5 Best Video Doorbell Cameras (2026): Smart, Battery, AI, Budget, and Subscription-Free

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As people who receive a lot of packages, we at the WIRED Reviews team have a foolproof way of making sure an important delivery shows up: step into the shower. If you’re sitting at your desk with your shoes on, waiting and ready, I guarantee that every knock or ring will be from someone trying to sell you something or convert you to an obscure and weirdly expensive religion.

Even if you’re working in your backyard or hungover in bed, the best video doorbell can help you tell which knocks are worth lunging for and which ones can wait until next time. We've tested these smart doorbells for months, peering at Instacart deliveries and stray raccoons from the safety and comfort of our couches. The Nest Doorbell is our current favorite, but you'll find plenty of alternative picks that might work better for some folks.

Other Video Doorbells to Consider

I've tested several other video doorbells. These are the ones that narrowly missed out on a place above.

SwitchBot Smart Video Doorbell for $100: I don't love the design of this wide doorbell, but it does come with a wee display that you can use to view who’s there and answer. This could be handy for folks who don’t want to rely on a phone and it lets anyone in the house check who is calling. Video quality is decent, though the frame rate is limited to 15, and the display is low res. You can record locally, and there’s a subscription option if you want cloud storage.

Philips Hue Secure Video Doorbell for $170: After a fiddly installation, you get a stylish doorbell offering sharp 2K resolution day or night and a wide view that takes in your whole porch. Notifications are swift and reliable, and you can sync up your Hue lights in interesting ways, but if you don’t already have a Philips Hue setup, I’d pick something from above. There’s no local storage option and you must buy a Smart Chime separately.

Wyze Battery Video Doorbell for $66: Another solid budget option, you get decently sharp 1536 x 1536 resolution video with a 150-degree field of view from this doorbell. You can record locally on a microSD card and there’s good smart home connectivity, but you need a Wyze subscription, from $3 per month, to get person, package, pet, and vehicle detection.

Logitech Circle View Doorbell for $200: As close as you can get to an Apple video doorbell, this compact hardwired doorbell boasts a 160-degree field of view with a 3:4 portrait aspect ratio that takes in your whole porch. Video is crisp and clear, in bright or low light, and the live feed is impressively quick to load. It works directly through the Apple Home app. Alerts come via Apple devices, and live video pops up on the Apple Watch or Apple TV.

Amazon Blink Doorbell for $70: One of the cheapest doorbells worth considering, the Blink Video Doorbell only needs two AA batteries to run for months. Video quality is 1080p with a limited field of view. The lack of HDR shows in mixed light, but notifications always came through reliably.

Nest Doorbell (Battery) for $180: If you can’t hardwire your doorbell, the battery version of our top pick is still a great doorbell. Alerts are swift, and notifications include animated previews that make it easy to decide whether you need to act. Google compensates for lower resolution with HDR video at up to 30 frames per second.

TP-Link Tapo (D230S1) Smart Battery Video Doorbell for $106: For folks seeking a local storage option that doesn’t require a monthly fee, Tapo's smart video doorbell is worth a look. Notifications come through swiftly and include a still image; video quality is excellent, even at night, and the indoor hub takes a microSD card.