Security Cameras

Best Security Camera For Vacation Home: Indoor, Outdoor, Wireless, Rentals, Laws, & More

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Best For…
Indoor
Arlo logo
Security With Monitoring 
Smart Device Integration
Nest logo

Vacation homes can be an excellent investment. They provide you and your loved ones with a comforting place to get away and can provide additional income as a rental property.

However, you need to think about how you’ll protect your vacation home when you’re not there. One of the best ways to do this is by using security cameras, so you can monitor your investment while you’re away.

Article Overview

Do I Need A Security Camera For My Vacation Home?

Your vacation home is likely hours away from where you live, but you want to make sure that it’s safe and secure when you’re not there. Installing a security camera system can help you relax by:

  • Giving you peace of mind while you’re away.
  • Keeping you aware in case of any suspicious activity.
  • Helping you check in on guests when you let people use it or have renters.
  • Allowing you to see your vacation home after natural disasters when you might not be able to reach it.

If you need some guidance on what to look for when you’re picking a security camera, check out these features to consider.

Is It Legal To Have Cameras Inside Rental Properties?

It is not legal to have indoor cameras if you are renting out your property. Residential security camera laws do not allow cameras in areas where a person should have a reasonable expectation of privacy. That means you also can’t point a camera from your house into your neighbor’s window for example.

Outdoor cameras to surveil around your property for the purposes of residential security (including on public streets where a person does not have the expectation of privacy) are okay. If in doubt, consult with your attorney.

Best Vacation Home Security Cameras

We chose the best vacation home security cameras by the specific needs of vacation homeowners. Here are our top choices by category:

Indoor | Security With Professional MonitoringSmart Device Integration

Best Indoor (WiFi): Arlo Ultra

Arlo UltraView on Amazon

After reviewing lots of indoor security cameras, we chose the Arlo Ultra as our top pick for any type of home. This camera has the best resolution, night vision, zoom and viewing angle of all the cameras we review here.

It has two-way audio and a built-in siren and spotlight. You can use this weatherproof camera inside or outside, and it’s easy to install. Motion-activated recording and the ability to schedule recording times cut down on unnecessary recording. Storage options include local storage with a micro SD card and cloud storage options. You can control the Arlo Ultra by linking it to Amazon Alexa and Apple Homekit.

This camera does require you to purchase a base station that connects to your WiFi router, which then syncs with up to 5 Arlo cameras. That adds to the initial equipment cost. There are also some concerns with the two-way audio, as reviews say that it can have delays.

Pros

Cons

  • 12x zoom
  • Two-way audio
  • Built-in siren and spotlight
  • Works with Amazon Alexa and Apple Homekit
  • Local and cloud storage options
  • Motion-activated
  • Can schedule when camera is armed
  • Weatherproof
  • Requires a base station
  • Two-way audio can have delays

Tech Specs & Price

  • for 2 cameras and 1 base station
  • for 4 cameras and 1 base station
  • 4K resolution
  • Color night vision
  • 180º viewing angle

Read Our In-Depth Review Of Arlo Cameras

Best For Professional Monitoring: Frontpoint Home Security System

Frontpoint Equipment on white background

Visit Frontpoint’s Website | 833-491-3724

Instead of just having security cameras, you might want to invest in a professionally monitored home security system. This is the best way to ensure total home security while you’re away. Frontpoint not only provides great cameras, but they also provide top-notch monitored home security.

They have an extensive selection of sensors and both indoor and outdoor cameras. To get started, you can choose from several equipment kit options or build your own system to fit your unique vacation home needs. This system, which is compatible with both Amazon Alexa and Google Home, has a 24-hour battery backup and notifies you when there’s a power outage. Its motion detection alerts keep you informed while you’re away.

Frontpoint has a basic and a premium indoor camera. The premium indoor camera offers digital pan, tilt and zoom in addition to an expanded 180º field of view. The downside for you could be the cost. The initial cost for a kit is pricier than buying a camera alone, and monitoring is a monthly fee.

Pros

Cons

  • Two-way audio
  • Home automation options
  • Indoor and outdoor cameras
  • Variety of sensor options
  • Works with Amazon Alexa and Google Home
  • 24-hour battery backup
  • Power outage notifications
  • Motion detection
  • Echo-canceling microphone
  • Bluetooth speakers
  • Digital pan, tilt, zoom (Premium Indoor Camera)
  • Higher cost
  • Monitoring fees

Price

Below are the packages Frontpoint offers. You can also purchase additional sensors for an extra fee, which you’ll see listed next to the device. There is also a Build Your Own option, which is à la carte style. Add up the total of your selected equipment, and that’s your equipment fee.

Package Name Safe Home Starter Safe Home Everyday Safe Home Select Safe Home Preferred
Price $99.00 $295.94 $383.92 $479.90
Control Panel Hub ($249.98) 1 1 1 1
Keypad ($54.99) 1 1 1 1
Door/Window Sensor ($19.99) 2 3 4 5
Motion Sensor ($29.99) 1 2 2 2
Glass Break Sensor ($44.99) 1 1
Smoke & Heat Sensor ($44.99) 1 1
Indoor Camera ($99.99) 1
Yard Sign ($3.99) 1 1 1 1
Window Decals 3-Pack ($3.99) 1 1 1 1
Door Stickers ($3.99) 1 1 1 1

Additional Equipment

[frontpoint-pricing-supplement]

Monitoring Plans

A monitoring plan is required through Frontpoint and you must have the Ultimate plan, which costs $49.99 per month if you have cameras.

Interactive Ultimate
Price Per Month $44.99 $49.99
Wireless & Cellular Checkmark Checkmark
Unique User Codes Checkmark Checkmark
Crash & Smash Protection Checkmark Checkmark
Geolocation Services Checkmark Checkmark
Mobile Alerts Checkmark Checkmark
Remote Access & Control Checkmark Checkmark
Sensor History Checkmark Checkmark
Live Video Streaming Checkmark
Video & Image History Checkmark
Motion Triggered Alerts Checkmark
Night Vision Enabled Checkmark
Light Control Checkmark
Smart Lock Control Checkmark

Tech Specs

Premium Indoor Camera

  • 180° field of view
  • 1080p HD video
  • Infrared night vision up to 15 feet (2 infrared LED lights)

Indoor Camera

  • 113° field of view
  • 1080p HD video
  • Infrared night vision (2 infrared LED lights)

Read Our In-Depth Reviews of the Frontpoint Security SystemFrontpoint Cameras

See an overview of how this camera works and all of its features.

Best Smart Device Integration: Nest Cam

Nest CamView on Amazon

If you’re looking for a vacation home security camera that you can connect to your smart devices, we recommend the Nest Cam connected to Google Home.

You can integrate Nest Cam to your Google Home App and your Google Smart display by using the Google home view feature so you can control the camera at a distance. This is ideal when in a vacation home security camera.

In addition to using Google home view to control your Nest Cam, you can also use it to control a Nest thermostat and Nest Hello video doorbell. This is a great option for a combined home security camera system and smart home automation. 

This is an excellent camera with two-way audio options and motion detection. Linking it to the Nest App or Google Home App allows you to live stream video to your computer, tablet or phone. You can also receive motion-detected alerts through the apps.

Some downsides of this camera? It’s indoor only, and it doesn’t have an option for local storage. If you are interested in an outdoor camera, read our review of the Nest outdoor camera.

Pros

Cons

  • 8x zoom
  • Two-way audio
  • Can be integrated with Google Home and Google Smart Displays
  • Works with Amazon Alexa
  • Motion detection
  • Live streams to computer, tablet and phone
  • No local storage
  • Not for outdoor use

Tech Specs & Price

  • Cloud recording (optional):
    • Nest Aware: $60/year for 30 days of event video history
    • Nest Aware Plus: $120/year for 60 days of event video history + 10 days of 24/7 video history
  • 1080p HD resolution
  • Night vision
  • 130º viewing angle

Read Our In-Depth Review Of Nest Cam

Protect Your Primary Residence

There are so many reasons to get a security camera for your vacation home, but most importantly, it will give you peace of mind when you aren’t there. Think about your needs and take a look at the options with those needs in mind. That will help you make the best decision.

Don’t forget that when you’re at your vacation home, you’ll want to make sure your primary home is safe too. Check out our article on the best home security systems. Having a safe, secure home while you’re away will allow you to enjoy your vacation home that much more. Learn about more ways to secure your vacation home.

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Julie Fritz

Julie has been writing professionally since 2012. She is an active volunteer for a local arm of Everytown for Gun Safety, the largest gun violence prevention organization in the country. Everytown does comprehensive research on gun violence and makes recommendations on how we can all make our communities safer. Her involvement with this organization has given her invaluable information about how to keep our kids safe. She enjoys writing not only about gun safety, but from family-related content to informative articles about technology, events and healthcare. In her free time, you might find her hiking, trail running, biking or swimming. You might also find her in the kitchen where she loves to cook and bake.
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