volume can be adjusted using the app.

It records what you actually want to see. The Nest allows you to create up to four different zones within its field of view, so you can choose to ignore or follow activity in a given area, as well as what you want to receive smartphone notifications about. For instance, you might create a zone directly in front of your driveway for people and animals, but opt to not get alerts every time a car goes by. There’s also an option to record and choose notifications for action outside of your created zone.

You don’t need a subscription (but likely should get one). The Nest includes free cloud storage, but with the free plan events are automatically deleted three hours after they are captured. That means, technically, you wouldn’t have to pay an extra dime to run it. If you find yourself missing events as they happen, or want special features like the Familiar Face Detection, then you’ll want to opt for a Nest Aware plan, which stores recordings up to 30 days for $10 per month (or $100 per year) for an unlimited number of cameras. It’s the most expensive plan of our picks, if you plan to run a single camera. It also has built-in storage that can hold up to an hour of recordings should you lose power.

You can get 24/7 coverage, if you want. The Nest is the only one of our picks that offers 24/7 recording to the cloud ($20 per month or $200 per year). Even without that option, it never missed a minute of activity in my tests — and, more importantly, it never had any false alerts. If you don’t have the 24/7 recording plan, it can capture clips up to 5 minutes in length (naturally, you still need something to move to trigger a recording).

It can function without the app. Although the Google Home app is needed for setup and recommended for daily use, you can view doorbell history, customize recorded clips, and download clips from any web browser using Google Home for web. Also, you can view and listen to live action and talk through the camera using the web browser interface.

Flaws but not dealbreakers

It has the most expensive subscription plan. Of all our picks, the Nest Aware plan is technically the most expensive, starting at $10 per month (or $100 per year). However, if you plan to run multiple cameras, it’s actually comparable to a Ring subscription — and better than the cloud plans from our other picks.

If you’re unsure about the value of a sub, you can still use the Google Nest doorbell without stored videos, however a subscription is required to get face recognition, as well as the ability to detect emergency sounds, such as a smoke alarm.

It can’t always remember a face. Familiar Face Detection can alert you to repeat visitors, such as family members and caregivers, with a notification that includes a name (“Rachel seen”). However, it needs to get a good look at the person, or it won’t be able to correctly identify them. Also, face detection is only available with a Nest Aware subscription.

It doesn’t work with the old Nest app. All newer Nest devices use the Google Home app, so diehard Nest fans may be disappointed. However, the app has gotten a few updates, including the option to use the old Nest app’s vertical video scrubbing feature for scrolling through events, as well as the possibility to “favorite” the doorbell so you get a live view right away upon opening the app.

Privacy and security snapshot

• Video is encrypted in transit and at rest but not while in use.
• Familiar Face data is stored locally in the doorbell’s internal memory, which is encrypted. For security reasons, the internal memory is not accessible or removable.
• Google shares data only with approved partners, such as a home security provider. They will also share audio recordings, video footage, device sensor data, or Wi-Fi network performance data with third-party apps if you give permission.
• Recordings cannot be accessed without permission, except when required by law, such as via a valid subpoena or court order, and then only by limited personnel.
• Two-factor authentication is available but not required.

For more details, read Google’s privacy statement.

Budget pick

An affordable alternative

Ring Video Doorbell Wired

This compact model performs consistently and is cheap and easy to install, but it lacks some of the more advanced features of our top pick.

$50 from Amazon

May be out of stock

$50 from The Home Depot

$50 from Best Buy

Compatibility: Amazon Alexa

The Ring Video Doorbell Wired captures detailed 1080p video, sends fast motion triggers, and looks at home on a door frame. It doesn’t have some of the bells and whistles of our other picks, but it can distinguish between people, general motion, and packages, and has a wide viewing angle that’s 155 degrees horizontal and 90 degrees vertical. It’s also substantially smaller at a full inch shorter and a half inch less wide and thick than other Ring models.

It’s relatively inexpensive to own. Compared with the flagship Ring Video Doorbell, as well as most competing models, this Ring is not only dramatically less expensive — and we often see it on sale for as little as $40 .While a monthly subscription is required if you want to record anything, the $5 per month/$50 per year fee is decent for 180 days of video storage plus a few added features.

Those savings come with some potential setbacks. This Ring won’t work with your home’s existing doorbell chimes and doesn’t come packaged with one, so you need to purchase a Ring Chime, or Ring Chime Pro, which increases the overall expense (optionally you can also pair it with an Amazon Echo smart speaker instead). And if you need an angled mount, that’s extra too.

Conversations are fluid. Ring is the only one of our picks that allows you to talk to visitors without having to push a microphone button in the app. Simply click Tap to Go Live for live viewing and you can start yapping. (All of our other picks require you to press or hold a button in order to make conversation.) In testing, audio quality was clear for both parties.

Notifications are accurate and quick. In my testing, smartphone notifications typically came within 2 seconds. The doorbell can capture clips up to 2 minutes long and will start a new clip if motion continues beyond that — notably we didn’t encounter any gaps in between recordings, either. To record video, you do need to subscribe to a Ring Home plan, which starts at $5 per month or $50 per year. A subscription not only provides storage of your recordings for up to 180 days, but also adds features like person detection and Rich Notifications (which is a short preview of a motion-activated video clip). Without a paid plan, you can get notifications when motion is detected and view your camera live at any time, but you won’t be able to record video or go back and see activity from the past.

Ring has revisited security. No company we cover has encountered more controversy for its products and service than Ring. In the past, there were reports of hacking, a public outcry about the company’s Neighbors program and police partnerships, and even incidents citing Ring’s own employees spying on customers. Most recently, Ring eliminated the controversial option for police to directly solicit video from users via the app, but then it announced plans to bring it back as an optional feature through a different partnership. Ring includes several privacy-based options not available on other devices, including mandatory two-factor authentication, the ability to view and manage all services and users linked to your Ring account from the app (under Device Settings), and the ability to opt out of Neighbors (under Control Center). Ring also includes the option to not record certain areas of property (such as public streets and neighbors) with Privacy Zones, a setting that allows you to black out areas from live view and recordings.

Flaws but not dealbreakers

You need a chime. This Ring doorbell doesn’t work with existing door chimes and doesn’t come with one. Instead, you’ll need to pair it with a smart speaker or purchase the Ring Chime or the Ring Chime Pro.

You may need a mount. This is the only one of our picks that doesn’t come with an angled door mount (it’s a separate purchase), which comes in handy if you want to capture a specific area or have obstructions.

Smart-home support is limited. This Ring doorbell works only with Amazon Alexa and Works with Ring devices. It doesn’t support Google Home or Apple Home smart speakers or other devices.

Privacy and security snapshot

• Data is encrypted in transit and at rest for this device; end-to-end encryption is not available for this model.
• Two-factor authentication is mandatory for all Ring devices.
• Users must input an address and zip code when setting up a device. If it’s invalid, the app will ask to use Location Services, but users can decline.
• Ring uses first- and third-party web and app analytics services to collect and analyze information, including personal information to improve features, evaluate marketing, and optimize the customer experience. Users can customize preferences in the app under Control Center and Cookies and Third-Party Service Providers.
• On May 31, 2023, the Federal Trade Commission announced a $5.8 million settlement with Ring addressing privacy violations dating back to 2017. The FTC had accused Ring of failing to properly protect customers from hacking incidents, noting that some employees and contractors had repeatedly accessed customer videos without permission. The report stems from incidents prior to Amazon’s acquisition of Ring in 2018, but the order requires Ring to delete all algorithms and data collected from unlawfully viewed videos. The company says it has since put “policies and controls in place that restrict employee access to customers’ stored videos, and employees are unable to view, access, or control livestreams.”

For more details, read Ring’s privacy statement.

Top pick

The best battery-operated doorbell camera

TP-Link Tapo D225 Video Doorbell Camera

This battery-powered model produces sharp 2K images, has options for local and cloud storage, and offers a lot of customization for detecting different types of motion.

$80 from Amazon

Compatibility: Amazon Alexa, Google Home

Typically, there are concessions if you want a good battery-operated doorbell, but the TP-Link Tapo D225 Video Doorbell Camera is pretty close to perfect. And it provides more options than any of our other picks. Like the Google Nest, it can distinguish between different types of motion, and it allows you to choose what types of motion get smartphone alerts and which type will be recorded with a sharp 2K resolution. It also allows you to choose where you want to store video, either locally to a microSD card or in the cloud for a fee. My one gripe is that it’s not as attractive as our other picks, but that’s because of the bulky battery, which provides three to four months of service. If you don’t ever see yourself charging it, the D225 can be hardwired, which may defeat the purpose of getting this chunky unit but also adds the possibility for 24/7 local recording.

It’s highly customizable in lots of handy ways. Like the Google Nest, the Tapo D225 can distinguish between general motion, people, pets, vehicles, and packages. Creating Detection Zones in the smartphone app allows you to designate areas within the camera’s view to focus on and areas to ignore, as well as filter types of recordings. And further, in the Notifications setting you can choose the types of alerts you want to receive.

In my tests, I monitored the driveway for people, animals, and cars but filtered out vehicle alerts. When someone actually rings the doorbell, the Tapo app sends an alert through, as you’d get with a phone call, allowing you to swipe and answer quickly. (If you don’t need your phone ringing more than it already does, go into Settings, Doorbell, and Doorbell Video Call to opt for a push notification instead.)

There are options for free and paid storage plans. The Tapo D225 is the only one of our picks that allows you to store events to a microSD card. Users will appreciate that it’s free and also keeps recordings from potential cloud data leaks — however it also means that if the doorbell or the card gets stolen or damaged, your footage is gone for good. And should you have a power outage, you won’t be able to consult footage remotely to see what happened before things went dark. If those are real concerns, you can opt to subscribe to Tapo Care, which offers 30 days of cloud storage and Rich Notifications (the kind with a thumbnail) for $3.50 a month or $35 a year for one camera. Unlike Eufy, the D225 can record clips up to 2 minutes both to local sources and cloud storage, and in clear 2K resolution.

The battery life is reasonably good. TP-Link claims that you should get about eight months of use on a full charge. But that’s only an estimate, since camera battery life greatly depends on how much activity the camera witnesses and what features are enabled. In my testing, the Tapo was subjected to what I’d consider a typical amount of motion triggers, and I found it needed to be charged every three to four months. Although that’s less than TP-Link’s claim, it’s still good for a battery-operated camera. As with the other battery-operated doorbell on our list, the battery isn’t removable, so you will need to remove the entire doorbell to charge it, which can take up to five hours.

You can opt for battery or wired power. The Tapo D225 can be hardwired, which is a good option if you have the wiring and don’t want the periodic hassle of recharging a battery. If you’re going to bother with that, I would probably recommend the look of the Nest over the bulk of the D225. However, hardwiring allows you to record 24/7 to a microSD card, which is a pretty unique feature. Scrolling through to find events in this mode isn’t as user-friendly as it is on the Nest, but it’s also free. And hardwiring the D225 allows you to use an existing chime instead of the one that comes with it, but only if you’re opting to just record events and the 24/7 mode is off.

This TP-Link isn’t the other TP-Link. In December 2024, The Wall Street Journal reported that US authorities may seek to restrict the sale of TP-Link Wi-Fi routers following federal investigations into potential security vulnerabilities, including links between the company and the Chinese government. We reached out to TP-Link and a company representative stated that there is “no interdependence” between TP-Link Technologies Co., Ltd. in China, and the US-based TP-Link Systems Inc, the global headquarters since 2024 which markets and sells TP-Link smart home devices. Furthermore, the TP-Link Cloud for all global users is hosted on Amazon Web Services (AWS), with Virginia-based infrastructure serving U.S. users. The TP-Link representative also noted that nearly all TP-Link products sold in the US are currently manufactured in Vietnam, and the remainder will eventually.

Flaws but not dealbreakers

It’s chonky. At 5.91 by 1.97 by 1.52 inches, this unit is bulky. As a comparison, the battery-operated Eufy Video Doorbell S220 is slightly smaller at 5.5 by 2.1 by 1.1 inches and the hardwired Google Nest is 4.6 by 1.7 by 1 inches, and both are more attractive to my eyes. But if you’re in need of a battery doorbell, this one is packed with features at an excellent price.

It has a fisheye effect. The Tapo D225 is the only one of our picks with distorted or “fisheye effect” video. I still use it because that allows me to get a full view, but the D225 does have a comprehensive, clear image overall.

The color night vision is hit or miss. Like our outdoor camera pick, the Tapo D225 has color night vision, which is provided by the doorbell’s LED ring. The light has six color options and the images were fine, but often they were better with the standard black-and-white night vision.

Privacy and security snapshot

• Video that is stored locally is encrypted when transmitted; when it is sent to the cloud it is encrypted in transit and when stored.
• Location data is recorded but not shared.
• Recordings cannot be accessed without permission, unless they are in response to a legal request, and then only by limited personnel.
• Two-factor authentication is available but not required.

For more details, read TP-Link’s privacy statement.

Best for…

Best for storing video indoors

Eufy Security Video Doorbell S220 (Battery-Powered)

This battery-powered model lasts up to four months with regular use, has options for cloud storage, and includes a hub to store recordings at home.

$130 from Amazon

$120 from Walmart

Compatibility: Amazon Alexa, Google Home

The Eufy Security Video Doorbell S220 (Battery-Powered) makes it easy to put a video doorbell anywhere around your door so long as it’s within range of your Wi-Fi signal.

Of all the battery-operated doorbells we tested, the Eufy S220 is the only one that allows you to store 2K video locally for free on a hub that lives inside your house, so you don’t have to worry if someone steals the doorbell. That same hub will chime when someone pushes the bell, though the S220 can also trigger your existing mechanical chimes (but not digital chimes). With a subscription, you can store 1080p video in the cloud. Since this model is battery-powered, you have more freedom to place it wherever you prefer (versus wherever existing wiring is, as with wired models). But that also means you have to periodically remove it for a recharge.

Battery life is exceptional. This battery-powered doorbell is easy to set up, and because it doesn’t require any wiring you can place it wherever you like — a real benefit for anyone who lives in an apartment building or rental, for instance. Eufy claims the battery should last 180 days, and although our testing came up short of that, it still lasted an impressive four months in a location that generates a fair amount of motion triggers, such as fairly frequent deliveries and people using the front door several times a day. If you live on a busy street, your mileage may vary (and you should tweak your settings to remedy any problems). Like the Tapo model, this one has a built-in battery, so you have to remove the entire thing to charge it. It also means that if the internal battery craps out, so does the doorbell. (So far, ours has been going for over four years.)

Both the free and paid storage are separate from the doorbell. The included HomeBase has a 16 GB hard drive, which should hold about six months’ worth of 2K clips (based on an average of five minutes of recording per day) and means you don’t need to pay extra for a subscription. You can also opt for Eufy cloud storage, which starts at $4 per month per camera (or $40 per year). This service stores clips offsite, so you can access them if your power or Wi-Fi goes down — in the process it downgrades recordings to 1080p, which we found perfectly fine, but it’s worth noting if you are expecting 2K resolution video.

Recordings are brief but reasonable. Like many battery-operated cameras, the Eufy S220 also limits recordings to 60 seconds. If motion continues beyond that time, a new clip starts recording. I found that, as with some other battery-powered cameras, this Eufy would leave a gap of about 8 seconds in between recordings. Some people may consider that to be a dealbreaker, but the overall steady performance and extended battery life make for a reasonable trade-off.

Audio and video quality are great, but object detection isn’t. In my tests, the Eufy’s video quality was always sharp, whether in 2K or 1080p resolution, and smartphone alerts arrived within a solid 7 seconds of motion. However, unlike some cameras, this Eufy is only able to distinguish between people and general motion — and even then imperfectly, as sometimes it would label a person as general motion or a tire as a person.

We are monitoring privacy and security. After an incident in November 2022, a Eufy spokesperson confirmed that the company uses an AWS-based cloud server to deliver push notifications with a thumbnail preview image, meaning that even if you opt for local storage, that content will pass through the cloud. Eufy has changed language in its app to be more clear, but thumbnail-enhanced smartphone alerts are an option that can be turned off by going into your camera’s Settings, clicking Notification, and choosing an option for how you want to receive those notifications.

Flaws but not dealbreakers

Image quality may vary. Even though the S200 records 2K video, Eufy cameras and doorbells reduce the quality to 1080p when video is sent to the cloud (we still recommend cloud subscription plans).

The AI isn’t perfect. This camera can distinguish between people and general motion, but it has tagged tires and animals as people more often than it should — a quirk that I’ve noticed with almost every Eufy camera I’ve reviewed, including the Floodlight Camera E340 and the Indoor Cam C120. I have found that reporting the issue to Eufy (click Donate at the bottom of the app — that means you are sharing your video) typically solves incidents where the camera is repeatedly misidentifying something. It may take more than one report, though. Just be aware when you donate clips to the company, they will use it to train their AI.

Privacy and security snapshot

• Even if you opt for local storage, Eufy will pass thumbnail-based smartphone notifications through the cloud. For truly local storage, choose text-based notifications under Settings in the app.
• When using local storage, Eufy has no access to users’ video recordings. If using cloud storage, video content will never be shared without the user’s written consent, unless necessary to comply with a valid legal order.
• Eufy doesn’t share audio or video, but may share personal data for marketing or business purposes, as outlined in the company’s privacy policy.
• Two-factor authentication is available but not required.

For more details, read Eufy’s privacy statement.

As part of our vetting process for smart doorbell cameras, we looked at all of the security and data-privacy practices behind our picks. This includes long-term testing and keeping track of app, firmware, and policy updates, as well as hardware and software incidents. Should any privacy or security issues be found with any of our selected products, we’ll report that here and, if necessary, update or alter our recommendations.

During our testing, we read the manufacturer’s privacy policies for our picks, specifically looking for sections that strayed from what we consider to be standard in the category. However, there are some common important points that everyone should understand. For instance, most camera companies say that in certain circumstances they will cooperate with police and may turn over your camera footage with your permission or by court order.

A bigger concern is whether a doorbell camera can be hacked by outside sources, or whether your video is adequately secured against misuse by the companies that sell them. All of the companies behind our picks told us that video is encrypted in transit and at rest — but not while in use. Despite the added security, each one also said they would hand over content when required by law. Eufy clarified that this would only be the case with cloud-based content; they have no access to local storage.

If you own an Ecobee thermostat: If you own our top thermostat pick, the Ecobee Smart Thermostat Premium, you’ll want to consider the Ecobee Smart Doorbell Camera. It allows you to check in live and answer the doorbell from the thermostat’s 4-inch screen. Although it’s not as smart as our top two picks, it does deliver clear 1080p video, a wide, 175-degree viewing angle, and dual Wi-Fi support. It also works with all major smart-home platforms, though not HomeKit Secure Video (which seems like a missed opportunity). I also had a few blips where people were identified as packages, and I spent a lot of time trying to find those packages (or other action), since every single recording captured is always exactly 2 minutes.

If you prefer a camera with a removable rechargeable battery: The Ring Battery Doorbell Plus records in clear, 1536p HD video, in a square 1:1 aspect ratio, with a 150-by-150-degree field of view. Its rechargeable battery is removable, which makes it easier to charge (or you can buy a second battery and swap them as needed). We prefer the long-term battery life and recording quality of our wireless picks, but this model allows you to record until motion stops (for up to 30 seconds) or have it set to record between 15 and 120 seconds every time — though doing so will drain the battery quicker.

We would love to recommend a doorbell that works with Apple’s HomeKit Secure Video, but we’re not sold on any of the models we’ve tested, including the Aqara Doorbell Camera Hub G410, the Aqara Smart Video Doorbell G4 or the Logitech Circle View Wired Doorbell. The Logitech model was the most problematic, as I encountered issues with nighttime images, network connectivity, and missed motion triggers. Also, there have been reports about the doorbell overheating. Both Aqara models consistently missed significant motion events during my testing with HomeKit Secure Video and Aqara’s HomeGuardian service. I also have a hard time with Aqara’s cloud service limiting clips to 12 seconds, yet charging $5 per month.

We didn’t test the TP-Link Tapo D210 Video Doorbell Camera because all of its features are a downgrade from our wireless pick, the Tapo D225. The Eufy Video Doorbell E340 hahas two lenses, which is probably why the internal battery died in less than two weeks. Also, our picks just performed better overall. We also had a better experience with our picks than the Arlo Video Doorbell, the second-gen Blink Video Doorbell, the Google Nest Doorbell (Battery), MyQ’s Video Doorbell, the Ring Battery Doorbell, and the SimpliSafe Video Doorbell Pro — though the SimpliSafe is worth considering if you already have their security system. Both the Ring Wired Doorbell Pro and the Ring Battery Doorbell Pro are too expensive for what each one delivers.

The Reolink Doorbell WiFi Camera and the Eufy Video Doorbell S330 are the only smart doorbells we tested that don’t offer cloud service, which may have been fine were it not for a number of performance issues during testing.

We also dismissed the Abode Wireless Video Doorbell, the Ezviz DB1, the Roku Video Doorbell, and the SwannBuddy Video Doorbell due to poor features, missed events, and/or too many false alerts.

We plan to test SwitchBot’s Smart Video Doorbell, which comes with a separate 4.3-inch portable display for viewing the battery-operated camera’s 2K video. Other features include a built-in 100 dB chime and a 165-degree viewing angle.

This article was edited by Jon Chase and Grant Clauser.

I’m a writer covering smart home for Wirecutter. I have been writing about technology for over 20 years, and I have written guides about home security, smart light switches, and smart bird feeders.

For this guide:

• I have tested more than 250 security cameras over the course of eight years.
• I built a test rig outside my home that can house up to four hardwired doorbells simultaneously.
• In accordance with Wirecutter standards, I return or donate all products I’ve tested once my assessment of them is complete, which may involve longer-term testing by my colleagues and me. I never hang onto “freebies” once testing is done.

Smart doorbell cameras are for people who want to be able to screen visitors the way they do phone calls. They allow you to see in real time who is at your door and decide whether you want to engage or simply ignore it.

Smart doorbell cameras replace an existing doorbell with a hybrid device that bundles together a ringer button, a video camera, a microphone, a speaker, and one or more sensors. In most homes with a powered doorbell, you can simply swap out your old doorbell button for a smart one and use the existing wiring; a few models require a bit more power, and others can also run on rechargeable batteries.

While smart doorbell cameras do provide a measure of security by keeping tabs on your front stoop (and may even catch someone swiping packages), they shouldn’t be thought of as a replacement for a bona fide security camera. All of our picks are intended to detect motion up to 20 feet away — though we found that some can detect and record activity beyond that range.

Installing an all-seeing and hearing sentry by your front door necessarily raises issues of privacy — both yours and that of your unwitting neighbors. Make sure to read terms of service and privacy policies, as well as the scenarios and suggestions we provide in “How to Keep Unwanted Eyes From Spying on Your Security Cameras.” Also, keep in mind that some neighbors, postal workers, pizza-delivery drivers, and other guests may not appreciate being recorded — and may be protected by local or state laws.

We’ve been reviewing smart doorbell cameras for more than nine years and have tested dozens of them. When deciding on the best one for your needs, there are several important considerations, many of which aren’t the kind of thing you can learn by reading specs on the side of a box.

• Video limitations: Although most doorbell cameras support a 1080p or even 2K resolution, we’ve found that the images are never as sharp as what you’d get with a typical smartphone camera, especially for subjects at a distance of a dozen feet or more. Also, streaming high-resolution video chews up internet bandwidth, so be sure your home network can support it.
• Storage: Subscription-based cloud storage (with video saved over the internet to a remote server operated by the manufacturer) is the norm these days. Some users prefer to store video recordings locally on a microSD card or a connected hard drive due to data safety concerns. However, if you lose power or someone steals the camera or your card, you won’t be able to access those recordings.
• Alerts: All doorbell cameras will alert you when someone pushes the button or the camera detects motion. Many can also tell you what that motion is, labeling it as a person, a vehicle, an animal, or a package, with some cameras capable of tagging clips of people with specific names.
• Audio: A good doorbell camera should have a built-in microphone so you can hear chirps and chatter. They also feature a speaker for two-way communication, allowing you to talk to whoever shows up at your door.
• Smart-home integration: Most doorbell cameras offer some type of smart-home integration, such as support for Amazon Alexa, Apple Home, Google Home, IFTTT (If This Then That), Samsung SmartThings, and more. Those will allow you to view who is at the door on smart displays or trigger devices (such as smart outdoor lights) when someone approaches.

To test smart doorbells, each contender gets mounted to an outdoor rig that houses up to four doorbells and is connected to a gigabit Verizon Fios network via an indoor Wi-Fi router (approximately 40 feet from the cameras) and a mesh-networking kit, the Asus ZenWiFi AX (XT8). I used an iPhone 12, a Google Pixel 7 Pro, and an iPad to review the cameras and their companion apps. When issues come up, such as too many or too few alerts, I try to optimize the settings to get the best possible results for each doorbell.

Once we narrow down candidates, we review privacy policies, send questions to each company regarding privacy and security practices, and have a look at their network activity using a Firewalla Purple SE, a firewall device that monitors the communications of all devices on a network and reports which devices are sending out data and to what country. We also monitor the practices of each company, review issues that come up in the news, and keep tabs on how each company responds to those incidents.

Top pick

The best smart doorbell camera

Google Nest Doorbell (Wired, 2nd Gen)

This doorbell sends fast alerts, captures clear audio and video, and offers free and paid subscription levels — including an option for 24/7 cloud recording.

Buy from Google Store

May be out of stock

Buy from Amazon

$170 from Walmart
(price varies by color)

Compatibility: Amazon Alexa, Google Home

The Google Nest Doorbell (Wired) is the best video doorbell I’ve tested. It reacts quickly to motion, both by sending alerts and displaying a live view on your mobile device. It also was the most accurate of the doorbell cameras I tested when it came to distinguishing types of motion and restricting alerts and recordings when using Activity Zones. It’s the only one of our picks to offer free cloud storage, although it only stores video recordings for a three-hour window; there are subscription options to store events longer, and even the ability to record everything to the cloud 24 hours a day, seven days a week. It also works with existing chimes, or you can set up a smart speaker to announce visitors. The image resolution is 960×1280, which is lower than our other picks, but I didn’t have any problems making out details — and that lower resolution may be less of a burden on your home Wi-Fi network, allowing you to stream more smoothly.

The smartphone alerts are more reliable. The Nest doorbell is able to distinguish between people, animals, vehicles, packages, and general motion, and it does it better than any video doorbell I’ve tested. It also has an optional Familiar Face Detection feature, which allows you to tag visitors, family members, and regular guests by name — although it has to get a good look at the person’s face. (See Flaws but not dealbreakers.) An important note about privacy: Consider that your neighbors may prefer not to be tagged by facial recognition, or recorded at all — and it may actually be illegal to do either of those in some locales.

Despite lower resolution, it actually works better. The previous Nest doorbell captured a 1600×1200-pixel image in landscape orientation, while this model does 960×1280 in portrait mode. The angle allows for a better head-to-toe image of what’s directly in front of the door, and the recorded video is bright and vivid. (I also think the lower resolution allows for fewer potential hiccups on an overburdened home network.) Audio is also always clear on both ends; the microphone can be turned off and camera volume can be adjusted using the app.

It records what you actually want to see. The Nest allows you to create up to four different zones within its field of view, so you can choose to ignore or follow activity in a given area, as well as what you want to receive smartphone notifications about. For instance, you might create a zone directly in front of your driveway for people and animals, but opt to not get alerts every time a car goes by. There’s also an option to record and choose notifications for action outside of your created zone.

You don’t need a subscription (but likely should get one). The Nest includes free cloud storage, but with the free plan events are automatically deleted three hours after they are captured. That means, technically, you wouldn’t have to pay an extra dime to run it. If you find yourself missing events as they happen, or want special features like the Familiar Face Detection, then you’ll want to opt for a Nest Aware plan, which stores recordings up to 30 days for $10 per month (or $100 per year) for an unlimited number of cameras. It’s the most expensive plan of our picks, if you plan to run a single camera. It also has built-in storage that can hold up to an hour of recordings should you lose power.

You can get 24/7 coverage, if you want. The Nest is the only one of our picks that offers 24/7 recording to the cloud ($20 per month or $200 per year). Even without that option, it never missed a minute of activity in my tests — and, more importantly, it never had any false alerts. If you don’t have the 24/7 recording plan, it can capture clips up to 5 minutes in length (naturally, you still need something to move to trigger a recording).

It can function without the app. Although the Google Home app is needed for setup and recommended for daily use, you can view doorbell history, customize recorded clips, and download clips from any web browser using Google Home for web. Also, you can view and listen to live action and talk through the camera using the web browser interface.

Flaws but not dealbreakers

It has the most expensive subscription plan. Of all our picks, the Nest Aware plan is technically the most expensive, starting at $10 per month (or $100 per year). However, if you plan to run multiple cameras, it’s actually comparable to a Ring subscription — and better than the cloud plans from our other picks.

If you’re unsure about the value of a sub, you can still use the Google Nest doorbell without stored videos, however a subscription is required to get face recognition, as well as the ability to detect emergency sounds, such as a smoke alarm.

It can’t always remember a face. Familiar Face Detection can alert you to repeat visitors, such as family members and caregivers, with a notification that includes a name (“Rachel seen”). However, it needs to get a good look at the person, or it won’t be able to correctly identify them. Also, face detection is only available with a Nest Aware subscription.

It doesn’t work with the old Nest app. All newer Nest devices use the Google Home app, so diehard Nest fans may be disappointed. However, the app has gotten a few updates, including the option to use the old Nest app’s vertical video scrubbing feature for scrolling through events, as well as the possibility to “favorite” the doorbell so you get a live view right away upon opening the app.

Privacy and security snapshot

• Video is encrypted in transit and at rest but not while in use.
• Familiar Face data is stored locally in the doorbell’s internal memory, which is encrypted. For security reasons, the internal memory is not accessible or removable.
• Google shares data only with approved partners, such as a home security provider. They will also share audio recordings, video footage, device sensor data, or Wi-Fi network performance data with third-party apps if you give permission.
• Recordings cannot be accessed without permission, except when required by law, such as via a valid subpoena or court order, and then only by limited personnel.
• Two-factor authentication is available but not required.

For more details, read Google’s privacy statement.

Budget pick

An affordable alternative

Ring Video Doorbell Wired

This compact model performs consistently and is cheap and easy to install, but it lacks some of the more advanced features of our top pick.

$50 from Amazon

May be out of stock

$50 from The Home Depot

$50 from Best Buy

Compatibility: Amazon Alexa

The Ring Video Doorbell Wired captures detailed 1080p video, sends fast motion triggers, and looks at home on a door frame. It doesn’t have some of the bells and whistles of our other picks, but it can distinguish between people, general motion, and packages, and has a wide viewing angle that’s 155 degrees horizontal and 90 degrees vertical. It’s also substantially smaller at a full inch shorter and a half inch less wide and thick than other Ring models.

It’s relatively inexpensive to own. Compared with the flagship Ring Video Doorbell, as well as most competing models, this Ring is not only dramatically less expensive — and we often see it on sale for as little as $40 .While a monthly subscription is required if you want to record anything, the $5 per month/$50 per year fee is decent for 180 days of video storage plus a few added features.

Those savings come with some potential setbacks. This Ring won’t work with your home’s existing doorbell chimes and doesn’t come packaged with one, so you need to purchase a Ring Chime, or Ring Chime Pro, which increases the overall expense (optionally you can also pair it with an Amazon Echo smart speaker instead). And if you need an angled mount, that’s extra too.

Conversations are fluid. Ring is the only one of our picks that allows you to talk to visitors without having to push a microphone button in the app. Simply click Tap to Go Live for live viewing and you can start yapping. (All of our other picks require you to press or hold a button in order to make conversation.) In testing, audio quality was clear for both parties.

Notifications are accurate and quick. In my testing, smartphone notifications typically came within 2 seconds. The doorbell can capture clips up to 2 minutes long and will start a new clip if motion continues beyond that — notably we didn’t encounter any gaps in between recordings, either. To record video, you do need to subscribe to a Ring Home plan, which starts at $5 per month or $50 per year. A subscription not only provides storage of your recordings for up to 180 days, but also adds features like person detection and Rich Notifications (which is a short preview of a motion-activated video clip). Without a paid plan, you can get notifications when motion is detected and view your camera live at any time, but you won’t be able to record video or go back and see activity from the past.

Ring has revisited security. No company we cover has encountered more controversy for its products and service than Ring. In the past, there were reports of hacking, a public outcry about the company’s Neighbors program and police partnerships, and even incidents citing Ring’s own employees spying on customers. Most recently, Ring eliminated the controversial option for police to directly solicit video from users via the app, but then it announced plans to bring it back as an optional feature through a different partnership. Ring includes several privacy-based options not available on other devices, including mandatory two-factor authentication, the ability to view and manage all services and users linked to your Ring account from the app (under Device Settings), and the ability to opt out of Neighbors (under Control Center). Ring also includes the option to not record certain areas of property (such as public streets and neighbors) with Privacy Zones, a setting that allows you to black out areas from live view and recordings.

Flaws but not dealbreakers

You need a chime. This Ring doorbell doesn’t work with existing door chimes and doesn’t come with one. Instead, you’ll need to pair it with a smart speaker or purchase the Ring Chime or the Ring Chime Pro.

You may need a mount. This is the only one of our picks that doesn’t come with an angled door mount (it’s a separate purchase), which comes in handy if you want to capture a specific area or have obstructions.

Smart-home support is limited. This Ring doorbell works only with Amazon Alexa and Works with Ring devices. It doesn’t support Google Home or Apple Home smart speakers or other devices.

Privacy and security snapshot

• Data is encrypted in transit and at rest for this device; end-to-end encryption is not available for this model.
• Two-factor authentication is mandatory for all Ring devices.
• Users must input an address and zip code when setting up a device. If it’s invalid, the app will ask to use Location Services, but users can decline.
• Ring uses first- and third-party web and app analytics services to collect and analyze information, including personal information to improve features, evaluate marketing, and optimize the customer experience. Users can customize preferences in the app under Control Center and Cookies and Third-Party Service Providers.
• On May 31, 2023, the Federal Trade Commission announced a $5.8 million settlement with Ring addressing privacy violations dating back to 2017. The FTC had accused Ring of failing to properly protect customers from hacking incidents, noting that some employees and contractors had repeatedly accessed customer videos without permission. The report stems from incidents prior to Amazon’s acquisition of Ring in 2018, but the order requires Ring to delete all algorithms and data collected from unlawfully viewed videos. The company says it has since put “policies and controls in place that restrict employee access to customers’ stored videos, and employees are unable to view, access, or control livestreams.”

For more details, read Ring’s privacy statement.

Top pick

The best battery-operated doorbell camera

TP-Link Tapo D225 Video Doorbell Camera

This battery-powered model produces sharp 2K images, has options for local and cloud storage, and offers a lot of customization for detecting different types of motion.

$80 from Amazon

Compatibility: Amazon Alexa, Google Home

Typically, there are concessions if you want a good battery-operated doorbell, but the TP-Link Tapo D225 Video Doorbell Camera is pretty close to perfect. And it provides more options than any of our other picks. Like the Google Nest, it can distinguish between different types of motion, and it allows you to choose what types of motion get smartphone alerts and which type will be recorded with a sharp 2K resolution. It also allows you to choose where you want to store video, either locally to a microSD card or in the cloud for a fee. My one gripe is that it’s not as attractive as our other picks, but that’s because of the bulky battery, which provides three to four months of service. If you don’t ever see yourself charging it, the D225 can be hardwired, which may defeat the purpose of getting this chunky unit but also adds the possibility for 24/7 local recording.

It’s highly customizable in lots of handy ways. Like the Google Nest, the Tapo D225 can distinguish between general motion, people, pets, vehicles, and packages. Creating Detection Zones in the smartphone app allows you to designate areas within the camera’s view to focus on and areas to ignore, as well as filter types of recordings. And further, in the Notifications setting you can choose the types of alerts you want to receive.

In my tests, I monitored the driveway for people, animals, and cars but filtered out vehicle alerts. When someone actually rings the doorbell, the Tapo app sends an alert through, as you’d get with a phone call, allowing you to swipe and answer quickly. (If you don’t need your phone ringing more than it already does, go into Settings, Doorbell, and Doorbell Video Call to opt for a push notification instead.)

There are options for free and paid storage plans. The Tapo D225 is the only one of our picks that allows you to store events to a microSD card. Users will appreciate that it’s free and also keeps recordings from potential cloud data leaks — however it also means that if the doorbell or the card gets stolen or damaged, your footage is gone for good. And should you have a power outage, you won’t be able to consult footage remotely to see what happened before things went dark. If those are real concerns, you can opt to subscribe to Tapo Care, which offers 30 days of cloud storage and Rich Notifications (the kind with a thumbnail) for $3.50 a month or $35 a year for one camera. Unlike Eufy, the D225 can record clips up to 2 minutes both to local sources and cloud storage, and in clear 2K resolution.

The battery life is reasonably good. TP-Link claims that you should get about eight months of use on a full charge. But that’s only an estimate, since camera battery life greatly depends on how much activity the camera witnesses and what features are enabled. In my testing, the Tapo was subjected to what I’d consider a typical amount of motion triggers, and I found it needed to be charged every three to four months. Although that’s less than TP-Link’s claim, it’s still good for a battery-operated camera. As with the other battery-operated doorbell on our list, the battery isn’t removable, so you will need to remove the entire doorbell to charge it, which can take up to five hours.

You can opt for battery or wired power. The Tapo D225 can be hardwired, which is a good option if you have the wiring and don’t want the periodic hassle of recharging a battery. If you’re going to bother with that, I would probably recommend the look of the Nest over the bulk of the D225. However, hardwiring allows you to record 24/7 to a microSD card, which is a pretty unique feature. Scrolling through to find events in this mode isn’t as user-friendly as it is on the Nest, but it’s also free. And hardwiring the D225 allows you to use an existing chime instead of the one that comes with it, but only if you’re opting to just record events and the 24/7 mode is off.

This TP-Link isn’t the other TP-Link. In December 2024, The Wall Street Journal reported that US authorities may seek to restrict the sale of TP-Link Wi-Fi routers following federal investigations into potential security vulnerabilities, including links between the company and the Chinese government. We reached out to TP-Link and a company representative stated that there is “no interdependence” between TP-Link Technologies Co., Ltd. in China, and the US-based TP-Link Systems Inc, the global headquarters since 2024 which markets and sells TP-Link smart home devices. Furthermore, the TP-Link Cloud for all global users is hosted on Amazon Web Services (AWS), with Virginia-based infrastructure serving U.S. users. The TP-Link representative also noted that nearly all TP-Link products sold in the US are currently manufactured in Vietnam, and the remainder will eventually.

Flaws but not dealbreakers

It’s chonky. At 5.91 by 1.97 by 1.52 inches, this unit is bulky. As a comparison, the battery-operated Eufy Video Doorbell S220 is slightly smaller at 5.5 by 2.1 by 1.1 inches and the hardwired Google Nest is 4.6 by 1.7 by 1 inches, and both are more attractive to my eyes. But if you’re in need of a battery doorbell, this one is packed with features at an excellent price.

It has a fisheye effect. The Tapo D225 is the only one of our picks with distorted or “fisheye effect” video. I still use it because that allows me to get a full view, but the D225 does have a comprehensive, clear image overall.

The color night vision is hit or miss. Like our outdoor camera pick, the Tapo D225 has color night vision, which is provided by the doorbell’s LED ring. The light has six color options and the images were fine, but often they were better with the standard black-and-white night vision.

Privacy and security snapshot

• Video that is stored locally is encrypted when transmitted; when it is sent to the cloud it is encrypted in transit and when stored.
• Location data is recorded but not shared.
• Recordings cannot be accessed without permission, unless they are in response to a legal request, and then only by limited personnel.
• Two-factor authentication is available but not required.

For more details, read TP-Link’s privacy statement.

Best for…

Best for storing video indoors

Eufy Security Video Doorbell S220 (Battery-Powered)

This battery-powered model lasts up to four months with regular use, has options for cloud storage, and includes a hub to store recordings at home.

$130 from Amazon

$120 from Walmart

Compatibility: Amazon Alexa, Google Home

The Eufy Security Video Doorbell S220 (Battery-Powered) makes it easy to put a video doorbell anywhere around your door so long as it’s within range of your Wi-Fi signal.

Of all the battery-operated doorbells we tested, the Eufy S220 is the only one that allows you to store 2K video locally for free on a hub that lives inside your house, so you don’t have to worry if someone steals the doorbell. That same hub will chime when someone pushes the bell, though the S220 can also trigger your existing mechanical chimes (but not digital chimes). With a subscription, you can store 1080p video in the cloud. Since this model is battery-powered, you have more freedom to place it wherever you prefer (versus wherever existing wiring is, as with wired models). But that also means you have to periodically remove it for a recharge.

Battery life is exceptional. This battery-powered doorbell is easy to set up, and because it doesn’t require any wiring you can place it wherever you like — a real benefit for anyone who lives in an apartment building or rental, for instance. Eufy claims the battery should last 180 days, and although our testing came up short of that, it still lasted an impressive four months in a location that generates a fair amount of motion triggers, such as fairly frequent deliveries and people using the front door several times a day. If you live on a busy street, your mileage may vary (and you should tweak your settings to remedy any problems). Like the Tapo model, this one has a built-in battery, so you have to remove the entire thing to charge it. It also means that if the internal battery craps out, so does the doorbell. (So far, ours has been going for over four years.)

Both the free and paid storage are separate from the doorbell. The included HomeBase has a 16 GB hard drive, which should hold about six months’ worth of 2K clips (based on an average of five minutes of recording per day) and means you don’t need to pay extra for a subscription. You can also opt for Eufy cloud storage, which starts at $4 per month per camera (or $40 per year). This service stores clips offsite, so you can access them if your power or Wi-Fi goes down — in the process it downgrades recordings to 1080p, which we found perfectly fine, but it’s worth noting if you are expecting 2K resolution video.

Recordings are brief but reasonable. Like many battery-operated cameras, the Eufy S220 also limits recordings to 60 seconds. If motion continues beyond that time, a new clip starts recording. I found that, as with some other battery-powered cameras, this Eufy would leave a gap of about 8 seconds in between recordings. Some people may consider that to be a dealbreaker, but the overall steady performance and extended battery life make for a reasonable trade-off.

Audio and video quality are great, but object detection isn’t. In my tests, the Eufy’s video quality was always sharp, whether in 2K or 1080p resolution, and smartphone alerts arrived within a solid 7 seconds of motion. However, unlike some cameras, this Eufy is only able to distinguish between people and general motion — and even then imperfectly, as sometimes it would label a person as general motion or a tire as a person.

We are monitoring privacy and security. After an incident in November 2022, a Eufy spokesperson confirmed that the company uses an AWS-based cloud server to deliver push notifications with a thumbnail preview image, meaning that even if you opt for local storage, that content will pass through the cloud. Eufy has changed language in its app to be more clear, but thumbnail-enhanced smartphone alerts are an option that can be turned off by going into your camera’s Settings, clicking Notification, and choosing an option for how you want to receive those notifications.

Flaws but not dealbreakers

Image quality may vary. Even though the S200 records 2K video, Eufy cameras and doorbells reduce the quality to 1080p when video is sent to the cloud (we still recommend cloud subscription plans).

The AI isn’t perfect. This camera can distinguish between people and general motion, but it has tagged tires and animals as people more often than it should — a quirk that I’ve noticed with almost every Eufy camera I’ve reviewed, including the Floodlight Camera E340 and the Indoor Cam C120. I have found that reporting the issue to Eufy (click Donate at the bottom of the app — that means you are sharing your video) typically solves incidents where the camera is repeatedly misidentifying something. It may take more than one report, though. Just be aware when you donate clips to the company, they will use it to train their AI.

Privacy and security snapshot

• Even if you opt for local storage, Eufy will pass thumbnail-based smartphone notifications through the cloud. For truly local storage, choose text-based notifications under Settings in the app.
• When using local storage, Eufy has no access to users’ video recordings. If using cloud storage, video content will never be shared without the user’s written consent, unless necessary to comply with a valid legal order.
• Eufy doesn’t share audio or video, but may share personal data for marketing or business purposes, as outlined in the company’s privacy policy.
• Two-factor authentication is available but not required.

For more details, read Eufy’s privacy statement.

As part of our vetting process for smart doorbell cameras, we looked at all of the security and data-privacy practices behind our picks. This includes long-term testing and keeping track of app, firmware, and policy updates, as well as hardware and software incidents. Should any privacy or security issues be found with any of our selected products, we’ll report that here and, if necessary, update or alter our recommendations.

During our testing, we read the manufacturer’s privacy policies for our picks, specifically looking for sections that strayed from what we consider to be standard in the category. However, there are some common important points that everyone should understand. For instance, most camera companies say that in certain circumstances they will cooperate with police and may turn over your camera footage with your permission or by court order.

A bigger concern is whether a doorbell camera can be hacked by outside sources, or whether your video is adequately secured against misuse by the companies that sell them. All of the companies behind our picks told us that video is encrypted in transit and at rest — but not while in use. Despite the added security, each one also said they would hand over content when required by law. Eufy clarified that this would only be the case with cloud-based content; they have no access to local storage.

If you own an Ecobee thermostat: If you own our top thermostat pick, the Ecobee Smart Thermostat Premium, you’ll want to consider the Ecobee Smart Doorbell Camera. It allows you to check in live and answer the doorbell from the thermostat’s 4-inch screen. Although it’s not as smart as our top two picks, it does deliver clear 1080p video, a wide, 175-degree viewing angle, and dual Wi-Fi support. It also works with all major smart-home platforms, though not HomeKit Secure Video (which seems like a missed opportunity). I also had a few blips where people were identified as packages, and I spent a lot of time trying to find those packages (or other action), since every single recording captured is always exactly 2 minutes.

If you prefer a camera with a removable rechargeable battery: The Ring Battery Doorbell Plus records in clear, 1536p HD video, in a square 1:1 aspect ratio, with a 150-by-150-degree field of view. Its rechargeable battery is removable, which makes it easier to charge (or you can buy a second battery and swap them as needed). We prefer the long-term battery life and recording quality of our wireless picks, but this model allows you to record until motion stops (for up to 30 seconds) or have it set to record between 15 and 120 seconds every time — though doing so will drain the battery quicker.

We would love to recommend a doorbell that works with Apple’s HomeKit Secure Video, but we’re not sold on any of the models we’ve tested, including the Aqara Doorbell Camera Hub G410, the Aqara Smart Video Doorbell G4 or the Logitech Circle View Wired Doorbell. The Logitech model was the most problematic, as I encountered issues with nighttime images, network connectivity, and missed motion triggers. Also, there have been reports about the doorbell overheating. Both Aqara models consistently missed significant motion events during my testing with HomeKit Secure Video and Aqara’s HomeGuardian service. I also have a hard time with Aqara’s cloud service limiting clips to 12 seconds, yet charging $5 per month.

We didn’t test the TP-Link Tapo D210 Video Doorbell Camera because all of its features are a downgrade from our wireless pick, the Tapo D225. The Eufy Video Doorbell E340 hahas two lenses, which is probably why the internal battery died in less than two weeks. Also, our picks just performed better overall. We also had a better experience with our picks than the Arlo Video Doorbell, the second-gen Blink Video Doorbell, the Google Nest Doorbell (Battery), MyQ’s Video Doorbell, the Ring Battery Doorbell, and the SimpliSafe Video Doorbell Pro — though the SimpliSafe is worth considering if you already have their security system. Both the Ring Wired Doorbell Pro and the Ring Battery Doorbell Pro are too expensive for what each one delivers.

The Reolink Doorbell WiFi Camera and the Eufy Video Doorbell S330 are the only smart doorbells we tested that don’t offer cloud service, which may have been fine were it not for a number of performance issues during testing.

We also dismissed the Abode Wireless Video Doorbell, the Ezviz DB1, the Roku Video Doorbell, and the SwannBuddy Video Doorbell due to poor features, missed events, and/or too many false alerts.

We plan to test SwitchBot’s Smart Video Doorbell, which comes with a separate 4.3-inch portable display for viewing the battery-operated camera’s 2K video. Other features include a built-in 100 dB chime and a 165-degree viewing angle.

This article was edited by Jon Chase and Grant Clauser.