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Most security cameras have motion detection, but not all of them do it well. We found that the Reolink Argus 3 Pro is motion-sensor camera royalty. It wins the crown with super-sensitive motion detection that can distinguish between people and cars, cutting down on false alarms.
During our research, we also found the best camera for those on a budget, the best doorbell camera, and the best pan-tilt camera.
Camera | Best for | Price | Human detection | Field of view | Power source | Local storage | Learn more | Read review |
| Best overall | From $179.99 |  Yes | 122° | Battery, solar | Yes | View on Amazon | Read review | |
| Best doorbell camera | $258.99 | Yes | 145° | Battery |  No | View on Bing Lee | Read review | |
| Best budget camera | $86.98 | Yes | 100° | Wired | Yes | View on Amazon | Read review | |
| Best pan camera | $125 | Yes | 125° (with 360° horizontal and 96° vertical pan) | Wired | Yes | View on Eufy | Read review |
Prices are accurate as of post date. Read full disclaimer.
The Reolink Argus 3 Pro is one of our favourite security cameras because it offers solid features that, unlike many other (often more expensive) security cameras, aren't locked behind a monthly subscription fee.
We also love that there's a solar-powered version that costs around the same price and does away with the need for charging.
Colour night vision
Local storage and included cloud storage
Compatible with Alexa and Google
Light and siren 
Comparatively narrow field of view The only real downside to the Argus 3 Pro is its relatively limited field of view. At 122 degrees, it's considerably narrower than comparable cameras.
However, we think the fact that no ongoing subscription is necessary for access to key features or cloud storage more than makes up for this minor shortcoming, as you could feasibly double the field of view with an extra camera and still end up paying less overall than some other models that require a subscription.
The Nest Doorbell (Battery) is on the pricier side for video doorbells, but when it comes to motion and AI features, it’s top dog. The camera can tell the difference between a car, package, human, or pet, so you get fewer false alerts. Even better, it recognises familiar faces. Yup, that’s right. This doorbell camera can learn the difference between your mum’s face and your best friend's. And it can even tell you when they’re at the door thanks to a feature called Familiar Faces.
Other than that, it has some decent specs:
Facial recognition
Pre-set responses
3 hours free camera storage
No colour night vision
Expensive You can set up what types of alerts you want. Get alerts when a package is delivered, when the doorbell sees a person, or when anything triggers the motion sensor. You can also use the app to answer the door automatically with pre-set responses.
Unlike with other doorbell cameras like Ring, you can see up to three hours of camera history for free. That means you don’t need to sign up for a subscription.
On the downside, it is quite an expensive bit of kit, and you'll only be able to see in black and white at night.
If our top pick is beyond your budget, never fear—we found a more affordable version that’s almost as good: Reolink Lumus. At less than $100, the Lumus is reasonably priced, especially if you want to put up more than one camera. Best of all, its features aren’t kept behind a paywall.
Features include:
Floodlight and siren
Privacy masks
Advanced recording ability
Advanced motion zone creation
Narrow field of view
Wired power only Lumus also features smart motion recognition and customisable motion zones to halt annoying, unwanted notifications. Most camera apps make you set up a motion zone by adjusting a square or rectangle around the area you want to monitor. With Lumus, you can block out areas you don’t want to monitor by drawing shapes on the screen with your finger or a stylus, granting you a lot more control.
The only thing we're not fans of is the narrow 100-degree field of view, but again, this camera is so cheap, you could simply buy another to double the coverage.
The Eufy Indoor Cam 2K can rotate a whopping 360° horizontally and 96° vertically, covering more area than any other camera on this list. It's ideal for keeping track of roaming pets, or even as a baby monitor.
Some of its features include:
Wide viewing range
Local storage option
10m night vision
256-bit encryption for added security
Wired power only
Indoor use only We appreciate that this Eufy cam supports SD card storage of up to 128GB, which means you don't need to fork out extra for monthly cloud storage fees (unless you want to). You're also not missing out on any features by opting out of Eufy's subscription plan, which is a breath of fresh air.
The Reolink Argus 3 Pro is the perfect mix of useful features and quality motion detection. We love its wide field of view, package detection, and that it works so darn good you have to throttle it back.
If you’re on a budget, don’t overlook the Reolink Lumus. It may be cheap, but it’s far from trash. It provides quality video and a bevy of features that rival more expensive cameras.
Still on the fence? Take a look at our home security camera top picks.
It took hours of research and comparison coupled with dozens of years of safety and security expertise to choose the top motion sensor security cameras for this list. We focused on cameras that don’t just detect motion but do it well. Only cameras that provided advanced motion detection combined with quality features made the list.
We also hand-tested many of these cameras. For real-life comparisons, we even had our pets give the motion sensors a run for their money.
Learn more about how we review products and services by visiting our methodology page.
A PIR motion sensor (passive infrared sensor) is used on many security cameras to detect movement. PIR sensors detect movement by measuring the heat that is emitted from objects around them.
PIR security camera technology is pretty basic because the motion sensor can’t tell what it’s looking at; it just knows that a thing is moving. To beef up detection, AI technology is often combined with PIR sensors to detect whether an object is a person or your latest delivery from Amazon.
There are many different types of motion sensors. They all have one thing in common: they measure changes in the space around them to determine if there is movement.
Some measure the light or radiation emitted from objects. Others sense vibrations. Once the data is collected, it sends a signal to your security system or an app on your phone.
Some do, and some don’t. Typically, motion sensor cameras only record when they detect movement to save memory space and battery life. Plus, limited recordings save you from wading through hours of footage to find an event. Typically, brands will require you to sign up for their subscription plan to get 24/7 recording.
They range anywhere from around $50 to $300.
