Customer Ratings & Reviews

First impression: My first impression of the Arlo Essential Gen 3 Indoor camera is that it is another excellent Arlo camera that is loaded with features for an unusually low price. It has the same strong plastic body and solid build. It has a power cable and no battery. Also, there are no magnetic mounts that come with these. What’s in the Box: • 1x Arlo Essential 3 Indoor camera • 1x 2m indoor charging cable • 1x indoor PA • 1x wall mount and screw kit • 1x quick start guide Technical Specifications: • Maximum Video Resolution: 2304 x 1296 (2K) • Video Modes: 2K, 1080p, 720p • Frame Rate: 24 frames a second • Image Sensor: 3 Megapixels • Digital Zoom: 12x • Field of View: 130° • Night Vision: Color Night Vision and IR B&W Night Vision • 2-Way Audio: Yes, with echo cancellation • Microphone: Yes • Siren: Yes • Motion Detection: Yes, with a 110-degree horizontal field of view • Connectivity and power • Connectivity: 2.4GHz & 5GHz dual-band Wi-Fi • Power: Plug-in AC adapter with a 6.5 ft cable • Indoor only • Minimum Operating Temperature: 32F • Maximum Operating Temperature: 113F • Camera Mount Type: Tabletop & Wall Mount Pros • Video quality: Sharp and detailed 2K resolution with impressive night vision. • Ease of use: Quick and simple setup process through the Arlo app. • Intelligent alerts: Smart motion detection can distinguish between people and animals. • Privacy: It includes a physical privacy shutter that can be activated manually or automatically. • Connectivity: Connects quickly to both 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz Wi-Fi, and the app is easy to navigate. • Alarm: A loud siren built into the camera is loud enough to startle an intruder. Cons • App complexity: The sheer number of settings can be overwhelming for new users. • No local storage: There is no option for local storage (like an SD card) on the camera itself. Setup: Setup is typical Arlo setup. I opened the app, clicked on the Add button, and everything got set up easily. It’s always been easy with Arlo, and it’s even easier now. There really isn’t anything to worry about, the app does all the work. And this camera connects to both 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz networks. Performance: Let’s get right to it; The video quality is excellent. I’m so used to 4K I wasn’t sure that 2K would be good enough. But for inside use, it’s far better than good enough. The quality of the image is very sharp and crisp. Everything is clear, and during daylight hours, the colors are accurate. And the night vision is superior to any indoor camera I have used up to this point. The camera does a really good job lighting the area up evenly and reduces shadows that other cameras struggle with. When using it for closeups in night vision, the detail is amazing. And for covering rooms, the 130° field of view gives you a lot of space for such a small camera. Arlo takes data privacy seriously. They approach this on two fronts: end-to-end encryption of the data and the Privacy Shield. Encryption protects video data to ensure it doesn’t fall into the wrong hands. The Privacy Shield is a physical shutter that closes to ensure there is no video being recorded. The click it makes when closing along with the obvious white shield offers comfort of privacy without worrying. The advanced AI is impressive. It provides motion detection with enhanced facial recognition, animal recognition, vehicle recognition, and even fire detection. And the alerts are also AI enhanced, providing animated previews and event captions in the notifications. This camera also has great audio. It has a single microphone that allows two-way communication between the camera and the app. This communication is enhanced with noise reduction and echo cancellation. This camera does not provide local storage like many other cameras. It does provide storage, through both the Arlo Cloud and adding a MicroSD card into a Smart Hub and connecting to it. Another nice feature is compatibility with numerous Smart home systems, such as Google Home, Amazon Alexa, Samsung SmartThings, Apple HomeKit, and IFTTT. Conclusion: I am an Arlo fan. I have had my house protected by Arlo since they 1st came out. I eventually took out the outdoor cameras because I could no longer get up on ladders to change out the batteries. But inside my house it’s an Arlo house. Arlo Essential Gen 3 2K Indoor Camera is a great camera for an amazing price. It is feature rich, offering amazing video - both daytime and night vision with crystal clear, crisp video. Enhanced AI provides more accurate tracking and enhanced alerts. The two-way communication feature provides clear audio between the camera and the Arlo App. And the camera provides security by providing encrypted video data and a privacy shield that provides assurance that the camera is not recording with its White shutter. And finally, it is compatible with the most common smart home systems. This is not unusual features for an Arlo system, but all of this is included in a camera for less than $50.00. And with the paid subscription, you get additional AI features and online storage of your video. I am really surprised by Arlo’s new indoor cameras, but I couldn’t be happier. If you are looking for a good indoor camera with amazing quality and feature rich, all for less than $50.00, you won’t go wrong with the new Arlo Essential Gen 3 2K Indoor Camera. I highly recommend it.

Easily setup and clean videos Videos quality great

Amazing camera works perfect easy to setup highly recommended

I love it.. it was reasonably priced and works well

works for intended purchase. Purchased to check if I wanted a more complete system.

Easy to install, works great, the image is clear and its app records and notifies you of everything.

Simple but effective camera. Very good for indoor use

Delightfully perfect to watch critters with! Love the birds

I had trouble pairing it and the private screen opened and closed as if it was possessed or it had already been see up. Other than that it performed well until it started taking video even when disabled

Great quality great price zero complaints over here

Here’s what I think so far of the Arlo Essential 1-Camera Indoor Wireless 2K Camera (3rd Gen) — the plug-in power version in white, which I’m currently using in my home office. Setup was simple and easy — plug it in, connect to Wi-Fi, and you’re live in minutes. And that 2K resolution (2304×1296) and 130-degree field of view really do make a difference in clarity. I can comfortably read small text on my whiteboard from across the room and see what else is happening in the room. The build is compact and of high quality. The matte white surface disappears into the environment, looking less like a “security device” and more like decoration. The two-way audio is really useful…I can talk through the app if someone comes in while not at my desk. Night vision is also a nice touch. How It Fits in My Home Office: I attached it slightly set back above my monitor, where it can see the door and has a view of the main workspace. It’s perfect for when I’m out to grab coffee or attend a meeting elsewhere — I can quickly pop in and see what is happening. The motion notifications are precise, and the picture is clear enough that even slight movement can easily be seen. The camera just fits into my workflow. If my daughter or pets walk into the room, or the housekeeper tidies things up a bit, I can see that in real time. That instant connection and feedback make it a helpful extra set of eyes in a busy household. Areas for Improvement There are some minor trade-offs. You’ll still need a nearby outlet and decent Wi-Fi, though…since it’s powered via plug-in. It’s 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz compatible, but a strong signal matters when it comes to stability. The 130-degree field of view is wide enough to capture a full room, although in tighter spaces you may need to manipulate the angle so it doesn’t pick up too much ceiling or wall. A few advanced features, such as extended cloud storage and smart detection alerts require a subscription plan. It’s not a deal breaker, but something to consider if you’re eyeing an all-in-one set up with no additional costs. Final Take: For a small, stealthy-built indoor camera that provides more than you’d expect for its size the Arlo Essential 1-Camera Indoor 2-K (3rd Gen) is just what is needed. In my home office, that makes for clear, reliable coverage and good peace of mind without taking up much desk space. It’s got a permanent place in my setup for the image quality, easy setup and reliable motion alerts. The only real questions are about Wi-Fi strength and whether you’ll need the paid extras…otherwise, it’s a consistent performer that goes about its business without any fuss day in, day out.

I’ve been using the Arlo Essential Indoor Wireless 2K Security Camera (3rd Gen) for a few days now, and it’s a solid performer for anyone looking to monitor indoor spaces with clarity and control. Setup was a breeze—no base station required, which is a huge plus. The camera connects directly to Wi-Fi (supports both 2.4GHz and 5GHz), and the Arlo Secure app walks you through the process in minutes. Its plug-in powered, so no battery worries, and the compact design fits easily on a shelf or mounts cleanly to a wall. The Arlo Essential Indoor Wireless 2K Security Camera (3rd Gen) delivers sharp 2K resolution (2560 x 1440) with a wide 130° diagonal field of view, allowing you to monitor entire rooms with clarity. Its pan and tilt capabilities—360° horizontal and 180° vertical—are controlled remotely through the Arlo Secure app, giving you full-room coverage at your fingertips. The camera features 12x digital zoom and color night vision supported by infrared LEDs, ensuring visibility even in low-light conditions. Motion tracking automatically follows movement across the frame, while two-way audio with echo cancellation lets you communicate clearly through the device. Smart detection features include AI-based alerts for people, pets, vehicles, and packages, and a built-in siren can be triggered remotely for added security. Privacy mode allows you to disable audio and video with a single tap, and cloud storage is available through an optional Arlo Secure subscription. This compact camera is ideal for indoor use, offering powerful surveillance features in a sleek, easy-to-in-install package.

The Arlo Essential Indoor Camera is an excellent choice for straightforward indoor home security, offering a clear 1080p or 2K video resolution (depending on the model) and a wide 130^{\circ} field of view to capture significant areas of a room. It features a crucial Automated Privacy Shield that physically covers the lens when the camera is disarmed, ensuring your private moments stay private. Setup is a breeze as it connects directly to your home's 2.4\text{GHz} Wi-Fi, and its compact, modern design allows it to be discreetly placed or mounted. Core functions include Night Vision, a built-in Integrated Siren that can be triggered remotely, and two-way audio with noise cancellation to communicate with people or pets. While you get instant motion and sound alerts on your phone and can view the live feed for free, accessing premium features like cloud video storage (typically 30-60 days of history) and advanced AI object detection (identifying people, packages, or animals) requires a separate Arlo Secure subscription after the initial trial period.

The Arlo Essential 3rd Gen camera is a 2K indoor security camera. It runs off of a standard USB-C power source. It stands about 4 inches tall and has a blue LED that goes on when the camera is running. When not physically recording anything, there is a white lens cover that closes over the lens, so you can be sure that nothing is being seen. When the camera has power and the lens cover is closed, the blue led is still lit, so you know it is working but not seeing anything. Everything works with an app called Arlo Secure, which is available for both Android and IOS. The camera captures images at 2K and there is a screw hole in the back for mounting on a tripod or other device. In Arlo Secure you have 3 modes. “Arm/Away”, “Arm/Home”, and “Standby”. Each of these modes can have their own A, Motion Detection settings and Audio Detection settings. You can control detection for people, packages, vehicles, animals, fire and you can detect all motion. You can have animated notifications for sound and you can control what sounds it is supposed to listen for. You can listen for gunshots, screams, barking dogs and breaking glass or you can have it listen for any kind of sound. When one of your chosen sounds is heard, you can control what actions are taken, such as turning on a light, taking a snapshot, activating a siren, or playing a sound. You can also control sensitivity for motion, audio, recording duration and siren settings. One thing that I dislike about these features is that many use a bar with minimum and maximum values, however, as you slide up and down the bar, there is nothing telling what the setting that you have selected is. You have to approximate what you have chosen. You can program a home/away schedule, so you don’t need to manually change the mode as you leave for or come back from work. Some of the features of the camera come from a subscription plan. They have Arlos Plus Single for $9.99 a month for 1 device, Arlo Plus Unlimited for $19.99 per month, and Arlos Premium for $29.99 per month. Each package offers different features. I personally don’t like having to pay for functionality on a monthly or annual basis. Whether the added features are worth it to you, is something that you will have to decide. I like the camera and the software. My three dislikes are the slider bar values, previously mentioned, having to schedule the home/away modes, and features being behind a pay wall. If all you want is a way to monitor inside your house when you are gone, and don't want the whole Arlo ecosystem with outdoor cameras and stuff, this camera is great. Otherwise, as much as I like the camera, I can’t personally recommend it because of the subscription being needed for some of the functionality.

They were hounding for one to sign up for a plan before I got to see if czmera would suit the needs of keep my home secure. Easily hacksble and someone evade being captured on footage. Witnessed a car 2 adults 2 pets enter vehicle st edge of my driveway and nothing manifest for 3 solid minutes then filming began again. Same with this person return

The tldr; is this generation of Arlo products is a great upgrade, and this Arlo 2K essential camera is superior to anything else I have ever used. Why? Fast Setup, but what's great is you can open/close the privacy shield from the app. This makes the Arlo 2K essential perfect, if you're like me and what to have cameras in your basement, facing doors, etc. but only for when you're away. None of that cumbersome manual privacy shields that you find on competitors. It has been some years since I used Arlo, I installed it in my previous home and left it for the new owners. So was excited to test Arlo again, this time with the 2K Essential. Setup was fast and easy with the app, the camera was detected quickly. Pairing to my mesh WiFi network was quick. The app requires registration, but it doesn't require you pay or subscribe during setup. Once the camera paired, I was getting clear footage and the people, pet, vehicle detection was fast and accurate. To get this ongoing, you need to pay a monthly fee. The annual cost of the subscription can be as high as $30 a month for unlimited cameras, but that also includes emergency response features. I'm using the Arlo in my basement, so don't really need the advance features for this camera. I tested the microphone and audio quality was relatively good for a security camera. I plan to get a few of their outdoor cameras, as part of a total home security setup. Overall, a very smart camera, great picture but the automatic in built privacy shield and enable/disable option is the real winner for me. If the subscription plan was cheaper, the Arlo would be perfect.

Incompatible camera i took out of state and was not advised when i purchased.

I was all set to make the Arlo Essential system my new home security solution. I'm coming from the Nest ecosystem where I've dealt in the past with their lag, limitations of some cameras, and high cost, all of which the Arlo system claims to deal with all of my concerns. I'm also somewhat moving away from the Google/Nest ecosystem in my home, so I hoped to use Arlo systems to bring my home security up to a spec that was more compatible with my Apple endpoint devices (and maybe HomeKit service!) Design - The camera is VERY well designed with a nice small footprint and an even more compact mounting system - Very small brackets install easily into the walls or trim of the house or it can be used tabletop/desktop with 2 small self-tapping screws so pre-drilling and templates aren't necessary if you are wall mounting. There's a nice quick-release for taking them down to charge, and this hardwired unit still connects with a simple USB-C connection for easy access to replacement or extension cable chargers if an outlet is further away. There's also a very nifty "shutter" lens cap that automatically opens and closes indicating when the camera is recording (there are also lights, but this was helpful in assuaging concerns when used indoors when the camera was set not to record.) Video Quality: The video quality at night and during the day seems excellent. This fares a bit better than competing 1080p cameras, but the claim of "color night vision" is exaggerated, as most of the night footage was in fact greyscale/Infrared-based. Not a problem for my use case. Day images were super clear and both were able to be zoomed a fair bit and details observed (not as much so as some 4K cams I've tested). Connectivity: The device paired with my home WiFi 7 router/mesh well, which was a relief (these systems can struggle with mesh WiFi so this was a nice relief. I learned while researching the product that in order to have seamless/flawless connections there is an additional $99 base station that's not included that makes the system more reliably connected, and THEN offers Apple HomeKit compatibility. This was my biggest disappointment - Requiring a base station accessory to enable HomeKit was disappointing, as I was used to having Google Home integration with my home accessories already, and now I'm stuck with ONLY the proprietary app to get alerts, footage reviews, and recording reviews. This is a challenge for me to accept these are my primary camera system, and is the deal breaker for my own installation, but shouldn't deter you if you dont have an Apple ecosystem requirement. If you're happy using the free Arlo app for alerts and checking the cameras on phone and tablet, these work well. I did notice delays on my further-mounted cameras from the sides of the house struggling to connect for 20-30 seconds sometimes when trying to get live view quickly from the camera. I'm worried this is a known issue with Arlo without the base station. Subscription/Software: The Arlo app is adequate. It's just Adequate. It lacks the interface polish of the rest of the brand (I expected something more akin to the project packaging and aesthetic but the app is drab grey with an appearance like it was originally written for an older version of iOS. The Android app is very similarly outdated-feeling. It worked well enough but just didnt feel like a 2025 competitor in this space. This was one of the reasons I would have loved to manage the cams from the Apple Home app and have that interface for interacting with them. I missed Google Home, which is saying something. The subscriptions are also pricey even at the standard tier, and the cameras are basically only live-monitoring with NO alerting without the $215/year subscription to the "Plus Multi-Camera" plan that is the only one that makes sense for my multiple cameras. You can get a 9.99 single-camera plan per month or discounted for $96/year but this seems steep for basic video recording and AI recognition features for a single camera. All of these are pricey compared to competitors offerings. All in all, this is an adequate monitoring solution based on some good technology, just a victim of no partnerships brought forward from Arlo, limited Apple compatibility, and a weak app UI/UX.

The Arlo Essential Indoor 2k Security Camera is the best indoor security camera I have added to my setup. The camera is super easy to set up and use, and the features are great! This is a stand alone camera and the Arlo base station is not required. It connects via wi-fi. Out of the box, there is not much involved. The camera has protective plastic covering the front lense area that needs to be removed, but otherwise, just set it up where you want it, and plug it in! It comes with a usb to usb-c cord and a wall plug, so you just have to plug the usb-c into the back of the camera, and plug the usb side into the wall plug and there you go! The cord is about 6 ft in length. There is also a place on the back of the camera to screw in a different style mount, just be mindful as the usb cord plugs into the back of the camera, so mounting positions may not work in all situations. Once the camera is on, just connect in your Arlo app, hit the + at the top, go to cameras, then to Essential Series, then tab onto Plug-In cameras, and then choose the Indoor Camera (3rd Gen). You will hold the pairing button on top until the light on the front is flashing blue, then you can connect to your camera. It will search for firmware updates and then once all of that is done, you can access your camera. One cool feature of this camera, is that if you disable the camera from the app, there is a auto closing shutter that covers the lens, so you can have piece of mind that it is not recording. Also when the camera is active, the blue light on the front with stay lit solid, and when the camera is disabled, it will turn off completely. It does have a microphone, speaker and a mini siren inside the unit that you can set off in an emergency. The video quality is amazing. The image is very clear and crisp with its 2k resolution. It has a live microphone so you can hit the microphone button while viewing the feed, and talk continuously though it. It does come with an Arlo 30 day trial for their premium subscription service. There is a free service still available after the trial, you just have to weigh out the plan options. Overall, I highly recommend this for an indoor camera. With it being a stand alone camera and not needing Arlo base stations to operate, it makes it very easy to use and function. Very clear audio and video and could not be happier with it.

This indoor security camera is simple yet effective. It comes with a USB-C power cable, a mount and screws. The design is more for sitting on a shelf or counter than being mounted. The base doesn’t give much movement. You can mount it to your ceiling though, which is a nice way of having it out of the way and giving a larger clearer viewing area. I feel mounting it on the ceiling is effective because if it is not hidden from anyone trying to break in they might see it and this just might deter them from doing anything and they will just leave your home. I mean who wants to be on camera and be watched while they are stealing or whatever they are doing in your home. The camera is 2K and provides a clear view in color. I believe Arlo security cameras are noted for what great videos they take. Night vision is black and white and still picks up quite a bit. Some features for this camera that I like is the two-way audio you could use to talk to someone in another room if you don’t feel like yelling, and it also integrates with smart home devices. This camera is very user friendly and setup is simple and easy. You will need to download and install the Arlo Secure app and follow the instructions. These Essential Arlo cameras connect through your WiFi and do not need a hub. The app allows you to view live views, have two-way talking, and even lets you set off the built in siren to scare away anyone that is not supposed to be in your home To use some of the better features, you will need an Arlo subscription. With the subscription you have 60 days of stored video, you can be alerted to motion and even view saved videos away from home. There is so much that the subscription lets you do compared to without it and it is well worth your security to get it. This is a great starter security camera that has many uses. You could even use this as a baby monitor! If you already have Arlo cameras set up, this will make a great addition to add more security inside your home.