Video doorbell cameras prove themselves more convenient each year. Whether you're using them to scare off porch pirates, say hi to the mailman bribing your dog (again) or to check that your kids got home from school on time while you're still stuck at the office, they are extremely useful. My video doorbell is a constant monitor for activity and a deterrent to would-be thieves -- I couldn’t imagine having a home without one.
Our Picks
With all the video doorbells on the market, it's hard to know which one to pick. After testing nearly two dozen doorbells from brands including Arlo, Blink, Eufy, Lorex, Nest, Ring and more, I'm making several recommendations for top models, including easy-to-install battery models and cheap no-fee options. I've run these doorbells through their paces from package recognition to app UI, so I know they're worth it.
What is the best video doorbell overall?
My final pick for the best doorbell camera is the Arlo Video Doorbell 2K (2nd gen). In addition to a higher resolution than most doorbells, Arlo has equipped its model with a broad field of view, excellent two-way audio and great compatibility options (plus it works well with the company's DIY security system).
But Arlo is far from my only favorite. Google’s Nest model (which I'm currently using) has excellent object detection and great free features, and Blink has an especially affordable doorbell. My list includes options for everyone, plus useful tips on how to install video doorbells, why certain features are more important than others and answers to other frequently asked questions.
Best video doorbell cameras of 2025
Pros
- Easy to install with battery model
- High 2K resolution
- Wide-angle 180-degree view
- Night vision
- Built-in siren
- Arlo's app welcomes newcomers
- Voice assistance and Arlo security system compatibility
Cons
- No cloud storage or advanced features without high $8 subscription fee
- Bulkier than other alternatives
Why I like it:
I came away very impressed with this Arlo Video Doorbell's array of features -- including the wide view, night vision and built-in siren. It's also easy to install, performs well and I found the Arlo app to be comprehensive and user-friendly, with a customizable home screen and pleasant walkthrough for home-security newcomers.
Arlo's doorbell also includes handy extras like a built-in siren, two-way audio and customizable motion detection zones. That 2K resolution is higher than you can find on many video doorbells (although it's becoming more common). Oh, and if you have an Arlo security system, you can use the newest Arlo fob at the doorbell to automatically disarm it.
The Arlo doorbell does require cloud storage fees for important video storage and viewing. Fortunately, they start at $8 per month for a single camera and $18 for unlimited cameras, lower than many security subscriptions. However, if you aren't interested in monthly fees you may want to check out my other picks below.
Who is this for:
Buyers who want a high resolution and excellent usability but don't mind paying a monthly subscription fee to get everything.
Who shouldn’t buy it:
Users who want to avoid monthly fees at all costs.
Pros
- Free AI smart notifications for packages, people and more
- Free 3-hour video storage
- Quick installation with battery model
- Great Google Home management
- Reliable performance in all types of weather
Cons
- Limited 145-degree field of view compared to our other picks
- Low resolution at 960p
Why I like it:
The second-gen Google Nest Doorbell (battery) and its wired counterpart are a breeze to set up but it's the free features that are especially appealing. This Nest Doorbell 2nd gen offers three free hours of video storage and free basic AI detection for packages, people, animals and more -- a very nice package of capabilities without any extra fees. You can add a Nest Aware subscription if you want extra abilities like facial recognition and long-term video storage.
Nest's package, person and vehicle recognition capabilities are especially accurate. That, along with the Google Home functionality, is why I keep this doorbell by my door no matter what other models I'm currently testing. But the doorbell works with Alexa too, as well as ADT's Trusted Neighbor permissions that use Nest's familiar face technology (available with subscription only).
Who is this for:
Google Home users who want a convenient video doorbell setup with plentiful free features -- as long as they don't mind taking it in every several months to recharge.
Who shouldn’t buy it:
People uninterested in phone aleets, those who'd rather wire in a doorbell to their old chime.
Gemini can answer questions from your video history, too.
Pros
- Bird's Eye View helps track movement over time
- 3D motion detection
- Color night vision
- Automated Alexa greetings
- 150-degree "square" field of view to capture more
Cons
- Expensive, usually more than $200
- Clunky battery case
- Ring Protect $5 plan required to view recorded video
Why I like it:
The Ring Battery Doorbell Pro, with its $230 list price, isn't the best value on the market but I found its unique features promising if you don't mind paying more -- especially if you have a large front yard to watch.
The Pro offers an interesting 150-degree field of view horizontally and vertically, giving users a broad square of visual data, 1536p resolution and all the basics you'd want your smart buzzer to have. The doorbell also includes more unique Ring technology like radar sensing and the Bird's Eye View mode -- which lets you track the movement of an interloper around your yard, to give a clear sense of their route and general activity. The doorbell also includes Alexa Greetings and prerecorded messages you can use to answer people via the voice assistant.
The Ring Battery Doorbell Pro offers end-to-end video encryption. However, to use the video recording feature in the cloud you'll need a Ring Protect plan, which starts at $5 per month and lets you keep video for up to 180 days, plus enabling personal alerts, alarm notifications, away modes and other features. With no easy local storage options, I consider a Protect plan more or less necessary to get full use of this doorbell.
Who is this for:
People willing to pay more for automated Alexa greetings and a broader look at the front yard -- oh yeah, and they need to be Alexa fans.
Who shouldn’t buy it:
Buyers who prefer not to be wedded to Alexa, fans of no-subscription cams.
Pros
- Great budget pick usually found for about $50
- Full Alexa compatibility
- Cloud subscription or local storage options
- Compact design
- Can bundle with Blink cams
Cons
- 2AA rechargeable batteries can be awkward to manage
- Local storage and subscription both cost extra, either as a new purchase or $3 subscription fee
Why I like it:
Few video doorbells can match Amazon’s Blink brand in price; this doorbell is typically available for about $50. Buyers aren’t giving up much in return, either. The resolution is only 1080p but it’s not the highest priority when doorbell footage is typically close up. The doorbell sports infrared night vision, a 135-degree field of view and useful custom alerts we’ve come to expect from video doorbells.
Amazon has included full Alexa compatibility here, including the ability to answer through Alexa speakers via two-way audio. I'm also a big fan of the Blink app, which is very streamlined and easy to use even for newcomers, while still providing the important settings you need.
Battery management is a little awkward with 2AA rechargeable batteries but I don’t mind the extra step when everything functions smoothly. A more serious caveat is the video storage: You’ll have to pay $3 per month for a Blink subscription to save video in the cloud under Amazon’s care or you’ll need to purchase a $35 Sync Module 2 for ___location storage. We like having options but it does complicate your setup decisions.
Who is this for:
Fans of simple apps, cheap doorbells and basic but useful features augmented by subscriptions or hub add-ons.
Who shouldn’t buy it:
People who prefer more features and a better lens for a higher price. Like Ring, Blink is also Alexa-bound.
This Ring Doorbell is designed with a battery that's removed from the bottom but Ring has updated battery models with new designs as well.
Best local storage video doorbell camera
Lorex 4K Wired Video Doorbell
Pros
- Local storage with included microSD card
- High 4k resolution
- Free AI recognition features
- Quick replay options
- No subscription or cloud privacy concerns
- Has a little nightlight
Cons
- Wired version only
- SD card management may be annoying when the card gets full
Why I like it:
Lorex goes all-in on the free local storage aspect of video doorbells so if you don't want to mess with cloud storage at all I recommend this model. Without cloud storage, there’s less need to worry about downloading footage, no subscriptions and almost no fears of compromised privacy. But local storage -- which typically uses an SD card or hub to store on a hard drive -- can often be clunky.
Lorex’s solution is to include a 32GB microSD card with your purchase (if you use these cards in your camera or phone, you know what to expect), plus the ability to upgrade it to a 256GB card or just buy your own later. When the card gets full, you can use the Lorex app to manage and delete video footage.
In addition to the high 4K video quality, the doorbell provides two-way audio, a nightlight and quick reply messages. AI detection for objects like vehicles, packages and animals is native to the doorbell without extra fees. It’s wired-only, so be prepared to connect it to 16-24 VAC wiring.
Who is this for:
If you don't want to pay for subscriptions or worry about buying add-ons, this high-res doorbell is for you.
Who shouldn’t buy it:
Fans of cloud storage and more advanced AI features.
Pros
- Choice of either cloud subscription or free local storage
- 2K resolution
- Alexa and Google compatibility
- Free AI object recognition
- High IP66 weather rating
- Less than $100
Cons
- Included chime is nice but rarely necessary
- Design is a bit awkward and bulky
Why I like it:
Tapo's under-$100 video doorbell comes with an impressive suite of features at that price, including 2K resolution, color night vision and a 160-degree field of view. But one of my favorite features is the ability to use either Tapo's $3.50 cloud storage subscription or the built-in microSD card slot -- and I'd definitely choose the latter for a no-subscription doorbell option.
Tapo's 2K-resolution doorbell also offers Alexa and Google compatibility, along with free AI detection for shapes like humans vs. pets. The camera includes a wireless chime you can use indoors, although with phone, tablet and smart display chime alerts, I've never found these extra sounds very useful on video doorbells. Regardless, Tapo's model remains a solid pick and has even picked up a few tricks, like the ability to call you with updates.
Who is this for:
People who don't mind paying about $100 on initial costs to get handy free smart features and never have to worry about subscriptions.
Who shouldn’t buy it:
Users who are especially finicky about streamlined, intuitive apps, those looking for additional Alexa or Google compatibility.
Video doorbell cameras compared
| Best video doorbells | Arlo Video Doorbell 2K (2nd-Generation) | Google Nest Doorbell 2nd-Gen (Battery) | Ring Battery Doorbell Pro | Blink Video Doorbell | Lorex 2K Wired Video Doorbell | Tapo Smart Wi-Fi Video Doorbell D225 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price | $130 | $144 | $230 | $60 | $180 | $90 |
| Resolution | 2K | 960x1280 | 1536p | 1080p | 4K | 2K |
| Field of view | 180 degrees | 145 degrees | 150 degrees (plus bird's eye view) | 135 degrees | 150 degrees | 160 degrees |
| Setup | Battery or wired | Battery (also available wired) | Battery | Battery | Wired | Battery |
| AI Detection | Person, vehicle, and animal with subscription | Person, vehicle, package, facial recognition | Package alerts with subscription | N/A | Vehicles, packages, and animals | Vehicles, people |
| Audio | 2-way with quick replies | 2-way with quick replies | 2-way | 2-way | 2-way with quick replies | 2-way |
| Storage options | $4.99 cloud subscription | Free 3 hours, $8 cloud subscription for more | $5 cloud subscription | $3 Blink cloud subscription or local hub | Included MicroSD card | $3.50 cloud storage subscription or microSD card (not included) |
| Review score | N/A | 8 | 7.5 | 7.6/10 | N/A | N/A |
Factors to consider when choosing a video doorbell camera
The app view from a Lorex doorbell on a phone.
Does it work with smart home platforms? If so, do the smart features work well together?
Nowadays a smart home device is expected to work with at least one major smart home platform. Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant and Apple HomeKit are the main ones you need to look for. Apple support is harder to find but if the rumors are right Apple is due to release its own security camera before long and support should become more common.
Note that the Matter home standard, which enables cross-platform functionality and other tricks, isn't really available for video doorbells. The Matter standard has been very slow to add video functionality and it's just not ready for home cams of any kind yet.
Privacy and security
Video doorbells capture a lot of everyday moments and many of them store that footage in the cloud. One of my priorities is checking a brand’s track record with privacy practices, digital storage and overall security.
You’ll see I discuss topics such as how readily a doorbell maker hands over video to the authorities or how they have responded to data vulnerabilities in the past. This is also the reason why some doorbells didn’t appear on my list: Wyze, with repeated security flaws as recent as the September 2023 video-caching issue that let others look through strangers’ doorbells, didn’t make the cut.
This doorbell model has a crazy number of features but you'll need to enable most of them.
Video storage and subscriptions
Video storage is integral to the video doorbell experience. With so much video automatically captured, I focus on how that video is uploaded, its storage limitations and how easy video is to access or share. Saving video footage is especially important if you want to report a porch pirate to the police or save a similar unpleasant event to take later action. (But sometimes you just catch animals being cute.)
Video storage varies greatly across doorbell devices. Some allow a certain amount of free online video storage but many require monthly subscriptions to store video in the cloud or greatly increase storage options with a subscription. That's best for people who want a history of video events to access and don't want to micro-manage video. It's also the only option that works with conversation video search like what Google Gemini provides.
Other doorbells have the option to use local storage with a microSD card, a less expensive option that requires significantly more manual video management. I like to see as many free and user-friendly options as possible in video doorbells, with the assumption that you have enough home tech subscriptions as it is.
AI recognition and alerts
AI and video doorbells are a useful -- and increasingly common -- combo. I look for AI software that can correctly identify packages, pets or even the faces of people in your contact lists and send you more accurate alerts about what’s happening (and if a package unexpectedly vanishes). On the other hand, I also like to see smart motion detection that can easily ignore passing cars or falling leaves to cut down on unnecessary alerts.
Wired vs. wireless
Wired versus wireless is largely a matter of preference but it’s an important preference. Wired doorbells always have power and can often be wired into an existing door chime. Wireless models are far more flexible in terms of placement but you’ll need to recharge them every several months or so and they won’t connect to a hardware chime. One isn’t necessarily better than the other and many doorbells offer both options but it’s important to think about how you’d prefer to use one.
Latency
If your smart doorbell camera takes a long time to send a push notification after someone rings your doorbell, then you risk missing your visitor completely. You also need to be sure you're getting notifications when something sets off the motion detector, as you can set the motion sensor of most video doorbells to notify you of activity happening near your door, even if no one rings the buzzer. If you have latency problems, start with your Wi-Fi connection. If it isn't strong where the doorbell is installed, you might consider moving it (or, more easily, getting a Wi-Fi range extender). Sometimes it's a software issue instead, which is why app quality is an important part to review.
Live view quality
Doorbells are often exposed to direct sunlight but many others are installed under porches, near shady trees and in all sorts of other settings. It's important that the camera has night vision and can handle any of these scenarios so you don't get stuck with a nonfunctioning product that can't see faces under a porch.
Audio quality
If the doorbell's microphone and speaker don't work well, you're going to have a tough time communicating with whomever's there. I tested this out multiple times to see how the doorbell's audio sounds over our phones, narrowing down the best video doorbell camera options for conversation.
How we test video doorbell cameras
Here are two wireless video doorbells, Wyze and Blink, that we installed to the CNET Smart Home for testing.
Testing to determine the best video doorbell is similar to testing any other home security camera. In testing about two dozen of the latest video doorbell models, I focused on usability, app controls, motion and object detection, how clearly the camera picks up details with its resolution and its field of view. Because doorbells have two-way audio, I also test clarity and keep an eye on battery life too.
Motion detection and audio
To test motion zones, I first determine the zone and then move around it to see when I get an alert and when I don't. The goal is to discover how precise those zones really are. For two-way talk, I'll have a conversation with a partner on the porch via the doorbell to listen for clarity and latency.
Part of this process also involves experimenting with AI recognition features like recognizing a package, a person with a package and a person taking a package away -- and if doorbells can tell the difference.
Doorbell wiring is very simple to manage with a little patience.
Smart home integration
Like smart locks and home security cameras, many top-notch video doorbells will allow the camera to be integrated with voice assistants like Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant. I download the respective apps, connect the video doorbell and see the ease (or hassle) of using voice commands to control the doorbell camera, plus how easily the doorbell cam integrates into the wider ecosystem of smart devices.
If you want to read more about CNET's review process, check out the in-depth article on how we test home security cameras and video doorbells.
How do I install a video doorbell?
While testing, we always check how seamlessly the video doorbell camera integrates with third-party smart home voice assistants, like Alexa, as well as how usable the brand's app is for installation and monitoring.
Don't treat video doorbells like other security cameras. They need a low position close to the door so they can scan packages, forms and even faces. Usually about four feet from the bottom of the door is the recommended distance. Your installation guide will have more specific instructions.
It also may be necessary to angle the doorbell away from walls or posts to give it a better viewpoint. Most doorbells come with an angle addition to the mount for this purpose. I use one of these add-ons myself to turn my primary video doorbell away from the wall.
Can a renter or apartment owner use a video doorbell?
Have an apartment? Ring's Peephole model still allows you to protect your front door.
If you rent an apartment, video doorbells are a bit more complicated. Tenants should ask permission before installing a video doorbell. Usually, security devices like these are owned and managed by the landlord but sometimes they'll make exceptions. And if you're in an apartment building, you probably aren't allowed to post a video doorbell outside your door at all. There aren't any adhesive models available so you'd have to drill holes, plus it's usually seen as a privacy violation for other tenants. Instead, consider using the Ring Peephole cam as the best video doorbell camera workaround.
Video doorbell camera FAQs
How much is the monthly charge for a video doorbell?
Do video doorbells get stolen?
How long do videos stay on video doorbells?
How do you install a video doorbell?
What field of view and resolution do you need for a video doorbell?
Is a video doorbell better than a security cam?
Can you recover deleted doorbell camera videos?
Is it better to get a wired or wireless video doorbell?
Recent updates
I recently switched out the Eufy S330 model for Tapo's D225 doorbell this spring. Eufy's two-cam model is fine but overkill in most situations and I'm not a huge fan of its app. Tapo's doorbell is a better fit with its suite of free features, especially as people are looking to save money.
