Best Indoor Security Cameras for 2025: Tested in Our Own Homes

Most indoor security cameras are of the DIY variety, meaning you can buy and install the camera and view the live camera feed without any upfront or ongoing fees, other than the initial purchase price. Where you’re likely to encounter fees is with cloud storage.

Companies usually charge a monthly fee to use that server space, around $3 to $5 per month with annual discounts. Very few offer free cloud storage, but you can still find it on the Google Nest Cam with its three free hours. Local storage on a hard drive in your home is free, but you’ll need a compatible device. That means finding a cam that has a microSD card slot or a cam that’s compatible with a security hub you can purchase and put in a secure spot. Some cameras give you a choice between subscriptions, local storage or both.

One final caveat: Some security cams pack so many important features like video storage, person identification and more behind their subscriptions that a monthly fee is required to get full use of the camera, making it more or less mandatory. We break down the details further in our picks.

We don’t recommend hiding cameras for surveillance purposes, like recording an unsuspecting babysitter. If you’d like to make your camera blend in better with your home decor, consider hiding it among artificial plants, on bookshelves or in glass-covered cabinets. Tiny cams like the Blink Mini 2 are more likely to fit in small spaces.

You’ll want to avoid breaking any laws. Privacy laws can vary by state, but the running metric is “a reasonable expectation of privacy,” which means when people assume they can do private things in an area, they can’t be legally recorded. So could you legally record a nanny in the living room? Probably, but it’s a good idea to let them know you have security cameras. Could you record them legally in the bathroom? Absolutely not. A little common sense goes a long way.

Indoor security cameras are a great addition to any DIY home security setup and cost as little as $30 up to $100 (or more) with no ongoing monthly fees. If you have children or pets you want to keep an eye on, or want to ensure no unexpected visitors are lurking in your home while you’re away, indoor security cameras are an effective, inexpensive way to do just that. In short, the peace of mind that comes with owning an indoor home security camera can be well worth the initial cost.

This common request has several different answers, all important, so we’ll break it down. Don’t use an indoor security camera outside unless it’s rated for outside weather ,such as with an IP65 rating. Some security cams are “indoor/outdoor” models that can handle some rain and lower temperatures, but most indoor cams aren’t rated for outdoor use and will fail. Our Ring camera pick can work outdoors for a time and the Blink Mini 2 is outdoor-ready with a cable add-on.

You can position an indoor security camera so it looks through a window, and many people try this. Glare can be an issue, and the camera won’t work at night to view outdoor spaces, which is usually when you most want an outdoor camera. We recommend spending a little bit more and getting an affordable outdoor cam when possible. It’s illegal to position an indoor camera so it overlooks someone else’s yard or looks into their windows. That violates the expectation of privacy rule, among other problems.

Most indoor security cameras require Wi-Fi for features like alerts and notifications. Wi-Fi enables app connections that you need to use live view, two-way audio and other important functions. Similarly, Wi-Fi is needed to backup footage online, though some cameras may offer on-device storage. Without Wi-Fi, you won’t be able to do much with these cameras, although some companies like Lorex do offer old-fashioned camera systems with DVR that can work without Wi-Fi. There are also PoE or Power Over Ethernet cameras, but they are generally outdoor models.

Many indoor cameras are wired, so you simply plug them into an adapter or wall outlet and use the app to set them up. They also often offer a wall mount that you would screw in or use adhesive tape to attach, although generally these mounts aren’t required.

In our testing we’ve come across many kinds of AI detection for people, pets, vehicles, faces, packages and more. Its accuracy can vary depending on the algorithm, but it’s broadly accurate. We sometimes have AI features mistake pets for people and vice-versa, and sometimes they miss people walking by that they should have picked up. If AI is particularly bad, we call it out. On our current list, Google’s Nest Cam stands out as being especially accurate — and you don’t have to pay for most of the AI features on it, either.