If you've ever had a package stolen from your porch or a car broken into while parked in your driveway, there's a good chance the perpetrator was gone long before you even knew you were a victim. There is an even greater chance that you will never find out who committed the crime. If this sounds familiar, it might be time to invest in an outdoor security camera.
Built to withstand rain, snow and extreme temperatures, these rugged smart home devices typically connect to your home Wi-Fi network and allow you to view live video footage of activities outside your home. They also send an alert to your phone if someone or something is outside, record video of the event and, depending on the feature, let you speak to anyone on your property without ever having to open your door (or even be in your house).
Read on to find out which features to look for when choosing an outdoor security camera and to see our top picks. Note that some of the cameras on this list are suitable for both indoor and outdoor use. If you're looking for a model that's specifically geared towards keeping tabs on what's going on in your home, head over to our list of the best indoor home security cameras.
Most smart outdoor security cameras use a Wi-Fi radio to connect to your home network so you can access it from anywhere with a mobile app. However, there are also models that can use wired Ethernet, Bluetooth, Z-Wave, or proprietary wireless technology to connect to a mobile app or dedicated hub.
Wi-Fi cameras are easier to install than their wired counterparts because they don't have to be located near an Ethernet port and don't require wiring. Battery-powered Wi-Fi cameras are the easiest to install because you can put them just about anywhere (as long as they can connect to your router) without having to snake a power cable into your home to plug into an outlet. These types of cameras typically use rechargeable batteries that can be easily popped out and taken indoors for charging with a USB cable, but they tend to drain quickly in colder weather. Bluetooth cameras are also easy to install, but you have to stay within 40 feet or so to connect to them with your phone.
Look for an outdoor Wi-Fi camera that can connect to either the 2.4GHz or 5GHz radio band to alleviate network congestion. If you're having trouble getting a good signal outside, try pumping it up with a wireless range extender.
Any outdoor camera worth its salt must be able to withstand exposure to the elements and should carry an IP (Ingress Protection) rating. IP ratings contain two digits that tell you just how well the camera will hold up under most weather conditions. The first digit following the IP prefix tells you how resistant the camera is to the ingress of solid objects such as wind-blown dust and ranges from 0 (no protection) to 6 (total protection against dust and dirt). The second number tells you how resistant the camera is to moisture and ranges from 0 (no protection) to 9 (protected against close range, high pressure spray downs from all angles).
Most outdoor security cameras have an IP66 rating, which means they offer complete protection from dust ingress and can handle water jets from any direction, but shouldn't be immersed in water. They're typically safe from rain, snow, heat, and cold.
There's no use in having an outdoor security camera if you can't recognize who or what the camera is looking at. A camera that captures video at 720p will usually offer a fairly sharp picture, but 1080p video offers more detail and is the most popular resolution for these devices; it doesn't require lots of storage capacity and can be viewed on nearly all phones, tablets, and PCs.
Cameras that capture 4K (Ultra HD) video are also available, but you'll need a very strong network connection to stream it without experiencing choppiness or lag, and you'll need lots of room to store recorded video, which may result in expensive cloud storage fees.
No matter the resolution, try to choose a camera with a relatively wide field of view (viewing angle) and make sure it can capture clear night vision video. Most cameras use IR (infrared) LEDs to deliver black-and-white night video, but there are a few out there that use white light to deliver full-color night video. Look for a camera with a night vision range of at least 30 feet.
Nearly all outdoor security cameras are equipped with a motion sensor that will trigger the camera to record video when motion is detected. The sensor can also initiate a push alert to your phone when activity is taking place, and some will also generate an email alert. For an extra layer of security, look for a camera with sound detection that can let you know if somebody is out there even if they're out of range of the camera lens and the motion sensor. Fair warning: You'll probably have to tweak the sound sensitivity settings to avoid alerts from barking dogs, loud cars, and other random noises.
If the camera has a microphone for sound detection, chances are it has a speaker as well and offers two-way audio communication that allows you to speak with (and listen to) whoever is outside. This comes in handy when dealing with annoying solicitors and can be used to scare off porch pirates and other unwanted visitors. For more ways to see and communicate directly with whomever is at your door, check out our list of the Best Video Doorbells.
Recorded video can be stored in a number of ways. Many cameras offer free cloud storage for a limited number of days (typically seven) before it is overwritten or deleted, while others are strictly subscription based. If you require more than a week's worth of video storage, you can subscribe to a 30-day plan and not have to worry about losing important footage before you've had a chance to review it and download it.
If you're concerned about privacy and would rather not store your video in the cloud, look for a camera equipped with a microSD card slot so you can store it locally. A few cameras will even let you save video to a portable USB or NAS drive, but these devices are few and far between.
And if you want the ability to go back and see everything that's been going on around the outside of your house, look for a camera that offers a CVR (Continuous Video Recording) plan where the camera is always recording and will store up to 30 days of 24/7 video in the cloud.
For an outdoor camera that does more than record video and send alerts, make sure it works with other smart devices. Many recent outdoor Wi-Fi cameras offer support for IFTTT (If This Then That), an internet service that uses mini programs (applets) that you create to have the camera interact with other IFTTT-enabled devices. For example, you can have a smart plug turn on a lamp indoors or activate an external siren when the camera detects motion.
Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant voice commands are also finding their way into many of the latest cameras, and allow you to do things like display video from the camera on a compatible smart display. If you have a home automation hub, look for a camera that you can integrate into your smart home to have it work with other smart devices like door locks.
Outdoor security cameras are generally more expensive than their indoor counterparts. They can range in price from around $50 up to a few hundred dollars or more depending on features. There are plenty of affordable cameras available that offer good video performance, but as with just about any smart device, you'll typically pay more for features such as motion tracking, facial recognition, cellular connectivity, time-lapse recording, both onboard and cloud storage options, and rechargeable battery power.
Check out our Readers' Choice Awards to see which security cameras and brands are most trusted by other PCMag readers. Once you've found the camera for your home, read our setup tips. And for an even more advanced way of keeping an eye on your home, both indoors and out, check out our picks for the best smart home security systems.
