2020’s Arlo Security Camera Review

Best for Wireless 1080p
Arlo Pro 2
Pro Bullet Wireless rechargeable design
Pro Bullet 1080p video
Best for LTE Connection
Arlo Go
Pro Bullet Cellular connection eliminates Wi-Fi limitations
Pro Bullet Wireless rechargeable
Best for Budgets
Arlo
Pro Bullet Most affordable Arlo camera
Pro Bullet Wireless rechargeable battery
Best High-Quality Camera
Arlo Ultra
Pro Bullet 4K resolution
Pro Bullet Wide 180º field of view
Best for Businesses
Arlo Q Plus
Pro Bullet PoE connection improves reliability
Pro Bullet 30 frames per second
We’ve checked this page to make sure everything is up to date and reflects current prices. We still stand by our recommendation of Arlo product.

Overview

Arlo casts a wide net with its security camera offerings. Whether you want something wireless, hardwired, Wi-Fi enabled, or LTE-enabled, Arlo will have you covered with a well-built, reasonably priced camera.

We like the quality and diversity of Arlo’s offerings, but it’s the wireless cameras that set the company apart from some of its major competitors like Nest and Logitech. You can set up or move the wire-free cameras around anywhere—even outside—thanks to Arlo’s water-resistant design. And the cameras have solid enough battery life that you’ll have to charge them only every four to six months of regular use.

With the possible exception of the Ultra, Arlo cameras are not the fanciest or most cutting-edge cameras on the market, but we really like the flexibility and simplicity they offer.

Arlo pros and cons

Pros
  • Pro BulletWide range of camera options
  • Pro BulletHigh-quality wireless cameras
Cons
  • Con BulletNot ideal for single-camera systems
  • Con BulletWireless cameras require hub

These are the Arlo cameras on the market:


Compare Arlo cameras

*Standard retail prices as of 1/06/2020. Prices and availability are subject to change and may vary by retailer.

Arlo review | Best for budgets

    Why we recommend Arlo

    Arlo’s most affordable wireless camera is also one of its most versatile options. You can set up this wire-free camera anywhere in your house—or outside, thanks to its weather-resistant shell.

    The 720p camera won’t provide the cleanest footage on the market, but it’s more than enough if you’re looking to equip your home with security cameras on a budget.

    Arlo pros and cons

    Pros
    • Pro BulletLowest price of any Arlo wireless security camera
    • Pro BulletVideo streaming
    • Pro BulletNight vision
    • Pro BulletWeather-resistant design for outdoor use
    Cons
    • Con Bullet720p resolution
    • Con BulletNarrower field of view than Arlo Pro

    Tech specs

    • Dimensions: 2.8 x 1.7 x 2.6 in.
    • Weight: 4.3 oz.
    • Resolution: 720p
    • FOV: 110º
    • Operating temperature: 14ºF–122ºF
    • Power source: 4 lithium CR123
    • Night vision: Yes
    • Warranty: 1 year

    Arlo Pro review | Best for versatility

      Why we recommend Arlo Pro

      The Arlo Pro improves upon the original Arlo camera with a rechargeable battery and a wider field of view that covers more of your home or yard with a single camera.

      While the original Arlo camera batteries aren’t hard to find, the rechargeable batteries save you the hassle of going out and spending money on new batteries every few months, especially if you plan on buying more than one or two Arlo cameras.

      Arlo Pro pros and cons

      Pros
      • Pro BulletRechargeable battery
      • Pro BulletWeather-resistant design for outdoor use
      • Pro BulletMotion detection
      • Pro Bullet100+ decibel siren
      Cons
      • Con Bullet720p resolution

      Tech specs

      • Dimensions: 3.1 x 1.9 x 2.8 in.
      • Weight: 4.8 oz.
      • Resolution: 720p
      • FOV: 130º
      • Operating temperature: -4ºF–113ºF
      • Power source: Rechargeable battery
      • Night vision: Yes
      • Warranty: 1 year

      Arlo Pro 2 review | Best for outdoor video

        Why we recommend Arlo Pro 2

        The Arlo Pro 2 makes up for the one shortcoming of the Arlo Pro—the footage quality—with an improved 1080p resolution. If video quality is important to you, we’d recommend the Arlo Pro 2 for its sharp resolution.

        Outside of video quality, the Arlo Pro 2 is pretty comparable to the original Pro in its feature offerings. If you have an Arlo Smart video service plan, you can also set zones in the Arlo app to cut down on unnecessary notifications.

        Arlo Pro 2 pros and cons

        Pros
        • Pro BulletSharp 1080p resolution
        • Pro BulletWireless design with rechargeable battery
        • Pro BulletZone-setting feature for indoor use
        • Pro BulletWater-resistant exterior for indoor and outdoor use
        Cons
        • Con BulletHigher price than Arlo Pro with only minor improvements

        Tech specs

        • Dimensions: 3.1 x 1.9 x 2.8 in.
        • Weight: 4.8 oz.
        • Resolution: 1080p
        • FOV: 130º
        • Operating temperature: -4ºF–113ºF
        • Power source: Rechargeable battery
        • Night vision: Yes
        • Warranty: 1 year

        Arlo Go review | Best for LTE connection

          Why we recommend Arlo Go

          If you have a bigger home, your Wi-Fi range might limit your placement options for Arlo cameras—especially when you’re using them outside to monitor your yard or property.

          The Arlo Go liberates you from the shackles of your home Wi-Fi network and gives you a much wider range of placement options––so long as you’re willing to pay a little extra per month for the LTE coverage.

          Arlo Go pros and cons

          Pros
          • Pro BulletLTE connection for wider range of use
          • Pro BulletWeather-resistant construction for indoor and outdoor use
          • Pro BulletWireless design with rechargeable battery
          Cons
          • Con BulletExtra cost for required data plan

          Tech specs

          • Dimensions: 3.5 x 2.7 x 3 in.
          • Weight: 11.8 oz.
          • Resolution: 1080p
          • FOV: 130º
          • Operating temperature: -4ºF–113ºF
          • Power source: Rechargeable battery
          • Night vision: Yes
          • Warranty: 1 year

          Arlo Q review | Best for indoor use

            Why we recommend Arlo Q

            If you don’t need the versatility of a wireless indoor and outdoor security camera or you want to alleviate your fiery hatred for batteries, go with the AC-powered Arlo Q.

            It’s a worthy indoor camera with a crisp, 1080p resolution and 30fps (frames per second) for smooth, high-quality footage. While the power cord limits your placement options, the upside is that you also don’t need the Arlo base station to operate the Arlo Q—one less expense.

            Arlo Q pros and cons

            Pros
            • Pro BulletWired connection that eliminates the need for Arlo base station
            • Pro BulletAC power; no batteries required
            • Pro BulletNoise and motion detection
            • Pro BulletHigh resolution; 30 frames per second for high-quality video
            Cons
            • Con BulletNo weatherproofing for outdoor use
            • Con BulletLimited placement with power cord

            Tech specs

            • Dimensions: 2.75 x 2.8 x 4.5 in.
            • Weight: 5.9 oz.
            • Resolution: 1080p, 30fps
            • FOV: 130º
            • Power source: AC power
            • Night vision: Yes
            • Warranty: 1 year

            Arlo Q Plus review | Best for businesses

              Why we recommend Arlo Q Plus

              Arlo’s Q Plus was designed for business monitoring. The camera is compatible with Power over Ethernet, which combines the camera’s power source and internet connection into one cable for a simpler, more dependable connection.

              This camera is ready-made to monitor your home or business 24/7, and an upgrade to Continuous Video Recording stores your 24/7 recordings in the cloud in case you need to revisit footage.

              Arlo Q Plus pros and cons

              Pros
              • Pro BulletPower over Ethernet (PoE) connection for reliable 24/7 monitoring
              • Pro BulletHigh-resolution 30-frames-per-second video
              • Pro BulletOptional 24/7 cloud recording
              Cons
              • Con BulletNo wireless connection
              • Con BulletNo outdoor use

              Tech specs

              • Dimensions: 2.75 x 2.80 x 4.5 in.
              • Weight: 5.9 oz.
              • Resolution: 1080p, 30fps
              • FOV: 130º
              • Power source: AC or PoE
              • Night vision: Yes
              • Warranty: 1 year

              Arlo Baby review | Best for baby monitoring

                Why we recommend Arlo Baby

                If Arlo’s Baby camera isn’t cute enough on its own, it also sings lullabies to help your little ones fall asleep peacefully. And if you’re the kind of parent who likes to check in on your kid every, you know, three minutes, Arlo Baby lets you do it from your phone instead of keeping a separate monitor with you.

                Arlo Baby pros and cons

                Pros
                • Pro BulletCute, baby-friendly camera design
                • Pro BulletAmbient sensors, lullabies, and night light for happier babies
                • Pro BulletClean 1080p resolution for sharp video
                • Pro BulletTwo-way audio
                Cons
                • Con BulletLimited placement options with wired connection
                • Con BulletNarrower field of view

                Tech specs

                • Dimensions: 4.3 x 2.6 x 2.5 in.
                • Weight: 11.6 oz.
                • Resolution: 1080p, 30fps
                • FOV: 110º
                • Power source: AC power
                • Night vision: Yes
                • Warranty: 1 year

                Arlo Ultra review | Best high-quality camera

                  Why we recommend Arlo Ultra

                  Arlo’s newest camera is one of the most powerful wireless cameras on the market––and one of the few cameras offering 4K resolution and a 180º field of view. All of this is powered wirelessly and packed into a small, weatherproof exterior that makes the Arlo Ultra ideal for outdoor use. Sure, it’s the priciest camera in the Arlo line, but it would take only one of these outrageously powerful cameras to keep an eye on the entire front or back of your home.

                  Arlo Ultra pros and cons

                  Pros
                  • Pro Bullet4K HD video
                  • Pro BulletWireless connection
                  • Pro BulletWeatherproof shell for outdoor use
                  • Pro Bullet180º field of view
                  Cons
                  • Con BulletBase station required
                  • Con BulletHigh price

                  Tech specs

                  • Dimensions: 3.5 x 2.0 x 3.0 in.
                  • Weight: 11.6 oz.
                  • Resolution: 4K
                  • FOV: 180º
                  • Operating temperature: -4ºF–113ºF
                  • Power source: Wireless rechargeable battery
                  • Night vision: Yes
                  • Warranty: 1 year

                  Arlo Smart plans

                  Arlo offers three plans that give you access to additional features––some of which you’ll probably want.

                  If you have more than one or two Arlo cameras, we’d recommend the middle-tier Arlo Smart Premier plan, which supports up to 10 cameras for $9.99 per month or $99 per year.

                  With this plan you get access to 30-day video history, advanced AI detection, custom activity zones, lock screen notifications on your phone, and an emergency call service. We’ll go through some more features you get when you subscribe to Arlo Smart.

                  Person detection

                  Arlo uses fancy algorithms to differentiate everyday motion (trees swaying in the wind, squirrels running on power lines, etc.) from human motion. This feature cuts out unnecessary motion notifications so you won’t have to double check that no one is trespassing when your next-door neighbor kicks a soccer ball into your yard.

                  e911

                  Typically when you dial 911 you’re directed to the nearest dispatcher from where you place the call. e911 is an in-app Arlo feature that automatically redirects your 911 call to the dispatcher closest to your home (or wherever your Arlo cameras are registered). Say you’re on vacation and someone breaks into your garage: you’ll save a lot of time and avoid being redirected from one dispatcher to the next by calling 911 through the e911 feature.

                  Cloud activity zones

                  Arlo cameras let you set up activity zones to block out your neighbor’s yard or a busy road and cut down on unwanted notifications. With activity zones and person detection, you’ll cut down on the majority of unwanted notifications, saving you the trouble of filtering through them yourself.

                  Rich notifications

                  The rich notifications feature will send push notifications straight to your lock screen so you don’t have to look at every notification from the Arlo app. That includes screenshots and videos of motion events and the ability to call a friend, dial 911, or activate the siren.

                  >>>Learn more about Arlo Smart plans.


                  Our recommendation

                  Unless you want one of the use-case-specific Arlo cameras like the Arlo Baby or the Arlo Q Plus for business monitoring, we really like Arlo’s wireless, water-resistant security cameras, and we’d recommend any of them for most anyone seeking a solid and versatile security camera system for their home.

                  If you’re on a budget, go with the classic Arlo. Its 720p resolution is not cutting-edge, but it’s plenty sharp for monitoring your home, yard, garage, or anywhere else within range of your home Wi-Fi.

                  If you’re looking for high-quality video, go with the Arlo Ultra. It gives you all the versatility of the classic Arlo in terms of wire-free indoor/outdoor placement, but you’ll also get an outrageous 4K resolution and a super wide 180º field of view, which can be really handy for watching over big yards.

                  If you want to see how Arlo cameras stack up with some of their competitors, take a look at some of our other security camera reviews, or check out our comparison of Arlo vs. Nest.