Got an old phone? Make it into a home security camera.
(credit: Jorge Quinteros)
Smart security cameras are one of the easiest ways to start transforming your normal home into a connected home. Everyone knows about Alphabet's Nest cam, but there are plenty of other cameras to consider from companies including Samsung, D-Link, and Canary. However, you don't have to drop $200 on a bulbous eye-looking camera if you don't want to-there are apps for that. Numerous Android and iOS apps claim to use your old smartphone's cameras to replicate the features of these dedicated cams, letting you check in from your current smartphone whenever you want.
These security apps have nearly the same features as regular smart cameras but are free to download and require no extra hardware. Even older phones are powerful enough to be repurposed. That doesn't mean the apps are quite as good as purpose-built security cameras, though. We looked into the differences between home security cameras and their smartphone equivalents (specifically the apps Manything and Alfred) to see if one method of monitoring your home is better than the other.
| HOME SECURITY CAMERAS VS. APPS | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PRODUCT | Nest Cam | Canary Cam | Manything | Alfred |
| CAMERA RESOLUTION | 1080p | 1080p | depends on smartphone | depends on smartphone |
| FIELD OF VIEW | 130 degrees | 147 degrees | depends on smartphone | depends on smartphone |
| INTERNET | 2.4GHz, 5GHz Wi-Fi (802.11 b/g/n) | 2.4GHz Wi-Fi (802.11 b/g/n), connected Ethernet | smartphone Wi-Fi | smartphone Wi-Fi |
| LIVE STREAMING | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| NIGHT VISION | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
| MOTION/SOUND DETECTION | Yes | Yes | Motion only | Motion only |
| MOBILE APP | Android and iOS | Android and iOS | Android and iOS | Android and iOS |
| SUBSCRIPTION | Nest Aware, $10 per month/$100 per year for 10 days' video, $30 per month/$300 per year for 30 days' video | Canary plans: $5, $10, and $30 per month plans | Cloud storage plans range from $2.99 to $19.99 per month depending on saved days and number of cameras | Free |
| PRICE | $199 | $199 | Free app (cost of smartphone) | Free app (cost of smartphone) |
| OTHER PERKS | Speaker, microphone, 8 infrared LEDs for night vision | 90dB+ siren, night vision, ambient light sensor, temperature, humidity, and air quality detection | detection zones, record or still mode, two-way talk, camera remote control | two-way talk, camera remote control |
Stand-alone security cameras and monitoring apps share a number of common features, and one of the biggest and most important is live streaming. Any smart camera will give you the ability to watch a live stream of your home over Wi-Fi or data either from a Web application, a companion mobile app, or both. They'll also have a recording feature, and some are more customizable than others. Many stand-alone cameras like the Ezviz Mini will let you schedule a time during the day to record video footage. Others will just record whenever they sense motion (and in some cases, sound) in the room or in designated activity zones.
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