The best outdoor CCTV cameras
Sports
By
Wayne Wafula
| Jan 08, 2024
An outdoor security camera can keep tabs on welcome (and unwelcome) visitors, package deliveries, and furry creatures helping themselves to a midnight snack in your garden. They can also be a powerful deterrent to prospective mischief-makers.
However, after reviewing dozens of cameras over the past seven years, we've yet to find a perfect model. Some are hard to place, some need to be charged frequently, and others require a subscription fee to be most effective.
If you want a completely cord-free option, we recommend the Arlo Pro 4 Spotlight Camera.
If you want something a little cheaper (and have an outdoor outlet nearby), we recommend the Ring Stick Up Cam Plug-In.
Things to consider
- Storage options
Being able to store recordings in the camera is common, however we recommend saving video to the cloud so it can be accessed if power goes down.
- Image limitations
Wi-Fi cameras can catch action close to your house, but faces and license plates may be unclear-even great cameras may be fuzzy around 20 feet away.
- Privacy concerns
Most companies will share your recordings if they receive a court order or determine it's an emergency. Check your privacy policy and/or opt for devices with end-to-end encryption.
- Specific alerts
All smart cameras can detect motion, but some can also tell the difference between a person, pet, car, or package, and record or send notifications on which of those matter to you.