The 8 Best Pet Cameras, Tested In Homes With Real Pets

Best Overall

Ring Indoor Pet Camera

$70 $65 at Amazon $70 at Chewy

The Ring Indoor Pet Camera, 2nd Gen, impressed our human tester with its straightforward setup. The app guides pet owners through the process, requiring only a simple internet connection via Bluetooth. The camera's resolution is excellent, providing clear visuals of pets like our tester Penny, a 50-pound mixed breed beagle. 

Even in low-light conditions, the picture is seamless thanks to its automatic night vision. Although slightly fuzzy when used extensively, the zoom feature still manages to capture important details effectively. The microphone and speaker are notably clear, allowing for communication with pets, albeit with caution for noise-sensitive animals! 

“The resolution is great, and I can see my dog very clearly. The app can zoom in on a section of what the camera is seeing, and the resolution gets a little fuzzy up close, but I am still able to see my dog Penny and her surroundings,” our tester noted. 

However, the camera's minimalist design comes with some limitations. While the manual privacy screen is a valuable feature, its lack of remote control through the app is a drawback. This means pet owners must physically adjust the screen, which can be inconvenient. The camera's lightweight build makes it easy to position around the house but also raises concerns about its durability in the event of a fall. The short power cord further limits placement options, making it necessary to keep the camera close to power sources.

Priced at $29.99, the Ring Indoor Pet Camera, 2nd Gen, offers good value as a basic yet reliable interior surveillance option. Its high video quality, both day and night, makes it a worthy choice for pet owners and those seeking a simple security solution. While it lacks interactive features in other pet-specific cameras, its affordability and ease of use make it a solid contender.   

_{Dimensions: 1.93 x 1.93 x 3.81 inches | Subscription Required: No | Treat Dispensing: No | Motion Alerts: Yes | Night Vision: Yes} 

Affordable Choice

Blink Mini Indoor Wi-Fi Security Camera

$30 at Amazon $30 at Target $30 at Home Depot

The Blink Mini Indoor Wifi Security Camera offers a straightforward and user-friendly experience, especially appealing to pet owners like those with Murphy, a small mixed-breed dog. Setting up the device is easy, taking less than ten minutes. The intuitive app guides pet owners through each step, and this simplicity ensures that even less tech-savvy people can get started quickly. 

The camera provides a sufficiently clear resolution at 1280x720, capturing pet tester Murphy’s activities effectively, both during the day and at night. The two-way audio feature is impressive, allowing for clear communication and monitoring. While the speaker's positioning on top of the camera might seem unconventional, the camera successfully picks up ambient sounds and allows for effective interaction.  

“I could see my dog clearly when perched on his armchair, and the resolution holds pretty well in the evening. I was able to see my dog on his nocturnal missions when he went to investigate a sound outside our door one night. The speaker and microphone quality are pretty impressive as well! It captures TV playback well with a high degree of fidelity, and while my dog's not much of a barker, I could hear the jingle of his collar pretty clearly,” our tester said.

In terms of design, the Blink Mini Indoor Wifi Security Camera is compact and lightweight, making it easy to relocate within the home, though it may require careful placement to avoid being knocked over. Priced at $30, it’s an excellent value for its features, which include motion detection and Alexa compatibility. However, it lacks features like treat throwers or laser pointers, focusing instead on basic monitoring functionalities. The optional subscription for data storage, at $3 per month, adds a consideration for budget-conscious pet owners. 

Overall, this camera is an ideal solution for those seeking a basic, affordable indoor camera that can serve multiple purposes. To save and share clips, you can choose from an optional Blink Subscription plan for cloud storage or locally store a Blink Sync Module and USB flash drive.

_{Dimensions: 2 in. x 1.9 in. x 1.4 inches | Subscription Required: Optional | Treat Dispensing: No | Motion Alerts: Yes | Night Vision: Yes}

Best Subscription

Furbo Mini

$65 $33 at Amazon View on Furbo.com

The Furbo Mini Pet Camera stands out with its easy setup and interactive features, making it an excellent choice for pet owners. Pet tester Biscuit, a 5-year-old Pomeranian, was even captured barking. The camera arrives nearly ready to use, requiring just a plug-in and a quick app download. The cost is $20, with a Furbo nanny subscription plan at $69. 

“What I like most about the pet camera is its simplicity in setup and use. The camera quality is excellent, providing a clear view of my pet. The accurate notifications when my pet was barking were particularly impressive. It quickly alerts me, ensuring I never miss important moments or potential concerns,” our tester noted. 

The camera’s video quality was excellent, offering clear and reliable visuals of Biscuit, which is especially useful if you’re monitoring activity while away. The subscription model is an optional but valuable feature, priced at $69 annually for the "nanny" add-on. This service provides more advanced tracking, unlimited photos and videos, and enhanced notifications, making it ideal for pet owners seeking in-depth monitoring. 

While the $20 base price for the device is affordable, the true functionality shines when paired with the subscription, which justifies the additional cost. That said, pet owners not interested in the subscription might find the device’s standalone features somewhat limited compared to competing models. 

_{Dimensions:  3.55 x 2.75 x 2.75 inches | Subscription Required: No | Treat Dispensing: No | Motion Alerts: Yes | Color Vision: Yes with subscription} 

Best for Dogs

Furbo 360 Dog Camera

$99 $59 at Amazon View on Furbo.com

Imagine getting notifications on your phone for a "Doggie Selfie" that your pet captured on their own, followed by an end-of-day "Doggie Diary" showcasing how your pet spent their time at home alone. While our testers preferred pet cameras that were fully featured without the need for an additional subscription, the Furbo Dog Camera and its Furbo Dog Nanny subscription service might be worth the price for some users, with an abundance of fun, unique, and useful features.

The Furbo Dog Camera itself was well-liked by our testers. It offers a 160-degree wide-angle live stream in 1080p HD with night vision, two-way audio, a barking alert, and the ability to take a photo. In our tests, its treat feature worked well, reliably dispensing two to four treats every time we pressed the treat button in the center of the app's screen.

One tester described the Furbo as "the best-looking of the cameras we've tried, and would be good for someone who cares a lot about their camera blending into decor on a shelf."

They were also impressed with the video and audio quality, which did a good job of keeping pets in view. Plus, the Furbo's rotation can follow the movement of your pet and be controlled from the app.

The main aspect separating the Furbo from its competition is its subscription features, which currently cost $6.99 a month. The Furbo Dog Nanny service includes 24-hour cloud recording, a home emergency alert for smoke and CO alarms, and notifications for continuous barking or crying. It also sends you "Doggie Diary" daily highlight videos, which capture your pet at play.

The Furbo app is free to use with the Furbo 360 Dog Camera, but is relatively bare-bones without the additional subscription. While several of the features locked behind the subscription wall come included with other pet cameras we recommend, the Furbo Dog Nanny service provides enough additional features to put it above other subscription-based pet cameras we tested.

And while it’s in the name, we should also note that this camera is geared toward keeping an eye on and engaging with dogs—but could also work for cats. 

_{Dimensions: 4.72 x 8.86 inches | Subscription Required: No | Treat Dispensing: Yes | Motion Alerts: Yes | Night Vision: Yes, black and white}

Best for Cats

Furbo Cat Camera

$210 $159 at Amazon View on Furbo.com

The Furbo 360 Cat Camera has a tantalizing feather wand toy on top to get your cat's attention. We tested the Cat Camera with Cashew, a ragdoll cat, who was immediately intrigued with the device.

The Furbo 360 Cat Camera comes nearly fully assembled, requiring a quick plug-in and app download to start. The ease with which treats can be loaded and the Bluetooth connection ensure that even the least tech-savvy pet owners can manage. The camera's unobtrusive design allows it to blend into any home environment, with optional sticky tabs to keep it secure on elevated surfaces, preventing cats from knocking it over.

“The treat thrower seems to throw three treats often at once (not sure if this is the desired effect), and sometimes it tosses it just in front of the camera, and other times it flings much further (maybe four feet). It doesn't seem to malfunction and has worked every time thus far. There is no laser pointer or wheels,” added our tester.  

The camera's resolution is exceptional, providing a clear, 360-degree view with the ability to zoom in for detailed observation. The night vision feature maintains this clarity in low-light conditions. The speaker and microphone are highly effective, facilitating clear communication with pets. Although the treat thrower occasionally dispenses multiple treats at varying distances, it consistently delivers an engaging experience for felines.

A notable downside is the subscription cost, which can accumulate over time, potentially diminishing its overall value. Additionally, the app's frequent notifications can be more distracting than helpful. Despite these drawbacks, the camera is a fantastic choice for cat owners, combining high-quality video and interactive features. 

_{Dimensions: ​​8.77 x 4.92 x 4.92  inches | Subscription Required: Yes | Treat Dispensing: Yes | Motion Alerts: Yes | Night Vision: Yes}

Best Outdoor

Wyze Cam Pan v3

$40 $35 at Amazon $30 at Walmart $40 $35 at Home Depot

If your pet prefers spending time exploring your outdoor terrain, then the Wyze Cam Pan V3, with its ability to withstand the elements, is our top pick for you. We tested the Wyze Cam V3, and this newer version has improved weatherproofing to withstand the elements.

When motion or sound is detected, the camera automatically starts to record and sends an alert straight to the connected mobile device. Since your pet might not be the only living entity outside (birds, squirrels, lizards, etc.!), the sensitivity of the detection feature can be adjusted or turned off completely, if preferred. 

This is the only pet camera to make our list that is suitable for use outdoors, and the camera’s design impressed our tester: “The camera being small and easily mountable is a definite plus.”

It features full-color night vision in 1080p HD, and it’s lightweight, easy to mount, and adjustable, so you can find the angle that works for your space—indoor or outdoor. “I think this camera delivers a lot of features for the price,” remarked our tester. While “there is no [remote camera] control or other special features, the basics all worked very well,” they said.

The camera is compatible with Google Assistant and Alexa, provides two-way audio, and offers a 360-degree field of view and a 180-degree tilt of up or down. With the Wyze app, users can stream video, get notifications, and change settings.

"Sound quality from the app seemed good, as well as the speaker in the camera," our tester noted. "The only area to improve would be that the speaker in the camera is a little quiet.”

Cloud storage of video footage regularly deletes the oldest data, but an additional memory card can be inserted for additional storage. Depending on your space, and especially for outdoor use, you may need to purchase a longer USB power cord than the standard 6-foot cord provided with the camera.

_{Dimensions: 2.09 x 2.36 x 4.88 inches | Subscription Required: No | Treat Dispensing: No | Motion Alerts: Yes | Night Vision: Yes, color}

Best Remote Control Interface

Kasa Indoor Pan/Tilt Camera

$30 $23 at Amazon $70 at Lowe's

If your pet likes to mix up their routine and keep you guessing about their whereabouts within your space, then the Kasa Indoor Pan/Tilt Security Camera is the ideal option for you.

“I especially liked the motion control from the app; it was easy to move around and it had a good range of motion,” our tester noted, singling out the joystick-style controls, which offer 360-degree rotation and make tilting, panning, and zooming simple.

With two-way audio, activity zones, instant alerts, night vision, and the ability to access the live feed 24/7, this pet camera will let you connect with your pet and monitor their activity. Our tester felt the price point for this camera made it “a good contender for best value camera." And after manually switching from the default 720p video resolution to 1080p within the app, they rated the night vision quality to be on par with other cameras in consideration.

“Overall this is a very solid camera. I have a dog who likes to move around while I'm gone, so it's nice that I'd be able to see her wherever she moves to,” our tester said.

To find an angle that works for your space, the pet camera can be placed on any stable surface or mounted with screws, which our tester found required more effort than other cameras we tested.

_{Dimensions: 3.23 x 3.23 x 4.43 inches | Subscription Required: No | Treat Dispensing: No | Motion Alerts: Yes | Night Vision: Yes}

Best for Mounting

Petcube Cam 360

$47 at Amazon $47 at Chewy View on Petcube.com

The Petcube Cam 360 camera offers a straightforward setup experience, making it convenient for pet owners who want to keep an eye on their furry companions like our pet testers, Nyx and Atlas, American shorthair cats. The camera comes fully assembled, requiring little effort to get started. Simply plug in the device, use the QR code to download the app, and connect to Wi-Fi. This process takes about five minutes, allowing pet owners to begin monitoring their pets quickly.

“It was incredibly easy to set up. The camera comes fully set up, so all I had to do was open the box, take out the camera, charging cord, and mounting plate/screws, and decide where I wanted to put the camera and plug it in,” our tester remarked. “The camera can pan side to side 360 degrees and tilt vertically 55 degrees, so you can get a broad view when checking in. As for how stable the camera is, that really depends on if you take the time to mount the camera with the screws provided in a set location or not. I imagine it would be like most products, sturdy enough to survive a drop of a couple feet, but not much more than that if it's going to land on a hard surface.”

One of the standout features of the Petcube 360 is its impressive resolution. The livestream feed is clear both day and night, enabling pet owners to capture high-quality images and videos. The camera's design is compact and blends seamlessly into the home environment. 

While it doesn’t include interactive features like treat dispensers or laser pointers, it does allow for audio interaction, although feedback can occur if you’re nearby during use.

The Petcube 360 is an affordable option for basic pet monitoring and a subscription plan is offered that starts at $3.99 per month. Advanced features such as motion alerts and recorded history require a subscription, which might not suit those looking for all-in-one affordability. 

Despite its limitations, the camera is suitable for pet owners who need a simple, reliable way to check in on their pets without breaking the bank. Its ease of use and good video quality make it a valuable addition to a pet-friendly household. However, those seeking more interactive features may need to explore other options or consider the additional subscription costs. 

_{Dimensions: 94 x 66 x 118 mm | Subscription Required: No but some advanced features like motion alerts do require one | Treat Dispensing: No | Motion Alerts: No | Night Vision: Yes}