Why You Can Trust CNET Best Video Doorbell Cameras of 2023
We've tested the best doorbell camera brands, from Arlo to Wyze, on a variety of factors to determine our top picks. Find the perfect video doorbell camera for your needs.
- 6 years working professionally in the 3D printing space / 4 years testing consumer electronics for large websites.
In this article:
Which is the best video doorbell camera?
The Arlo Video Doorbell comes with added features you won't get with other devices, such as night vision and a wide, 180-degree field of view.
The Arlo Video Doorbell is our pick for the overall best video doorbell camera. It has a wide field of view (180 degrees), built-in siren and night vision. This camera will meet and exceed expectations for most households, making it stand above the competition.
As shown by Arlo's model, not all video doorbell cameras are created equal -- design, installation cost, video quality and video storage subscriptions for each doorbell cam can vary immensely. Some also have features that may give you pause on ethical grounds.
If you aren't sure where to begin in your search for a smart video doorbell, take a look below, where we've rounded up our favorite models. We've also offered a few general pointers on finding the best security camera device for you. If you're looking for the best doorbell camera, chances are it's among those we've tested. We update this list periodically.
Best doorbell cameras of 2023
As mentioned above, we like the Arlo Video Doorbell for a number of reasons, including the wide view, night vision and built-in siren. It's also easy to install, performs well and has reasonable cloud storage fees starting at just $3 a month. With a cloud storage subscription, this wired doorbell gives you access to advanced functionality like custom person, animal, vehicle and package alerts.
The Arlo Video Doorbell, our pick for best video doorbell overall and recipient of a 8.5/10 score in our review, also features HD video, a built-in siren, two-way audio, motion detection zones and arm/disarm modes.
While it's important to see people coming to your door, it isn't what I use my doorbell for most days. I use mine to see when I have deliveries and whether those deliveries are safe. This Eufy doorbell uses a two-camera system -- with a front-facing human-detecting camera and a downward-angled camera -- to capture your porch and packages. Both cameras have 2K resolution and use AI to detect people or packages. The detection is excellent, highlighting your package on the app and even telling you if that package vanishes.
The Eufy doorbell comes with a home hub that acts as storage for your videos and a rather loud chime.
If your front porch almost always has packages, this is an excellent way of tracking them. Of all the camera doorbells for the delivery-conscious homeowner, this is my recommendation.
The second-gen Google Nest Doorbell (battery) and its wired counterpart typically cost $180, though sometimes they're discounted, and are a breeze to set up, whether you've got doorbell wiring or not. Along with live video feeds, two-way audio and alert notifications, the Nest Doorbell 2nd gen includes event recording up to three hours without a subscription.
These features won't match the ones you get with a subscription -- with Nest Aware or another service, like Ring's or Arlo's -- but they're a solid place to start if you're hoping to just try out a video doorbell for the first time. A nice bonus? The Nest Doorbell also works well with Google Assistant-powered devices like the Nest Hub.
Privacy-minded consumers will want to take note that Google complies with warrantless requests for footage during rare emergency situations, which you can read more about here. Other companies, including Arlo and Wyze, refuse to share footage without a warrant or subpoena compelling them to do so, while video processed via Apple's HomeKit Secure Video uses end-to-end encryption, which blocks Apple or any other third parties from accessing it at all.
The Ring Pro 2, with its $260 price tag, isn't the best value on the market, but if you're more worried about features than a cost-benefit analysis, this device won't steer you wrong. The Pro 2 has a superwide field of view, a 1:1 aspect ratio, 1536p resolution and all the basics you'd want your smart buzzer to have. What makes the Pro 2 stand out is its radar sensing and 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. Beyond that, the Ring Pro 2 offers end-to-end video encryption.
If you're looking for solid performance and top-of-the-line features, the Ring Pro 2 is a solid bet, but you'll want to familiarize yourself with Ring's policies regarding law enforcement before buying in. The company has a long history of extensive partnerships with police organizations, and it complies with warrantless police requests for user footage during rare emergency situations, which you can read more about here.
Ring's optional end-to-end encryption setting is good to have here if you're privacy-conscious -- turning it on will break some of Ring's features, but it'll also block Ring or any other third parties from accessing your footage at all.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, Wyze offers one of the best video doorbells for the price, with its $100 Video Doorbell Pro. Not only is this doorbell cam battery-powered (which usually adds $50 or so to a doorbell cam's price tag), but it also offers 2K resolution, a 150-degree field of view with 1:1 aspect ratio, free cloud storage and much more. Throw in an included plug-in chime and you've got an incredible deal.
The fact that you can use the Wyze Pro wirelessly makes it the best wireless video doorbell on the market, too.
Update, Nov. 29: While Eufy states that none of your data is stored in the cloud if you don't want it to be, there is some evidence that your face and image of your front yard are sent to the cloud regardless of your choice. We are still learning more but keep this in mind before purchasing.
While most video doorbells sit in the same space as traditional ones, the Eufy video smart lock doubles as your home lock too. The video part is about as good as the Ring in terms of visuals; the 1080p resolution is more than good enough to capture faces and the AI can distinguish -- with varying degrees of success-- the difference between someone coming to your door and other distractions happening further away.
The porch pirate test (or latency test if you want to use the technical term) we describe in our "how we test" article had mixed results. The doorbell did capture the "thief" in the act but it failed to alert me in time to catch them. It sometimes takes upwards of 8 to 10 seconds to alert me about a change at the door, which is much slower than others we've tested.
This Eufy video lock comes bundled with a wireless door chime that also doubles as a local storage hub so you don't have to worry about those pesky subscriptions. That's not to say Eufy doesn't have a cloud service if you want it; you just aren't forced to pay more.
The locking system works almost flawlessly though. The fingerprint scanner recognizes each member of my family and unlocks the door within 2 seconds of them scanning their finger, and I even get a log of who opened or closed the door and at what time of the day. If you do have trouble with the fingerprint scanner there's always the number pad to fall back on too. Each person, along with their own fingerprint, gets their own code and you can even assign guests their own code when they visit.
-- James Bricknell
How we test video doorbells
Testing to determine the best video doorbell is similar to testing any other home security camera.
Installation and setup process
First, a reviewer will download the corresponding app and create an account. While a lot of products include tutorial booklets in the box with your purchase, a good app includes detailed steps on the installation process, as well as how to connect to your Wi-Fi network and actually get the smart device up and running. It's your one-stop shop for taking your doorbell setup from start to finish.
We make sure the doorbell is installed based on the manufacturer's specifications -- either a hardwired doorbell, or a battery- or solar-powered one.
Here are two wireless video doorbells, Wyze and Blink, that we installed to the CNET Smart Home for testing.
Additional features and settings
As soon as it's connected and we're able to view the live video feed, we check the settings. We make sure features like motion detection, two-way or activity zones are enabled (they aren't always turned on by default) to get a complete sense of what it's like to use the product -- and to see how well the device actually works as a replacement to a regular, nonsmart doorbell.
To test motion zones, we first determine the motion zone, then move around it to see when we get an alert and when we don't. The aim is to discover how precise those zones really are. For two-way talk, we'll have a conversation with a partner on the porch via the doorbell to listen for clarity and latency.
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.
App 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. We 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 our review process, check out our in-depth article on how we test home security cameras and video doorbells.
Video doorbell cameras compared
| Arlo Video Doorbell | Eufy Dual camera doorbell | Nest Doorbell (w/ battery) | Wyze Video Doorbell Pro | Ring Video Doorbell Pro 2 | Eufy Video Door Lock | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price | $150 | $260 | $180 | $90 | $260 | $400 |
| Resolution | 1,536x1,536 | 1,440x1,440 | 1,280x960 | 1,440x1,440 | 1536p | 2K |
| Field of view | 180 degrees | 160 and 97 degrees | 145 degrees | 150 degrees | 150 degrees head-to-toe view | 160 degrees |
| Setup | Wired, outdoors only | Rechargeable Battery | Battery-powered | Wireless, outdoors only | Removable, rechargeable battery pack or hardwired | Removable 10,000mAh battery, requires lock replacement |
| Extra features | Live streaming, arm/disarm modes, two-way talk, motion zones, night vision and an integrated siren | Extra camera for packages, local storage, AI detection | Live streaming, two-way talk, smart alerts, facial recognition, integration with Google Assistant | Two-way talk, live streaming, smart alerts, cloud storage | Radar tracking, bird's-eye-view, push alerts, integration with Amazon Alexa | Motion detection, local storage, remote lock and unlock |
| Review score | 8.5 | 8.5 | 8 | 8.9 | 7.5 | 8.9 |
What to consider before buying a doorbell camera
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.
How's the 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). But it could also be the way the software works.
How's the live view? 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.
How's the two-way audio? If the doorbell's microphone and speaker don't work well, you're going to have a tough time communicating with whoever's there. We tested this out multiple times to see how the doorbell's audio sounds over my phone.
Doorbell camera FAQs
How much is the monthly charge for a video doorbell?
It depends on which brand you purchase, but generally video doorbell monitoring subscriptions will set you back between $3 and $6 per month. Ring Protect and Arlo Secure both cost $3 for a single device and $10 for more. Google's Nest Aware service costs $6 for one or more. These services tend to get you cloud storage, more advanced notifications and a few extra perks.
Do video doorbells get stolen?
While some video doorbells are fairly easy to remove (looking at you, Nest), that doesn't mean they're likely to be stolen. There isn't much evidence that doorbell-swiping is common. It makes sense: you're likely to be filmed stealing the doorbell, after all. In addition, for the video doorbells that are easy to remove from the doorstep, there are just as many that are pretty rock-solid when installed.
How long do videos stay on video doorbells?
Again, this depends on your product and subscription. Generally, without a subscription, live viewing is the only option available. Some brands, like Nest, will keep event recordings for a short period. But if you purchase a subscription plan, you'll get anywhere from 10 to 60 days of event storage, and sometimes the possibility of 24/7 continuous recording.
Can you recover deleted doorbell camera videos?
For security purposes, your video doorbell videos are only stored with your account, which means once you've deleted a video, even accidentally, it's gone. The best way to prevent losing an important video is to download it to your phone or computer. Also keep in mind that, as mentioned above, cloud storage services may automatically delete events after 10 to 60 days, so be sure to check your doorbell camera's cloud storage frequently to avoid missing the window to save or download important videos.
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