5 Of The Best Outdoor Security Cameras, According To Consumer Reports

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Whether you are looking to keep an eye on your driveway, front yard, or backyard, an outdoor security camera is an essential part of smart home security. It can monitor your home's surroundings, alert you of any movement, record audio and video, and even allow you to talk to people near the camera using a built-in two-way audio system. A good outdoor security camera is also typically weatherproof, and can sometimes feature a built-in battery for easy mounting at places without a power outlet, along with built-in wireless connectivity.

There is no shortage of outdoor security cameras on the market, with everyone claiming to offer excellent performance and superior video recording. This is where Consumer Reports (CR) comes into play. CR is a trusted and unbiased source that has been testing security cameras for almost a decade and ranks them based on some of the most important factors, including video quality, privacy practices, alert mechanisms, and more. So, if you're in the market for a new outdoor security camera, here are five of the best options recommended by CR.

Although it looks like an indoor security camera, the Blink Mini 2 is perfectly capable of serving outdoors, thanks to its IP65-rated build, when paired with the company's weather-resistant power adapter, which costs $10. It comes with all the essentials, including 1080p video recording, two-way audio, a wide field of view, motion detection, and a built-in spotlight. Unfortunately, it lacks a built-in battery. So, you'll need a power outlet at a reasonable distance (the outdoor adapter has a four-meter-long cord) to power the camera.

Keep in mind, you'll need to buy the company's Sync Module 2 or Sync Module XR and storage media to store the video locally, or pay for a subscription to store the camera recordings in the cloud. The subscription plan stores videos for 60 days and includes access to features like person detection, live streaming up to 90 minutes, video sharing, and more. The camera performed well in CR's testing, with excellent scores in video quality, response time, and data security tests, and is one of the most affordable options among our recommendations at $40.

The Arlo Essential Security Camera 2K is a slight upgrade over the Blink Mini 2 in some ways, despite being a downgrade in one key area. As the name suggests, it can record in 2K resolution. It also features a built-in battery, which removes the hassle of looking for a power outlet near the camera mounting location. It's said to last for four months on a single charge. However, it doesn't offer a way to store the video recordings locally, which means you are forced to pay for a subscription plan if you want to view the footage. Without the plan, you are limited to just the live camera feed, two-way audio, basic motion detection alerts, and some other minor features.

The subscription plans, which start at $10 a month for a single camera, offer 60-day video history, person and vehicle detection, activity zones, and more. In other highlights, the camera has a wide field of view and a built-in spotlight. CR says the camera's video quality is one of its strong points, and it also delivers good response time and has strong data security. Although it carries a list price tag of $100, it's often available at a discount.

If you don't want to invest in an additional accessory to store your camera recordings locally or want to pay for monthly subscription plans, Tapo's ColorPro C325WB is a good choice because it comes with a built-in microSD card slot. Simply insert a microSD card, and all your camera recordings are saved locally. You'll, however, have to buy your own microSD card, but that's a one-time cost. If you don't want to use a microSD card, you can choose cloud storage, plans for which start at $3.50 a month and include a 30-day video history and rich notification support for up to 10 cameras.

Seamless local storage isn't the only point in favor of the C325WB. The camera also performed great in CR's data security, response time, and video quality tests. It can record in 1520p and has an IP66-rated weatherproof body. Other features include a built-in Ethernet port, Wi-Fi connectivity, a wide-angle lens, as well as support for two-way audio, motion detection, and activity zones. However, it lacks a battery, so you'll need to find a wall outlet to power it. There is also no built-in spotlight, but Tapo claims that its superior image sensor works better than cameras with a spotlight. That said, there are two lights, but those are used for the alarm function. It will cost you $80.

The SoloCam S340 from Eufy is slightly different from our other recommendations as it includes not one but two cameras — one featuring a wide-angle lens capable of capturing 3K videos, and the other packing a telephoto lens capable of capturing 2K videos. Both cameras are used by the S340 while monitoring your house to offer up to 8x zoom and a wide field of view. Thanks to its impressive dual-camera setup, the S340 delivered exceptional performance in CR's tests, with excellent video quality.  Another highlight of the Eufy camera is the included solar panel, which works with the built-in battery to enable wireless mounting. You won't have to struggle to look for a wall outlet for the SoloCam S340.

Moreover, it features 8GB of built-in storage for local footage, and you don't necessarily need to purchase a cloud storage subscription. However, the option exists, and the plans start at $4 a month for a single camera. Other features include support for motion tracking, human detection, vehicle detection, two-way audio, and a built-in spotlight. It's also weatherproof. The only concern that CR highlights about the Eufy camera is data privacy concerns. The company's cameras were earlier found to be uploading unencrypted facial recognition data and thumbnails to the cloud. The company has since fixed the problem. The S340 is also the most expensive security camera among our picks at $200.

The Tap C310 is another stellar outdoor security camera from the brand. It performed better than many other security cameras in CR's tests, with superior video quality and quick response time. CR doesn't put much stock in Tapo's data privacy protections, but the camera does have strong data security. In terms of features, it can capture in 1296p resolution, which is not exactly 2K but better than 1080p. It's also rated IP66 for dust and water resistance, and comes with a built-in microSD card slot to store any recorded footage locally. There is also support for cloud storage, with plans starting from $3.49/month.

In other highlights, the camera supports both wired and wireless connectivity, two-way audio, motion detection, activity zones, and more. However, there is no built-in battery or spotlight (the included light is used for alarms), but the company claims to have advanced night vision capabilities. Another point in favor of the C310 is its affordable pricing, which will cost you only $33, making it the cheapest security camera among our picks.

Security cameras are a must-have if you're looking to upgrade the outdoors of your smart home. However, you can't just pick up any security camera, and it's critical to go with a reliable option that is known to deliver a good performance. So, while choosing these security cameras, we consulted the best outdoor security camera recommendations from Consumer Reports, which has tested and reviewed each camera for a variety of metrics. We selected five cameras from CR's recommendations across price segments to cater to different needs. We also stuck with brands that have a reasonably decent track record in terms of data privacy and security, based on how many privacy-related controversies they have been a part of in recent years. Moreover, all our recommendations are actively on sale in 2026 and pack all the essential features.