The Nest Cam is one of our top picks for a smart home security camera. It is more expensive than most of the competition, but it is also a higher quality camera. That said, we have one big issue with it. Read our review and buying guide to find out what we don’t like and to help you decide if this cam is the right pick for you.
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Nest Indoor Security Camera Review
Are you looking to protect your home and family, or just check up on a pet, baby or loved one in a different location? Then you might want to consider the Nest Cam Home Security System. It features top of the line 2-way audio and video that leaves much of their competition in the dust.
Here are just a few of he features of the Nest Cam.
Features Of The Nest Home Security Camera
- Compatible with Alexa
- Smart home and activity alerts
- 2-way audio (perfect for calming barking dogs!)
- Live streaming, as well as cloud recording with the subscription
- Sharp, 1080p video
Buy the Nest Surveillance Camera
The best place to find this smart home camera is on Amazon. Click the button below to find out more and to check the current price.
Pros
- One of the highest user ratings among smart home cameras
- Excellent audio and video quality
- Cheaper price per camera if you get more than 1
- The motion alerts actually work quite well, without a high number of false alarms like with cheaper smart home cameras
- You can easily mount the camera anywhere
Cons
- Without the yearly subscription, you can only view the feed in live mode with no recording capabilities
- Only three hours of recording time with the cloud subscription
- Some reports of poor customer service and support
- One of the more expensive smart home security systems
What People Are Saying About The Nest Security Camera
“It has an excellent picture quality, which would make it really easy to identify any intruder into my home. Some of the negative reviews mention the cost of the yearly cloud subscription, but the way I see it, it’s actually quite a good value considering what you get.”
“I love the Nest Cam app—it’s very user-friendly, intuitive and easy to get paired up with your camera. Just be aware that to take full advantage of this camera, you essentially need to get the subscription because without it, you can only view the feed in live mode.”
“I love how easy it is to customize each specific camera via the app. You can turn one on, and one off. Video but no sound and vice-versa for the other camera? No problem.”
“I use the Nest Cam to check up on my elderly parent. I don’t need the recording feature so don’t have the same complaint that many other people do. The video quality is great, and the 2-way audio feature is really nice to have. She puts her laptop screen in front of the camera and I can help her do some basic things like online banking, etc.”
See More Customer Ratings and Reviews
Nest Cam Indoor Security Camera Video Review
How To Set Up The Nest Indoor Security Camera
It’s very simple to get your Nest Cam up and running. It takes most people just a few minutes. Check out this video below for more details:
Compare Smart Home Security Cameras
As far as smart home security cameras, this one from Nest is one of the most expensive ones. However, it’s far from our favorite.
Although the audio and video quality are great, we find that the company almost forces you to subscribe to their fairly expensive plan. By not doing this, you have no way to record any of the footage, and you’re also subject to ads for the service on any device that you’re installed the Nest app on.
Compare this to something like the Yi Home Camera that has 7 days of free storage in the cloud for motion alerts, as well as a slot for up to a 32 GB card. Sure, the picture and audio quality aren’t quite as good, but most people find them “good enough.” It really depends on your needs.
Another great budget option is the Wyze Wireless Smart Home Camera that has 14-day rolling cloud recording for free. There are a few minor complaints about the software, namely that you go to a landing page when you open the app instead of a live feed from your camera. But for the price? Most people are wiling to put up with it!
There are also a few higher quality options that are preferable to the Nest, mainly because they do not force you to subscribe and pay a monthly fee. You can see all the best smart home security cameras in this comparison. Our top pick is the SENS8, which we will discuss a bit now.
SENS8 Home Security Camera Vs Nest Indoor Security Camera
If you’re looking to compare the Nest Cam with another high-end indoor security camera, then look no further than the SENS8. It’s a bit cheaper than the Nest Cam and it has a lot more features.
Some of the things this SENS8 camera has that the Nest Cam doesn’t include the following:
- Heat and humidity sensors
- 2 hours of backup power
- Built in 8 GB storage that syncs to Google Drive or Dropbox (no monthly subscription fee!)
- Very few false motion alarms due to their patented algorithm
Sounds like exactly what you need? It probably is, and for our money, we’d drop it on this device rather than the Nest Cam. Because you’ll spend your money once, and that’s it. The Nest Cam? Get ready to keep on paying every single month forever.
Learn more about the SENS8 smart security camera in our full SENS8 review.
Nest Indoor Security Camera Review: Conclusion
If you’re looking for an indoor security device, you may be considering the Nest Cam. It’s a decent option, and there are certainly lots of happy customers.
However, for our money, we probably wouldn’t buy this one. The picture and video quality are excellent, and better than much of the competition, but in order to use the device, you basically are forced into a monthly subscription.
There are cheaper options (Wyze, Yi, Heimvision) that have free cloud storage. Or, you could go for a higher end device (the SENS8) that connects up with either Google Drive or Dropbox and still costs quite a bit less.
That said, if you were planning on going with a subscription model anyway, then you can’t beat the Nest. Check it out on Amazon to learn more.
Can The Nest Cam Be Hacked?
A common question that people have is whether or not the Nest Cam can be hacked. And is that risk higher or lower than with other home security devices?
In reality, just about anything connected via the Internet can be hacked by someone skilled and determined to do so. That said, it’s not easy and most people won’t go through the trouble of doing this!
The Nest Cam is no easier, or harder to hack than similar home security devices from other companies. You can learn more about this here: How Easy is it to Hack Home Security Cameras?
Nest Security Camera For Indoor Use: Your Thoughts
What do you think about the Nest Cam Security Camera? Leave a comment below and share your thoughts with us. Also be sure to give this article a share on Facebook, Pinterest, or Twitter. I’ll help other people concerned with home security, like yourself find this useful resource.
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Last update on 2025-05-22 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
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