Doorbell Cameras: SkyBell vs Ring vs Nest vs Arlo vs SimpliSafe
Today we will be taking a look at and comparing the top video doorbell cameras; from SkyBell to Ring to Nest to Arlo to SimpliSafe.
There are many reasons to invest in a video surveillance camera, but the most important reason is that video surveillance cameras provide you with some security protection for your home or office. Doorbell cameras take this one step further. Rather than solely providing security and peace of mind, doorbell cameras put your front door in your front pocket. Now from anywhere in the world you can see who is at your doorstep, and communicate with them as well.
SkyBell Doorbell Camera
The first doorbell camera that we will be taking a look at today is Alarm.com’s doorbell camera. Out of the other four doorbell cameras that will review next, we tend to like this one the best because of its features, and the fact that it uses Alarm.com monitoring services. At Link Interactive, we use Alarm.com, and this very same SkyBell doorbell camera with our monitoring plans - check them out. The SkyBell doorbell camera by Alarm.com has a video resolution of 720P with a 180-degree field of view. The video itself is really clear and has been highly rated from Alarm.com users, and our users here at Link Interactive as well. The camera includes advanced night vision technology that will allow you to see captured video up to 8 feet away in the dark. SkyBell’s doorbell camera also includes a 2-way omni-directional audio which will allow you to clearly hear and communicate with the people in front of your door. This camera, like the others, is powered through your existing doorbell wiring. Most doorbell cameras connect via Wi-Fi and this camera is no different.
The video can be viewed through the Alarm.com app. We really like the features that Alarm.com allows you to use with their video surveillance cameras (which is why we power all of our systems and monitoring plans here at Link Interactive with Alarm.com). You can set custom alerts, receive push notifications, and customize the settings with the Alarm.com app. Also, Alarm.com ties in perfectly the features of your security system which allows for one cohesive security system.
Nest Hello Doorbell Camera
Nest is probably the most widely known brand of video surveillance cameras out on the market. The Nest Hello Doorbell Camera is no different. The Nest Hello Doorbell Camera is a wireless doorbell camera that works by connecting directly to your home’s Wi-Fi network. It is powered through your existing doorbell wiring, but you can purchase a power adapter if you do not have this.
The Nest Hello Doorbell Cam captures video in stunning full HD, and it has a 160-degree field of view. It has advanced night vision technology that allows you to record video even when there is no light around. It has an HD 2-way audio feature that reduces the background noise, and allows you to clearly hear and communicate with whomever is in front of the camera.
The Nest Hello Doorbell Camera also includes motion sensors that will trigger your camera to start to record. It also has the ability detect noise, distinguish familiar faces, and send a special notification for these events. If you are not at the premises you can use a prerecorded message to respond to your visitors to let them know where you are at. The Nest Hello Doorbell Camera also works with the Nest Secure system allowing you to have both security and video surveillance for your home in one cohesive unit.
Nest App, Video Recording, and Pricing
You will be able to view all of your video recording right from the Nest app which works for Apple and Android devices. You can stream live video as well as view recorded video clips. Any time your Nest Hello Doorbell Camera triggers an event you will receive an instant push notification letting you know that this event has taken place.
You can also directly communicate with the people in front of the camera through the app, and you can also customize features from the app. You can stream live video at no cost, but you will need to pay a monthly subscription for recorded clips. There are several different options you can choose from when it comes to what type of video storage you are looking for. If you are looking to purchase a Nest Hello Doorbell Camera you will pay around $230 for the camera itself.
Ring Doorbell Camera
Ring is another really popular brand of doorbell video cameras. Like the Nest Hello, the Ring Doorbell Camera is wireless and works by connecting to your home’s Wi-Fi network. It comes in two versions: hard-wired or battery operated.
If you choose to go with the hard-wired version you will need existing doorbell wiring for the camera to work. It has a a video resolution of 720P with a 180-degree viewing angle. The doorbell camera also has infrared night vision that allows you to capture images in low light scenarios.
The Ring Video Doorbell sports a noise cancellation 2-way audio feature that allows you to directly hear and communicate clearly with your visitors, and it has advanced motion detection technology that allows you to set custom motion zones so that you are not getting a lot of unwanted alerts. You can use your Ring Video Doorbell Camera in conjunction with the Nest Secure system.
Ring App, Video Recording, and Pricing
You can view all of your video clips right from the Ring app which works for both Apple and Android devices. The Ring app not only allows you to see recorded video clips, but it also allows you to stream live video at no cost. You will receive push notifications any time your Ring Doorbell Camera triggers an event. Just like the Nest app, you can directly communicate with your visitors and guests. You can also customize the features along with the motion zones right from the app. If you are looking to view recorded video clips you will need to pay a subscription for this service. You can purchase a Ring doorbell camera for around $99.
We all wish that we could be in multiple places at once so that we can always make sure we are keeping an eye on things we care about. We know that is impossible, but with recent technology we can be in one location while watching another due to video surveillance cameras. There are many reasons to invest in a video surveillance camera, but the most important reason is that video surveillance cameras provide you with some security protection for your home or office. Doorbell cameras take this one step further. Rather than solely providing security and peace of mind, doorbell cameras put your front door in your front pocket. Now from anywhere in the world you can see who is at your doorstep, and communicate with them as well.
Before we go over the features of the Arlo Video Doorbell Camera let us first take a look at Arlo’s evolution of doorbell products. Arlo has been making video surveillance equipment for some time now. Their first doorbell product was the Arlo Audio Doorbell. The Arlo Audio Doorbell had mixed success because it lacked a video camera. Arlo decided to move forward by designing a doorbell product that had a camera - they called it the Arlo Video Doorbell Camera.
Features
The Arlo Video Doorbell Camera is packed full features. It has a slim modern design that would go great with any style of home. It is made from weather-proof material which can withstand all kinds of weather conditions. It works by connecting to your home’s WIFI network wirelessly and is powered by being directly wired into your home’s power source through your existing doorbell wiring. You will need existing wiring for a previous doorbell setup for you to be able to use this camera.
The Arlo Video Doorbell Camera can capture and stream video in HD, and it has a field of view of 180-degrees. You can use the Arlo Video Doorbell Camera ‘s zoom feature to zoom in on images up to 12x which will give you highly crisp and detailed images. The Arlo Video Doorbell Camera also includes night vision technology that allows you to capture images even when there is no light. It has a 2-way audio feature that allows you to hear and directly communicate with whomever is around your Arlo Video Doorbell Camera and you can also use it to record messages that can be played to the visitor at your door when they trigger the doorbell. The Arlo Video Doorbell Camera also includes a motion sensor that will trigger it to start to record once motion has been detected. Lastly, it includes a built-in siren that can be customized to go off when you want it to.
Our take: The Arlo Video Doorbell Camera has a lot of features that we really like. We like that the Arlo Video Doorbell Camera has a 2-way audio feature with pre-recorded messages. We also really like the fact that the Arlo Video Doorbell Camera has a 12x zoom feature because many other video doorbell cameras do not have this feature. The one thing that we didn’t like is that the Arlo Video Doorbell Camera is that it needs existing wiring for you to be able to use it, but this is actually a pretty standard requirement when it comes to video doorbell cameras.
App, Storage and Pricing
You can control all of the features for your Arlo Video Doorbell Camera right through the Arlo app that works for Apple and Android devices. The Arlo app allows you to view and stream live and recorded videos right from your smartphone. You will also receive instant alerts any time your Arlo Video Doorbell Camera detects motion and starts to record. You can also use the Arlo app to access the Arlo Video Doorbell Camera’s 2-way audio feature and use it through the app.
One really standout feature that we loved about the Arlo app is that it actually allows you to make a video call with whomever is in front of your Arlo Video Doorbell Camera. The video clips that are captured from your Arlo Video Doorbell Camera are stored via the cloud, and they can be accessed for 30 days. You can access all of your video clips right from the Arlo app. If you are looking to purchase an Arlo Video Doorbell Camera you will pay around $150 for it.
SimpliSafe Video Doorbell Pro
The next SimpliSafe camera we will be taking a look at is the SimpliSafe Video Doorbell Pro. If you’re on the market for a doorbell camera, the SimpliSafe Video Doorbell Pro is a viable alternative to popular doorbell cameras like the Ring and Nest Hello.
The SimpliSafe doorbell camera operates off Wi-Fi, meaning that it connects to your home’s Wi-Fi network. You will need an existing doorbell wiring setup to power it up though. It has outstanding video quality, with 1080p resolution and a 162-degree wide angle field of view. The field of view for this camera is pretty great, and it should allow you to see whatever is around your door along with covering some of the area outside of your door. The doorbell also includes advanced infrared night vision technology that will allow you to see what is going on outside of your home at night. The Video Doorbell Pro has two motion sensors which allows for advanced motion detection. One of the sensors will distinguish a human image while the other will distinguish the unique heat signatures that humans produce, and they will ignore other objects which will cut down on the number of unnecessary alerts you receive. This doorbell camera also has a 2-way HD audio with a noise cancellation feature that will allow to hear and respond clearly to whomever is around your door. Installation of this camera will take more advanced DIY knowledge but SimpliSafe will provide you with a step by step how-to-install guide.
App
For you to view the video from your SimpliSafe cameras, you will need to download the SimpliSafe app which works for Apple and Android devices, or you can view the video from SimpliSafe’s website through your PC or Mac. With the app or with your PC you can view live video and recorded video clips. The app will also send you alerts right to your smart phone anytime your cameras have detected motion. You can also respond to whomever is in front of the camera right through the SimpliSafe app.
Who Wins?
A word on home security doorbell camera; generally, you will not be able to use these cameras stand-alone. You will need to have a security system through these companies for the cameras to work. For recorded video you will need to pay a fee per month along with your monitoring fee to be able to access recorded video clips, or purchase a plan that includes recorded video monitoring.
Our pick is the SkyBell doorbell camera that you can get from Link Interactive. Why? Because it is the only doorbell camera on the market that is compatible with Alarm.com’s lineup of home security systems and devices. And that is huge. Check out our offer. At Link Interactive, we have an amazing video monitoring package that includes the SkyBell doorbell camera and a highly affordable Alarm.com monitoring fee. Since the release of doorbell cameras, they have become the “must have” item in your home security setup. Video doorbell cameras are extremely important for protecting your home, especially if you have a lot of packages delivered to your home. If you are interested in the video doorbells we highly encourage you to take a look at our video doorbell camera or just call us at 1-877-826-5443.
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