Twenty years ago, securing your home was both expensive and difficult, requiring specialist equipment such as CCTV (closed-circuit television) cameras and PVRs (personal video recorders). It was also something that was difficult to do yourself, requiring the services of an expensive installation company.
Fast forward to 2025 and it’s now relatively cheap and straightforward to secure your property yourself. The wide availability of high-speed broadband means that it’s possible to stream high resolution video footage from multiple cameras directly to your mobile phone or tablet. Plus, you no longer need an expensive PVR with footage from the latest IP (internet protocol) cameras stored either in the cloud free of charge or for a small monthly fee. Some devices also offer local storage, usually via a microSD card.
So where do you start when it comes to securing your home? Basically, there are two main options. One is a security camera either inside or outside your property. The other is a video doorbell that not only acts as a security camera, but will also – when pressed – enable you to talk whoever is at your door via your mobile phone. Below we will look at each of the categories in turn.
Indoor cameras
Undoubtedly the easiest types of security cameras to install, indoor cameras come in various shapes and sizes to suit your needs. While some, such as the Blink Indoor camera, are small, battery powered devices for mounting in the corner of a room, others are much larger, mains-powered and designed for placing on a bookshelf or chest.
You can even buy PTZ (pan-tilt-zoom) security cameras with 360 degree lenses, such as the IMOU Rex 3D or the Reolink 5MP Indoor WiFi Security camera for tracking movement around the room. They’re great for seeing what your pets are up to when you are out (you can even talk to your pet via built in two-way audio systems). However, they can seem a bit ‘Big Brother-ish’ if used for tracking the movement of guests or other family members.
As with all smart devices, it’s particularly important with indoor security cameras to ensure they are cybersecure to prevent cybercriminals from accessing recorded footage or a live video stream (it has happened before). This means changing any default password on the device (such as admin or 1234) and ensuring regular software/firmware updates are carried out. It’s also worth checking to see how long the manufacturer will support the device. For more information, see the National Cyber Security Center's guide to using smart security cameras in your home.
Thinking of picking up a camera? Take a look at our guide to the best home security camera deals to make sure you get the best price.
Outdoor cameras
Want to keep an eye on the outside of your property while you are away on holiday or at work? Then the best option is to invest in an outdoor security camera. Unlike the large CCTV cameras of yesteryear, many of the best home security cameras these days very small and can be easily installed at your home using a drill and wall plugs.
Others, however, are a little more complex, requiring the installation of power cable from the outdoor camera to an indoor plug. Some devices even feature a solar-powered unit that can feed additional power to the outdoor camera, although these are of limited use during the winter months in northern Europe. More useful is waterproofing such as IP65 certification.
Obviously, it’s best to mount an outdoor camera out of reach to prevent theft, but bear in mind if it’s powered by disposable or lithium Iion batteries you will need to access it every few months to replace/recharge its batteries. Whereas indoor cameras tend to be relatively simple and cheap products (many are now under $70/£50 each), outdoor cameras are often more complex with many more features and higher price tags (typically around $200-$250/£150-£200).
For example, with an outdoor PTZ camera you can track and record motion captured across a 360-degree viewing angle while floodlights/sirens fitted on many models such as the Ring Floodlight Security Cam and Reolink Altas PT Ultra provide a potential deterrent against potential burglars.
Inevitably one of the biggest challenges with outdoor cameras is Wi-Fi connectivity. Ideally, the outdoor camera needs to be located as near as possible to your indoor broadband router. Typically, most security cameras offer 2.4GHz connectivity as standard, which offers lower speed but greater range than 5GHz Wi-Fi. However, this is still only around 50m maximum and ideally less than 25m for a reliable connection.
Alternatively, it is now possible to buy an outdoor security camera which uses the cellular network. Models include the Reolink Go PT Plus+SP 4G-only security camera as well as the Eufy 4G LTE Cam S330, which works with Wi-Fi or with a 4G SIM card (it also sports a detachable solar panel for a power source).
Video doorbells
Last but by no means least are video doorbells. First launched by Ring (now owned by Amazon) back in 2013, there are now dozens available on the market from brands such as Google/Nest, Yale, Swann and Eufy. Most operate in a similar way, enabling you to record movement outside your property (much like a standard outdoor camera) as well as view and talk to whoever presses the doorbell via your smartphone.
Many of the best video doorbells offer additional functionality if you pay a monthly subscription fee such as the ability to distinguish between different objects (ie. people, parcels, cars, humans and pets) or simply store more footage in the cloud. However, often it isn’t necessary to subscribe to these services to use the device fully.
Unlike outdoor cameras, which are best mounted high up on the property, with video doorbells they need to be placed a little lower, typically around 1.5m from the ground. To help prevent theft, they usually come with a pin or screw to hold them in place with a ‘tamper alert’ message sent to your phone if someone does try to make off with the device.
Often, they’re accompanied by a chime unit too. This can be placed in your home where you can hear it easily when someone rings the doorbell. Alternatively, it’s usually possible to connect the camera/video doorbell to smart speakers which inform you when someone is at the door.
Conclusion
Home security is rapidly evolving. Once, you would have needed to spend thousands on a low-resolution black and white camera connected to a PVR. Now for a couple of hundred pounds you can get a security camera offering 4K colour video quality which will allow you to view footage in an instant on your phone or tablet.
Product features are evolving too. Many cameras now offer local storage via a Micro SD or via the cloud for between £3 and £5 a month while basic Artificial Intelligence (AI) is also being deployed. For example, many cameras can now distinguish between different types of movement, even learn to recognise the faces of certain individuals. One new model, the SwannBuddy 4K, even comes with its own voice assistant as standard complete with messages telling people to leave your property or you’ll call the police.
Having tested many home security products over the years, my best advice is to think carefully about what you want to view on your camera before buying one. This will then determine the type of device to buy. For example, if you want to check when your kids come home from school then you’ll need a unit that can film the front door. If, on the other hand, you are monitoring a sleeping baby, then a unit that can be mounted easily in a bedroom is more suitable. The good news is that there is now so much choice, you should be able to find the model you want for a reasonable price.
