The Best Pet Camera

For this guide, we spoke with Mikel Delgado, a certified applied animal behaviorist and postdoctoral fellow at the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine, who at the time of our interview used pet cameras to aid her research into cat behavior. We also consulted Laura Linneman, a behavioral rehabilitation specialist at the ASPCA Behavioral Rehabilitation Center. She’s a certified professional dog trainer who understands canine behavior and how to get the most out of pet cameras. Finally, we sought the expertise of Wirecutter’s own smart-home expert, senior staff writer Rachel Cericola, who’s covered consumer electronics for more than 15 years.

We asked 10 co-workers and friends about their pet-camera preferences and what they valued most about them. We researched models listed on pet forums and those recommended by veterinarians, dog trainers, and animal behaviorists. And we studied best-seller listings across major retailers, such as Amazon, Chewy, Overstock, Petco, PetSmart, Walmart, and Wayfair.

Then we compiled a list of eight popular pet-camera models and seven security cameras, partly informed by senior staff writer Rachel Cericola’s existing recommendations. We compared each model’s price (usually ranging from $25 to $350), availability across retailers, ratings, camera resolution, cloud storage, warranty, and notable features (such as night vision, two-way audio, sensors, and treats dispensers).

We tested every device to see how each model performed in the real world. And we compared their performance based on the following factors:

• Setup and app integration: How easy is it to set up the app for the camera?
• Image quality: Do images and video look sharp in regular and night-vision mode?
• Audio quality: Does audio sound clear through the camera’s speaker, as well as through the app?
• Motion and audio detection: How quickly, frequently, and accurately does a device send push alerts when it detects motion or sound?
• Interactive features: Do the laser pointers, treats dispensers, and two-way audio and/or video features work without a hitch? How easy is it to fix a jamming treats dispenser or a janky laser pointer?
• Durability: Is this device breakable, and are there any pieces that a pet could exploit, damage, break, or swallow?
• Privacy policies and security: What’s the security track record for each manufacturer, and what are the policies on protecting consumer data?

The Eufy Indoor Cam C120 is simple to use, offers clear image and sound, and reliably detects pets. Plus, it’s relatively inexpensive and has three storage options, so it’s easy to keep tabs on your furry best friend when you’re not home.

You can choose where recordings are stored. The Eufy is the only camera we tested that has three storage options. You can buy a microSD card (not included) to store footage locally, upgrade to one of Eufy’s paid cloud plans, or use a network-attached storage (NAS) device. You can also add the camera to the Apple Home app and get free storage with some Apple iCloud subscriptions, but you’ll lose a few features from the Eufy app. A microSD card is the most economical option, and it’s the only one that supports 2K video resolution. It also allows for continuous, 24/7 recording, but at 1080p. Eufy’s monthly cloud subscription costs $3 a month for one camera and $10 a month for up to 10 cameras, for 30 days of storage. But it records in 1080p only.

It has useful, pet-specific features. The Eufy cam has three different motion-detection options—including one dedicated to pets—and a 125-degree field of view. Though this camera is not always perfect, we found that it picked up our dog’s comings and goings more reliably than most other models we tested (it was tied with the Google Nest). You can set the sensitivity of the motion detection so that you’re not bombarded with alerts every time your pet twitches an ear or takes a bath. You can also set activity zones that limit the camera’s detection to a specific area. The Eufy includes a Pet Command function, which can sound out a message whenever your pet enters a designated activity zone. This might be useful for some pets, but, as we note below, hearing a disembodied voice can also lead to stress.

It takes just a few minutes to set up. The Eufy doesn’t require any technical acumen to set up. It took us about five minutes to plug in the camera, download the app, and follow the onscreen prompts. You can use the stand or mount it to a wall. And you can grant family or friends access to the feed by sending them an invite link, so there’s no need to share passwords. If you’re using a microSD card, you have the option of recording 24/7 (not just when motion is triggered). But your cam’s resolution will be downgraded from 2K to 1080p (which is still quite clear). Also, you can turn the Eufy on or off through the app, so you don’t have to unplug it when you want privacy.

Compatible with: Amazon Alexa, Apple Home, Google Home

Flaws but not dealbreakers

There are compromises when you integrate with Apple’s Home app. As we mentioned above, adding the Eufy to Apple’s Home app offers free cloud storage for some paid iCloud plans, but you’ll lose some features, like Pet Command and 2K video resolution. You’ll also have to reset your activity zones, though that’s a small price to pay for free storage.

If you want an attractive camera with reliable pet detection, the Google Nest Cam (Indoor, Wired) is a great option. It integrates nicely with other Nest devices in one well-designed app. But it’s more expensive than the Eufy cam, and it doesn’t work with Apple smart-home products.

It has pet-specific detection. Like the Eufy cam, the Google Nest camera has a dedicated pet-detection option, so you can capture and get notifications about your pet’s activities, both innocent and mischievous. In our testing, the Nest picked up pet motion as well as the Eufy did. You can’t adjust the sensitivity level on the Nest like you can on the Eufy, but you can create activity zones. You can also set the Nest to sense your presence (or the presence of your phone, at least), so that it pushes motion alerts only when you’re away from home.

It offers seamless smart-home integration, if you’re a Google Home user. The Nest camera shows up in the Google Home app alongside your other Google and Nest products. We have a Nest thermostat in our home, so it was convenient to access both devices in one place. The camera has a 135-degree field of view, a touch wider than the Eufy’s 125, so it can capture a broad swath of space.

It looks nice and feels sturdy. The Nest is heftier and prettier than the Eufy. At 14 ounces, it’s roughly 10 ounces heavier than the Eufy, so it’s harder for a rambunctious pet (or a clumsy human) to knock over. Its rounded silhouette makes it look less like a utilitarian spy cam and more like a piece of purposeful decor, and it comes in three muted colors.

Compatible with: Amazon Alexa, Google Home

Flaws but not dealbreakers

There’s no microSD storage. The Nest records only in 1080p and saves footage to the cloud. There is no microSD storage option. Google provides three hours of storage for free; we found that to be insufficient, especially during long periods of not checking our phone. If you want more storage, you can upgrade to Google’s paid Nest Aware plan for $8 a month; this allows recording on an unlimited number of cameras and storage for 30 days. If you really want to capture every moment, the Nest Aware Plus plan, at $15 a month, will store events for 60 days, and it lets you record 24/7 footage for up to 10 days.

Being able to talk to your pet or give them a treat while you’re away may be an appealing idea. But we found that some of these interactive elements can actually do more harm than good.

“While some pets might like a random treat or to hear their guardian’s voice when they aren’t at home, for others it could be stressful, confusing, or increase anxiety,” said Laura Linneman, a certified professional dog trainer and behavioral rehabilitation specialist at the ASPCA Behavioral Rehabilitation Center.

“You always want to carefully observe how your pet is reacting to any type of new technology,” added Mikel Delgado, a certified applied animal behaviorist and postdoctoral fellow at the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine at the time of our interview. “They’re not getting the usual visual or scent cues [with a pet camera], and if they’re just hearing our voice, it can be a little disturbing to them.”

Even if your pet tolerates the sound of your disembodied voice, other interactive features can be harder on them. “If your pet isn’t moving all day, you don’t want to necessarily increase their treats” because that could lead to weight gain, Delgado said.

Pet cameras with laser pointers also aren’t ideal because they don’t provide full enjoyment for your pet. Laser pointers offer a form of play for cats, who are big on hunting. However, when they “catch” the laser beam, there’s nothing to physically interact with, and that can be stressful. As for dogs, well, “some dogs do become a bit compulsive for tracking the light,” Delgado said.

In our next round of testing, we plan to look at some of the more affordable options in our guide to baby monitors.

The TP-Link Tapo C110 is one of our indoor security-cam picks, but we found it wasn’t great for pet detection. The motion alerts were too sensitive, and it didn’t have any dedicated pet-detection features.

A former pick, the Petcube Bites 2 has been recently discontinued in favor of the Petcube Bites 2 Lite. We recently retested the original model and struggled to get the treats to fling consistently. We also found the app interface unintuitive and more difficult to use than those of our current picks, and the camera often disconnected spontaneously. The Lite version is very similar, but it’s less expensive. And it has a plastic hopper instead of a metal one, so we would likely have the same issues with it.

The Petcube Play 2 uses the same technology as the Bites 2, but it’s a quarter of the size, and it comes with a laser pointer instead of a treats dispenser. As we explained earlier, the experts we spoke with said a laser pointer can be a problematic interactive feature because it can lead to obsessive behaviors and stress.

This article was edited by Harry Sawyers.