Customer Ratings & Reviews

My very first home security camera system was an Arlo Pro 2nd Gen that I was still using until the app updated and broke the experience when I added on the Arlo Essential 3rd Gen. That was my first letdown, and my experience did not improve much. The Arlo Essential 3RD Generation 2K camera is a disappointment. Its best features are locked behind a monthly paywall. Battery life is awful. Software is glitchy. Wi-Fi connectivity was weak which could lead to connection drops and severe lag. I did like the live notifications which included snippets of the video. I also really liked the color accuracy during daytime shots. But overall, I was disappointed with the experience. Unboxing: Arlo includes four 2K cameras with mounting equipment, a security sign, and a USB-C to USB-A charging cable. The cameras come with mounting stands and batteries already installed. Experience: Again, my experience soured very quickly. I was hoping I could pair these cameras with the Arlo VM4000 base station. I had forgotten how old that station was and I cannot fault Arlo from moving on to bigger and greater things. Buyers looking to repeat my mistake should note that these cameras will not work with the VMB4000 station. What I was not expecting was a sudden update to the Arlo app that instantly hid my Pro 2 cameras. Now, no matter what I try, I cannot get the cameras to work in the app. And because of their age, it is quite possible I will never get them working in app again. Which is a shame because these were my favorite portable cameras for many years. It was easy to pick up and put in a room with a dog or put on a shelf near the baby’s crib to keep an eye on him while he slept. The battery life on the Essential 3rd Gen cameras is not good. Arlo advertises that you should get up to 4 months on a full charge. That is a lousy number, and I do not think I will get that. I dropped ten percent in five days with light usage. If I set up motion detection and full color nighttime visuals (which require the built-in light), I think I will be lucky to get two months of usage. That means I will have to either install a solar charging option or take the cameras down every two months, give or take, to charge. That is absolutely abysmal battery life for a wireless security system. Many of the best features of the camera are locked behind a subscription. You get a trial subscription with the camera for 30 days. But after that, you are looking at $20 a month or $215 a year for the Arlo Plus plan. $29 a month if you want the plan with professional monitoring. You need a plan for smart activity zones, A.I. detection, and cloud-based video storage. You need the plan to get video history; there is no local storage without a base station, and I am not entirely sure the latest base station would provide local storage for these cameras as I do not have a compatible station. Without a subscription, all you can do is get a basic movement notification and then view the feed live from your phone. I do not know how useful that will be to most people. There are other camera packages from other companies with included base stations and even some cameras with built-in microSD storage support. This model by Arlo just feels dated and anything but user friendly. There are some positives. I liked the color accuracy of the daytime shots. But nighttime shots often felt washed out and overly gray. Color nighttime shots required the use of the camera’s spotlight, but those images did look good. Still, I did not feel like I got great amount of detail from the cameras. I will not be making out license plates in the street, but the image quality was acceptable. I also liked the smart notifications which showed an animated image in my phone’s notification screen. That is more useful than getting a notification on the phone that a camera has been triggered and then be forced to open the camera’s app and wait to see the footage. Conclusion: I cannot recommend this package. I do not care for the Arlo experience as it is right now. There are so many other camera packages that include local storage. It is one thing to offer extended cloud-based backup (something I would like), but it is another thing entirely to force a subscription to have any backup at all or to use some of the better software features. That is to say nothing of how ridiculously overpriced this experience is. I would pay $30 a year; I will not pay $20 a month. An updated base station could be useful for local storage, but you would lose out on smart features of the device. Combine that with simply okay video quality and an abysmal battery life, and I am not sure who this camera package is for. There are better options at better prices. Plus, I am not thrilled that Arlo just resigned my Arlo Pro 2nd Gen system to the dustbin. 2/5

Super easy to install and use! The 2K video quality is amazing, even at night. Battery lasts long, and I love being able to monitor everything from my phone. The yard sign is a nice bonus for extra peace of mind. Highly recommend!

It’s perfect! It delivers crystal-clear video quality and reliable motion detection, even at night. Setup was quick and easy, and I love being able to check in on my home anytime from the app

Cameras are convenient and functional, with clear picture and quick installation. Highly recommend!

Amazing cameras set for its price. Sleek and modern design, set up super easy. I like Arlo security products.

Great set! My home security is on every corner!! Sharp video.color night vision!

Awesome picture and i love how it automatically detects what it picked up in the motion like it will say animal if it sees an animal it won't just say motion detected

This is a really nice security set. It has enough cameras to use inside and outside to have all angles of the house covered and the yard sign is a nice addition. They are easy to install and use with the app

Great picture quality and sound. Subscription price is reasonable. Would recommend the xl or a solar panel if you live in a high activity area. App is pretty easy to use.

These are great. Very Clear. This gives you a piece of mind knowing you have this security.

Good value for the price. Feature rich product. Easy to get started and manage.

It came in four set just like I expected it. It was an easy set up too.

Easy to install The set make it even better the only bad side is that you need to pay to use.

Love my Arlo camera’s! Easy to install and use. Happy !!!

Very easy setup, great camera quality. Love it, definitely recommend!

Pretty good cameras at detecting when someone or a car pasdes by. The only thing negative about it is that the cameras die out of battery real quick. Store employee told us they last about a week but in reality they last only like 2 days and then you have to charge them again.

Best security system for your money! Love the app and the visibility

Great set of cameras would recommend for any homeowner.

Arlo technologies is great. I love the security system.

Very good picture quality. Battery life is decent when you get your camera resolution and zones settings dialed in. Also has worked well as outdoor camera even when and after getting wet.