8 Smart Peephole Cameras for Doors

1. Digitsea Digital Peephole Doorbell Cam | Best Budget

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Editor’s Rating: 4.4/5

The Best Budget peephole camera goes to the Digitsea Doorbell Cam. It’s an affordable product that checks lots of security boxes for a product in this price category.

• Best feature 1: Simple DIY installation and easy to use
• Best feature 2: Photo snaps + video recording
• Plus points: Wide lens, night vision, 32 ring tones, 2 power options, local card storage
• Minus points: Dark images with light interference (see cons), no motion detection

Digitsea Digital Peephole Camera Highlights

The simplicity of this product is its main appeal. Installation is quick and easy, especially if it’s to replace an existing peephole. Some users may have to widen the old aperture if it’s too small. Digitsea’s digital doorbell cam doesn’t need apps, smartphones, or a WiFi connection to function. It’s purely a home-based product for folks to use who are indoors when callers turn up.

Digitsea’s Digital Peephole starts to record the moment someone presses the doorbell. There are 32 ringtones to choose from, so you can select a chime that’s pleasing to your ears. The cam has two power options. One is to use 4 AA batteries, the other a wall adapter (neither included). Battery power should deliver an average of 1500 peeps before replacement.

Better than Traditional Peepholes

Consider the Digitsea digital door camera if you want a better view than the traditional peepholes. The camera’s wide 120° lens makes sure the caller is in its field of view (FOV). This peephole cam takes clear snapshots and videos of callers to your home in daylight and the dark. It’s night vision LEDs turn on automatically once light levels fall. All recorded footage saves to the 4GB microSD card.

The Not So Good

Night vision can be hit-and-miss if there’s a bright doorstep or porch light on at the same time. Likewise, daytime footage or figures at the door can be a tad dark if there’s strong backlighting. That said, image quality is impressive under average daylight and nighttime recording. Motion detection would have been a welcome feature, but this product doesn’t offer that.

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2. ZUMIMALL 2-Way Talk Doorbell Cam | Best Value

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Editor’s Rating: 4.8/5

ZUMIMALL’s Chiming, 2-Way Wireless Talk Doorbell 1080p Camera makes the Best Value slot. It’s a quality security peephole camera for use at home or to access remotely whenever you’re out.

• Best feature 1: PIR Motion detection
• Best feature 2: Rechargeable battery
• Plus points: 1080p camera, app, wide-angle lens, chime included, 2-way talk, night vision
• Minus points: Overly sensitive motion detection

ZUMIMALL Chiming Doorbell Cam Highlights

ZUMIMALL’s Doorbell goes onto the outside of a building and includes its own ringtone. It has IP65 waterproof protection, so it’s unaffected by weather extremes. The 166° wide-angle lens and PIR motion detection capture all callers during the daytime or at night. The latter is thanks to its clear IR night vision. There are two storage options, i.e., local 32GB microSD card or to the cloud service.

This wireless chiming doorbell camera has a built-in rechargeable battery. It can last anywhere between 2–5 months, depending on usage. The product’s free app for Android and iOS smart devices give you remote control. Not only can you see and hear callers at the door, but you can chat with them too. Moreover, there’s an option to share live feeds with family and friends via the CloudEdge app.

The Not So Good

The most significant gripe is the motion detection feature that some people find too sensitive. Overly sensitive detection can trigger false alerts to your phone or tablet. It can also drain the batteries prematurely. It’s not a problem everyone experiences, but it’s a potential issue for some depending on their surroundings. Affected users should use the ‘Low Motion Detect’ if they have problems.

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3. Ring Video Doorbell Pro W/ Echo Show 5 | Top Pick

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Editor’s Rating: 4.6/5

Ring’s popular 1080p Video Doorbell Pro gets the Editor’s Top Pick. It’s a bundle offer that includes the Amazon Echo Show 5, which has multiple voice-activated uses.

• Best feature 1: Crystal-clear, 1080p video
• Best feature 2: Advanced motion detection
• Plus points: Remote access, non-stop power, 4 faceplate choices, 2-way talk, works with Alexa
• Minus points: Delay between events and notifications

Ring Video Doorbell Pro Feature Highlights

Ring’s Video Doorbell Pro is a bestselling product for lots of reasons. It has a solid design and comes with a choice of faceplates to match the home. The installation is quick and easy for anyone with basic DIY skills. There are even the necessary tools included in the box. You can connect it to any existing doorbell wiring, which means no changing or charging of batteries—ever.

Customizable Zones, Remote Access

Homeowners can customize the Advanced Motion Detection feature once they’re up and running. It allows you to focus on specific motion zones as they pertain to your security preferences. The video quality produced by the Ring’s 1080p camera is exceptional for a doorbell cam. The app gives you full remote access to answer the door and talk to the callers whenever you’re away from home.

There’s good news for those who use Amazon Alexa too. Just connect your Ring account to the virtual digital assistant for 100% hands-free home monitoring. Don’t worry if you don’t have an Echo device. This bundle includes the latest Echo Show 5 as part of its package.

The Not So Good

The delay between the first bell ring and the notification can be a tad long at times. We’re only talking seconds, but that’s all it takes for some callers to walk away. The app can also be slow to connect to live view sometimes. The last gripe is with the two-way chat. It works as advertised, but the quality of the audio leaves a lot to be desired. It could certainly use a little extra clarity and volume.

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4. Sonew Digital Home Video Door Eye Viewer

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Editor’s Rating: 4.2/5

Meet the affordable Sonew Digital Home Video Door Viewer. It’s a simple yet effective eye-in-the-door product that comes with a 3.5” color LCD screen and a bunch of useful features.

• Best feature 1: 3.5-inch color LCD viewing screen
• Best feature 2: Ultra-thin, stylish design
• Plus points: Quick to install, rugged build, wide lens, clear image, battery status indicator
• Minus points: Slight lag in live view mode, no motion detection, no night vision

Sonew Home Door Eye Viewer Highlights

Consider the Sonew Digital Home Video Door Eye Viewer if you want a simple, manual product. It’s light years ahead of the old-style peepholes, but easier to use and of much higher quality. Installation takes a few minutes and doesn’t need any DIY skills. The ultra-slim design looks stylish and fits right in with any door type without distraction.

There’s no squinting through a tiny aperture as you try to make out who the caller is. The 120° lens and 3.5” full-color display let you see exactly who’s standing on the doorstep. All it takes is a simple one-button press to turn on the screen. There’s even a handy battery status indicator at the top right.

The Not So Good

There can be a slight lag in live view mode. That’s quite typical with many doorbell cams, but it can be frustrating nonetheless. This product doesn’t have motion detection or night vision features. The latter isn’t too much of an issue if you have a bright outdoor light. Motion detection is available with some doorbell cameras nowadays. Still, that feature is more useful with alarm systems than door viewers.

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5. Wsdcam Feature-Packed Doorbell Camera

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Editor’s Rating: 4.5/5

The Wsdcam Doorbell Camera is a feature-packed product with full app control. It lets you answer the door whether you’re at home or not, thanks to its real-time video and two-way talk.

• Best feature 1: Quality, 2.0MP 1080p Full HD Camera
• Best feature 2: IP65 Waterproof
• Plus points: Wide lens, motion detection, night vision, alerts, 4 ringtones, 3 volume levels
• Minus points: Battery-powered ringer, needs regular charging, no free cloud storage

Wsdcam Doorbell Cam Highlights

Wsdcam 166° wide-angle doorbell cam works well in daylight and after dark. Its IP65 waterproof rating means you can mount it outside and forget about it, whatever the weather. The product runs on battery power, so there are no concerns with messy wires or power outages. And the Cloudedge APP keeps watch on battery levels and tells you when it’s time to recharge.

The doorbell offers 4 ringtones and 3 volume levels, including silent mode. The loudest setting is around 100dB, so anyone with normal hearing is sure to hear it indoors. Push alerts keep you informed of any visitors at the door when you’re away from home. Multi-user sharing is another useful feature. Pre-recorded voice messaging and the local MicroSD storage option are two more.

The Not So Good

The ringer is battery-powered, and that’s a pro and a con depending on who you ask. The battery needs charging quite often with regular use, and that’s a hassle. The cloud storage is affordable, and there is a free trial. However, there isn’t a limited free storage plan like some products offer. Still, local storage suits many users, and this one accepts MicroSD cards up to 128GB.

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6. Ring Video Doorbell W/ Wide Angle Camera

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Editor’s Rating: 4.5/5

This review is for another Ring security video doorbell. It’s the company’s highly popular Video Doorbell 2 with HD Video and a whole lot of security features. Let’s check it out.

• Best feature 1: Customizable motion detector
• Best feature 2: Two-way talk
• Plus points: HD video, live view, works with Alexa, removable battery, choice of faceplates
• Minus points: No local card storage, overly sensitive motion detection

Ring Video Wide Angle Doorbell Highlights

All Ring video doorbells ensure you never miss a caller whether you’re in or out. It’s a comfort to have that connection with home whatever you’re doing and wherever you are. This handy security gadget has adjustable motion detection. That lets you zoom in and monitor activity where it matters most. The Ring app then sends motion-activated alerts to your phone, tablet, or computer.

The 2-way talk feature lets you see, hear, and speak to callers via the Ring app in HD video. Sometimes, we simply want to check in at home, and Live View On-Demand allows you to do that. The Ring Doorbell 2 works with all the Alexa devices, which is an added convenience. Other highlights are the quick-release battery pack, interchangeable faceplates, and Lifetime Theft Protection.

The Not So Good

One disappointment is that there’s no local MicroSD card storage. Those who want to store and playback video must subscribe to one of Ring’s cloud storage plans. The plans are reasonably priced, but that’s not the point. Some users report that the motion detection is too sensitive and gives out false positives. Most detection issues depend on zones and personalized settings, though.

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7. SkyBell SH02300BZ HD WiFi Video Doorbell

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Editor’s Rating: 4.1/5

The penultimate review is for an HD WiFi Video Doorbell by SkyBell. Its circular design looks smart and fits flush to any door. This product has a lot of features, but is it worth the highish price tag?

• Best feature 1: HD 1080p video capture
• Best feature 2: Silent mode
• Plus points: App-control, 2-way audio, motion sensor, on-demand monitoring, night vision
• Minus points: Motion detection is hit-and-miss, average audio, no card storage, price

SkyBell HD Video Doorbell Highlights

SkyBell can help to stop housebreakings from happening. Anyone who approaches the front door and rings the doorbell is caught on the camera’s 180° wide lens. There’s also a 5x zoom, and it’s all captured in HD 1080p video. The 2-way audio feature lets you talk to visitors via a smartphone without going to the door. That includes remote interaction for times when you’re not even home.

The Skybell also has motion detection that triggers whether the doorbell gets pressed or not. Motion alerts are sent automatically to your mobile device of choice. That’s useful if someone’s lurking around the door area. You turn on the video—from wherever you are—to see who’s there. Night vision is another welcome feature, especially as it’s in color, which is unusual.

Storage and Access

All videos and snapshots save to the free Skybell Cloud service. The footage is available for download for up to 7 days with the included account. Other product highlights are the Activity History, Silent Mode, and Multiple User accounts. One of the reasons this video doorbell hasn’t gotten better ratings is that it doesn’t offer local SD card storage. It probably should do at this price.

The Not So Good

There are mixed reports about the motion detection. That’s not unusual as it’s a feature that behaves according to settings and environment. However, there are enough complaints to know the motion sensors can be unreliable in some settings. The audio is only average, but perfectly listenable all the same. You may want to consider another product if crystal-clear sound is a priority of yours.

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8. Brinno SHC100 Peephole Security Camera

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Editor’s Rating: 4.3/5

The last review until our next update goes to the Brinno front door peephole camera. It’s a 100% wire-free video peephole with all the essential features and a theft-proof design.

• Best feature 1: Theft-proof design with camera on the inside
• Best feature 2: Fast and easy to install
• Plus points: Built-in LCD screen, battery-powered, long battery life, duel detection
• Minus points: Average picture quality, issues with strong backlighting

Brinno 90° Angle Peephole Camera Highlights

The theft-proof design keeps the camera on the inside. That means only the peephole is visible on the exterior of the door. Installation is quick and easy, especially if the Brinno is to replace an existing peephole. There are no special tools or DIY skills needed at all. It’s battery-powered too, so there are zero wires to contend with. And no visitor can see you looking at them on the built-in LCD screen.

Battery life is decent at 1,800 triggers. Average users shouldn’t need to replace the battery for at least 6 months. The dual detection is another of the SHC100’s highlights. One is motion detection, which activates the second a visitor enters the 13ft activation zone. The other is knock detection. The camera captures and date stamps the visitor’s face in either case and saves them to an SD card.

Who Is the SHC100 Peephole Camera For?

This indoor LCD peephole is a straightforward, uncomplicated product with one-button control. It’s ideal for the technically challenged and those who spend a lot of time at home. It’s not a good choice for someone who’s out a lot. That’s because there’s no remote access with smartphone apps.

The Not So Good

The picture quality is only average but still clear enough to see details. Even so, it should be better for a product in this price category. Also, this doorbell cam doesn’t handle strong backlighting too well. Visitors may only show up as silhouettes in worse case scenarios. Bright, natural backlight is only around for part of the day, but it’s something to think about if it affects your door.

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