Customer Ratings & Reviews

I’m absolutely impressed with this Arlo Essential 2K camera. The setup took just a few minutes — everything connected smoothly through the app. The picture quality is sharp and detailed, even at night, and the motion detection is fast and accurate. I love the sleek, modern design that fits perfectly into my home. The rechargeable battery lasts long, and I can easily monitor everything right from my phone. Definitely one of the best smart cameras I’ve ever tried — highly recommend it!

The Arlo Essential 2K camera delivers clear, detailed video both day and night. Setup was quick, and the wireless design makes placement easy anywhere around the house. I like the dual-band WiFi and the reliable motion alerts. The battery lasts well, and the app is simple to use. Great choice for home security!

Excellent experience with Arlo from start to finish! I was really apprehensive to buy because I thought it was going to be really har to install. But I was extremely surprised how easy it was! From mounting it to the wall to connecting it to wi-fi, to navigating the app! I am extremely happy with my purchase and with how secure I feel in my own home now! I can access the images from my own phone, Cristal clear images, and great system! The app is super user friendly and I say that from a place where I hardly can do any technology. It is not my thing! I would highly recommend!

This camera has amazing cost-benefit! For the price, the 2K video quality, wireless design, and overall performance are excellent. Installation was super easy, and the fact that it’s battery powered makes it very convenient. One of the best parts is the app—it’s very intuitive and simple to use. I can check the live view, receive motion alerts, and adjust settings in just a few taps. Everything is well organized and user-friendly, even for someone who isn’t very tech-savvy. Overall, great value for the money and extremely easy to manage through the app. Highly recommend!

The Arlo Essential is very convenient with the rechargeable battery. I love the security it provides with the alarm, contacts whoever you programmed it to in an emergency, with a light that is easy to use. Setting the security camera up is easy and seamless.

I’m very happy with the Arlo Essential 2K Camera! The video quality is sharp, the battery lasts a long time, and setup was super easy. I use it to monitor my front door, and the motion alerts are fast and accurate. Totally worth the price!

If you’re looking to protect your home and don’t have a big budget to do so this camera is a great way to save money and secure your home. I really like the 2K quality on the cam and the fact that it has night vision with a built-in spotlight is a huge plus for me. It comes with all the hardware you need to mount it. Paired up with the solar panel and it makes it an even better buy.

It works very well!The night vision is very high quality and it is very sensitive with motion alerts!

The 2K quality is excellent, it's easy to install, and the app is super intuitive. I feel much safer monitoring everything in real time. The price are excellent because that is a great camera.

good video camera, I liked the quality, stylish design, it looks good. It also shows well, the only minus is a paid subscription to nude

Great product, easy to use and install, very satisfied with purchase

The Arlo Essential 3rd Gen Outdoor Security Camera delivers crisp 2K video, a wide 130° field of view, and true wire-free convenience—making it a strong contender for smart home security setups. I have added it to me existing 8 Arlo cameras of various models – this being the NEWEST camera in my fleet! Core Specs & Performance • Resolution: The camera captures video in 2K (2560x1440) resolution, offering a noticeable upgrade over standard 1080p. This clarity is especially useful for identifying faces, license plates, and package details at a distance. • Field of View: With a 130° diagonal viewing angle, it covers a broad area—ideal for driveways, porches, or backyard monitoring without excessive distortion. • Battery Power: Fully wire-free, it runs on a rechargeable internal battery. Real-world use suggests 3–6 months per charge, depending on motion activity and usage patterns. I charged it up fully before mounting and we’ll see how long it lasts. Connectivity & Setup • Wi-Fi: Supports dual-band Wi-Fi (2.4GHz and 5GHz), which improves connection stability and reduces interference compared to single-band models. • No Hub Required: Unlike some Arlo models, this camera connects directly to Wi-Fi—no SmartHub needed. However, pairing with a SmartHub can extend battery life and enable local storage. For now – I’ve setup this device WITHOUT the SmartHub – which I sometimes feel the SmartHub limits the locations I can place cameras since my Wi-Fi covers a larger area than the SmartHub. • Installation: Gone is the magnetic mount – the newer Arlo cameras mount by using a keyed mounting plate with works good for putting the camera back at the exact same angle after charging. Smart Features • Color Night Vision: Equipped with an integrated spotlight, it delivers full-color night footage—though the range of the small spotlight is 20’ at best. • Motion Detection & Alerts: Offers smart detection for people, vehicles, animals, and packages. Alerts are fast and accurate, minimizing false positives. • Two-Way Audio & Siren: Built-in mic and speaker allow real-time communication, and the remote-activated siren adds a layer of deterrence but not something I enable. App & Subscription • Arlo Secure Plan: A 1-month trial is included. After that, plans start at $7/month and go up for more features. I had an existing Plus Unlimited plan that I was able to add the camera to. • App Experience: The Arlo app is intuitive, with quick access to live feeds, event history, and device settings. Animated previews are a standout feature—letting you see motion events without unlocking your phone. Durability & Use Cases • Weather Resistance: Rated for outdoor use in rain, snow, and sun. It’s a solid choice for Minnesota winters or humid summers alike. • Use Cases: Ideal for home entrances, garages, patios, or monitoring deliveries. Also suitable for indoor use if needed. I may use this camera as a “floater” that I move around where needed. Pros & Cons Pros 1. Crisp 2K resolution 2. Wide 130° FOV 3. Dual-band Wi-Fi 4. Smart alerts & color night vision 5. No Hub required Cons 1. Battery is non-removable 2. Subscription needed for full features 3. No local storage without SmartHub 4. Sometimes confusing to add to your existing app if you don't recall the exact model OVERALL: If you're looking for a reliable, high-resolution, wire-free camera with smart detection and a sleek app experience, the Arlo Essential 3rd Gen 2K is a compelling option—especially for users who value flexibility and ease of installation.

Love this camera! Great view, easy set up, user friendly app!

I am always in the market to get good reliable cameras that will allow me to keep my home and area safe. It is a good to have a watchful eye when I am not home as well and speak to deliveries when they arrive. I was excited to see this Arlo camera retail at a great price and just had to get it! The setup was very easy to install onto the house and the app made it very seamless to setup. I really like how it shows an animation on the setup to provide great instructions if you run into any issues. Out of the box it already comes charge so in a way its ready to just install and run. The picture quality is amazing and I really like how you can zoom into the picture to help identify things. I also enjoy the speaker and mic to allow easy communications when needed. The light is bright but will not extend far outwards so its good for close encounters. The best thing is the batter on this, it can run for quiet some time even if you have it set to maximum picture quality. The only thing to remember is when recharging it will take forever. It is a very slow charge and can take up to 5 or 6 hours from 1% to a full 100%. I feel its a good trade-off for how long the batter last in these cameras. Overall this is a great little camera with great picture and mic quality. It is very easy to setup and will last a very long time against the weather.

If one outdoor ARLO ESSENTIAL Gen 3 camera near the front door is a suitable match over my 30-Day Trial then I will have the confidence to expand coverage into their multi-camera network. My experience with one camera should also give me a good basis for comparison with the many options I found at us.arlo.com. Though hard to evaluate 'everything, everywhere all at once', I browsed current options and warranty data points in the security camera category to get a good gander of the extensive ARLO product line, minimizing future potential for buyer’s remorse. The ARLO tightly packed kit arrived with camera, charging cord, mounting template, two screws, and anchors needed to mount the unit on a brick exterior. The biggest trouble I had with setting up the ARLO Security Camera 3 Gen connection to the ARLO SECURE APP on my Samsung GalaxyA15 was locating my correct Network Password. My fault! But, the exercise was a blessing to refresh my record on a detail that should’ve been at my finger tips. So far, the highest logic for my needs began with a cord free, rechargeable lithium-ion battery driven security system. Previously considered wired systems required having to punch holes through walls to snake wires through a brick envelope to outdoor cameras. Right now, my low tolerance for time consuming inconvenience compelled me to risk potential intermittent Wi-Fi failures over the hassle and expense of hiring someone to execute a hard-wired installation. By contrast, the greatly appreciated convenience of a wire-free design has been somewhat challenged by my need to climb a ladder with a drill to apply the unit high up on a brick wall to be out-of-reach of an intruder (unless by battering ram) and somewhat inconspicuous. I suppose any security system can be defeated with intention; so bottomline, having something is better than no coverage. Now having one camera even as a test seems not enough, lending more value to the argument for a multi-camera set up. Nonetheless, my ‘one camera experiment’ is perched on the underside of my front door awning in a manner that would capture a visitor once turned around to leave. I have several test locations to evaluate camera range before I settle on a more 'permanent' installation into brick. If a mortar penetration is not secure enough to hold the unit then a hammer drill into brick may do the trick: issues not carefully considered in advance. Added expense may be required to execute a mounting if the preferred height is out of my wheel house. The Trial is 30 days affording activation of some premium features: Ability to view, share, save, and/or delete your video history. Ability to configure Activity Zones so only meaningful alerts interrupt your flow. Ability to receive immediate messaging when a package, vehicle, or animal comes within range of your target area. Ability to tailor its AI driven recognition capability to identify specific people and vehicles by uploading images. Ability to program the system to recognize activities such as opening and closing of the garage door, and/or sprinkler activity. The options are greatly appreciated but it’s unrealistic for me to connect with all the above-listed options within 30 days. Consumers with hectic lives really do require more time with a new device. Unless, with advance planning, the purchase could be made during a slower time, a vacation, or when a partner is available to work through the many special features. With more presence of mind and consideration of the required learning curve, I would have planned the 30-day trial during a time less loaded with deadlines. If I get ahead of myself and put more on my plate than I can process, I end up using only the basic functions of a device that’s loaded with more features can be integrated. Bat an eye these days and obsolescence sunsets your investment. Nonetheless, laudable features are packed into a compact camera: 2K RESOLUTION, COLOR NIGHT VISION, a built-in SPOTLIGHT, a SIREN. Last I looked, monthly subscription rates range from Basic starting at 7.99 to next level at 17.00 on up to 24.99 for Premium Professional Monitoring. Though unable to verify until proven over time, ‘stated claim’ is that the camera offers up to six months of BATTERY LIFE on a single charge, depending on usage. TIPS says: "To extend your camera's battery life, set up schedules, adjust recording settings, and more." Since the charging port is accessible from the bottom, a charging cord to a portable power bank is an option to consider. So happens a 25ft cord is available at the us.arlo.com Otherwise, the mounting plate makes removal of the camera an easy task for transport to an indoor or outdoor outlet for charging with its original charging cord. If this marriage lasts, even wiser is the ARLO Solar Panel for charging. And since my power station has solar panels, I may not have the expense of an additional solar panel if coupling adapters can resolve connectivity issues. Connectivity issues like mine are good to resolve before purchase via ARLO's online chat that escalates, if required, to live customer support. The hardware has a build quality that presents as rugged and weather resistant enough to survive harsh conditions, especially required since the increasing extreme weather events of climate change have been flattening entire homes. Tolerances for winds, rains, crash bang impacts on electronics probably need revised ratings by material scientists for hotter/colder temperatures, higher winds, crash bang scenarios, etc since threats are sky rocketing. Wrap up is that, except for my own lack of foresight, on boarding and performance have been without obstacle. Price point makes this unit a value buy as a first run.

One thing I always have an issue with on wireless cameras is that they always seem to miss the initial action. I typically recommend a powered or wired camera system to friends because the initial event can be recorded, or you can get 24/7 coverage and not rely on motion detection and the delay of the camera powering on. However, there are situations where you can’t use a wired system and wireless is the only way you are going to have any sense of peace. I have been using the Arlo Essential (3rd Gen) and the Arlo Pro (6th Gen) for the past week and with them side by side, I can really see the differences in the Pro. This is not to say the Essential is a bad camera, it’s just to point out that the extra price makes a fair bit of a visual difference. You can see my review on the Pro if you want more specifics about it in particular. I feel the naming of this model is pretty on point. For a wireless camera, you want the essentials, to be able to connect to your WiFi, be able to capture the moment and have two way communication. You get all of that at 1440p resolution, the ability to use 2.4Ghz or 5Ghz on the Wifi, a bright LED that gives decent color night vision and a siren to make it even more obvious that they are being noticed. The biggest drawback I have with the Essential camera is the fact that you have to remove the whole camera if you need to take it in to charge. This means the camera is out of service for several hours unless you have a source to plug it outside or swap it with another camera. Unlike the Pro, where you can pop the battery out, if you have extras, and put it back in place. The battery life also seems to drain a bit faster on the Essential, so this means that, depending on activity, you may have to take it down every 30 days for a charge. The reason I say it is still too slow, is with all wireless cameras I have ever used, is to conserve battery, they don’t fully power on till after they detected motion. This means the subject is already moving and you have no idea what they did in the first couple of seconds. With that, there are also times that it might not even record anything of use. Say, like a car passing by, all you noticed is the tail light glow going out of frame. I did notice the Pro captured things a bit more often and slightly faster than the Essential, possibly due to the higher FOV. As you may notice in the images attached, the Essential still captures a decent image. I almost prefer the Essentials color night vision over the Pro HDR as the lighting from my house sort of blows things out a bit. The FOV difference is only noticeable when directly comparing them side by side as well. The other issue I have with most wireless cameras is that you have to have the subscription, or their Smart Hub, if you want to be able to record any videos. If you don’t have the subscription, they just become motion detectors that you can watch live for a brief moment. You do get a 30 day trial to test out the main features before you decide on a plan to go with. Overall, for nearly half the price of the Pro version, this model of the Arlo camera really does cover the essentials. The main disadvantage is that recharging either needs power to the camera or you take the camera down. I personally do not like the missing time that wireless cameras create, but considering you can put this up in a matter of minutes and only cause 2 screw holes, it might be the best option.

Normally, I wouldn't bring up a different produc when I'm writing a review, but I just reviewed a newer Gen camera before this one. Both of these are 2K resolution, and the crazy thing is, I firmly believe that they are both very simular in terms of visuals. Set-up is just as simple, as well.This unit does have the docking bracket, unlike the newer one. But I also found that it was a very painless experience as far as installation goes. Just as you should with every security camera. Be sure to fully charge your camera before the initial set-up. And unlike the newer models, the Essential model will not have a steady blue light when the camera's battery is at 100%. So, I recommend checkingin on it after a couple of hours on the charger. Speaking of chargers, I do love that Arlo is using type C ports now. It just makes everything feel more uniform. The options to turn the night vision to black n white when the flood light isn't active does help to keep that already long battery, running that much longer. And the fact that you'll no longer need a HUB to use these cameras, just makes me want to outfit my whole place with these things. There are optional service plans that will allow things to run more streamlined, but it isn't absolutely needed to get great use out of them. I can't recommend this and any other Arlo device, enough. Go get this camera.

I really like this Arlo camera. It’s small, compact, and doesn’t take up much space at all. Installation was super easy, and it was simple to attach exactly where I needed it. Everything is controlled through the app, so I can check what’s going on anytime from my phone, which is very convenient. The image quality is really good - clear both during the day and at night. The camera reacts well to movement and reliably detects people and passing cars, so I always get notified when something is happening. The only downside is the battery. It needs to be recharged fairly often, and charging takes a few hours. Other than that, it’s a great camera and does its job perfectly.

I added this to a set of Arlo cameras I had already. Set up is seamless and works perfectly . The optics and quality of photos and video is superiot to my existing set, The addition of the light is a great security feature. I mounted this under a soffit at my garage and after adjustments so I didn’t pick up every random car going by and now alerts me to any vehicle pulling into my driveway. Mounting is easy but I did opt to use a different mount that made it easier to articulate and aim the camera. For 30 days you receive the Arlo secure plan which gives you capability to set up face and car recognition. It also stores alert video with the capability to erase warnings and keep those you want. This is ideal if you have your camera in a high traffic area and you can add your family, mail person etc.. The images are crisp, clear and everyone that has alerted my ARLO camera is recognizable, even at night. The app gives you total control of the camera’s features and with the Arlo hub you can set up home and away security features. This is a great home security option.

I have loved Arlo products until Arlo - Essential 1- Camera Wireless 2K Security Camera (3rd Gen) Ourdoor Security Camera. I was so excited to get this camera set up at the back door. I already had the APP that I needed to use because I have other Arlo security cameras already. . I put the camera on to charge using the included cord and my already owned block. Charged it for two days and it still was not working. It just acted like it was dead. So I changed blocks and charged it again over night with the same results. Finally figured with the cord and got it to charge or so I thought. I synced the camera with the APP while it was still plugged up to power. I updated the firmware, synced it with my WI-FI. I thought I was good to go. So I took it to the back door to make sure it was receiving WI-FI. Nope it said no WIFI. I can use my laptop out side with my WI-Fi so I knew it should be working. I never did get it to work where I want it installed. . I decided to move it closer to the WIFI by installing it out side the living room. My WI-FI is in the living room. It did connect to the WI-FI and I installed the screws and such. Went in the house for something and came back and it was not working again. Finally took it to the front door within 4 feet of the WI-FI and it only had “Good” WI-FI. I am so disappointed in this cameras ability to do its job. . I finally got it set up and working but it is not where I wanted it and it is not using the full power of the WI-FI. The view on the APP is clear from the camera. It was easy to install to the wall on the front porch and it is easy to adjust to any direction. It is a bit hard to move it so that is good. The wind won’t move it as we do get strong winds here. It is heavy and physically well made. It comes with the screws and pad to attach it to the wall. It does pick up movement but it is slow to notify me via the APP. The Spotlight is not as strong as I expected it to be.