Best Wireless Security Cameras of 2021

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We love the convenience and flexibility of wireless home security cameras. One of our favorites, the Arlo Pro 4, is 100% wire-free. Its Wi-Fi connection and battery make it easy to install practically anywhere a ladder can reach. At $200, this is an expensive security camera (still much cheaper than its predecessor, Arlo Pro 3), but we think it’s worth the investment.

Find out which cameras on our list are truly wireless, which ones you can use indoors and outdoors, and what smart features each one offers in our comparison table and security camera reviews below.

Arlo Pro 4: Best wire-free camera

The Arlo Pro 4 is our pick for the best wireless security camera because it doesn't need a power cord and still manages to outperform the competition. Arlo has some of the best smart home compatibility too

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9.8

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Blink Indoor: Indoor wire-free pick

The Blink Indoor requires a paid subscription (about $3 a month) to save videos, but it stores only about two hours of footage, which is tiny compared to most brands. Still, the Blink Indoor is a good option if you want an affordable wire-free indoor security camera to use with Alexa.

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9.8

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Ring Stick Up Cam Battery: Best outdoor camera

The Ring Stick Up Cam Battery is completely wire-free, so you have a ton of flexibility in where you put it. And it costs around $100, making it one of the most affordable security cameras you can use both indoors and outdoors.

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9.7

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Wyze Cam Pan: Best indoor budget camera

The Wyze Cam Pan can scan an entire room in just three seconds. You can adjust settings with the Pan Scan feature to automatically scan an area to your specifications. This little Wi-Fi camera’s motion tracking is also cool—if a kid or dog runs through the room, the camera will follow all the action. (No more arguments about who broke the lamp.)

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9.6

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Google Nest Cam IQ Indoor: High-tech pick

The Google Nest Cam IQ Indoor† is awesome when it comes to image, video, and sound quality. Plus, it has person alerts and a built-in Google Assistant so you can use it as a virtual assistant to control your smart home.

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9.5

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Canary: Smart home pick

The Canary Pro combines home security features like a siren and environmental sensors with a smart home security camera. And don’t let the small, unobtrusive design fool you. Canary has packed enough security features into this Wi-Fi camera to make it qualify for home insurance discounts from many major insurers.

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9.4

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YI Dome Camera U: Privacy pick

The YI Dome Camera U makes us think a little of R2-D2. It’s cute and looks like the type of tech you can count on to stay in touch with kids and pets when you can’t be at home. The anti-noise filter makes it easy to listen for baby’s cries or chat with kids about homework after school. You can even tell Rover to get off the sofa.

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9.3

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Abode Iota: Home security pick

The Abode Iota is a high-end home security camera and security system in one. This compact device delivers two-way talk, high video quality, and sensitive motion detection. It also comes with the option to add 24/7 professional monitoring. That gives you a direct link to help through a monitoring center without buying any additional security equipment.

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9.2

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Final word

There are so many wireless security cameras to choose from—we barely scratched the surface of what kinds of cameras are out there. Still, we think that the Arlo Pro 4 is a standout product with its 100% wire-free operation.

Its impressive video quality makes it hard for the competition to keep up. While it’s more expensive than most cameras on our list, the overall quality of the Arlo Pro 4 helps make up the difference in price.

For more information about wireless security cameras, check out our list of frequently asked questions below. If you’re looking for a wireless camera that works with a security system, you can start with recommendations from our best home security systems.

How we reviewed

To find the best wireless security cameras, we looked at price, image quality, reliability, ease of setup, smart features, night vision, and customer satisfaction.

Battery-powered cameras that completely fall into that wire-free category, like the Arlo Pro 4, Ring Stick Up Cam Battery, and Reolink Argus 3, got extra credit when it came to ranking the top wireless security cameras this year.

But we couldn’t dismiss high-quality Wi-Fi cameras like the Wyze Cam Pan and Google Nest Cam IQ Indoor just because of a compulsory power cord.

We tested several cameras in our homes, read expert reviews, researched industry standards and camera specs, and consulted thousands of customer reviews. Find out more about how we rank and review products in our full methodology.

150+ hours of research and testing
25 in-home tests
40 products considered

Can my security camera be hacked?

Unfortunately, yes, security cameras can be vulnerable to hacking—but we have a handful of protective tips for you.

Nearly every security camera we looked at supports encryption. This protects the camera’s data stream (like videos of your kids after school) from prying eyes.

No matter what security features come with your camera, these tips can help you maximize the privacy of your security cameras:

Buy a camera with a recognizable name and purchase it from a trustworthy seller.
Make sure your home Wi-Fi network is secure.
Create unique, strong passwords for your camera and any apps you use to access it.
Keep firmware up to date on your camera and your Wi-Fi router.
Turn off remote viewing when you don’t need it.
Block the lens of your camera when you’re not using it—a post-it or a piece of painters tape will work.

Will a security camera work as a baby/kid/pet monitor?

We’ve learned that many people want a wireless security camera to keep an eye on the people and pets they love. If this is your goal, here are some things to consider:

Two-way communication: This lets you listen in and talk to the pets or people at home.
Night vision: Clear images in low light are especially important if you want to use the camera as a baby monitor.
Field of view: Most security cameras use a wide-angle lens, while baby monitors and nanny cams often use a more narrow range of vision to focus on the baby.
Pan and tilt: If you’re viewing pets or older kids remotely from the office or on a beach, you may want to be able to move the camera angle.

Can an indoor camera do double duty looking out a window?

Wireless cameras can’t have it all. It would be great if they could watch things inside by day, and keep an eye on what’s going on outside after dark, right? But it rarely works.

Most indoor security cameras will pick up glares and reflections when aimed out a window. This obscures the outside view, making it useless.

If security both outdoors and indoors is a priority for you, we recommend getting the right type of camera for each area. You may be able to find an indoor camera that claims to be specifically designed to minimize the glare and reflection of a window, but be sure to read a lot of customer reviews to back the claim up.

Is an indoor wireless camera enough security?

If your goal is to protect against intruders, we recommend an outdoor camera first and foremost.

Outdoor security cameras can deter criminals and provide an early warning before someone enters your home. While indoor security cameras often help people catch a burglar after the fact, you have a better chance of sending a thief running with an outdoor camera.

And if you want to be connected to the police, you should look into security cameras that come with an option to add professional monitoring.