Doorbell cameras add an extra layer of security and convenience to the home. In this guide, we take a close look at five of the top models on the market right now. Find out which one is right for you!
If someone asked you what the worst sound in the world is, what would you say? Most of us would conjure up sounds of wailing cats or babies screaming on a long-haul flight, however, there is a far worse sound out there that many of us forget – your doorbell!
For some reason, people who ring your bell seem to have this incredible sixth sense to come at the most inconvenient time possible. Just out the shower? The dying minutes of the 4th quarter? You’ve just sat down for your dinner? These are prime times for salesmen and other annoying door-knockers to appear. With a door peephole camera though, you can see exactly who’s at your door, all from the comfort of your couch.
Of course, a door camera is more than just a nifty gadget for nuisance callers. It’s also a spectacular piece of security for your home, allowing those of us who are alone in our homes to see who’s at the door – something that is especially important at night when we feel at our most vulnerable.
Intrigued by the thought of a peephole security camera? Here are five of our favorite specimens on the market, all of which will change your life for the better.
The Top Models Compared
See how the top motion activated peephole cameras compare in the table below.
We’ve got detailed reviews following in the next section.
- Alexa greets guest when you're not at home
- 1536p HD Head to Toe Video
- Motion detector with notification in Ring App
- Possibility to record all videos up to 180 days
- 150x150 degree view
- 90 degree view
- Comes with a 3,15" screen
- Can take a photo
- Great price
- Great price
- Comes with a 3" screen
- 120 degree angle
- 6 month long standby
- Keep digital log files that can be replayed at a push of a button
- 30-day money-back guarantee and a lifetime warranty
- Comes with a 2.7" screen
- 120 degree angle
- 6 month long standby or 3000 triggers
- Alexa greets guest when you're not at home
- 1536p HD Head to Toe Video
- Motion detector with notification in Ring App
- Possibility to record all videos up to 180 days
- 150x150 degree view
- 90 degree view
- Comes with a 3,15" screen
- Can take a photo
- Great price
- Great price
- Comes with a 3" screen
- 120 degree angle
- 6 month long standby
- Keep digital log files that can be replayed at a push of a button
- 30-day money-back guarantee and a lifetime warranty
- Comes with a 2.7" screen
- 120 degree angle
- 6 month long standby or 3000 triggers
The Best Peephole Cameras Reviewed
In this section we take a closer look at the top performing peephole and door cameras. We start with our favorite.
Our top pick: Ring Doorbell Pro
Sometimes in life, the fancier the better, and this certainly feels like the case when it comes to the Ring Doorbell Pro, which has more fabulous features than you could actually count.
This wireless front door camera is completely customizable. The accompanying app allows you to specify exactly what your camera views, what field of vision will set off the motion trigger and when you should receive notifications. This all means you have an immense amount of control, far more than the other cameras on this list.
As your Ring Doorbell Pro replaces a doorbell, it doesn’t stand out as an obvious peephole. It even comes with four interchangeable facings, these allow you to match your new peephole with your home, making it pleasing to the eye.
With its 160-degree camera angle and clear imaging, you’ll get a superb view of anyone who visits your home. This includes the camera’s night vision, which gives a clear black-and-white video of anything that triggers your motion sensor.
Perhaps the best part of the Ring Doorbell Pro is its app, which lets you completely customize your peephole viewer. This includes a feature that lets you physically draw with your finger where you’d like the field of view to trigger motion alerts.
This means you can exclude the sidewalk or road from your motion sensor – which is particularly important as your Ring Pro picks up cars too. However, you can switch your sensor to detect people only.
Your Ring Doorbell Pro even comes with a community aspect, allowing you to anonymously share suspicious behavior to other local Ring users. Since robbers tend to orchestrate their break-ins in the same area, this can be really handy.
Be warned, with all the features your Ring Video Doorbell Pro provides, it comes with the downside of it being rather complicated to install. Intended to replace an existing doorbell unit – meaning the unit runs off your electricity – if your doorbell doesn’t have enough voltage, or you don’t have a doorbell, you’ll need to install a transformer too.
This can be pretty tricky; however, it is possible to do it yourself without the need for professional installation. Just make sure to follow the instructions carefully. You’ll also need to install the separate Pro Power kit into your doorbell’s chime box, which will be inside your home. This isn’t particularly difficult, just an added step to a long installation process compared to other peepholes.
Pros
- Highly customizable.
- Wide angle camera that gives clear images and videos in all lights.
- Inconspicuous and theft-proof as it looks like a doorbell.
- Community integration.
- No need for batteries.
Cons
- Tricky to install.
- Expensive
Bottom Line: If you’re looking for a high-end door peephole viewer, then the Ring Pro is one of the best around. It’s highly customizable allowing you to shape it to your home and get the most out of all its features. If you can afford the price tag, then this product will have you sleeping far more soundly at night.
Brinno Front Door Peephole
If you’re after the best peephole camera for home security, then this model from Brinno should be on your list. Not only is this camera inconspicuous to would-be thieves, it also has a built-in knocking sensor and separate motion sensor.
These days, it’s not just robbers trying to enter our homes that we need to be worried about. One crime that’s on the rise is that of people who approach our doors to steal our packages from the likes of Amazon. This is what makes the Brinno SCH1000 peephole such a good investment.
With its motion-activated camera, the theft will be recorded on your peephole’s camera catching any criminal in the act. The camera itself has a 90-degree view, which although not as impressive as the VEIU above, is still enough to catch the head and shoulders of most adults, which is all you need to get them identified.
Talking of identification, the Brinno SCH1000 makes taking any video evidence to your local police incredibly easy. Using the system’s browse feature, you can skip through all your clips for the day and using the shutter feature, you can click when you see a face shot of your package thief. All these videos are stored on the microSD card supplied with your peephole viewer. Simply take this card to the police and they’ll do the rest.
The actual installation of your Brinno SCH1000 can be a little complicated. The camera is simple enough as it’s wireless, you just attach it to your door like you would any other camera. Things can get complicated when it comes to the separate motion sensor, though. Designed to be added as a door-knocker so as to be hidden, the problem arises if you already have a door knocker installed.
All is not lost though, the Brinno motion sensor works to distances of 32 feet and comes with a magnetic mount. Here you’re going to have to be a little inventive to find somewhere hidden to mount the motion sensor. A bush or large plant near your door is ideal, just watch out for your neighbors wondering why you’re crawling around the bushes!
For those of us who hate all the smartphone notifications you get with a wireless front door camera, the SCH1000 might be ideal. Instead of sending endless alerts – which can become tiresome if you’re trying to enjoy a meal or a night at the movies – this camera allows you to browse your video clips when you get home, which are all time- and date-stamped. So, if you have a cat that likes to come in and out the kitty flap a thousand times a day, you’re not going to be sent a tedious notification every 15 minutes.
Pros
- Hidden camera that won’t alert thieves to its existence.
- Motion sensor video clips are stored on a microSD card that is easy to share with police.
- Doesn’t send potentially annoying alerts.
- Battery life claims to last 6 months.
Cons
- Potentially complicated to install.
- Camera view is only 90-degrees.
Bottom Line: If you’re looking for a door viewer for home security, then this is definitely one of the best on the market. The fact that you don’t get endless alerts is also a definite advantage.
Recommended Next: Don’t miss our comprehensive guide to the top nanny cameras!
Digitsea Digital Doorbell Peephole
For some, the idea of a digital door viewer is tempting, but do you really want to cough over the cash for something that might break or be useless? Well, firstly, these devices might feel like a gadget for your home, but once you try the benefits for yourself, there’s absolutely no way you’d want to go back to a regular doorbell. Especially when you might get caught for 20 minutes trying to persuade a salesman that you are indeed satisfied with your cable provider – even if they are offering you a spectacular deal!
As for your door viewer camera becoming faulty, if that worries you, then look no further than the Digitsea Digital Doorbell. Not only is this peephole reasonably priced – making it the perfect starter camera – every unit comes with a one-year warranty. This means you can invest in your digital peephole with complete peace of mind.
The camera itself will give you crystal clear video, no fuzzy faces here. Even better, the camera works both in daylight and night due to its IR LED lighting. This lighting will automatically come on whenever vision is poor, meaning that even on a dull day, you’ll get that perfect shot.
One downside is, that unlike the cameras above, the Digitsea Digital Doorbell doesn’t have any motion sensors. This means that, although the camera will record video when someone rings your doorbell, you won’t get any footage of people who are after packages or robbers who might be casing out your home.
If you hear a weird noise, though, you can still view anyone near your door from the inner camera display, so all is definitely not lost. Plus, robbers aren’t known to be the cleverest criminal masterminds. Many will test to see who is home by ringing the doorbell first, so you’ll get their face anyway! Indeed, with the wonderfully clear videos and photos that the Digitsea Digital Doorbell takes, you might be tempted to take a couple of doorbell selfies yourself.
All images and videos that are taken will be stored on the 4GB microSD supplied with your WIFI peephole camera, but this isn’t much storage for a large number of videos. So, if you’d like to store multiple videos and photos, you might want to upgrade the card you’re given for a higher storage one. This can be an annoying expense, but as microSD cards are so cheap these days, it’s not something that should put you off what is otherwise a very good peephole.
Pros
- Reasonable price for a very clear camera that works in both daylight and night.
- One-year warranty protects the buyer and the camera is easily installed.
- The doorbell itself is also easy to hear throughout the house.
Cons
- No motion detector.
- Storage card provided is small.
Bottom Line: If you’re looking for a door camera that won’t break the bank but still has a host of awesome features, then you can’t go far wrong with the Digitsea Digital Doorbell. The glowing reviews it receives from customers speak for themselves.
Digitharbor Digital Door Peephole
When it comes to hidden front door camera controversy, Digitharbor have been at the center of much debate in the camera community. But what exactly has caused more drama than binge-watching a Netflix original? Well, Digitharbor provide people with cheap peepholes that are actually very decently made – a win-win for any customer really.
Drama aside, what exactly makes the Digitharbor such a good buy?
The camera itself has a 120-degree angle. This isn’t as much as say the VEIU, but this is still a very decent specification that will give you a good view of anyone that appears at your door. The inner LCD display isn’t exactly crystal-clear though, but it’s still more than enough to identify suspicious callers who might appear at your door. Which is all you really need it for! These types of cameras aren’t made to replace your DSLR, after-all.
When someone rings your bell, the device will take an automatic snap of them. This is a handy little feature that lets you see whoever is at your door, even when you’re not at home.
No need to worry about the sun either. We’ve all gone to view our peepholes and instead of a face, been greeted with a blinding white light. The Digitharbor comes armed with various light settings to combat any weather conditions. Just adjust the cameras contrast settings – light, medium or high – and you’ll see clearly no matter the weather. Infrared lighting also allows for night vision on your camera, so shady robbers won’t best you by using the cover of night.
The unit is simple to install, particularly as it comes with tools to make your life easier. Again, no rechargeable batteries here. The ones that come with the Digitharbor, however, really pack a punch and will last you a good 6 months at least. So, you won’t be wasting all your pocket money on replacement batteries every few weeks.
This door peephole camera wifi unit might lack motion sensors, but it does come with a handy feature that goes a little way to making up for this fact. Using the remote, if you suspect someone is acting weird around your home, you can press a button and have the camera instantly start recording video, which can be used as evidence against that person.
Pros
- Cheaper compared to other models.
- Easy to install.
- Camera works in various weathers and at night.
- Can press a button to instantly start recording footage.
Cons
- Camera angle not as large as others on market.
- LCD screen not as clear as others.
- No motion sensor.
Bottom Line: This peephole security camera might feel like it has more negatives when compared to others, but remember, it is also an incredible bargain. If you’re on a budget and don’t want to shell out for a fancier model, the Digitharbor comes with everything you need to make your home more secure.
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Eques VEIU Rechargeable Door Camera
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Dubbed the world’s smartest door viewer, the VEIU certainly lives up to its name. It’s absolutely packed with useful features such as night vision, smartphone compatibility and long battery life.
Easier to install than some of the other peepholes on the market, the VEIU doesn’t need an existing doorbell to be set up. Instead, it simply attaches to your front door – in fact, the set-up time was less than 5 minutes. Even better, the VEIU doesn’t need access to your mains electricity, as it runs off rechargeable batteries. The batteries themselves have a decent life, depending on how many visitors you get on a daily basis.
For the more popular amongst us, even a large volume of daily callers won’t have you reaching for the charging cable all the time, which is a definite bonus. Plus, by having a rechargeable battery you are not only saving yourself money by not needing to constantly replace them, you’re also doing your bit for the environment.
Perhaps one of the best features of the VEIU is the fact that you don’t necessarily need a smartphone to see who’s at the door. The large touchscreen that fits on the back of the door makes it ideal for senior citizens or children to have a peek at callers before they answer the door. This is also useful for those of us who misplace our phones around the home a lot. Rather than frantically searching when the doorbell rings, you can simply look at the video peephole on the back of your door.
The mic even allows you to have a two-way conversation with whoever is at the door before you commit to opening it. This is a perfect way to find out who a person is and ask for any identification to be shown to the camera. Which, with its superb 180-degree viewer, gives you an exceptionally clear view of the person at your door.
When someone does approach your door, the camera’s motion activation will kick into gear sending both an alert to your smartphone and starting a video recording of whoever is there. You might even get a few funny raccoon videos too!
One slight niggle with the VEIU, is that the small design can make it easier for robbers to interfere with. After-all, someone who is planning to break into your home and steal your belongings is hardly going to feel a twinge of guilt at the idea of destroying a door peephole viewer. Thankfully, the VEUI doesn’t look too conspicuous on your door, so this shouldn’t put you off what is otherwise a fantastic piece of equipment.
Pros
- Motion-detected recording so you can see people who approach your house, even if they don’t ring.
- Doesn’t need a smartphone to use.
- Large 180-degree camera that works both in daylight and at night with infrared vision.
Cons
- Small design can make it easier for someone to rip it off your door.
- If you forget to charge it then the camera will be useless.
Bottom Line: The VEIU is fantastic value for money and is cheap to run with its free app and rechargeable batteries. Plus, it really has everything you’d desire from a digital peephole.
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Conclusion
All of the models above have their own advantages, making it a difficult choice to pick a winner. However, like many things in life, it comes down to money.
If you’re just looking for a budget peephole camera that will allow you to see who’s at your door when you’re alone and vulnerable in your home, then the Digitharbor Digital Door Peephole is a sound purchase. It does just about everything you’d want from a peephole, making it a real winner in terms of value for money.
If you can afford a pricier option though, upgrading to a unit that also has a motion sensor makes complete sense. You can’t rely on criminals to ring your doorbell and allow an image to be taken of their face, so having a motion sensor that triggers video recording is essential for helping us feel more secure in our homes.
Here the Ring Video Doorbell Pro comes armed with more features than an all-you-can-eat buffet. The way you can customize it so fully and the fact that it has community integration just makes it too good to opt for any other peephole.
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Buyer’s Guide
You’ve made it through all our reviews and you’re still not sure. It’s not surprising really, all of the peepholes we’ve mentioned so far are particular good products for securing your home.
So, to help you narrow down your choices, here are the features you need to look for in a peephole security camera. From there, you can decide on one that has the most features that you need for your own home.
Motion Sensor
A motion sensor is incredibly useful for a digital peephole, but it’s really not for everyone! If you live in an apartment block, the last thing you want is a peephole that is constantly sending you alerts for your neighbors passing your door. The same goes for a home where your door is close to the sidewalk. Your motion sensor will be constantly triggering, clogging up your memory card with useless videos of people walking their dogs.
Motion sensors are suited to homes where your door is back from the sidewalk, where it will catch people who have no business to be skulking up your driveway and peering in your windows. If you can, go for a peephole where you can customize the motion sensor trigger field, allowing you to exclude roads or sidewalks.
Power
Peepholes that come with rechargeable batteries will save you money in the long-run. These are also far more environmentally friendly to use too. Just keep in mind, you will need to eventually charge your batteries, so you might want to have a spare set charged rather than getting caught out with no usable device.
If you are getting a model with traditional batteries, look up reviews for battery-life before you commit to that peephole. The ones on this list had an average battery-life span of 6 months, but other peepholes might chew through their batteries much quicker, leaving you constantly having to replace them.
Ideally, a peephole will work through mains electricity. True, this is far less simple to install but it will be more than worth it. Not only will you never need to worry about batteries, but these peepholes tend to be less bulky as there is no battery pack, so look less conspicuous to thieves. On the other hand, if you have a power cut, your peephole won’t work either, which is something to consider too.
Camera Angle and Quality
It’s all very well having a peephole, but if the camera angle is rubbish, you might only get half a head. Which isn’t exactly going to make it easy for you to identify who’s ringing your bell. You want a camera lens to be at least 120 degrees really, smaller angles might work mostly, but if a person is acting weird and trying to shade their face from view, the wider camera you have, the more chance you’ll get for a good shot.
Camera quality is obviously important too. You don’t need it be so clear that you can identify every little zit or pore on their face, but you don’t want to be left with a fuzzy mess either. Aim to get a good quality camera that will make it easy for you to identify people. This is particularly important if you need to submit footage to the police, as they may want to use facial recognition software or release a screenshot to the public for identification.
Easy Installation
Your video peephole should never be a burden, so the last thing you want is one that is overly complicated to install. Here you’re likely to get frustrated, lose parts and ultimately hate your peephole before it’s even on your door.
If you’re someone that gets nightmares at the thought of assembling IKEA furniture, then you’re going to want to look at the installation process for a digital peephole before you make your purchase.
If you’ve set your heart on a particular one but feel that it’s too complicated for your DIY skills, look at YouTube installation guides. You might find that these installation videos make the process a lot simpler than the instructions suggest.
Failing that, you’re sure to have a family member or friend who’s handy with a drill. Get them over and pay them in pizza. Just think – you’ll get to see the delivery driver on your new peephole!
Smartphone Integration
For a peephole that’s easiest to use, you’re going to want one that comes with its own app that lets you view your camera from anywhere. This means that when you’re out for the night or away on holiday, you can check your home for suspicious activity and even let your local police know – even if you’re thousands of miles from home!
Some apps come with a subscription that costs money, so if you don’t want to spend a monthly or yearly fee, you should check for any additional costs before you buy.
You’ll also want a camera with an LED screen for the back of your door too, though. This means that the people who might not have access to a smartphone – such as senior citizens or children – can reap the benefits of a peephole camera too.
Recommended Reading: Check out our huge guide to wireless trail cameras next!
At the end of the day, no matter what peephole you choose for your home, you’re adding an extra level of security. Never again will you be stuck chatting to an annoying salesman, nor will you need to worry about the kids opening the door to strangers. Simply tell them to only open the door if they recognize the person on the screen.
You might even find that one of the brilliant peepholes we featured above would make for a great gift – and we totally agree! Perhaps it’s for your ageing parents to help them avoid scammers or see who’s at the door if they’re not entirely mobile.
You might even want to help protect your kids who are flying the nest into the big city. No matter who you are, a doorbell camera helps us all sleep more soundly at night knowing those we love are safe in their homes.
