As an Airbnb owner, you will require a high-quality security camera system to keep your property as well as your guests safe. After consulting several experts and testing more than 25 security cameras, we concluded that Arlo Pro is the best Airbnb security camera system. The camera can detect different motions, and the hub system allows you to monitor your Airbnb property from a different location.
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Top 7 Airbnb Security Camera
1. Arlo Pro – Best For Outdoor
Arlo Technologies have made their reputation with the help of Arlo security. Among all the best security cameras for vacation rentals, Arlo offers you the highest form of a home security camera system. It uses a base station to control all the features and offer a great automation option. The cameras too are of the highest quality. We love the resolution and the inbuilt sensor that can differentiate the smallest of the motions; it makes it a more secure system.
It does have night vision. When we were testing, we were able to see the movement clearly which is within 25 ft from the camera. The resolution is 720p even in night mode which many other systems lack. We also tested the Arlo app to check the live stream from the camera when accessed from a different location. The live stream is really good and there is hardly any delay if good quality internet is used for the camera system.
- 130 degrees of Field of View
- Wireless connections.
- It possesses a resolution of 1280x720p.
- Built-in mic and speaker for push-to-talk.
- Weatherproof cameras.
- We didn’t find any.
Bottom Line
Looking at the features and the way it works, it is tailor-made for an Airbnb property. It also provides enough control over to the guest to feel secure at your property. It is the among the best airbnb outdoor security cameras.
2. Ring Spotlight – Best For Remote Monitoring
The ring has a wide array of home security products. They have their base station too which allows you to connect several devices. But this camera is a standalone unit which has everything built into it. The feed of the camera is directly transmitted to the phone. There are many version of the camera and most of them are the same only difference is of brightness. For home security this unit is perfect.
The best thing about this camera is the way you are monitoring your house using the camera. Since everything is controlled by phone, you can activate the siren upon detecting intrusion. Also using the app, you can adjust the sensitivity of the motion sensor. We like the fact that you can share the videos right from your phone. With two way talk, you can even talk to the people standing in front of the camera. We like the quality of the audio and video.
- You can view live video at 1080p resolution.
- Activate siren remotely.
- Customize sensors.
- Versatile power options.
- No hub is required.
- Saves only seven days of footage over the cloud for free.
Bottom Line
If you do not want an elaborate camera system that uses the base station, Ring Spotlight offers you a standalone option. Everything is controlled by phone.
3. Canary All-in-One Indoor – Best For Budget Conscious Users
Some of the cameras may be too expensive for certain users. Especially, when you are planning to install two or more cameras around your Airbnb property, you need a more budget-friendly camera. The CANARY All-in-One Indoor is perfect camera system which does not require any base station. However, it is only suitable for indoor use. You can install it in different areas of the house and connect all the cameras to your phone via the internet.
It has motion sensors when activated it will notify every time it detects movement. But we found that if there is even a little movement like plant or curtain, it will notify you. With such high sensitivity, it will be frustrating to receive a notification every few seconds. In case of intrusion, it has features like a siren and one-touch access to emergency services. The thing we didn’t like is that you have the access to video clips of the past 24 hours only. If you want more of raw footage you will have to buy a subscription.
- Cameras has 1080p resolution.
- The Canary cameras have a motion sensor.
- Night vision offers clear image even without any light source.
- Inexpensive compared to other security cameras.
- No installation required.
- It cannot be used for outdoor.
Bottom Line
If you require more two or more cameras, but you do not want to spend too much, Go with CANARY All-in-One Indoor. It does not require base or installation—just plug, connect and monitor.
4. Nest – Best For Home Automation
Nest is a popular manufacturer of home security devices. There are a large array of devices from Nest that can be added to the home automation and out them is Nest Security Camera. Out of many indoor cameras, Nest Security Camera is the most compact one. It doesn’t stand out. If you want to hide, it can stay hidden if placed in the right place. This current model is suited for only indoors, but if you want something for outdoor, it has an outdoor version too.
We liked the quality of the camera. However, you require good quality internet for high-quality live stream. The manufacturer suggests it works with an internet connection of 2 Mbps, but during tests, even 10 Mbps internet connection is not enough for high-quality streaming. A 50 Mbps internet speed would be best. Though it does not require any hub if you do have one, do connect it for better user experience.
- The size of the camera is compact.
- No installation required; only wiring is required.
- The quality of the live stream good.
- Built-in speaker and mic for two way communication.
- In-built motion sensor.
- The app is intuitive and user-friendly.
- Does work for outdoor installation.
Bottom Line
If you want something more compact yet high-quality security camera with all the necessary feature, go for the Nest security camera. However, you will have to get a different camera for the outdoors.
5. Reolink Argus 2- Best For Night Surveillance
Reolink Argus 2 is a great security camera for covering outdoor location. It has all the necessary features required for outdoor security cameras. In addition to being a weatherproof camera, it has two communication system. So if you install it on your main door. You can talk to the visitors or even ask the delivery person to drop off the package without you being there physically. And if you are are using it for your Airbnb, install the solar panel so that it can charge batteries automatically.
The best thing about this security camera is the PIR motion sensor. We tested it with different types moment to identify how sensitive it is. It can differentiate between the movements of an object and human beings. It is crucial because you do not want a false alarm every time something is detected by the camera. Using the app, you can receive notification in the form of alert, siren, and email.
- It supports 1080 p resolution.
- Night vision is very good.
- A separate slot for SD card and it store up to 64 GB of data.
- IP65 waterproof.
- You can receive a notification as an alert siren or email.
- The field of view is too narrow compared to another security camera.
Bottom Line
The Reolink Argus 2 is among the best outdoor camera we have tested. Especially in night mode camera offers a very clear picture. If you are looking for an Airbnb security camera that can be installed outside of your Airbnb property, you must consider Reolink Argus 2.
6. Amazon Cloud Cam – Best System For Alexa
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Amazon is slowly churning out some quality home security products. It was one of our experts who suggested testing the Amazon Cloud Cam. It is specifically designed for indoor use. And it works best when used it with Alexa. With the help of Alexa, you can watch the live feed directly on the TV via Amazon Firestick. However, it works fine on a smartphone as well if you want to monitor your Airbnb house while away.
One thing we loved is that it automatically switches to night vision when the light is dim. We tested these feature a few times; it switched to night vision every time there was low light. The video quality is not too bad. The big drawback is if you want to access the old clips, you would require a subscription. The free plan allows you to access the clips of the past 24 hours and supports only three cameras together.
- It supports 1080p video quality.
- It automatically switches to night video.
- Highly effective motion sensor.
- One camera can cover the entire room.
- You view clips only past 24 hours.
- Using more than three cameras together require a subscription.
Bottom Line
If your Airbnb property has Alexa and TV is connected to Amazon Firestick, a camera like Amazon Cloud Cam will be a great option for the owner as well as for guests.
7. Wyze Cam Pan – Best Option Under $50
We were surprised to see a low-cost camera had some of the best features among all the security cameras. Out of all features, its pan, tilt and zoom feature attracted us. Not many cameras had this feature. Such features make the single-camera more effective as the field of view increases to almost 360 degrees. It covers 360-degree rotation in 3 seconds.
Another thing that adds to its effectiveness is that you can set four custom waypoints, where you want to the cameras to point while panning. This allows you to monitor specific entry points. And since, it can be used with Alexa, you or your Airbnb guest could easily see the clips on their phone. There is also a two-way inbuilt communication system.
- It automatically pans 360 degrees.
- It supports video quality of 1080p.
- You can add three custom waypoints for better surveillance.
- Two-way communication system.
- Night vision is not clear after a certain distance.
- The motion sensor sends too many notifications.
Bottom Line
If you want a camera with panning ability, there is no other security camera that is better than Wyze Cam Pan. Even if you are using a certain camera, having a camera like Wyze Cam Pan at the centre of the room will provide a much better view of the room.
Buyer’s Guide – What To Consider?
As Airbnb owner, you want to provide the most secure stay possible. For that, you need to have the right system in place. With cameras, you have to make sure that they are installed at the right place with right features like for outdoors you need waterproof cameras with night vision capability. With our buyer’s guide, you will have much understanding of what to look for in a security camera system for your Airbnb property.
1. Location
If you categorize security cameras, there are two types—outdoor and indoor. The outdoor cameras are installed at locations like the front door, main gate, backyard etc. For these locations, you want security cameras to be weatherproof. And most of the good quality cameras are weatherproof. We found that outdoor wireless cameras are much easier to install because no wiring is required. You just need a power source and that too can be eliminated if you use rechargeable cameras.
For indoor cameras, you need different features. It is not an issue if it is not weatherproof, but it must have night vision and motion sensor. High-quality night vision allows with motion sensor, will help you monitor any movement with ease. The good thing is indoor cameras do not require any installation. Most have their stand. You can keep them on the table or any other flat surface.
2. Field Of View
Field of view means how wide a camera can see. Wider the field of view, more area the camera can cover. Most of the cameras on our list have a field of view between 120-150 degrees. The camera with the highest field of view on our list is CANARY All-in-One Indoor which has a field of view of 145 degrees. However, if you have panning camera like Wyze Cam Pan, the field of view is 360 degrees. If you are buying outdoor security cameras, make sure they have a wide field of view and with indoor cameras, it can get around 120 degrees because the area of coverage is not that wide.
3. Night Vision
Night vision is an important part of a security camera. Most of the security cameras are required for the night time. So you want a camera that not only offers good quality video but it must be able to create ample light to be able to see in the dark. For that, you have to check the number of infrared LEDs it uses. More the number better the night vision. On our list of most of the cameras have 6-8 infrared LED lights. If we compare our seven security cameras, Arlo Pro is the best camera with night vision.
4. Connectivity
As an Airbnb owner, you might not be living at the property. Hence the only way to access your security system is via phone. So to make sure you do not have any issue accessing the system there are two things to make sure are perfect. The Wi-Fi connection to which the security cameras are connected and the internet connection of the phone are the two most important part of it. You remember most of the branded security cameras use 1080p videos; the size of the videos are much larger. So it requires high-speed internet so that video streaming is smooth.
5. Cloud Service
To store the videos captured by the Airbnb, the security camera manufacturers offer cloud storage service at a monthly subscription. However, there are few cameras that do allow you to store the footage locally like Reolink Argus 2, but it has a limit. The advantage with cloud storage is there are no limits, depending on the plan you can store videos of past 30 days or even beyond. Check the official sites of security cameras to learn more about their cloud service.
How Did We Test Airbnb Security Cameras?
Our process of testing any product begins by shortlisting the products based on the sales number and the reputation among the user. We took the help of 12 experts that we had hired to assist u in choosing this product. Many of the experts had years of experience in sales of security cameras. Hence they were able to provide us with some data on the sales of a popular Airbnb security camera. After little research, we shortlisted 26 security cameras for testing.
During tests, we made sure that we test security cameras in every which way. For tested each model based on the parameters like video quality, night vision, motion sensor, installation, connectivity etc. We made sure we simulated all kinds of condition that a security camera is installed for. After, we contact several existing customers of each model, learn more about the performance of the cameras. This gave us an idea of how the cameras perform after months or year of purchase.
Once we had all the data, expert view and customer review, we asked our team to score each model on three key factors—resolution, alertness, and usage. After calculating the over the score, we were able to sort out the top seven. Here are the scores of the seven Airbnb security cameras we selected:
| Product | Resolution | Alertness | Usage | Overall | Check Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arlo Pro | 96.8 | 97.1 | 96.7 | 96.8 | Check Price |
| Ring Spotlight | 96.8 | 96.5 | 96.9 | 96.7 | Check Price |
| Canary All-in-One | 96.5 | 97.0 | 96.2 | 96.5 | Check Price |
| Nest | 96.3 | 96.8 | 96.5 | 96.5 | Check Price |
| Reolink Argus 2 | 96.1 | 96.9 | 96.2 | 96.4 | Check Price |
| Amazon Cloud Cam | 96.4 | 96.4 | 95.9 | 96.2 | No products found. |
| Wyze Cam Pan | 96.1 | 96.9 | 95.3 | 96.1 | Check Price |
FAQs
1. Is it legal to have security cameras at Airbnb?
You can have cameras at Airbnb provided you notify the guests about it. Airbnb has strict about the rules for having security cameras at Airbnb. You can check out their official system.
2. How much memory does a security camera use?
Usually, if you have 1 TB hard disk, you can record up to 3-4 days, and with 2 TB hard disk you can record up to a week.
3. Do wireless security cameras work well?
Big advantage of having wireless security cameras is they are easy to install compared to wired cameras. And when you compare the performance of wired and wireless, there is no difference. But make sure you buy high-quality wireless cameras.
4. Do you need Wi-Fi for wireless security cameras ?
Yes, wireless security cameras connect to the hub via Wi-Fi. It does not mean cameras should always be connected to internet. It only requires home Wi-Fi network to interact with the control system.
5. Are there any security cameras that don’t use WiFi?
Yes, there are few security cameras that use their own wireless protocol to communicate. But using same protocol you cannot access the camera feed on your phone because your phone uses the Wi-Fi or cellular network.
6. What upload speed do you need for security cameras?
Internet speed depends on the quality of the feed. If the video quality is standard, even 1Mbps upload speed is enough. But if the cameras provide HD quality feed, the internet speed required is 2.5 Mbps.
7. Which is a better DVR or NVR?
NVR is much better than DVR because even if you use the same cameras, NVR will provide the best quality videos.
8. Which are the best outdoor security cameras?
You can go for Arlo cameras because they have all the quality required for outdoor security cameras.
Final Thought
While searching for a security camera for your Airbnb property you will find several options, but you must know your requirement and how much you are willing to spend. So that you can narrow your search to that device that fit your requirements. If you have more doubts, go through our buyer’s guide, it will help you learn important facts about security cameras.
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Summary
Arlo Technologies have made their reputation with the help of Arlo security. Among all the best security cameras for vacation rentals, Arlo offers you the highest form of a home security camera system.
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