Best Indoor Security Cameras for 2023 – CNET

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The GE Cync Smart Indoor comes with a mounting bracket and installation hardware (three drywall anchors and screws) that enable you to set the device up pretty much anywhere, but I see the most value in positioning it to watch the main entryways to your home.

While the camera comes with many standard features — 1080p resolution, real-time notifications, two-way audio and Google Home/Alexa compatibility — it doesn’t pan or tilt, though you can manually adjust the camera angle. As such, the indoor camera displays a fixed view that may be best suited to monitor doorways for when the kids get home or for unwanted guests like possible intruders. 

That said, when I placed the camera in the corner of my living room, the wide view did display much of the room and sent me alerts when someone or something (like a cat or my smart vacuum) passed through the field of view. You can adjust the alert sensitivity from low/medium/high to avoid getting notifications from things like pets and other random movements in your house.

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We like a lot of TP-Link devices here at CNET, including its routers and smart plugs, so I was eager to try out the Kasa KC410S indoor security camera. It did not disappoint with a sleek, snowball-like design, high-quality video resolution, Alexa and Google compatibility and ample local storage, up to 256GB on a not-included microSD card.

Like the GE Cync Indoor Camera, the Kasa KC410S came with a mounting bracket and hardware, but unlike the former, the Kasa does feature pan and tilt functionality, perhaps better than any other indoor camera. Whereas other cameras often come with 130- or 160-degree panning, the Kasa KC410S features a full 360-degree range. Best of all, how you pan and tilt — using a joystick-like button control with up, down, left and right, as opposed to swiping (and swiping and swiping) the video feed like you have to do with most indoor cameras — makes it quick and easy to navigate about the room.

Considering the mounting bracket and full 360-degree panning, it’s tempting to mount this camera to the ceiling in the middle of a busy room, but the power cord may limit where you can reasonably put the device. Still, placing it on a central fixture in any room will give you full view of what’s going on. (Note the Best Buy link below is the step-up KC411S, which has a higher resolution camera.)

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Most indoor security cameras are of the DIY variety, meaning you can buy and install the camera and view the camera feed without any upfront or ongoing fees, other than the initial purchase price. Where you’re likely to encounter fees is with cloud storage. 

Cloud storage for a smart indoor camera can run you a few bucks per month, depending on the device you have and the plan tier you choose. If you want storage without subscribing to a monthly plan, consider a camera with a microSD storage slot (most of them will have one, including all mentioned on this page).

We don’t recommend hiding cameras for surveillance purposes like recording an unsuspecting babysitter. But, if you’d like to make your camera blend in better with your home decor, consider hiding it among artificial plants, on bookshelves or in glass-covered cabinets. Some cameras, like the GE Cync Indoor Camera, are small and come with a mounting bracket that allows you to strategically place the camera relatively out of sight while still providing a full unobstructed camera view.

Indoor security cameras are a great addition to any DIY home security setup and can cost only $30 to $100 (or more) with no ongoing monthly fees. If you have children or pets you want to keep an eye on, or want to ensure no unexpected visitors are lurking in your home while you’re away, indoor security cameras are an effective, inexpensive way to do just that. In short, the peace of mind that comes with owning an indoor home security camera can be well worth the initial cost.