Being not in peace worrying about kids and pets at home? Or afraid of thieves breaking into your apartment? Perhaps you are in need of a security camera. In this review, I’m going to go through some of the best security cameras at a reasonable price on the market.
Here are my top picks for the best security cameras for apartment:
- Wyze Cam Pan 1080p – Best overall indoor camera
- CONICO 1080P HD IP Wireless Camera – Best security camera for baby
- CANARY Indoor Security Camera 1080P – Smart features
- Nooie Dog Pet Camera HD 1080P – Best security camera for pets
- Remobell S Wi-Fi Video Doorbell Camera – Best doorbell camera
- TP-Link Kasa Spot Indoor Camera – Best 2-way audio
Wyze Cam Pan 1080p – Best overall indoor camera
- Remotely pan, tilt, and zoom
- 4 predefined waypoints
- Two-Way Audio
- Motion/Sound Recording, and Person Detection
- 30-ft vision in absolute darkness
- 14-Day cloud storage
- Nothing to complain
Or you can set the camera’s patrol route with 4 predefined waypoints. If something moves or makes a sound in the patrol route, the camera will automatically record a 12-second video clip and the app will send you a notification. In addition, the on-device AI person detection is specialized to recognize people who appear in the range. These clips are stored in the AWS cloud, free for 14 days.
For night vision, Wyze Cam Pan uses 6 infrared (IR) LEDs to let you see up to 30 feet in absolute darkness (Note: IR does not work through glass windows). Besides the great camera, Wyze Cam Pan also allows you to listen and talk to anyone nearby the camera. It has a Class-K audio power amplifier to maximize the clearness of your voices
The camera is compatible with the 2. 4GHz WiFi network (does not support 5GHz Wi-Fi) and Apple (iOS) and Android mobile devices. You can share the camera with other members via the Wyze app. You can also connect it to Alexa and Google Assistant for voice control.
Specifications
| Dimension | 2.36 x 2.36 x 5.02 in |
| Resolution | 1080p |
| Data transmitted distance | Not limited |
| Field of View | 360° horizontal and 93° vertical |
| Zoom | Yes |
| Night Vision | Yes |
| Highlight Features | Remotely pan, tilt, and zoom; 4 predefined waypoints; Two-Way Audio; Motion/Sound Recording, and Person Detection; 30-ft night vision; 14-Day cloud storage |
Wyze Cam Pan has it all – quality, affordability, and design – a great security camera for your apartment.
CONICO 1080P HD IP Wireless Camera – Best security camera for baby
- Two-way audio & noise Cancelling
- Remotely pan, tilt, and zoom
- Motion detection & Alarm function
- Baby monitor phone compatible
- Does not patrol
Like Wyze Cam Pan, you can pan, tilt, and zoom CONICO 1080P HD IP remotely via your smartphone. The Field of View of both cameras is quite equivalent, for CONICO’s camera it is 355° horizontal and 100° vertical rotation, creating a complete 360°coverage. Both in 1080p resolution as well. The 2-megapixel HD camera lets you zoom pictures 8 times and they are still HD.
Both have Motion detection & Alarm function. However, CONICO 1080P HD IP requires a micro SD card to record these clips and does not patrol like Wyze Cam Pan.
The MIPC View App can be downloaded on the App Store or Google Play. You can connect the camera to Mac, PC and Baby monitor phone with 2.4GHz WiFi (not support 5Gz WiFi). Besides, CONICO 1080P HD IP adopts financial encryption and is packed with 3 years of warranty.
Specifications
| Dimension | 3.35 x 3.35 x 4.72 in |
| Resolution | 1080p |
| Data transmitted distance | Not limited |
| Field of View | 355° horizontal and 100° vertical |
| Zoom | Yes |
| Night Vision | Yes |
| Highlight Features | Two-way audio & noise Cancelling; Remotely pan, tilt, and zoom; Motion detection & Alarm function; Baby monitor phone compatible |
CONICO 1080P with Two-way audio and Baby-monitor phone compatibility would be the perfect choice for parents.
CANARY Indoor Security Camera 1080P – Smart features
- Good-looking appearance
- Super-wide field of view
- Sensors: ambient light, capacitive touch
- One-touch emergency services
- Intelligent app
- Cloud service is free only for 24 hours
First, CANARY Indoor Security Camera has a super-wide field of view. It does not pan and tilt like two above but has a 147° wide-angle lens so that you can view the whole room at once time. Note that most security cameras on the market only have 110° field of view, 147° is impressively much wider.
Second, it is useless if you can see a thief breaking into your house, but can do nothing. The CANARY app has the option for you to contact your local emergency services (local police, fire, EMT) immediately by just one touch. Besides, if you are eligible State Farm, Liberty Mutual Insurance, and Allstate customer, you could get insurance premium benefits.
Third, the intelligent app has some great features. The built-in AI technology and machine learning not only detect motions but also decide whether it is important or insignificant. If the motion is important or a person is recognized, the app will send you a notification. You can manually exclude areas from motion detection, like a ceiling Fan. Canary can also recognize when you leave and arms automatically, and automatically disarms when you come back.
However, the cloud service is a big drawback. Your clips are only available for 24 hours, while other cameras offer free cloud service for days.
Specifications
| Dimension | 9.7 x 4.76 x 4.5 in |
| Resolution | 1080p |
| Data transmitted distance | Not limited |
| Field of View | 147° wide-angle |
| Zoom | Yes |
| Night Vision | Yes |
| Highlight Features | Two-way Canary Talk, Super-wide field of view; Sensors: ambient light, capacitive touch; One-touch emergency services; Intelligent app |
CANARY is a very intelligent Indoor Security Camera with a super-wide view.
Nooie Dog Pet Camera HD 1080P – Best security camera for pets
- Budget-friendly
- Night vision up to 32ft
- Motion & sound detection, live view, and two-way talk
- 7-Day cloud storage
- Narrow field of view
This camera is specialized for pet owners, of course, it works great for parents and babies as well. It has a motion & sound detection function and a 24/7 live view for you to sometimes check what your pet/baby is doing, and noise-down microphone and speaker for you to talk to your pet/baby. When your pet/baby makes some noise, Nooie Cam will send a notification to your phone.
Nooie Dog Pet Camera is compatible with 2.4 GHz WiFi (not support 5Gz WiFi). You can manage multiple Nooie cameras in one app. The cloud service is free for 7 days. All features are great, but only one big con – the field of view is quite narrow, only 101° and cannot tilt or pan.
Specifications
| Dimension | 4.59 x 3.11 x 2.6 in |
| Resolution | 1080p/15fps |
| Data transmitted distance | Not limited |
| Field of View | 101° |
| Zoom | Yes |
| Night Vision | Yes |
| Highlight Features | Motion & Sound Detection, Two-way audio, Live view, 32-ft night vision; 7-Day cloud storage |
Nooie Dog Pet Camera is an affordable yet high-quality indoor camera for pets and kids.
Remobell S Wi-Fi Video Doorbell Camera – Best doorbell camera
- 180° wide angle and infrared vision
- Operating properly in extreme weather
- Two-way talk, Motion detect, Live view
- 3 days of free cloud storage
- High price
- Low resolution and peripheral distortions
Like other security cameras, Remobell Doorbell Camera can track motions. You can specify sensing areas to detect relevant activities. You can also adjust the sensitivity of the motion sensors. You’ll get notifications via the app when the camera detects someone at the front door. The live view allows you to see, hear, and talk to the person.
However, Remobell Doorbell Camera’s image quality is not that great – only 720p and the periphery is very distorted; while the price is quite high. You should consider these issues. If you just need a 180° wide angle camera for a doorbell and don’t care much about the image quality, Remobell Doorbell Camera is a good one.
Specifications
| Dimension | 5.1 x 0.84 x 1.8 in |
| Resolution | 720p |
| Data transmitted distance | Not limited |
| Field of View | 180° wide angle |
| Zoom | Yes |
| Night Vision | Yes |
| Highlight Features | 180° wide angle and infrared vision; Operating properly in extreme weather; Two-way talk, Motion detect, Live view; 3 days of free cloud storage |
Remobell Doorbell Camera has a 180° wide angle with infrared vision and can take extreme weather conditions.
TP-Link Kasa Spot Indoor Camera – Best 2-way audio
- Wide field of view - 130 degrees
- Great two-way audio
- 4 customizable zones for meaningful alerts
- 128 bit AES encryption with SSL/TLS
- 30 days of free cloud storage
- All the features are good but not so impressive
The two-way audio function work greatly, allowing you to communicate with nosy roommates, family easily. TP-Link offers you 30 days of free cloud storage for each clip. All the clips of your family are encrypted with SSL/TLS for your and your family’s privacy.
Overall, TP-Link Kasa Spot is a decent Indoor Camera.
Specifications
| Dimension | 2 x 2.3 x 3.5 in |
| Resolution | 1080p |
| Data transmitted distance | Not limited |
| Field of View | 130 degree |
| Zoom | Yes |
| Night Vision | Yes |
| Highlight Features | Wide field of view – 130 degree; Great two-way audio; 4 customizable zones; 20 feet of night view; 128 bit AES encryption with SSL/TLS |
TP-Link Kasa Spot Indoor Camera is a decent security camera for apartments with great 2-way audio.
How to choose the best security camera for apartment?
First, you need to identify your needs and determine what is needed.
- For a kid/pet camera, it is important to have motion and sound detection, as well as a good two-way audio system.
- For a doorbell camera, the camera must have a wide field of view, a good night view, and can work properly in extreme weather conditions.
- For a general-purpose indoor camera, you might need it all to fit your different needs.
Here are some specs for a good security camera for apartments:
- Necessary functions: Two-way audio, motion and sound detection, night view
- Resolution of 1080p or at least 720p
- Wifi compatible
- Field of view of above 100 degrees
- Free cloud storage at least 1 day for each clip
Who makes the best security camera for apartment?
There are many good brands who make security cameras for apartment. To me, here are my 4 picks:
Wyze
Wyze Labs is an American smart-home product brand. WyzeCam series is their first product line, which has made them famous. WyzeCam Cameras are high quality, easy-to-use, yet not ridiculously overpriced like other cameras on the market. They work hard relentlessly to provide customers with high-quality products at great prices. With the WyzeCam series, you are assured of the best security cameras for the money.
CONICO
Conico makes many types of smart devices, from chargers, earbuds to security cameras. They are famous for their inter-industry combination to bring the best products to customers. To me, Conico cameras would be the perfect choice for parents.
Nooie
Nooie is a young, active, and creative camera brand. Their products are special – meticulously designed, high-definition, high-performance, and low-price. Nooie, to me, is the best brand for pet security cameras.
FAQs
Can you put security cameras in an apartment?
Yes. It is legal to put security cameras in your apartment. There is no definite law relating to this sort of issue. However, since it’s your apartment, you can do anything to protect it which does not harm others.
Is there a security camera that works without WiFi?
Security cameras can work without Wifi. These cameras require other methods to get connected, such as Network Video Recorder, Cellular Technology, Power over Ethernet Technology, or Wired Connection.
Do I need WiFi for apartment security cameras?
Yes, if your camera requires WiFi to get connected. Other non-WiFi security cameras use other methods to get connected, such as Cellular Technology, Power over Ethernet Technology, or Wired Connection.
What Internet speed do you need for security cameras?
Recommended Internet speed for security cameras is 2.5Mbps. However, they can also work with 1Mbps Internet.
Do apartment security cameras slow down internet?
No. Security cameras use just a little bit of data compared with nowadays bandwidth.
Conclusion
Wyze Cam Pan is my pick for the best security camera for an apartment, however, other cameras on this list are all great. Hope that my review would be useful for you.
Related reviews
Best DVR Security Camera Systems To Protect Your Home
Best High-Resolution Night Vision Security Cameras
Best Security Cameras For Front Door To Keep Your Home Safe
I’m James J. Decker, a hobbyist and DIYs and also a big of home improvement and gardening tools. I immensely enjoy how these amazing products improve productivity and efficiency, and allow me to do jobs for which I would’ve otherwise needed professional help.
Loading...