The best home security cameras without a subscription that I have tried

Local hub: Manufacturers like Eufy and TP-Link offer smart hubs that connect wirelessly to their security cameras and provide expandable storage. Sometimes these local hubs allow for more local AI processing (the Eufy hub enables facial recognition). They can also sometimes extend the wireless signal and stabilize cameras. These hubs often need to be connected directly to your router via an Ethernet cable.

Micro SD card: Connecting a microSD card to your camera is a quick and simple way to record locally, but if a hacker steals your camera, your footage will disappear with it. Sometimes, camera manufacturers provide internal gimbals that are expandable via a MicroSD card.

Network Attached Storage (NAS): If you have a NAS server, you probably configure it to store your security camera video. These devices have both hard and expandable drives, providing a huge amount of storage space.

The best USB flash drives and external hard drives can be used to expand or unmount footage from some of the above.

Cloud vs. on-premises

I have a guide on cloud footage versus local CCTV footage that covers the basic pros and cons in more depth, but to sum it up briefly:

Cloud storage means your video is backed up online, so a hacker can’t access it, it’s usually faster to access or stream it when you’re away from home, and it doesn’t require any additional storage devices. On the downside, you pay a monthly fee, the video doesn’t load if your Wi-Fi goes down or is scrambled, and you trust the service provider, who may share it or use it in ways you prefer (data breaches are also common).

Local storage is a one-time cost, doesn’t rely on Wi-Fi, and is very difficult for anyone other than you to access the footage. But there’s a risk that someone could steal the physical devices your footage is stored on, or that the devices could malfunction, and accessing and streaming video may be slower when you’re away from home.

For maximum security, even with an on-premises system, you may consider cloud backup. You can reduce the risk of your footage being exposed by choosing an end-to-end encrypted cloud service, like Apple’s HomeKit Secure Video.

Protect your privacy

Access to security camera feeds and recorded videos should be end-to-end encrypted, and you should always use two-factor authentication to protect account access. Thanks to end-to-end encryption, only your approved devices can decode your videos. With two-factor authentication (2FA), you’ll be sent a passcode to a trusted number, email, or device when you try to sign in on a new device, so your login and password alone aren’t enough for access. Unfortunately, these features are not always turned on by default.

• Eufy cameras offer end-to-end encryption, but you must opt ​​in by tapping the top-left menu in the app and choosing Settings, protection, Video encryption, Advanced encryption. You can confirm that two-factor authentication (2FA) is turned on by clicking your name At the top of the list and Two-factor authentication.
• TP-Link Tapo cameras lack end-to-end encryption, but you can set up two-factor authentication for your account by clicking I unpaid invoice, View account, Login security. To encrypt footage on microSD cards, go to your device settings and choose Storage and recording, Local storageand click SD card encryption.
• Aqara provides end-to-end encryption for locally stored video by default. To perform 2FA, tap Introductory account At the bottom right, Settings, Accounts and securityAnd make sure Two-factor authentication It was turned on.