3 Cheap Home Security Cameras That Are Actually Worth Buying (According To Owners)

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Security cameras and smart doorbells might not be the most exciting of gadgets, but are must-have smart home devices regardless. The former, especially, is a category that has evolved from being notoriously difficult to set up and use. With smarter security cameras that connect to the cloud and boast features like intelligent intrusion detection and automatic backups, there's very little reason not to upgrade to them.

With so many options to choose from and compare, picking the right security camera can be a tricky accomplishment. You need to factor in things like connectivity, availability of the recordings, camera quality, and, of course, the price. Whether you're looking to strengthen security inside or outside your home, there are offerings at various price points. There's even a way for you to build a Raspberry Pi security camera using an old webcam.

Consequently, there's a good demand for security cameras from reputable brands that don't break the bank. Based on reviews and positive feedback from owners, we have compiled a short selection of the best budget-oriented security cameras that can meaningfully add to your home's privacy and security needs. You can find more about our methodology and why we have picked these specific cameras near the end of this read.

TP-Link is a name that may be familiar to many, prominently known for manufacturing some of the best Wi-Fi routers you can buy. The company also sells a variety of smart home devices, including light bulbs, RGB strips, and robot vacuums. The TP-Link Tapo Security Camera is a popular pick on Amazon, with a 4.5-star rating across 12,000 verified customers. It retails at $34.99 — a price that's hard to beat, especially considering the security camera's 2K resolution. 

It's designed to be an indoor camera and can be placed practically anywhere, since the pan and tilt head will ensure monitoring of all angles. One area where most smart security cameras pose an annoyance is data recording. Fortunately, the TP-Link Tapo Security Camera offers a handy microSD card slot that can hold a capacity of up to 512 GB. You can also subscribe to the Tapo Care cloud storage platform that unlocks a few other features like motion tracking. 

The camera is compatible with smart home platforms such as Alexa and Google Assistant, so you can prompt to see a live feed on compatible devices using mere voice commands. You also get two-way audio and an alarm that can scare off intruders if need be. Customers often praise its value offering, tilt and pan functionality, and ease of setup. You can also pick up a two-pack for a slight discount if you're looking to add surveillance to more than one room.

Undercutting the TP-Link Tapo Security Camera by just $5, the Kasa Indoor Smart Security Camera is a viable alternative that checks nearly all the boxes that the offering from its parent company does. Like the TP-Link Tapo Security Camera, you get pan and tilt functionality with this option, and a simple plug-and-play setup. It does have a comparatively lower resolution at 1080p, but it does feature night vision up to 30 feet.

Like most smart security cameras, you can choose to subscribe to its proprietary cloud service, which will enable 24/7 video recording. However, you can simply slot in a microSD card with a capacity of up to 256 GB to enjoy local recordings without all the hassle that comes with subscription plans. If you own other Kasa Smart compatible devices, such as smart lights, you can configure them to turn on automatically when your security camera detects suspicious movement.

You have integration with Amazon Alexa and Google Home, with the choice to control the security camera either through the Kasa or TP-Link Tapo app. The security camera has over 35,000 reviews and a solid 4.4-star rating on Amazon, with many customers praising its image quality and motion tracking. Overall, for a price of $30, the Kasa Indoor Smart Security Camera offers incredible value, especially if you're planning on buying multiple of these to pump up security around your home.

With close to 300,000 reviews and a 4.4-star rating, the Blink Mini is not just the most popular security camera on this list, but one of the most reviewed gadgets you can find on Amazon. Blink is one of the many brands owned by Amazon that you may not have been aware of. It specializes in home security cameras and smart doorbells. The Blink Mini is a 1080p plug-and-play smart security camera designed for indoor surveillance.

While it does not feature a moving head, it comes in a compact form factor that can be placed on top of a shelf or a table in any corner of the room. It packs in support for two-way audio, and can also work as a chime to complement the Blink Video Doorbell. It works with the Alexa app, which unlocks access to voice commands to control things such as live view.

Amazon sells the Blink Mini in packs of two, three, and four, making it a good deal if you intend to add surveillance to different corners of your house. Customers appreciate its ease of setup, quality in low-light scenes, and the overall value proposition at $30. You can also pick up the new and improved Blink Mini 2 at $40, which features a built-in spotlight, making it suitable for outdoor monitoring as well.

With so many options to choose from when it comes to home surveillance gadgets, we stuck with the three most popular security cameras that can be picked up on a budget. Both the TP-Link Tapo and Kasa Smart security cameras offer an identical feature set and a rotating camera — something that is difficult to come by on a budget restrained to under $40. 

Likewise, both generations of the Blink Mini offer a plug-and-play setup that is as simple as it gets. We based our recommendations not just on overall product ratings, but also on the feedback left by verified customers in the reviews. It's always a good idea to scout for real-world feedback to assess if a smart home gadget has troubles in any areas, especially connectivity.

While all three security cameras restrict 24/7 live recording to monthly subscription plans, customers on Amazon have had no issues with using them as live surveillance tools. Plus, the option to locally record footage on an SD Card on the Tapo and Kasa Smart security cameras can come in clutch. For the Blink Mini, you will have to pick up the Sync Module 2 that's sold separately.