In an era where security is paramount, the integration of solar-powered technology has revolutionized the surveillance industry.
Solar-powered security cameras offer a sustainable and efficient solution for remote locations, off-grid areas, or simply those seeking a greener alternative.
In this article, we’ll explore the best solar-powered security cameras available today, highlighting their features and benefits. By the end, you should have a pretty good idea of what works best for you and your budget.
Top Solar-Powered Security Cameras Of 2024
- Arlo Pro 4: Best overall
- Reolink Argus 2E: Best under $100 dollars
- Eufy Cam 3: Best with build-in solar panel
- Ring Stick Up Cam: Most solar panel options
Solar-Powered Security Cameras Reviews
Arlo Pro 4: Best Overall
If you are looking for the best wireless solar-powered security camera, then the Arlo Pro 4 is a fantastic choice.
The Arlo Pro 4 has everything you look for in in a security camera with 2K video recording resolution, a wide 160-degree view, two-way talk, a loud siren, a decent spotlight, night vision, and much more.
One upgrade with respect to previous models is that it doesn’t require a SmartHub to connect to the wifi. Although connecting to the wifi directly will drain the camera’s battery faster, that won’t be a problem with the solar panel.
Footage Storage
On the one hand, if you want to store your footage locally, you will necessarily need to get the SmartHub. This is a bummer since the cameras can already connect directly to the wifi, but they don’t have a microSD slot. The Arlo Pro SmartHub will cost you an additional $100.
On the other hand, if you want to store your footage in the cloud, you will have to subscribe to one of Arlo’s secure plans. In this case, we recommend you choose the most basic plan, Arlo Secure.
Arlo Secure allows you to store up to 30 days of footage in the cloud, the same amount of time as the other two more expensive plans. Moreover, it also provides extras features like AI detection, smart activity zones, interactive notifications, and more. The Arlo Secure plan costs $12.99/month for unlimited cameras, or $4.99/mo for a single camera.
Installation
The installation of the Arlo Pro 4 with the solar panel is very straightforward. The camera comes with a simple magnetic mount that secures to the wall using just one screw.
The solar panel includes a standard mount and three screws. Once mounted on the wall, you can attach the solar panel and adjust the angle for optimal sunlight exposure. Keep in mind that the solar panel cord is only 6ft long.
Finally, all that remains is connecting the solar panel to the Arlo Pro 4. We recommend ensuring that the camera is fully charged before doing this.
Price
Arlo doesn’t sell a bundle of the Arlo Pro 4 with the solar panel, so the only option is to buy them separately.
Reolink Argus 2E: Best Under $100 Dollars
If you don’t want to pay hundreds of dollars for a solar-powered security camera, then the Reolink Argus 2E is the way to go.
The Argus 2E is a small and durable camera perfect for outdoors. It has an IP rating of 65, meaning it is water-resistant and weatherproof, two-way audio, 130 degrees of field views, and person detection capabilities, among others.
And the quality? It records video at 1080p HD and has infrared night vision so you won’t miss any details even at night.
Footage Storage
The Argus 2E doesn’t require a smart hub like the Arlo Pro 4 to store video locally. On the contrary, you can store your recordings via a micro-SD card directly in the camera. Keep in mind that the micro-SD card is not included.
Reolink also offers the possibility to store your footage on the cloud. They offer a free option that allows you to save up to seven days of footage per camera at no cost. To be honest, this is one of the best deals to get free cloud storage in a security camera right now.
If you think that’s not enough for you, their subscriptions plans start at $6.99/mo for 5 cameras and 30 GB, and going all the way to $15.99/mo for 20 cameras and 130 GB of storage.
Installation
The Argus 2E comes with a mount, a couple of screws, and a USB cable to charge the battery. To configure the camera, you will have to scan the QR code on the back of the camera and follow the instructions.
The Reolink solar panel comes in two colors (black and white), and the installation is pretty easy as well. It comes with a mount and a couple of screws too. One surprising aspect is that the cable length to connect it to the camera is 43ft, six times longer than the cable of the Arlo solar panel.
Price
The Reolink Argus 2E retails for $70 and the Reolink Solar Panel is sold separately for $30, but it is cheaper if you buy the bundle from Amazon.
Eufy Cam 3: Best With Build-In Solar Panel
If you want all the benefits of a solar-powered security camera but don’t want to have to install a solar panel, then the Eufy Cam 3 is for you.
The Eufy Cam 3 excels at video quality; it records video at 4K with a 135-degree view. What’s more, it comes with smart motion detection capabilities, including face recognition, pet recognition, and vehicle recognition, all of which work really well. It also has an anti-theft mode that activates the siren whenever the camera is moved. Overall, you won’t miss any features with this camera.
Footage Storage
One thing you won’t fall short of with the Eufy Cam 3 is storage. The base station, which you will necessary need to connect the cameras to the wifi, comes with 16 GB of built-in storage, but it can be upgraded to up to 16 TB. This means that it will be a long, long time before you run out of space.
Cloud storage is also an option with Eufy, but we don’t recommend it. It doesn’t save 4K video, only 1080p, since it takes up much less space. Moreover, you don’t have access to extra features with a plan like you would with Arlo or Ring. The plans are not expensive, but it is more worth it to spend that money on the smart base.
Installation
Installing the smart base with the cameras won’t take you much more than 20 minutes. Thankfully, Eufy now allows you to connect the smart base directly to the WiFi. Before, you had to use an Ethernet cable.
One tricky thing with this camera is figuring out how to mount it so that it gets the necessary sunlight. Eufy claims that ‘2 hours of direct sunlight extend the battery life to near-infinite power.’ In our view, any place that gets at least that amount of sunlight per day will do just fine.
Price
The Eufy Cam 3 is really nice but be prepared to spend a lot of money. One camera can cost more than $200 dollars, but it is always preferable to buy the bundle with the base station.
Ring Stick Up Cam: Most Solar Panel Options
If you are looking for different panel options, then the Ring Stick Up Cam is a great alternative
The Ring Stick Up Cam has a 1080p HD video resolution with color night vision and motion detection with customizable motion zones.
Since Ring is part of Amazon, it works smoothly with Amazon Alexa and also, to the surprise of many, with Google Home. The cool thing about the Alexa connection is that you can customize it. For instance, you can set up the camera to record only when your Ring Alarm goes off.
Footage Storage
One main difference with the other options is that Ring doesn’t have an option to store footage locally, so all the videos go directly to the cloud.
Ring offers three subscription plans. All three plans allow you to store videos in the cloud for up to 180 days and unlock AI features such as person and pet detection. The main difference is that the Plus plan is the same as the Basic but includes an extended warranty, while the Pro plan includes 24/7 monitoring.
If you have only one camera, the Basic plan is just fine. Still, if you are looking to build a system with multiple cameras, go for the Plus plan.
Installation
The installation is not difference to what we discussed with the other cameras. The setup should take you no more than 5-10 minutes.
Price
The Ring Stick Up Cam comes in bundle with a 4W solar panel, but you also get the camera separately with a smaller 1.9W panel or an integrated solar panel in the mount(check this one out, its really cool).
More Solar-Powered Security Cameras To Consider
Here are some options that fell short of making into our list of the best solar-powered security cameras but are worth a quick view:
- Eufy SoloCam S220: This camera has the solar panel build in just like the Eufy Cam 3, but it’s around $90-$100 dollars cheaper. It records video at 2K instead of 4K and doesn’t have the spotlight.
- Reolink Argus 3 Pro: This camera comes in a bundle with the solar panel as well and cost only $50 dollars more than the Argus 2E bundle. For the extra you get higher video quality(2K) and a spotlight, among other minor upgrades.
Takeaway
Solar-powered security cameras are a smart and eco-friendly solution for reliable surveillance in different places.
If you want one of the best solar-powered security cameras on the market, the Arlo Pro 4 is a top choice.
If you don’t care about fancy features, the Reolink Argus 2E is a great option. It is also ideal for those looking for a camera that doesn’t require WiFi and has local storage without the necessity to buy a smart base.
And if you don’t want to buy a solar panel, the Eufy Cam 3 is the only way to go. Moreover, is the only one on the list that records videos in 4K.
Finally, if you want the flexibility to customize your setup fully with a solar panel to your liking, you should consider leaning towards choosing the Stick Up cam.
Ultimately, whichever solar powered camera you choose will be a great decision, and you won’t regret it. Upgrading and securing your house security is never a bad investment.
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