10 Best Home Security Cameras in the UK for 2023

When it comes to wireless home security cameras in the UK, the Arlo Pro sets a high standard. The third-generation device uses Wi-Fi, is completely weatherproof, and can record video up to 2K. You’ll always be able to distinguish who’s at your door, day or night. It’s also a ‘smart cam’ so it pairs with most devices. You get two cameras in the set and can add more for a reasonable price. These security cameras are at Argos and all major retailers.

Image Quality

Image quality is where the Arlo Pro 3 really stands out. It records in 2K, which is better than HD but half of 4K. If you use a single camera and have a good Wi-Fi connection you shouldn’t experience any lag or picture downgrading. However, if you run both cameras at once, the performance will suffer.

The cam supports High Dynamic Range (HDR), which means it can produce a more detailed picture in the dark or extreme light.

Features

You’ll get viewing angles of up to 160 degrees, allowing you to fully scope one side of your property.

One of the leading outdoor home security cameras in the UK – guaranteed performance in rain and heat.

The spotlight version provides motion-sensor lighting to ward off intruders and improve vision. You also get:

• Colour-enhanced night vision to further help you see the details
• Two-way audio allows you to communicate with anyone at your door
• Easy to use Arlo smartphone app
• The option to pair up with Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant for voice control
• A ‘piercing alarm’ to scare off intruders which can be set off manually or by sensors
• Long-life rechargeable battery or add-on solar panel for continuous power (which you’ll have to buy)

Unfortunately, there is no cable power option. 

Storage

The smart hub which comes with the camera offers a generous 2TB of storage space so you can keep several days-worth of footage in case you need to go back and check something.

You will also get 7-days free rolling cloud storage before you’re required to purchase a subscription. Footage sent to the cloud is in 1080p to reduce bandwidth.

Subscriptions for further cloud storage start at £2.49 per month for a single camera and £12.49 for the Elite multi-camera plan (5 cameras with 30 days of storage).

Verdict

If you’re looking for the best home camera security system in the UK, the Arlo Pro 3 is a serious contender. It does everything you need well and does burden you with storage fees. If you’re not bothered about the 4K (which we think is a bit of a gimmick for most home security needs), then the Pro 3 is a great choice.

One of the most affordable UK home security cameras on our list! The Swann Floodlight surveillance camera is less than £200 but provides full HD recording, motion detection, night vision, and 2-way audio. There’s also a siren to scare off potential intruders, voice control support when paired, and as the name suggests, a powerful floodlight. Just set things up using the app on your phone and you’re good to go.

Image Quality

The Swann is a full 1080p HD camera, so you should have no problem getting a clear view of your property. We found it to be crisp and clear and competent even when zoomed in. The floodlight itself helps illuminate any would-be intruders and the night vision technology further improves the image when it is dark.

The camera will usually adjust at night but there is also a specific night setting so you can be sure the quality is optimized.

Maintaining HD quality will depend on your internet connection. We found the camera disconnects if it doesn’t receive the strongest possible signal. You can always downgrade to 720p or lower to improve connection stability.

Features

The main benefits include:

• Fully weatherproof in all climates but also suitable for indoor use
• Easy set up via the smartphone app to make the Wi-Fi connection and control the device
• Real-time view from within the app, including audio
• Pairing up with Siri, Google Assistant, or Amazon Alexa for voice control
• 125-degree viewing angle to get a good range of sight
• Clear night vision technology
• Loud alarm for crime prevention which can be fully controlled with the app
• Two-way audio and intercom system, though sound quality could be better

The sensitive motion sensor camera can be set from low to high depending on your surroundings (i.e. trees in the wind or pets). This can be frustrating, especially given that other cameras seem to do fine with an automatic setting.

The Swann also comes with a powerful LED floodlight that runs at 5000K/2500 Lumens. It can be set on motion detection or switched on or off. The accompanying app also allows you to set the brightness.

Storage

The built-in storage is 8GB and can accommodate roughly 7 days of HD recording, allowing you to go back and access data at any point in time. This is further supported by 2 days of free cloud storage.

If you would like longer cloud storage you can purchase a subscription for £4.95 per month. This gives you access to the past 30 days of recordings.

Note: The camera does not record continuously for 24 hours. It begins recording when motion detection is triggered. This is more efficient and saves bandwidth but could be a problem if you’ve set the motion sensor too low and it fails to pick something up.

Verdict

If you have a solid internet connection and don’t mind spending time getting used to the motion detection setting, the Swann Floodlight cam is the best home security camera with a floodlight for outdoor use.

The Hive View provides competent CCTV for home indoor use. If you want something for the outside, you’ll need to look elsewhere. That considered, you’ll get full 1080p HD recording, real-time viewing via the app, 24-hour storage, night vision technology, and effective motion detection. 

Although it is technically wireless, we think this is misleading - the battery will only last about an hour, which is quite bad when compared with other Hive Security cameras.

Image Quality

For indoor use, the 1080p quality is more than acceptable and it records at a high framerate, so you won’t get any old-fashioned stuttering. Quality can be lowered if you do not have a stable enough internet connection.

You can easily tune in via the app and watch video streaming over the internet. The footage itself is stored for free on the cloud for a 24-hour period.

Thanks to night-vision technology the image remains clear in the dark when it is most needed.

One downside is that the lens has a ‘fish-eye’ bubble effect, meaning the edges of the security camera video are rounded as a result of the viewing angle. 

Features

Control your indoor security camera from the Hive app on your smartphone, tablet, laptop, or PC. 

Sensitive motion detection means the camera only starts recording when movement is present. You’ll receive a notification on the app and can view the screen to see if there are any intruders.

Two-way audio allows you to hear everything in the vicinity of the camera and talk back. This is helpful if you have a visitor while you’re away or if you want to comfort a pet.

The camera comes with a built-in stand and allows for a 130-degree viewing angle.

But it’s not all sunshine and rainbows.

We were let down by the lack of alarm. Also, poor battery life means the camera needs to be plugged in to use for any length of time. If you need it for the outdoors, you will need to purchase a separate Hive outdoor camera.

Storage

We particularly liked the straight-forward storage solution. Nothing is stored on your devices, rather 24-hour’s worth of footage is stored for free on the cloud and you can easily view, download, and share any point along this timeline via the app.

If you require further storage you can pay a reasonable £4.99 for 30 days, which is more than enough for you to recognize a breach and pinpoint when it happened.

All recordings can be stored in full 1080p.

Verdict

If you’re looking for the best Wi-Fi home security camera in the UK at a mid-range price, the Hive View is worth considering. It is great for basic indoor use if that’s all you require. While it must remain plugged in for power, most users will keep it by their front or back door without moving it regularly. Alternatively, you can get a Hive security camera for outdoor use with slightly different specs.

The Ring Stick Up Cam is one of the most affordable home security cameras UK customers can buy. You can pick it up for less than £100 with features usually reserved for cameras double the price. This includes a great app with live view, motion detection notifications, two-way audio, quick-release rechargeable battery, and an alarm.

The key let down is that you cannot store any footage without a paid cloud subscription, so you must factor this in when weighing up the cost.

Image Quality

You don’t have to worry about distortions or lag with sharp 1080p video quality which can be downgraded to 720p or lower if your Wi-Fi is unstable. The field of view reaches 130 degrees and there’s also infrared night vision to ensure detection in the dark, though this is not colour enhanced.

Features

• Wireless indoor or outdoor use with a quick-release battery pack or the ability to remain plugged into the mains (not a major gripe but the angle of the wire is unnecessarily awkward)
• Easy set up via the app on your smartphone.
• Live view the camera at any time via Wi-Fi or your mobile data on the go.
• Different settings for the sensitivity of the motion detector and notifications whenever it is triggered
• Two-way audio allows you to hear and speak to visitors, intruders, or pets from the app.
• Alarm to ward off intruders.
• Purchase multiple cameras and control everything from the app, switching between cameras 
• Can be paired with Amazon Alexa for voice control

Storage

The Stick Up Cam’s storage ability is a bit of a let-down because it does not support local storage and there is only a 30-day free trial for the Ring subscription. After that, you must pay at least £2.50 per month for a single device to continue with 30-day storage. The multi-cam setup would be £10.

That being said, the up-front cost is low and if you were going to pay for storage anyway it’s still cheaper than many competitors.

Verdict

Ring’s Stick Up Cam is one of the best external home security cameras UK customers can buy on a budget. It has all the features required for good home security and does it all in full HD. It is also fully wireless with good battery life for indoors and outdoors. As long as you can get over the lack of local storage, you can’t get a better multi-use camera for less than £100.

Arlo’s Ultra 4K cam is maybe the best home security camera system for UK users, but it will cost you around £670 for the basic set of two cameras and a smart hub. Its obvious benefit is that it’s one of the few cameras to support 4K quality recording, which although not necessary, can make the difference for large homes or commercial properties that need a clear image at a distance. You’ll need at least 3mbps internet speed to utilize 4K.

Image Quality

The Arlo Ultra has one of the sharpest and clearest images on the market, supporting full 4K UHD recording and even High Dynamic Range (HDR), which provides greater detail in very dark or very bright environments. It is currently the best home security camera for image quality.

It also has an integrated spotlight to illuminate anyone in its vicinity and colour-enhanced night vision.

Even though it has a deep 180-degree viewing angle it also auto-corrects the ‘fisheye’ effect so there’s no rounding to the edge of the image.

Features

• Two security cameras for home use and outdoors with full weatherproofing
• User-friendly app, that works on all smart devices and pairs with Alexa, Siri, or Google Assistant for voice control
• Wi-Fi stability, enhanced via the smart hub which can support up to 8 additional 4K cameras
• Noise-canceling two-way audio to listen in and talk back to visitors, intruders, or pets
• Sensitive motion detection that can be adjusted to better suit your environment
• Notifications whenever motion is detected.
• Auto-zoom and tracking when a moving object is detected for superior identification  (disabled at 4K)
• Loud alarm on detection or manual triggering
• Real-time view from the app

Storage

Thanks to the smart hub, the Arlo Ultra supports local storage recording at 4K via microSD, though this will soon fill-up if you don’t have multiple cards. Alternatively, you can record in a lower quality for more convenience.

You will also get a generous 1-year trial of 30-day rolling cloud storage. In other words, you have access to 30 day’s worth of footage and can easily view it via the app or download it for local playback.

After the trial expires you will need to pay between £3.99 (single camera) and £12.49 (up to 5 cameras) for 30-day 4K cloud storage.

Verdict

The Arlo Ultra 4K camera is the highest quality product of its kind, offering the best features. However, it’s also the most expensive of the home security cameras the UK offers. So, if you’re looking for something more budget-friendly, see the other options on our list.

The Netatmo Welcome is a welcome addition to the Wi-Fi security camera market, introducing facial recognition technology. You’ll know immediately whether it’s your loved one, the postman, or a stranger at your door. With full HD recording, night vision, and a 130-degree viewing angle, it ticks most of the boxes.

But.

It cannot be used outdoors and only has one-way audio. This knocks a star off considering there are cheap security cameras that can be used outside.

Image Quality

The Welcome camera provides a clear 1080p HD picture regardless of lighting. This is accomplished with night vision technology, powered by an infrared LED. 1080p applies to both live streaming and recorded video playback.

You can also let the quality auto-adjust depending on the stability of your Wi-Fi connection.

The 130-degree viewing angle is comparable to other cameras on the market. However, there is no pan or tilt feature, so you need to be certain of the position when you set it up.

Features

Netatmo’s core feature is its facial recognition technology. It allows you to capture faces you’ll need it to recognize later. This means when any of your ‘allowed faces’ trigger the motion detection the camera won’t record or send out a notification. Alternatively, you can set to receive notifications, for example, to check if your children have arrived home from school. If you’re using it as a front door camera or looking out a window, you can recognize regular postal workers as well.

Advanced motion sensor technology saves storage space by only recording when someone is detected by the camera.

You can also watch what is going on at any time via your paired device, even when on the go. So, if you’re at work you can check in to see who’s at the door. Control everything with the app on your paired device, quickly setup the Wi-Fi and monitor recognized faces. Alexa helps with voice control.

The 130-degree field of view makes up for the lack of pan and tilt. The ‘fisheye’ screen effect is removed by digital processing. 

One downside is there’s now two-way audio so you cannot converse with anyone in the vicinity of the camera. It also does not come with any wall brackets or mount so you’ll either have to create this yourself or rely on a table.

Storage

Storage is done locally via a microSD card. This is promoted as a security measure. The downside is that you cannot remove the card to transfer any of the videos manually. It wipes the card clean, so instead, you must use your paired device and password to download the footage. 

Verdict

The facial recognition and microSD storage are major plusses for the Netatmo Welcome. However, for you to commit to the price tag you must be certain that you do not want outdoor support or two-way audio.

A good alternative to a basic wireless doorbell camera, the Neos Smartcam is one of the best cheap security cameras on the market. While it lacks in image quality and cannot be used outdoors, for just £29.99 it has a surprising number of features. It is perfect if you just want a camera near the front or back door of your home to monitor deliveries and potential intruders. 

Image Quality

Neos does record in 1080p resolution but this is a bit misleading as the framerate is only 15fps, half that of the best security cameras. In other words, while each frame is crisp and clear, playback itself can be choppy. 

Nonetheless, with night vision technology you’ll still be able to clearly recognize if someone is trying to get into your home. 

Features

• An acceptable 110-degree viewing angle to monitor most entrances
• Recording triggered by noise or motion and will take a 12-second clip or continue to record if the disturbance remains
• Night vision technology to see clearly up to 9 metres away in complete darkness
• Mobile app that pairs with Alexa for voice control
• Real-time camera monitoring
• Two-way audio to talk to people or pets while away from home
• Magnetic base to attach the camera to walls and ceilings
• USB or 3-pin plug charging

Storage

Neos does local storage better than a lot of higher-end cameras, allowing you to record directly to a microSD card.

The one downside is that the app does not let you view this footage. It must be manually downloaded and viewed as a video file by itself.

You also get 14 days’ worth of continuous free cloud storage before requiring a £2.49 subscription.  Most people will not need to pay any more than the camera price.

Verdict

Neos is cheapest on our home security cameras UK list. You simply cannot beat the value for money. And while you won’t get the image quality of higher-end cameras, home security is not the same as home-theatre. It does the job.

Arguably the best wireless home security camera system UK customers can buy for indoor use. The Google Nest Cam IQ is one of the few to provide 4K video. It will however set you back over £250, at least £100 more than the regular Nest CCTV Cam. 

Image Quality

You won’t get a crisper or clearer image from an indoor cam than the one from Nest Cam IQ. The 4K support is improved further with several extra features, such as HDR. High Dynamic Range enhances the detail of an image in overly bright or extreme dark conditions. Meanwhile, the 940nm infrared and dual LEDs illuminate the pitch black.

Features

• The IQ indoor comes with an impressive array of features, including built-in Google Assistant for voice control. If you’ve got a house full of Google devices, it will fit in nicely.
• The 6-core processor aids the camera’s impressive facial recognition, so you’ll know who crosses its path. Your paired device will then be sent a ‘person alert’.
• Close-up tracking is available thanks to its 4K video, so you can zoom and follow people or objects as they move within its 130-degree field of vision. The motion detection allows it to do this automatically, recording only when needed.
• Two-way audio with noise cancellation and echo suppression means you can clearly hear and talk to people in the vicinity.
• You can use the Nest completely wireless or leave it plugged in at the mains (needed at night due to battery-life).
• Multi-camera/multi-room support can be controlled from a single account.

Storage

All Nest cameras are cloud-only devices, so you cannot record video locally yourself and must access it via the app. The last three hours of footage can be watched in freeze frames, so you’ll know if an incident has occurred. However, you’ll need a £5 a month Nest Aware subscription in the UK to properly access security camera recordings for the past 30 days.

If you get the Plus subscription (£10 per month) you can set this to 60 days or 10 days of continuous 24-hour recording.

Verdict

If you only require an indoor cam and 4K is a feature on your list, then the IG Indoor from Nest Home Security is a front-runner. It’s user-friendly and full of helpful features like facial recognition and close-up tracking. However, the subscription-only model is quite disappointing.

With a great viewing angle of 180-degrees, full HD indoor and outdoor use, and 24-hour free cloud storage, the Logitech Circle 2 is a good all-round wireless CCTV camera. You can purchase it for under £200, however, with some performance issues at night and no local storage, it is not our first choice.

Image Quality

The wide area lens and 180-degree field of view come hand-in-hand with a full 1080p HD image, which you can live-stream at any time with the supporting app. Pan, tilt and zoom are also supported, but the quality will drop.

Logitech Circle 2 also does not perform brilliantly at night and lacks some of the extra technology like colour-enhancement and HDR. Instead, you will get black and white images. It works best capturing footage of people and objects in its immediate vicinity. You’re better off placing it just inside or outside your property’s entrance.

Features

• 2 wireless security cameras in the set with window mount, plug mount, rechargeable battery, and outdoor extension. While it’s not quite a spy camera, UK customers will be pleased with its numerous mounting options. 
• When it comes to speed, you won’t complain. High-speed, Wi-Fi Internet connection: 802.11 a/b/g/n 2.4GHz or 5.0GHz.
• Supports Alexa, Apple HomeKit, and Chromecast for voice control and streaming. Otherwise, controlling the cam and watching footage is done via the native iOS or Android app on your paired device.
• An advertised 3-month battery life, though we found this can be considerably less. To tackle this, you can easily leave it plugged into the mains.
• Weatherproof out of the box or use the 15ft wired extension for outdoor mains power.
• The motion-activated camera sends a notification and thumbnail to your paired device without needing to open the app itself.
• The two-way audio lets you listen in and respond to visitors, pets, or would-be intruders, though faces cannot be recognized. 
• There’s also time-lapse technology that allows for easy playback.
• Unfortunately, there are no alarms even when outdoors.

Storage

Footage is sent encrypted to the cloud. You can access 24 hours of this for free before having to pay for a subscription.

For 14 days of footage, you must pay a monthly subscription of £2.99 a month for one camera or £5.99 for up to 5 cameras. 31-day storage is £7.99 for one camera and 13.99 for up to 5.

Unfortunately, there are no local storage options and all footage must be first accessed via the secure cloud storage account before viewing or downloading.

Verdict

It’s not the best outdoor security camera system, but the Logitech Circle 2 stands out with its wide viewing angle and outdoor extension. Other cameras perform better at night and a lack of local storage will irk people that do not wish to pay extra fees. That being said, 24-hour free cloud storage will still do the job if you stay on top of your alerts and download the footage promptly.