There are plenty of smart home security cameras available to help you keep an eye on the inside of your home from wherever you may be, but there are also now a number of options for keeping check on the outside too.
In the past, security systems for around the home were not cheap. They often involved professional installations and some serious monthly fees. That's no longer the case though, with several companies offering smart security cameras that are not only easy to set up but discreet too.
Some offer built-in speakers so you can speak to the postman if you aren't home, while others feature built-in floodlights to deter any intruders when motion is detected. Here are some of the best outdoor smart home security cameras we have come across. You can also read our separate feature on indoor cameras if you are looking to keep an eye on the inside of your home too.
Canary Flex
Buy the Canary Flex for around £170 from Amazon.co.uk or around $150 on Amazon.com | Read the full Canary Flex review
- Measurements: 110 x 48mm, 240g
- Features: Night vision, weatherproof, speaker, microphone
- Camera: 1080p video recording, 116-degree wide angle
- Power: Wired or wire-free
- Operating temperature: -20°C to 45°C
- Recording access: 24 hours with unlimited downloads and social sharing (without subscription)
- Subscription cost: £7.99/month or £79/year for 30 days history
The Canary Flex is weatherproof and it can be used indoors or outdoors, recording 1080p video day or night. It can be plugged into the mains, or used wire-free and recharged.
The Flex features a 360-degree magnetic swivel base that is mounted to a flat surface, while the camera snaps into place on the base and can twist in any direction you want. Like others on this list, there are a range of other accessories available too.
There is no extra hub to connect to your router, it features a built-in speaker and microphone and it comes in black and white colour options. Canary offers 24 hours of video viewing without a subscription after which you pay a flat rate a month or year for 30 days history.
Logitech Circle 2
Buy the Logitech Circle 2 for around £160 from Amazon.co.uk or around $170 on Amazon.com | Read the full Logitech Circle 2 review
- Measurements: 86.4 x 71.1 x 66mm, 207g (wired), 96.5 x 81.2 x 94mm, 340g (wire-free)
- Features: Auto night vision up to 5-metres, two-way talk, 8x digital zoom, adjustable pan and tilt, weatherproofing, person detection with subscription, Alexa and Apple HomeKit compatibility
- Camera: 1080p video recording, 180-degree wide angle
- Power: Wire and wire-free options
- Operating temperature: TBC
- Recording access: 24 hours unlimited streaming and downloads (without subscription)
- Subscription cost: Basic £2.99/month for 14 days, or Premium £7.99/month or £79.99/year for 31 days
The Logitech Circle 2 is available in wired and wire-free models, both of which are weatherproof and both of which can be installed inside or outside of your home. It will film in 1080p day or night, like many of the others on this list, but it has a slightly wider field of view at 180-degrees.
Logitech claims the Circle 2 can be set up in minutes, it doesn't require an additional base station attached to your router and the wire-free, battery-operated model is claimed to last up to three months before it needs recharging. Like the Netgear Arlo further down this list, there are a number of extras that can be bought for the Circle 2, including a backup battery and weatherproof extension cable.
You'll be able to see 24 hours of recorded video without a subscription, but if you want to go back further, you'll need to sign up to one of the Circle Safe plans. The Circle Safe Premium plan adds person detection, motion zones, and advanced event and alert filters on top of the features that come with the Free plan and Basic plans.
Netatmo Presence
Buy the Netatmo Presence for around £190 from Amazon.co.uk or around $300 from Amazon.com
- Measurements: 200 x 110 x 50mm, 1kg
- Features: Night vision, weatherproof, 12W dimmable LED floodlight, person, car and animal detection
- Camera: 4MP sensor, 1080p video recording, 100-degree wide angle
- Power: Plugged in
- Operating temperature: -20°C to 50°C
- Recording access: MicroSD storage up to 32GB (8GB card included for up to 100 videos), no cloud recording
- Subscription cost: No subscription
The Netatmo Presence is a security camera and light in the same device, recording 1080p video day and night and capable of detecting people, cars and animals up to a customisable 20-metres.
The LED floodlight can be switched on manually or set to switch on when it detects a person, animal, car or all three, while the Presence's weatherproofing means it is able to withstand rain, snow, moisture, dust and dirt.
Netatmo doesn't offer cloud recording, with all videos stored locally on the microSD card. An 8GB storage card comes with the device, but you can switch it out for higher storage if you wish. It will support class 10 cards up to 32GB.
Netgear Arlo
Buy the Netgear Arlo for around £169 from Amazon.co.uk or around $145 from Amazon.com | Read the full Netgear Arlo review
- Measurements: 72 x 44 x 66mm, 123g (camera), 55 x 215 x 165 mm, 320g (base station)
- Features: Night vision, weatherproof, IFTTT compatibility, custom modes, smart scheduling
- Camera: 720p video recording, 110-degree wide angle
- Power: Wire-free, battery-powered
- Operating temperature: -10°C to 50°C
- Recording access: Seven days viewing, downloading and sharing (without subscription)
- Subscription cost: Premier £6.49/month or £64/year for 30 days of cloud recordings or Elite £9.99/month or £99/year for up to 60 days cloud recordings
The Netgear Arlo can be used inside or outside of your home and it is both weatherproof and wire-free, meaning you can set it up wherever you choose rather than be reliant on power sockets.
You'll need to connect the base station to your Wi-Fi router, after which you'll be able to sync your Arlo camera, or cameras. Each Arlo camera offers motion alerts and will film 720p video day or night. You'll get seven days of cloud recordings without a subscription.
There are also numerous mounts to choose from and various skins if you want to change the look of your camera, or make it blend in better with its surroundings.
Nest Cam Outdoor
Buy the Nest Cam Outdoor for around £160 from Amazon.co.uk or around $180 from Amazon.com | Read the full Nest Cam Outdoor review
- Measurements: 89 x 72 x 72mm, 313g
- Features: Night vision, weatherproof (IP65 rated), 8x digital zoom, speaker, microphone
- Camera: 3MP, 1080p video recording, 130-degree wide angle
- Power: Wired
- Operating temperature: -20°C to 40°C
- Recording access: 3 hours (without subscription)
- Subscription cost: £8/month or £80/year for 10 days history or £24/month or £240/year for 30 days history
The Nest Cam Outdoor is for outdoor use only, with the Nest Cam Indoor and Nest Cam IQ specifically designed for inside your home. It is IP65 water resistant meaning it will be able to withstand the rain but unlike the likes of the Netgear Arlo, it will need wiring into the mains supply.
It will record continuously at 1080p resolution day or night, alerting you if it sees motion or hears a loud sound, such as a window breaking. As there is a built-in speaker and microphone, you'll also be able to scare off any unwanted intruders, or ask the postman to leave your parcel at the door.
Without a Nest Aware subscription, you'll be able to see activity from the last three hours. With the subscription, you'll get up to 30 days, as well as person alerts, activity zones and better alerts. It is also worth noting there is a newer model of this camera in the Nest Cam IQ Outdoor, which is not only able to distinguish between a person and a thing, but it can also do familiar face alerts with a Nest Aware subscription.
Y-Cam Outdoor HD Pro
Buy the Y-Cam Outdoor HD Pro for around £180 on Amazon.co.uk
- Measurements: 200 x 65 x 110mm, 420g
- Features: Night vision up to 15-metres, weatherproof (IP66 rated), detachable sun shield, customisable recording zones
- Camera: 1MP sensor, 720p video recording, 109-degree wide angle
- Power: Wired
- Operating temperature: TBC
- Recording access: Seven days rolling storage for three years (without subscription)
- Subscription cost: £5.99/month or £59.99/year for 30 days history
The Y-Cam Outdoor HD Pro looks a little more like a traditional security camera than others on this list. It is IP66 weatherproof, comes complete with a detachable sun shield and it is a wired device that also requires a port on your router.
It will record 720p video day or night, and it will send alerts to your smartphone when motion is detected. You'll be able to set up daily recording schedules, as well as customisable recording zones, such as doorways.
Y-Cam offers seven days of rolling video storage for three years, but it also offers a subscription for those that want to have 30-day access to their video clips.