5 Third-Party Cameras That Work With Google Home

If you're looking to establish a home security system for yourself, the first and most obvious thing you're going to need is one or more security cameras strategically placed in and around your home. If you're building your security system around a particular smart home framework, such as Google Home, you'll naturally want devices that are compatible with that framework. The easiest way to achieve that is to use Google Nest cameras, but if you only purchase name-brand hardware, then this endeavor may start to become a bit costly, not to mention inflexible if you ever wanted to switch to a different framework like Amazon Alexa.

The best course of action to remedy both these quibbles is to make use of third-party smart home cameras. Thanks to inter-brand cooperation, many of these cameras have at least some degree of support with the Google Home and Google Assistant frameworks. You might not get the full scope of features, with some third-party camera users reporting being unable to stream footage to their phones, but you should still be able to manage the devices from the Google Home app and access camera feeds from a smart home hub device like the Nest Hub.

If you're looking to start small with your home security setup, then why not start with a small camera? The Wyze Cam v4 is a compact security camera small enough to sit comfortably on any flat surface, like a shelf or a table, to keep watch on your home, but it can also be mounted outdoors to monitor for the occasional troublemaker in your yard.

The Wyze Cam v4 features 2.5K QHD resolution, clear enough to capture the digits on a car's license plate, as well as full-color night vision. It even has an integrated siren and spotlight for letting intruders know you're wise to them. All these functions can be commanded via Google Assistant voice commands, which in turn can be managed via full Google Home integration. The Wyze Cam v4 can be added to your device list in the Google Home smartphone app, which will then allow you to watch the camera feed on a Nest Hub device, though the camera will need to be powered on in the Wyze app first.

If you have a big yard that a single camera can't entirely encompass, then you'll want an outdoor security camera with the ability to pan and zoom. The Tapo Outdoor camera, which you can grab on Amazon, is designed to offer that kind of full coverage with a rotating body able to spin a full 360 degrees. With integrated tracking systems, once the camera has eyes on a subject, it won't let them out of its sight no matter where they go. It's a more focused camera than Tapo's other offerings, such as the more beginner-friendly Tapo C120.

Besides its rotational acumen, the Tapo Outdoor camera features 1080p high-definition video and an IP65 weatherproof rating to endure the rigors of wind and rain. It can also store up to 512 GB of footage locally. These features can be managed through its connection to Google Assistant via the Google Home app, a connection to which is fostered through the Tapo smartphone app.

Once everything's connected, you can watch the Tapo camera's feed through a Google Nest hub, though out of consideration for bandwidth, you can only stream 10 minutes of footage at a time. You can immediately reopen the feed after it closes, though.

Aside from viewing the footage that comes from a security camera, it's nice to just set and forget it. You don't want a cheap camera that's constantly running out of storage or quickly draining its battery, badgering you with notifications that it's out of space or its battery is low. The eufyCam 2C Pro is a bit simpler than its sibling, the S3330 eufyCam 3, but it knows its job and is content to do it 24/7 with only the bare minimum of upkeep required, and you can get one for yourself on Amazon.

This camera features an integrated battery rated for 180 days of consecutive operation, keeping an eye on things for half a year before needing a juice up. That constant operation includes both nighttime monitoring thanks to its night vision and working in inclement weather thanks to its IP67 weatherproof rating. It also has built-in detection systems that can differentiate between humans, animals, and objects, which help to cut down on unnecessary alerts. All these features can be managed via the Google Home app, with which all eufy devices have full integration.

A good smart home security camera is equal measures simple and multi-functional. Your monitoring needs can change from time to time, after all, so it's nice to have a straightforward device you can just pick up and move somewhere else as necessary. The Arlo Essential camera fits this bill with a sturdy body and wide-angle lens, serving more general-purpose uses than its sibling, the Arlo Pro 3 Floodlight camera. You can plop it down on a flat surface or stick it to any wall with the DIY-friendly mount that's included when you buy it on Amazon.

The 2K lens can zoom in enough to make out even minute details, such as the color of a visitor's eyes. If you have visitors, you'll receive automatic notifications when the camera detects them, and if those visitors happen to be unwanted, you can activate a spotlight to drive them away. The camera can be connected to the Google Home app to watch the live footage feed and command via Google Assistant, with the only limitation being that only the account of the camera's main user can make use of its full integrations.

If you have pets, young children, or both, you definitely want a smart camera system that can help you keep an eye on them from anywhere inside and beyond the house. The Reolink home security camera system is designed to offer networked surveillance coverage, which is why you can buy its Reolink E1 cameras in a two-pack on Amazon. Reolink's developments have impressed us here at SlashGear before, which is how they won an Innovation Award from us at the 2024 IFA.

The Reolink E1 cameras feature 355-degree panning and 50-degree tilt, allowing you to see just about anywhere in a room even if your target is down on the floor. Everything is captured in 3MP HD quality, helping you to see exactly what the youngins are up to, with the cameras' built-in speaker allowing you to gently dissuade them from any shenanigans.

The cameras can also automatically detect any living targets like humans and animals, so if a child or pet enters a room they're not supposed to be in, you can shoo them away. Reolink cameras are designed to work with Google Home, allowing you to view up to four simultaneous feeds on your smartphone or a hub device like the Google Nest Hub.