Wyze Cams have consistently earned a spot on our list of the best security cameras we've tested over the years. The company packs high-end hardware and advanced features into its budget cameras. This encompasses everything from a sharp 2K resolution to AI motion tracking for just $35.
With that said Wyze also has a history of privacy concerns. These include an AWS cloud computing lapse that showed 13,000 users a thumbnail of other owners home cameras earlier this year. I still recommend Wyze cameras to my family and friends with one rule. I rely on my Wyze Cams only to guard the less intimate parts of my home. Their value pricing has helped me expand home monitoring throughout my entryways and open-concept living space. I'll risk someone potentially seeing a thumbnail of my entryway or dining area for the lifelike image and advanced smart home functionality these little white cubes unlock.
Superior specs for the price
The $35 Wyze Cam v4 has high-end features like tracking a subject as it moves throughout a room, color night vision, and custom zones. Its crisp 1440p image quality and skills keep up with options quadruple its price. You can afford to cover four spaces either in or outside of your home for the price of one Arlo or Ring camera. Plus you can easily place these cameras anywhere around your house thanks to Wyze's magnetic base. I freely swap my Wyze cameras between rooms by sticking them to the metal corner beads of my walls.
While other budget cameras like the solid Blink Mini 2 are catching up in value, they still don't look as sharp, have as many features, or have local storage built-in. The Wyze Cam has a built-in micro SD card slot while the Blink Mini 2 requires a separately purchased Blink Sync Module and USB drive to store video without a subscription. Of course, the Wyze's lower framerates lead to slightly choppier footage, however, there are no noticeable gaps or lapses.
24/7 live agent monitoring
I subscribe to Wyze Cam Protect for $3.99 per month. This service elevates my cheap cameras into a full-blown home security system complete with an alarm. I can arm my cameras when I leave my house. If motion is detected while I'm away from home, a clip is sent to a monitoring service professional. This person will then immediately call and text my phone and decide to dispatch emergency services.
This cheap monitoring service brings me peace of mind knowing my home is safe even if I can't answer the phone while at work or on vacation. You don't have to deal with a hub or sensors—I simply point my Wyze Cams towards my entryways. I like that there's no contract commitment, you can pay for a single month if you know you'll be going away and never pay again if you don't need to.
Smart home sensor
Wyze's cameras are also handy for non-security reasons, too. For instance, you can use your camera as a motion detector to trigger smart home automation. When my main entryway camera sees motion it turns that section of my home's lights on for one minute. This gives me time to walk through the door, take my shoes off, and drop whatever I'm carrying down which is especially helpful when I have my hands full. However, you can also create complex routines from your smart home app. For example, when the Wyze Cam detects motion you can turn on your lights, smart plug, and have one of the best smart speakers start playing music.
At the end of the day nearly every one of the best security camera makers from Eufy to Ring have been mired in controversy. I cautiously went with the devil I know and have placed a Wyze Video Doorbell Pro and Wyze v3s and v4s throughout my home. Wyze's hardware is affordable, versatile, and acts as the all-in-one security setup I'm looking for without a subscription cost that climbs up over time.
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