Nest Hello Review: The Best Doorbell Camera in 2020

Nest Hello doorbell
Market price: 
$229
    We’ve checked this page to make sure everything is up to date and we still stand by our recommendation.
    Overview
    We’ve tested a lot of doorbell cameras, but none have impressed us quite as much as the Nest Hello.
    It’s not just a good-looking doorbell; it’s also packed with an ultra-sharp 1080p camera and a whole bunch of features like facial recognition, time-lapse recording, and customized activity zones that add real value to the Nest Hello’s daily usability in any home.

    Nest Hello pros and cons

    Pros
    • Pro BulletSharp, 1080p HD HDR video
    • Pro BulletFacial recognition remembers friends and family
    • Pro BulletGoogle Home integration
    • Pro BulletMotion detection
    • Pro BulletSound detection
    • Pro BulletTwo-way communication
    • Pro BulletInfrared night vision
    Cons
    • Con BulletNo Alexa compatibility
    • Con BulletComplicated hardwiring
    • Con BulletNot available on Amazon

    Nest doorbell price

    The Nest Hello costs around $229, falling somewhere between the Ring 2 and the Ring Pro. While that’s on the higher end for doorbell cameras, it’s pretty reasonable given the quality of the camera and all the features it offers. We also think the Nest Hello’s features hold their own against the more expensive Ring Pro.

    We also recommend paying for Nest Aware, which starts at $5 per month and unlocks some pretty essential features:

    • Up to 30-day video history
    • Continuous recording
    • Intelligent alerts
    • Clips and time-lapse recording
    • Zone setting

    For a more in-depth look at how the Nest Hello price stacks up to its competition, take a look at some of our other recommended doorbell cameras.


    Key features

    Great app functionality

    The Nest Hello works with the main Nest app, which is convenient if you’ve invested in other Nest equipment. If you pay for a Nest Aware plan, you can save videos, set up facial recognition profiles, create activity zones, and save custom clips. We found the Nest app was reliable and easy to navigate while testing the Nest Hello.

    Nest Hello Doorbell App Screenshot

    More reliable day-to-day use

    We’ve tested Ring doorbell cameras and found that they’re prone to hiccups in their daily use. Depending on your Wi-Fi network, Ring’s connection can be finicky, for example, leading to blackouts or pixelated video.

    But the Nest Hello does a better job day to day, giving you more consistent performance. That’s important as you never know exactly when you’re going to need your doorbell camera.

    Facial recognition

    The Nest Hello offers a unique facial recognition software that recognizes and remembers faces. This feature turns out to be more than just a gimmick. It works as advertised, recognizing any face that comes to your door. Then you can assign names to faces to help the Nest Hello learn the difference between trusted users and complete strangers.
    Nest Facial Recognition Screenshot
    Nest Facial Recognition Screenshot

    Google Home integration

    If you have a Google Home, you can do some cool things with the Nest Hello. You can sync your Google Hub to work as a chime for your doorbell camera, which announces when someone comes to your door. And if you take advantage of Nest’s Familiar Faces feature, your Google Hub tells you exactly who’s at your door when a family member or friend stops by.


    Nest doorbell installation

    The Nest Hello requires some complicated wiring. Most people will need to hire a professional. Nest can set you up with a local Nest Pro if you don’t have a go-to electrician.

    Nest Hello Doorbell Installation
    Our setup took a couple of hours due to some wiring complications, but if you already have the right wiring in place, it won’t take nearly that long. As for placement options, you’re pretty limited because moving the wires around would be tricky. And if the right wiring isn’t already in place, it could take even longer to install the wiring for your Nest doorbell.

    Our recommendation

    It’s not a stretch to say the Nest doorbell is the best on the market.

    Compared to the Ring 2 and Ring Pro, the Nest Hello gives you better video quality, fewer hiccups in its day-to-day performance, and better features (like the HDR video and facial recognition). So if you’re able to opt for a hardwired doorbell camera, we’d recommend the Nest Hello.

    Nest Hello doorbell
    Market price: 
    $229
      If you’re a renter or you’re limited in terms of hardwiring a doorbell camera, we recommend looking into a Ring wireless doorbell camera.
      We’ve checked this page to make sure everything is up to date and we still stand by our recommendation.
      We’ve checked this page to make sure everything is up to date and we still stand by our recommendation.