Is Google Nest Cam (battery) the Best Security Camera for Your Home?

Our Neighbors Had a Plan to Fight the Bad Guys. Guess Who Won?

But my neighbors and I are passionate about security in our little corner of the world. We also like comparing what we got to ensure we're ready and able, armed with the best gear to keep the bad guys away.

So, we all went online, researched the best smart battery-powered home cameras in the market, and bought what we trusted was a worthy investment.

And what did we do next?

You got it.

We hosted a barbecue to get together and compare the security systems we bought over chips, nachos, burgers, and beer.

 

Battle of the Giants

We put our four battery-powered smart home cameras on a big table and began to dissect their features. The cameras we bought were from the biggest players in the market – Google, Amazon, Arlo, and Blink.

The Nest Cam, the newly-introduced battery-powered smart camera from Google, was on the list. So were the Amazon's Ring Spotlight Cam and the Blink Outdoor, and the Arlo Pro 4. We wanted to find out what's unique and different among the brands and assess their strengths and weaknesses.

Here's what we discovered:

The engineers of the Nest, Ring Spotlight, Blink Outdoor, and Arlo Pro 4 smart cams seemed to have agreed on six things when they developed their products. All four brands have a two-way talk capability so you can talk on the camera, send you motion notifications and alerts, allow you to view or do live video streaming, are weather-resistant, easy to install, and wireless.

But the similarities end there.

Concerning pricing and other features, all four brands have unique features that are distinctly their own.

Here are the highlights:

 

The Google Nest Cam

The newest kid on the block, the Google Nest Cam, is Google's first battery-powered camera recently introduced in the market. It has a rechargeable battery that can last up to 6 months before you need to charge it again.

For $179.99, the Nest Cam is in the mid-priced market that offers a lot of extras compared to the other four. For instance, it's the only brand that gives you three months of free online video storage. Once you've consumed the freebie, you can subscribe to Google's Nest Aware plan, which charges you a $6 monthly fee for its Basic Plan.

And if you have a subscription plan, the Nest Cam will let you enjoy its Facial Recognition feature. Subscribing means you can program your family's or friends' faces on your settings to help your camera recognize them as friendly and not persons attempting to intrude in your home.

How about that for peace of mind?

On top of that, the Nest Cam also uses Artificial Intelligence which makes it capable of distinguishing the images on your camera as Human, Animal, Vehicle, or Others. This feature is not Google-specific as it's also a benefit the users of the Arlo Pro 4 enjoy.

Check out our Nest Cam bundles and accessories!

The Ring Spotlight Cam

Like the Amazon Ring Doorbell, the battery-powered Ring Spotlight Cam has also been a popular security device among homeowners. A little pricier than the Nest Cam, the Ring Spotlight Cam prides itself on its noise cancellation feature and rechargeable batteries with a solar power option.

For $199.99, you get a home security device that gives you a high-resolution video in color, day and night, a feature it shares with the Arlo Pro 4. It's also the smart home-security camera with the most expansive field of view, an impressive 140-degree arc that allows you to see more of the area you'd like to monitor.

Looking for Ring accessories?

The Arlo Pro 4

Among the four brands, the Arlo Pro 4 has the highest video resolution at 1440p HD, but only if you're subscribed to any of its plans. The other three brands can only offer a 1080p video resolution (which is relatively impressive), a standard feature of the Arlo Pro 4 for those without a subscription plan.

Like the Ring Spotlight, the Arlo Pro 4 charges $199.99.

But wait, there's more.

The Arlo Pro 4 has a built-in siren and a Zoom In setting you can choose, which the other brands don't have. And if being connected to the cops in case of emergency gives you extra peace of mind, you're going to love the Arlo Pro 4. If you're subscribed to its highest plan, you have the E911 feature that connects you to the police if you need assistance.

Arlo Cam goodies here!

The Blink Outdoor

This product is just like our neighbor, who loves to stand out from the rest of us.

The Blink Outdoor has the lowest retail price of $99.99. It's also the only brand among the four that comes with a non-chargeable battery. Deriving power from two AA Lithium batteries, this smart home security system has battery life that lasts for two years.

So, if you don't like charging batteries, this will be an instant favorite.

As Blink is also an Amazon brand, we were not surprised that it doesn't use AI to give its customers facial recognition and other features the Nest and the Arlo Pro 4 cams have.

At the same time, unlike the other three brands that are guaranteed to have a free replacement from their manufacturers for being stolen or taken off your homes, Blink Outdoor cannot offer a free replacement. The best it can provide is a one-year warranty.

Elevate your Blink Outdoor!

Let's Bring That to the Table

If you're visual, you're not alone. We are, too. So, let's put all our findings on a table and make it easier for you.

 

Category	Battery-Powered Smart Home Security Cameras
Brand	Nest Cam	Ring Spotlight	Blink Outdoor	Arlo Pro 4
Manufacturer	Google	Amazon	Amazon	Arlo Technologies
Cost/Price	$179.99	$199.99	$99.99	$199.99
Lifetime Running Cost	Google will replace your camera for free if it gets removed from your home	Amazon will replace your camera for free if it gets removed from your home	1-Year Warranty Only	Amazon will replace your camera for free if it gets removed from your home if you have a subscription
Video Resolution	1080p HD HDR Capability Color By Day Black and White at Night	1080p HD Color By Day and Night	1080p HD Color By Day Black and White at Night	1440p HD 1080p without a plan
Basic Subscription Fees	Nest Aware ($5 monthly for video cloud storage)	Ring Protect ($3 Monthly for 60 days of video storage)	Blink ($3 Monthly for 60 days of video storage)	Arlo Secure Plan ($2.99 monthly for 30 days of video storage)
Artificial Intelligence	Yes. Can detect and categorize images as human, animal, vehicle, or others	None	None	Yes
Battery Life	Lasts up to a minimum of 3 months Takes at least 5 hours to charge at 100%	Lasts up to 6-12 months	Lasts up to 2 years	Lasts up to 6 months
Online Video Storage	Free for first three months. After three months, subscription is $6/month	Yes, if subscribed to Ring Protect for $3 monthly	Yes, if subscribed to Blink for $3 monthly	Yes, if subscribed at $2.99 monthly
Offline Storage	Yes. Can store up to 60 minutes when battery goes down.	None	Yes, through Blink Sync Module 2 via a flash drive. Sold separately.	Yes, if subscribed at $2.99 monthly
Motion Detector	Yes, with Motion Notification/Alert	Yes, with Motion Notification/Alert	Yes, with Motion Notification/Alert	Yes, with Motion Notification/Alert
Facial Recognition	Yes, if subscribed to Nest Aware	No	No	No
Night Vision	Yes, in Black and White	Yes, in Infrared and Color	Yes, Infrared	Yes, in Infrared and Color
Field of View	130-Degrees	140-Degrees	110-Degrees	130-Degrees
App Integration	Works with Google Home App/Google Assistant	Works with Alexa and Google Assistant	Works with Alexa. Use IFTTT to connect to other Alexa-compatible apps.	Works with Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, Apple HomeKit †, IFTTT, and Samsung SmartThings
Weather Resistant	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes

 

And the Winner Is

Let's not forget we're still at the barbecue enjoying burgers and beer, testing and scrutinizing our battery-powered home security cams. And as we're a competitive neighborhood, we got to pick the winner.

Guess what?

My Google Nest Cam and I brought home the bacon. Literally.

The battery-powered smart cam has earned our votes based on its consumers' values - from giving away free online storage, having offline storage when its battery power runs out, having an impressive 130-degree field of view, using AI to give us bonus features for extra peace of mind, to offering a competitive retail price.

The other three brands are not too far behind. Their features are also impressive and should be significant factors to consider when choosing the home security cameras that suit specific needs.

Strengthen Your Home Security

 If you're serious about providing safety for your family and your property, we recommend you buy the Google Nest Cam. And if you're more committed to safety, you'll want to enhance your security system by attaching extra amenities and make your home and property bulletproof.

We know the importance of safety in your home for you and your loved ones. That's paramount in our neck of the woods, too. 

So, the neighbors and I recommend Wasserstein Home for your Google Nest Cam's accessories.

Wasserstein Home is the leading manufacturer of innovative home accessories and a proud Google partner. They provide innovative home accessories, including solar panels, anti-theft mounts, charging stations, and floodlights compatible with the Google Nest Cam to ensure we're all getting the best gears to protect our homes and our neighbors' homes, too.

Visit Wasserstein Home to learn more about their home products today.