Traditional outdoor floodlights, known for their ability to broadcast intense light with a wide beam, are ideal for lighting up driveways, pools, and every other part of your property. Most floodlight fixtures use a motion sensor to automatically turn the lights on when they detect motion, but if you want to see who or what triggered your lights, you need a smart floodlight camera.
A smart floodlight camera combines an outdoor floodlight and an outdoor security camera into a single fixture. These devices use Wi-Fi to connect to your home network and allow you to control them with your phone, and in some cases, your voice. Most sport durable designs that can handle any type of weather.
However, not all floodlight cams offer the same features. For example, some pricier models have smart detection and recognition capabilities. Others offer broad support for third-party smart home devices and platforms. We cover everything you need to know about choosing a smart floodlight camera below, but make sure to check out our reviews for more specific information on each option.
The Best Outdoor Home Security Camera Deals This Week*
*Deals are selected by our commerce team
More About Our Picks
Arlo Pro 4 Spotlight Camera
Best Overall
Bottom Line:
The Arlo Pro 4 Spotlight Camera is a wireless outdoor security camera that installs in minutes, delivers stunning 2K video, and offers a wealth of features with plenty of integration options.
Pros
- Completely wireless and easy to install
- 2K HDR video
- Color night vision
- Works with Alexa, Google, HomeKit, and IFTTT
- Lots of third-party integrations
- Built-in siren
- No hub required
Cons
- Some features require Arlo Smart subscription
Best Affordable Model
Bottom Line:
The Wyze Cam Floodlight combines the excellent Wyze Cam V3 with bright, motion-sensing LEDs for a potent outdoor security solution under $100.
Pros
- Affordable
- Detects motion and sound
- Bright LEDs
- Works with other Wyze devices
- Easy to install
Cons
- Doesn’t work with HomeKit
- No voice control
Arlo Go 2 LTE/Wi-Fi Camera
Best for Cellular Connectivity
Bottom Line:
The battery-powered Arlo Go 2 outdoor camera’s Wi-Fi and cellular radios enable you to keep a digital eye on your property from just about anywhere.
Pros
- Completely wire-free
- Easy installation
- Sharp 1080p video with color night vision
- Local and cloud storage options with intelligent alerts
- Uses both Wi-Fi and cellular connectivity
- Works with Alexa, Google, and IFTTT
Cons
- Some features require a subscription
- Doesn’t support Apple HomeKit
Arlo Pro 3 Floodlight Camera
Brightest Arlo Floodlight
Bottom Line:
The Arlo Pro 3 Floodlight Camera is a battery-powered security cam that offers sharp 2K video and color night vision with a bright floodlight, along with plenty of third-party compatibility.
Pros
- Sharp 2K video
- Color night vision
- Supports Alexa and Google voice commands and IFTTT applets
- Intelligent motion alerts
- Doesn’t require a hub
Cons
- Recorded video and smart notifications require subscription
- Slight barrel distortion
D-Link Outdoor Spotlight Camera (DCS-8630LH)
Best Storage Options
Bottom Line:
The reasonably priced D-Link DCS-8630LH outdoor security camera offers a generous selection of features including a spotlight and a siren, local and cloud storage options, and color night vision.
Pros
- Supports voice controls
- Color night vision
- Local and cloud video storage options
- Intelligent alerts
- Spotlight and siren
- Broad support for third-party platforms
Cons
- Doesn’t work with HomeKit
Arlo Essential Spotlight Camera
Best Affordable Arlo Cam
Bottom Line:
The Arlo Essential Spotlight Camera is a wireless outdoor security cam that offers color night vision and uses a bright spotlight and a loud siren to ward off intruders.
Pros
- Sharp 1080p video
- Color night vision
- Voice control
- Supports IFTTT applets
- Intelligent motion alerts
- Doesn’t require a hub
Cons
- Recorded video and other features require a subscription
- Non-removable battery
Ring Floodlight Cam Wired Pro
Best Detection and Tracking Features
Bottom Line:
The Ring Floodlight Cam Wired Pro delivers excellent HD video, accurately detects motion, and is bright enough to light up most yards.
Pros
- Sharp HDR video
- Dual-band Wi-Fi
- 3D motion detection and subject-tracking features
- Intelligent alerts
- Color night vision
- Works with Alexa voice commands and IFTTT
Cons
- Expensive
- Requires subscription to access video recordings
- Lacks HomeKit and Google Assistant support
Best for Local Storage
Bottom Line:
The Eufy Floodlight Camera records sharp video to local storage, but it doesn’t work with as many third-party platforms as its top competitors.
Pros
- Crisp 1080p video
- Local video storage
- Bright floodlights
- Color night vision
Cons
- Doesn’t support HomeKit or IFTTT
- Few integrations
- Onboard storage not expandable
- Cannot control lights with voice
Google Nest Cam with Floodlight (wired)
Best for Google Assistant Users
Bottom Line:
The Nest Cam With Floodlight is bright, delivers detailed 1080p video, and responds to Google Assistant voice commands, but it’s pricey and doesn’t support many third-party integrations.
Pros
- Sharp 1080p video
- Bright LEDs
- Supports Google Assistant commands
- Intelligent alerts
- Dual-band Wi-Fi
Cons
- Expensive
- Some features require a subscription
- Doesn’t support Alexa, HomeKit, or IFTTT
Light at Any Time of Day (or Night)
Most smart floodlight cameras use dual-LED lamps to light the way, although there are some single-spotlight models we also like. A typical bulb in a smart floodlight puts out anywhere from about 500 to 3,000 lumens; the combined brightness of the two bulbs in dual-LED configurations typically outshines single-bulb models. For context, a 3,000-lumen LED bulb is roughly equivalent to a 200-watt incandescent bulb.
Typically smart floodlight cameras don’t use replaceable bulbs, but you can expect them to last anywhere from 15,000 to 30,000 hours of usage.
Any model worth its salt can respond to motion and sound events, but some fixtures even let you dim the lights and/or create custom lighting effects. If you use Alexa, Google, or Siri voice commands to control your smart home devices, make sure your floodlight cam supports independent voice controls for the lights and camera. You should also ensure that it is capable of streaming video feeds to an indoor smart display such as an Amazon Echo Show or a Google Nest Hub.
See Your Surroundings
The camera component of a smart floodlight is just as important as the light, enabling you to see what’s going on outside. Many offer the same features that you get with standalone outdoor security cameras, including the ability to respond to motion detection events by turning on the lights, sending an alert, or recording the event.
The cameras typically house Wi-Fi or Bluetooth radios that you can use to connect the fixture to your home network, and feature weather-resistant enclosures that protect them from the elements. If you have a lot of smart devices on your network, consider choosing a dual-band camera that can connect to either the widely used 2.4GHz Wi-Fi band or the less-crowded 5GHz band.
Wyze Cam Floodlight
(Credit: Wyze)
Most floodlight cameras record 1080p video, but a handful can go up to 2K. While you get a sharper image from a 2K camera, streaming video smoothly at that resolution requires a strong network connection. Moreover, higher-resolution video requires more storage space and may result in more expensive cloud storage fees; we detail these fees in each of our reviews. Look for a camera that offers a wide field of view and uses high dynamic range (HDR) technology to enhance contrast, too.
Many cameras use infrared LEDs for black-and-white night vision, but some employ special sensors that use low ambient light to capture color video at night. Either way, you should make sure your floodlight cam can record clear video out to around 30 feet.
Warning Alarms
Shining a light on potential thieves and intruders can be a good deterrent, but some situations call for more drastic measures. If you live in an area where package theft or car break-ins are common, look for a floodlight camera that has a built-in siren that you can activate from the app or program to go off when it detects motion. You should look for a siren with a volume somewhere in the 100dB range (or louder if you live near a busy roadway). Flashing lights are also ideal for letting visitors know that you’re aware of their presence.
Make sure your floodlight camera has a two-way talk option that lets you converse with whoever is out there. And if you want to play a personalized audio message, look for a model that lets you prerecord messages. Doing so can help make it appear like you’re home even if you’re not.
Arlo Pro 3 Floodlight Camera
(Credit: Arlo)
Other Features to Consider
If you use Alexa, Google, or HomeKit to control your smart home, pick a floodlight camera that works with your platform of choice so you can run routines and set it to interact with your other smart home devices. Or, look for a model that supports IFTTT applets; IFTTT enables you to set up integrations with lots of third-party apps and smart devices.
Recommended by Our Editors
Some floodlight cameras contain a microSD card slot that you can use to store local video recordings, but others require you to pay for a cloud subscription to access them. If you require access to your video from anywhere then cloud storage is the way to go, but otherwise, you can get away with local storage. Better yet, look for a model that offers both local and cloud storage options.
Finally, installing a floodlight camera is fairly easy, but wired fixtures require you to deal with high-voltage electrical wiring. If you’re not comfortable with that, then consider hiring a professional for the installation. Or you can opt for a battery-powered fixture; they don’t require any wiring whatsoever, but you likely need to charge them frequently depending on their recording resolution and amount of use.
For more, check out our Readers’ Choice Awards to see which security cameras and brands other PCMag readers trust most.
Once you find the right camera, head over to our tips for setting it up. And for an even more advanced way to keep a set of eyes on your home, both indoors and out, see our picks for the best smart home security systems. Finally, check out our story on how to set up a DIY home security system if you want to save on subscription fees.
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