The advent of portable technologies, primarily smartphones, had a significant impact on other industries as well, such as personal computing, with more and more people relying on their laptops, tablets, and even smartphones themselves for productivity. 

Truly, cramming more hardware into more compact housings at an increasingly more affordable price made everything, including high-quality home security cameras, more accessible to regular Joes and Janes of the world. 

This is particularly true when it comes to home security cameras. The level of security provided by home video surveillance was previously reserved only for those who had thousands of dollars to invest in such systems. Nowadays, good-quality home security cameras have become so accessible that nearly everyone can and should afford them. 

Not to mention that the features associated with video surveillance have improved significantly as well. Your camera will now inform you when someone approaches your door, but it can also learn to recognize people and faces. So, in this article, we’ll discuss some of the best home security cameras for under $300. Without further ado, let’s dive right in. 

Ring Indoor Camera

Ring revolutionized the video doorbell market when it first appeared in 2010. However, it expanded its product line to home surveillance cameras following the company’s acquisition by Amazon, and today, Ring offers a more comprehensive home and perimeter video surveillance. 

The camera we’re discussing records 1080p video with Live View and Night Vision features a 140°/115°/60° field of view and a two-way talk with noise cancellation. It’s a Wi-Fi camera, which means it connects wirelessly to your home network and plugs into a standard power outlet. 

Other Ring Cameras include motion detection, Amazon Alexa and Echo integration, and other smart integrations which allow users to control their entire smart-home setup via voice commands. The whole system works on a cloud subscription model. Furthermore, it can also integrate with third-party smart platforms, and installing everything takes mere minutes. 

Price-wise, many consider them pricey, but you can find Ring Pro models that fall under the sub-$300 price category. 

Hikvision Cameras

Hikvision is probably the best-known Chinese home surveillance brand on the market, and they offer a wide range of products that fit every conceivable price bracket. The Hikvision DS-2 CD2043G0-I is a competitively priced outdoor bullet camera that captures 1520p video at 30fps with an 83° field of vision. 

The integrated PoE technology significantly simplifies connectivity by enabling data and power transfer through a single cable, while the device itself has a microSD slot that supports up to 128GB cards, though it also connects to local storage and NAS. 

This particular model also features alarm trigger motion detection, Behavior Analysis, line crossing, and intrusion detection as well. So, all in all, a well-rounded model aimed at more complex and advanced home surveillance systems. 

Arlo Cameras

Arlo is once again pushing the boundaries of smart-enabled home security cameras by launching the UHD 4K weatherproof Ultra security camera, which is priced just $1 below our price cut-off, sitting comfortably high at $299. 

Of course, there are other, more accessible models, but nearly all of them feature similar core loadouts. For example, all models will lower their resolution and stream quality if they detect low internet connection bandwidth; all models feature two-way voice, an alarm with remote control, and compatibility with both Alexa and Google Assistant. 

Arlo also offers a wide range of options when it comes to connectivity, installation, video storage, and further integrations with your pre-existing home security system. All cameras are made using quality material, with a wide range of available options and no long-term contractual commitments. 

Nest

While Ring works best with Amazon Alexa, Nest offers seamless integration with the Google Assistant and Google Home products—they integrate so seamlessly that the cameras themselves become part of your home system and work in conjunction with other home products, such as Google Home speakers. 

The company offers a wide variety of different models, like hardwired indoor units, battery-powered weatherproof models, and even floodlight-equipped models and video doorbells. All products share the same core features, including activity zones, person detection, and motion detection. 

Some of the top-tier features require a Nest Aware subscription, but even without one, you can still enjoy mobile notifications and three-hour event history accessible from your smartphone.  

Summary

The home security cameras market has expanded in recent years, with many new players entering the field, driving both innovation and competitiveness between brands. All brands listed in our guides feature specific models that are priced below $300, many of which are capable of streaming live video feed to your smartphone.