Alfred Camera ups its own offering but sticks with low-cost DIY security ambitions

Adam Juniper
·2 min read
AlfredCam Plus mounted outside in rain with rain droplets.
AlfredCam Plus mounted outside in rain with rain droplets.

It's hard not to hear the name Alfred and picture a British butler assisting an emotionally unavailable billionaire with security enforcement devices. Alfred Camera  is also involved in security, and certainly approves of DIY, but doesn't seem to be interested only in billionaires.

Alfred Camera, is, however launching a new camera of their own to add to their signature facility – recycling old phones as cameras using an app. The new camera, AlfredCam Plus, boasts 2K live streaming, Color night viewing or night vision, IP65 Waterproof, and two-way talk.

The company's only physical camera, the AlfredCam, is 1080P with no waterproofing, ideal for indoor use, while this new release has 2K QHD resolution, which is 2560 x 1440 pixels. This boost can make reading license plates easier at a distance on a camera which can now be placed outdoors. The camera also comes with a 64GB  MicroSD card for on-device recording.

Alfred Camera app in use
Alfred Camera app in use

Alfred Camera's app, like others, offers a premium subscription service which unlocks vehicle, pet, and person detection too. Cloud recordings are on offer too, as is the ability for more than one viewer to check the live feed at once – this is unlocked for $2.49 a month (about £2.04 / AU$3.88).

It is exciting, though, that you don't even need to buy an Alfred Camera to get started. That explains why, at the right side of 70 million downloads, Alfred Home Security Camera (Google Play / Apple App Store) is the most popular home security app. All you need is a current smartphone and a spare one – perhaps a tablet – and to install the app on both.

It's easy to see why a service like this makes sense, allowing folk to recycle their electronics. It might also help explain why the new AlfredCam Plus is retailing for what seems to us a pretty reasonable $39.95 (about £33 / AU$62), and is already on sale in the US.

If you're not sure the AlfredCam is for you (or it isn't so reasonably priced where you live) then check our guides to the best indoor security cameras and the best outdoor security cameras.