Amazon's best-selling home security camera rivals Nest and Ring —and it's only $26 right now

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Score these $26 smart home cameras that shoppers say are just as good (if not better than) more expensive Nest cams. (Photo: Wyze)
Score these $26 smart home cameras that shoppers say are just as good (if not better than) more expensive Nest cams. (Photo: Wyze)

If you’re looking to get a smart camera for your home, you know just how expensive they can be (we’re looking at you, Nest Cam and Ring Stick Up Cam — these cameras go for $129 and $100, respectively, at Amazon).

If you’re on a budget, don’t worry. You can still get a high-quality indoor smart security camera with unbeatable picture quality and even live streaming for a fraction of the cost, thanks to the Wyze HD Cam and the YI Smart Security Camera 3.

Wyze HD Cam

First up, Wyze. Unlike the cameras you can easily spend hundreds of dollars on, the Wyze is on sale for $26. In fact, you can buy nearly five Wyze HD Cams for less than the price of one Nest Cam, or nearly four for the price of one Ring Cam.

You can save even more and get two Wyze HD Cams for $46 (was $51). That’s just $23 apiece.

Along with Full HD live streaming, the Wyze model features two-way audio, so you can talk to house guests via the Wyze app. It also detects motion—it can record whenever it senses activity around your home.

Get the Wyze Cam HD for just $26, get two for $46. (Photo: Wyze)
Get the Wyze Cam HD for just $26, get two for $46. (Photo: Wyze)

While it records video and audio on a microSD card (which can hold up to 32GB), it will also save to the cloud. The Wyze HD Cam even has night vision, so it can work all day and night for around-the-clock home security.

“I bought this to monitor my chickens when I’m not home,” wrote a delighted five-star shopper. “They are young birds and we’ve had a dog get in their run and we’ve also been battling extreme heat. Honestly, I could watch these birds all day now that I have this camera. They are far more entertaining than work!! The camera quality is phenomenal for such an affordable camera.”

In addition, this indoor smart home camera works with Alexa or Google Assistant for hands-free navigation and voice commands. It also has sharing features, so family members can access video recordings and a live stream.

“I was a Nest user, had purchased a few cams for me and did a full setup for my parents, with two outdoor cams as well as indoor cams. While browsing for other options for my own home since Nest is very expensive, I came across Wyze and it has changed the game for me,” added another satisfied shopper. After installing it (by the way very simple and easy) I realized how good it was and ended up buying six more (I gave away some) that’s how impressed I was... Cannot rave enough about this device!”

YI Smart Security Camera 3

Get two YI Smart Security Cameras 3 for just $50. (Photo: YI)
Get two YI Smart Security Cameras 3 for just $50. (Photo: YI)

The YI Smart Security Camera 3 is another good, wallet-friendly pick — especially since you can get this two-pack for just $50. That’s just $25 apiece.

While the YI has a lot of the same features as the Wyze cam above — including two-way audio talk, Full HD video streaming and recording to a microSD card, motion detection, night vision, a magnetic base for secure placement and a handy app for smartphones and laptops — it has a sleeker and more rounded design, rather than looking like a cube.

It might seem like a minor detail, but if you want a smart cam that’s blends into your decor, then going with something that looks and feels stylish might be the way to go.

This home cam has a 4.1 out of five-star rating with more than 1,100 reviews on Amazon. (Photo: YI)
This home cam has a 4.1 out of five-star rating with more than 1,100 reviews on Amazon. (Photo: YI)

The YI Smart Security Camera 3 has an optional Emergency Response Service that can instantly connect you to your local fire, EMS services and police for additional around-the-clock security and peace of mind — which is something that Wyze doesn’t include.

“I bought two of these Wi-Fi cameras for remote monitoring. I've never installed this kind of camera before and was concerned if I could get them set up properly. It turned out they are fantastic and so easy to set up! Within 15 minutes, both cameras are running properly and exceeded my expectations,” shared a five-star reviewer. “The images are very clear. I have always wanted to be able to see my own home anywhere from my smart phone, this camera helped me to accomplish this. I am very happy.”

A great deal at just $50 for two home cams.

The reviews quoted above reflect the most recent versions at the time of publication.

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