4 Best Home Security Cameras Under $100 (2026)
Best overall: Reolink 5MP at $69.99 — 5-megapixel outdoor PoE camera with IP66 weatherproofing, 100-foot night vision, and local storage requiring no subscription. Best wireless: eufy Cam 2 Pro stores footage locally via HomeBase with no monthly fees and flexible wireless placement.
See Today’s Price →At a Glance
| # | Product | Award | Price | WiFi Standard | Speed | Coverage | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Best Overall | $69 Buy → |
— | — | — | 8.9 | |
| 2 |  eufy Security, eufyCam 2 Pro Wire…eufy Security |
Best Wireless | $99 Buy → |
— | — | — | — |
| 3 |  SimpliSafe Smart Alarm Wireless I…SimpliSafe |
Best for Home Systems | $102 Buy → |
— | — | — | — |
4 Best Home Security Cameras Under $100 (2026) Buying Guide
Photo by Thomas VEILLON / PexelsHome security cameras under $100 break into two categories: wired cameras with consistent power and connection, and wireless cameras with flexible placement but battery trade-offs. Both can deliver 1080p-5MP video with night vision at this price — the right choice depends on whether you want permanent installation or the ability to move the camera around.
Wired vs Wireless: The Core Trade-off
Wired cameras (Reolink PoE) run continuously without battery management and transmit video reliably without Wi-Fi dropouts. The installation requires running ethernet or power cable to the camera, which limits placement to locations near your walls. Wireless cameras (eufy, SimpliSafe) can be placed anywhere with Wi-Fi coverage and moved if needed, but require battery charging every 2-6 months depending on motion frequency. For a permanent outdoor installation you won't move, wired is more reliable. For flexible indoor monitoring, wireless is more practical.
Video Resolution: 1080p vs 5MP
1080p (2 megapixels) is the baseline for clear daytime identification of people at 15-20 feet. 5MP cameras like the Reolink produce roughly 2.5x the pixel density — noticeably sharper for reading license plates or identifying faces at greater distances. The difference is visible in recorded footage when zooming in. If identifying license plates or recognizing faces at distance matters, 5MP is worth the upgrade. For basic motion detection and package monitoring, 1080p is sufficient.
Subscription vs No-Subscription
eufy's cameras store footage locally on a HomeBase hub — no monthly subscription. SimpliSafe requires a monitoring plan for full camera features. Nest cameras integrate with Google Home but cloud storage requires a Google One plan. Reolink stores footage locally on a NAS or SD card. The no-subscription picks (eufy, Reolink) are the better long-term value unless you specifically want professional monitoring.
What to Avoid
Avoid cameras without specified IP ratings for outdoor use — only purchase outdoor cameras with IP65 or higher weatherproofing. Avoid cameras that require a proprietary hub if you want simple plug-and-play setup; some cameras only work within their own ecosystem. Check the field of view (wider is better for monitoring large areas); most quality cameras cover 130-160 degrees.
How We Picked These
We compared security cameras on video resolution, night vision distance, weatherproof rating, subscription requirements, and installation complexity. Picks cover wired and wireless options and both indoor and outdoor use cases. Brands with established security track records and clear privacy policies were prioritized — camera data storage location matters for privacy-conscious buyers.
Watch Before You Buy
Showing 3 of 3 products
“Reolink 5MP at $85.99 delivers 2.5x the resolution of 1080p cameras for sharper license plate and face recognition. IP66 weatherproof for outdoor year-round use, 100-foot night vision, local storage v”
See Today’s Price →What we like
- 5-megapixel resolution produces noticeably sharper footage than 1080p for license plate recognition
- IP66 weatherproof certification handles rain, snow, and outdoor temperature extremes year-round
- PoE (Power over Ethernet) runs both power and video data through a single cable, simplifying installation
Watch out for
- Wired PoE installation requires running an ethernet cable to the camera mounting location
- No two-way audio on the base model — records video only with no built-in speaker
Read Full Analysis
The Reolink 5MP Outdoor Security IP Camera is the high-resolution wired outdoor camera in the under-$100 market — 5 megapixels (2560×1920) produces 2.5× the pixel density of 1080p cameras, which is the difference between being able to read a license plate at 25 feet and seeing only a blur. For the security use cases that matter most — identifying a vehicle involved in a porch theft, reading delivery labels on misdelivered packages, recognizing repeat visitors — the 5MP advantage over 1080p is practically meaningful rather than just a spec number. PoE installation routes both power and video data through a single ethernet cable from a PoE switch or injector, simplifying exterior installation compared to dual-cable setups. IP66 weatherproof rating handles outdoor exposure year-round. Local storage via microSD card or NAS means no monthly subscription required. The Reolink 5MP PoE's limitation is its installation complexity compared to wireless cameras: running an ethernet cable from the camera mounting location to a PoE switch requires planning the cable route, drilling if the cable passes through walls, and purchasing a PoE switch or injector if the router doesn't provide PoE natively. This is permanent installation work — not appropriate for renters or temporary setups. No two-way audio on the base model limits its utility for visitor interaction. On this page as the sole listed product (no comparison products shown), the Reolink 5MP PoE at $85.99 competes against the broader under-$100 camera market: wireless options like the Wyze Cam v3 ($36.98, 1080p color night vision) and Blink Outdoor ($35-50/camera, 1080p IR-only) cost less but deliver lower resolution and require battery management. The Reolink 5MP PoE is the best choice when permanent outdoor installation is feasible and image quality for identification purposes is the primary requirement. If wire-free installation is the priority, explore the wireless options regardless of resolution trade-offs.
“eufy Cam 2 Pro stores footage on a local HomeBase hub with no monthly subscription. Wireless placement flexibility, two-way audio, and wide-angle lens cover standard home monitoring use cases. Pairs w”
See Today’s Price →What we like
- Two-way audio lets you speak through the app to anyone near the camera remotely
- Local storage via HomeBase eliminates monthly subscription fees for recording history
- Wide-angle lens captures more of the room without repositioning the camera
Watch out for
- HomeBase hub sold separately or in bundle — adds cost and a device to the setup
- Requires eufy Security app account for remote access and app-based configuration
Read Full Analysis
The eufy Cam 2 Pro stores recordings locally via the eufy HomeBase unit, eliminating the recurring subscription costs that cloud-based cameras like the SimpliSafe Smart Alarm on this page require for extended footage history. Two-way audio enables remote communication through the camera, and the wide-angle lens captures more of the frame without repositioning the camera between uses. Against the Reolink 5MP Outdoor at $85.99 here, eufy's local storage is the key differentiator — Reolink also offers local storage, but eufy's HomeBase centralizes recordings from multiple cameras into a single point of access. SimpliSafe's camera integrates with a broader alarm ecosystem; eufy operates as a standalone system. Choose the eufy Cam 2 Pro if avoiding monthly subscription fees for cloud storage is a priority and the HomeBase is already part of the setup. The Reolink is a comparable no-subscription alternative for strictly outdoor use.
“SimpliSafe indoor camera integrates with SimpliSafe's alarm system for unified monitoring — when the alarm triggers, the camera automatically arms to record. Works standalone for video monitoring but ”
See Today’s Price →What we like
- Wireless setup connects to an existing SimpliSafe security system without running cables or drilling new holes
- 1080p HD resolution with night vision covers doorways and entry points in low-light conditions
- Motion triggers recordings linked to the SimpliSafe alarm timeline — review video alongside alarm event logs
- Two-way audio lets you hear and speak through the camera from the SimpliSafe app remotely
Watch out for
- Advanced configuration may require technical knowledge to fully optimize
- Performance may lag behind premium models for intensive workloads
Read Full Analysis
The SimpliSafe Smart Alarm Wireless Indoor Camera connects to an existing SimpliSafe security system and links motion-triggered recordings to the alarm event log — reviewing footage is a matter of pulling the timestamp from the SimpliSafe app's incident list rather than scrubbing through unlinked continuous recording. At under $100, 1080p HD resolution with night vision covers doorways and interior entry points in low-light conditions without a hub or separate recorder. On this page, both the Reolink 5MP Outdoor and eufy Cam 2 Pro can operate independently without an existing security platform. SimpliSafe's camera is the strongest choice when the SimpliSafe alarm is already installed — outside that ecosystem, the Reolink or eufy provide broader flexibility. Buy the SimpliSafe Smart Alarm camera if SimpliSafe is already the home security platform and integrated event logging matters. Otherwise the eufy Cam 2 Pro's local storage or the Reolink's outdoor rating are better fits at a similar price.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do home security cameras require a monthly subscription?
How far can security cameras see at night?
Can security cameras work without internet?
What resolution do I need to read license plates?
How do I choose between indoor and outdoor security cameras?
How We Analyze Products
We analyze Amazon review data — often thousands of reviews per product — to surface patterns that individual buyers miss. Our process aggregates star ratings, review counts, and buyer sentiment at scale, identifying which strengths and weaknesses appear consistently across the largest review samples available.
Each product earned its placement through data: total review volume, average rating, and the specific praise and complaints that repeat most often across buyers. No manufacturer paid for placement on this page. Products appear here because buyers endorsed them at scale, not because a company asked us to feature them.
We use AI to summarize review sentiment — not to fabricate opinions, but to condense what thousands of buyers actually wrote into a readable format. The pros and cons you see reflect the most common themes found in verified purchaser reviews, paraphrased for clarity. We do not claim to have accessed Reddit, YouTube, or specific publications in generating these summaries.
Prices shown reflect Amazon pricing at the time this page was last generated. Click “See Today’s Price” to get the current live price on Amazon. Read our full methodology →