Pay Once, Not Monthly, With My Favorite Subscription-Free Security Cameras - WIRED

In the age of state surveillance, with big tech trampling our data privacy rights and gouging us for every penny, there are plenty of reasons to keep your security camera footage local. Whether you want to save money or ensure your video doesn’t end up in the hands of persons (or AI) unknown, subscription-free security cameras are the way to go.

The good news is that locally recording security cameras are better than ever. I’ve been testing security cameras for a decade, and the gap between the best cloud-connected and local cameras is closing. You don’t necessarily have to give up the best features to shirk that subscription anymore. Even AI detection smarts can now be found in local systems.

I will recommend the best subscription-free security cameras I have tested so far, but I also plan to test more hard-wired systems and local recording options in the months to come. You may also be interested in how to secure your video doorbell.

- Best Subscription-Free Security Camera Brands

- Eufy

- TP-Link Tapo

- Aqara

- Other Manufacturers

- Where is My Security Camera Footage Stored?

- Cloud vs. Local Storage

- Protecting Your Privacy

- A Word on Hardware Security and China

Best Subscription-Free Security Camera Brands

Rather than just listing cameras, I’m highlighting three manufacturers to consider. I will single out a few specific cameras I like, but most brands have a wide selection of options to suit different scenarios and budgets, so I’ll discuss a few alternatives beyond my main picks.

With a very wide range of reliable security cameras, Eufy (a sub-brand of Anker) is my top pick for most folks. They are easy to set up, suitable for all budgets, and support different local storage options. After some controversy in the past over data breaches and claims about local storage, Eufy improved its security protocols.

If you want the most versatile and feature-packed local security camera system, this might be it. These triple-lens cameras combine a 4K fixed main lens that has a 130-degree field of view, with dual 2K lenses that pan through 360 degrees and tilt through 70 degrees. You can zoom in on subjects or license plates more than 150 feet away. These cameras will reliably track subjects and return to fixed preset positions, and you don’t have to worry about missing anything in the usual view because of the fixed lens. There’s also a hefty, quick swap 10,000-mAh battery and a solar panel that you can screw on top or run a short distance away to better capture the sun (mine stayed charged in a dismal Scottish winter).

Features include onboard AI for reasonably accurate human, pet, and vehicle detection, configurable activity zones, and detection sensitivity controls. Each camera has 32 GB of built-in storage (expandable to 256 GB via microSD). Pair these cameras with Eufy’s HomeBase S380, and you get 16 GB of storage (expandable to 16 TB with hard drives) and local facial recognition. No AI is perfect for detection, and Eufy’s AI doesn’t quite match Google Nest’s leading cloud-based Gemini AI for accuracy, but it’s the best local option. Other weaknesses include the frame rate (capped at 15 fps), which can lead to blurry footage with fast-moving subjects, basic sound quality for two-way audio, and occasionally slow-loading feeds, especially when connecting away from home.

The Eufy S4 Max ($1,500) is a Power-over-Ethernet (PoE) wired version of this camera. The kit includes four cameras, long cables, and an NVR with 2 TB of storage (expandable to 16 TB and 16 channels). It gives you all the benefits of the wireless version, but doesn’t rely on Wi-Fi and doesn't need the solar panel, though you must run Ethernet cables to each camera.

If you’re fine with fixed cameras, I also like the EufyCam S3 Pro ($550) in a 2-cam kit with the Homebase. The Eufy Floodlight Cam E340 ($220) tops my best floodlight security cameras, and I have the dual-lens Eufy Indoor Cam S350 ($140) in my best indoor security cameras. These are some of the pricier Eufy cameras, but I have also tested and liked the Eufy C35 2-Cam Kit ($200) and the Eufy Indoor Cam E220 ($55).

The Tapo line from TP-Link is my budget-conscious pick, because these are some of the best quality local-recording cameras you can get without spending much. But TP-Link faces a potential US ban because of claims about its networking gear (routers), though such a ban would likely not include its Tapo cameras. Tapo cameras also lack proper end-to-end encryption.

Tapo Wire-Free MagCam (Battery)