How Much Do Doorbell Cameras Cost? A Look at Features and Benefits

  AUTHOR: Joshua Martin
 UPDATED: November 20, 2024

Many people are considering smart home devices for their home, but haven’t quite made the leap yet. Part of the reason may be due to not knowing how certain smart home devices work and possibly, some fear that the devices may be too difficult to use.

For others, it can come down to something as simple as cost and questioning if it even makes sense to spend the money.

I get it. Converting your home into a smart home can get expensive depending on which devices you decide to purchase.

One of the questions I’ve seen buzzing around lately concerns smart doorbell cameras and their cost. After looking into it and comparing some popular options, here is what I can tell you.

How much do doorbell cameras cost? The cost of doorbell cameras can range greatly. It depends on the model and features available, as well as if you would prefer professional installation or plan to do the install yourself. Most newer doorbell cameras range from $99.99 - $349.99.

Okay, I know what you’re thinking, that's a pretty wide range. The good news is that in this article, I'll explain what creates that range in the price.

I’ll go through a few of the popular features of doorbell cameras and show you which factors can affect the total price. Let’s get started!

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Key Doorbell Camera Options

Let’s do a deep dive into some of the key features and benefits of doorbell cameras and what it will cost you.

Video Resolution

High quality video resolution is very nice to have, but it’s not always a necessity. It strictly depends upon your preference.

If you're trying to keep the price low, you’ll want to stick with 720p quality. Doorbell cameras displaying 1080p (a.k.a. full HD) will kick you right out of the $99.00 price range before even considering any other features and specifications.

If you haven’t owned a doorbell camera before, you probably won’t notice the difference in quality between 720p and 1080p. Although, I will admit, full HD quality can provide some stunning video feedback of that guy walking towards your front door to ring the doorbell.

Power Source

Power source options can also add to the cost of a doorbell camera. Low-end models will come with the option to use batteries or to be hardwired. Nothing too fancy.

When you get into models that range from $199.99 - $349.00, you’re going to have the option to either hardwire the doorbell or use what’s known as “Hardwired with Power over Ethernet (PoE)”.

Although this does fall under the power source options category, PoE also involves the quality and speed of the internet connection. In simple terms, PoE supplies power along with a data connection through a single ethernet cable.

This option removes the need to connect wirelessly to your router and eliminates latency and connection problems. Hardwired connections are always faster and more reliable than using wireless connection options.

Lower end models won't typically include PoE hardware or capability.

If there was one reason to opt for the higher end models, I’d argue that the option to connect via PoE is something you want included. I’m all about speed and when I lose Wi-Fi connection or experience slow connection speeds, I get severely frustrated. PoE will help eliminate this issue all together.

Field of View

Field of view (FOV) is a lot like resolution in that it’s not imperative to have the best of the best, and the lower end models will surely get the job done.

Models in the $99.99 price range will typically have a 180-degree horizontal field of view and a 160-degree field of view vertically.

The models a little steeper in price will typically have a 160-degree horizontal view and be capable of going to 90 degrees for the vertical view.

Think of FOV as how much of the outside world your camera can really capture. The more the better, right?

Well, some would beg to differ. I get that having more viewing area is a cool addition, but what are we trying to do here? It’s a doorbell camera. Do we need anything more than the view of our front porch and who is standing there ringing the doorbell?

If you do need to hit the homerun with FOV, you may be more suited for a full security system with additional cameras outside your front door.

Trust me, regardless of your doorbell camera’s FOV, having 4 to 6 cameras outside your home will definitely give you a wide range of angles to view your front door.

Wi-Fi Connection Options

Theses options come down to choosing between being able to connect your doorbell camera to the 2.4 GHz or 5 GHz wireless frequency.

The 5 GHz channel allows for faster speeds and more bandwidth capabilities. Most routers can run both 5 GHz and a 2.4 GHz channels.

Let’s assume you have several smart home devices and have several other entertainment devices running on your home Wi-Fi network. The 5 GHz option on a doorbell camera can be very nice to have.

You could connect the doorbell camera to the 5 GHz channel and the other devices on the 2.4 GHz channel. This will not only provide extended range capabilities for the doorbell camera, it will free up bandwidth to enjoy everything else you do on your Wi-Fi network.

Motion-Activated Alerts

The $99.99 models will come equipped with motion-activated alerts that will be sent straight to the device you have the doorbell camera app installed on. The $349.99 models have the same capability.

This has become one of the more standard features on a doorbell camera. Most, if not all, models will include this feature.

Battery Options

Higher end models may also include a removable, rechargeable battery pack. It can make recharging the batteries for your doorbell camera that much easier.

If you hard wire your doorbell, the batteries serve no other purpose than a back-up power source if, for some reason, you lose power or pop a circuit.

I wouldn’t make a big deal of ensuring that your doorbell camera comes with this option. If your power goes out for an extended period, I’m sure you’ll have other things to handle outside of making sure your doorbell camera is functioning at full capacity.

Advanced Motion Detection

This feature is only available on the more expensive models. Advanced motion detection allows you to select a more precise area for your doorbell camera to monitor movement.

Have you ever used a DSLR camera where you can select the option to have the lens focus on or follow a face or object by using the touch screen?

It’s kind of the same concept here, except you aren’t necessarily selecting a person to follow using this feature.

You are simply choosing a specific area that you want the camera to detect motion. A nice feature to have but, in my opinion, you could probably live without it.

Illuminate Lighting and Spotlight

With this feature, when the doorbell camera senses motion, it will illuminate a small spotlight in the area it detected movement. This increases your visibility and may also help deter individuals who were up to no good.

Always great to catch that trespasser looking like a deer in the headlights. Give him a minute or two. I’m sure he will start fleeing the scene shortly.

Interchangeable Face Plates

Some doorbell cameras come with interchangeable face plates.

This feature will allow you to customize or change the front faceplate of the doorbell camera. I don’t see any advantage this provides other than aesthetics, so it’s probably not worth the consideration of paying more for this benefit.

Other Doorbell Camera Charges and Cost

So, what other costs could you be looking at when you purchase a doorbell camera and how steep is it really going to get for you?

Here are some other considerations to keep in mind.

Internet

Internet is needed for your doorbell camera to work correctly. There are other connection options outside of Wi-Fi, but those are honestly, just no good.

A home Wi-Fi network should always be the first thing on the to-do list before purchasing any smart home devices. This includes your doorbell camera.

If you haven’t read our post about how doorbell cameras work and the connection options available, consider checking it out. It gives a full breakdown of the pros and cons of each the options.

Home internet can range anywhere from $19.99 per month for slower connection speeds to over $99.99 per month for faster speeds. Using direct fiber or FTTB can also raise these costs significantly.

Your choice will depend on how many devices you have connected and how many tasks you typically perform over your Wi-Fi network.

Installation Options

Lower priced models allow for an easy and cheap install. It will take roughly 5 minutes to self-install a $99.99 model. If you opt for a $349.99 model that requires PoE, you could be looking at an additional cost of install outside of the cost for device itself.

But not necessarily. It’s still 100% doable for you to run your own ethernet cable straight through the old doorbell opening and into the back of the new doorbell camera. Check out some YouTube videos to see if you can keep this cost at bay.

Most doorbell cameras don’t really need to be installed by a professional. But if you really can’t fathom doing the work, call a friend, I’m sure they could save you some cash and time on the install.

Assuming you go ahead with a professional install, the cost can run you anywhere from $200.00 - $300.00.

Materials

You shouldn’t need any additional materials to install your doorbell camera. Everything you need will come in the box when you order the doorbell camera.

The typical package includes: the doorbell camera, a mounting bracket, installation tools and screws, and a user manual.

Service and Monitoring Fees

Professional monitoring fees for security related devices can range anywhere from $19.99 per month to $49.99 per month. Service and monitoring fees can vary, but I rarely recommend using a company to monitor your devices. It’s just not necessary.

I recommend designing your own smart home security system and doing the monitoring yourself. The choice is up for debate, however.

We cover the pros and cons of the DIY approach vs. professional monitoring in this article. Feel free to check it out.

Total Costs of Owning a Doorbell Camera

One-Time Fees

• Doorbell Camera - $99.99 - $349.99


• Professional Installation (optional) - $200.00 - $300.00

Monthly Fees

• High-Speed Internet - $19.99 - $99.99
  


• Professional Monitoring (optional) - $19.99 - $49.99

As you can see, adding a doorbell camera isn’t always going to be the cheapest addition to your home, but there are areas where you can shave cost to keep some additional money in the bank.

Though there may be a few reasons to opt for the higher end doorbell cameras, the lower end models can definitely get the job done without a problem.

Are Doorbell Cameras Worth It?

Doorbell cameras provide something we haven’t had the luxury of in the past, the ability to know who is at your front door without actually having to walk over to take a look.

Doorbell cameras can add privacy and security to your life which can surely add some peace of mind when you fall asleep at night.

By using the advice we’ve laid out in this article, you may be able to purchase a new doorbell camera and get the job done much faster and more affordably than you think.

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