Home security cameras keep watch over your home from both inside and outside, acting as an extra pair of eyes and ears to monitor your property. In this guide, we'll look at the benefits of installing indoor and outdoor security cameras, from their potential to deter criminals to other applications such as pet and baby monitors. We'll also explore the necessary and optional features of security cameras, as well as their drawbacks. Finally, we’ll discuss some of the other ways to protect your home if you’re not sure about installing cameras.

What Are the Benefits of Home Security Cameras?

Peace of mind is one of the main benefits of security cameras, whether you choose to install cameras that are wired or wireless. They can increase your home security by letting you check in on your property from wherever you are, see a live feed of your home on a smartphone or computer, and get immediate alerts of any unusual activity.

While the number of burglaries in the U.S. continued to decline recently, the value of the property stolen increased in 2018 to $2,799 (the most recent year for which this information is available). These studies indicate that although burglary rates are dropping, more valuable items are being stolen. This makes home security cameras an important tool in our home protection kit, as they can help with recovery as well as detection.

Security cameras are recognized as an excellent deterrent to criminals. The experts we spoke with don't recommend relying solely on cameras for security, saying a complete home security system is the best defense. However, cameras are still important. “If I had to choose, I would go with an alarm system over a camera system first,” says Jordan Frankel, vice president of security consulting firm Global Security Experts Inc. “But I do think cameras are a great addition, primarily because they're a psychological deterrence. A bad guy sees the camera and may skip your home and move on to an easier target.”

Research backs this up. A study of incarcerated burglars by the University of North Carolina at Charlotte’s Department of Criminal Justice and Criminology showed that indicators of increased security, such as outdoor surveillance cameras, were considered by most burglars when selecting a target.

Home security cameras aren’t just useful for policing your property; they’re also helpful for keeping an eye on children and pets when you can’t be there. A security camera with facial recognition by your front door can send you a push notification saying, “John is at the front door,” so you know your child is home safely. Two-way audio on indoor cameras can act as an intercom, allowing you to see and talk to your family when you’re not home.

For more on the benefits for home security cameras check out How to Buy Home Security Cameras and How Home Security Cameras Work.

What Are the Drawbacks of Home Security Cameras?

Privacy is a big concern when putting cameras around your home. “Whatever it records is technically on the internet forever,” says David VanWert, a home technology consultant and founder of VanWert Technology Designs Inc. “Once it's stored in the cloud, in theory, it never goes away.” But as VanWert points out, you likely already have a number of devices in your home with cameras that can record what you’re doing, such as smartphones and computers. There are steps you can take to minimize the security and privacy risks of installing security cameras, however. If you're concerned, consider only installing cameras on the outside of your home, and don’t put them in personal spaces such as bedrooms.

Liability can be another drawback. “If you;re just watching your own property, you’re probably fine,” says Jeff Welch, a former corrections officer and founder of Grab The Axe security consultants LLC. “But if your neighbor believes or has evidence that you have one pointed towards his bedroom window or front door, then you have an issue on your end for liability for their privacy.”

Also, if you record someone’s conversation without their knowledge – even on your own property – you could be breaking the law, depending on where you live. Denise Howell, an internet and technology lawyer, says that under federal law, as long as you’re a party to the conversation and you consent to it being recorded, it doesn’t matter what the other parties think. However, several states have two-party consent laws that make it illegal to record audio conversations without the consent of everyone involved. Plus, it’s almost always illegal to record a conversation if you’re not participating in it at all. A good rule of thumb is to let any visitors know when they are being recorded and consider posting notices on your property indicating it’s being surveilled by audio and video recording technology. Additionally, specific features such as facial recognition (found on Nest cameras) are illegal in some states. Check the applicable laws where you live.

Another drawback is that home security cameras can be costly. While their prices have come down a lot in recent years, to outfit your entire property with security cameras can cost thousands of dollars. Additionally, these high-value items on the outside of your house can be a target for theft themselves.

Are Home Security Cameras Good for Home Protection?

A home security camera system is an excellent tool for home protection, and it can work both as a deterrent and a recovery tool. Burglars are wary of properties with visible security cameras. Plus, if a crime does occur, security cameras can help gather evidence. From property damage to potentially identifying criminals who break in, if you capture the action on camera, you're more likely to be able to remedy it.

If you want to be able to identify cars, people, and other moving objects, it’s worth investing in a camera with super or ultra-high definition video (2K or 4K, respectively). This technology uses more pixels in the image, meaning you can zoom in to see more detail on license plates and identify more physical characteristics. An HD or full HD camera won’t get you that type of clarity, especially at night.

Ultimately, home security cameras work best to protect your property when they're integrated with a home security system. To save their batteries, wireless security cameras only start to record when they detect motion, which means they may not record everything you'd want them to. With a home security system, cameras, especially mini camera, can be set to start recording as soon as any part of the security system is triggered, such as a contact sensor, a glass-break sensor, or a motion sensor. This makes it more likely the cameras will record everything that’s happening on your property and not just the few seconds of motion that occurred right in front of them.

For more on home security systems, read our guide to Best Home Security Systems of 2021.

What Are the Most Important Home Security Camera Features?

First, decide whether you want your home security camera to record footage continuously or based on a trigger, such as motion. Recording continuously will make sure yo don't miss anything, but it will require a lot of Wi-Fi bandwidth and isn't suitable for battery-p