Customer Ratings & Reviews

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 battery powered 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 this starter pack as the first move away 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 with 2 small self-tapping screws so pre-drilling and templates aren't necessary. There's a nice quick-release for taking them down to charge, and they're equipped with USB-C connections for easy access to recharge means throughout the house (There's also a nice USB-C cable included for the cameras for easy re-charging.) The cameras feature lights and a "siren" ability that I assume is used to scare off potential trespassers or burglars, but this seems to be of limited usefulness considering that most criminals are immune to this type of feature. Video Quality: The video quality at night and during the day seems excellent. They fare 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). Audio Quality: The audio was good, but laggy and delayed when sending audio through the devices. the audio pickup in videos where that's desired was good enough. Not a killer feature for my use case of having eyes around my house at every entry point. Battery Life: This camera is the "extended" battery powered model. I put this camera in my highest traffic area where I'd already tried one of the "standard" battery cameras which depleted quickly. After over a week in place, I found this camera still reported a "full" battery which is promising that I could get several weeks or even a few months of battery life between charges which is a HUGE improvement. I also have the standard battery version which contains much of this same review with differences noted with those cameras, For the intent of this review, the other capabilities were the same, the only difference being battery life. 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 number of cameras. This camera standalone could be subscribed for the $9.99/mo or $96/yr plan for a single cam. Still a lot for just recording retention and some AI features. 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.

This is one of my favorite outdoor security 2k cameras that are battery operated. I haven't been able to test the battery test but it is currently getting below freezing where I live and the battery is only reduced a few percentage points from 100% and I have been using for over a month. From my previous wireless security cameras that is close to the 4x that is states as typically my wireless cameras during the colder months only last approximately 30-45 days. This camera is very easy to setup and install. I really enjoy the magnetic base plate as it helps me get the precise angle I would like to have with my cameras. The wide angle lens is fantastic and the 2k is very detailed during the evening. You can shoot in HD but I prefer having 2k for all time so I can get better detail in the evening. This camera has a speaker for audible alarm and also 2 way communication. I really enjoy the two way as I have people that sometimes stop by and I can talk to them when I get an alert. For a wireless camera the video quality is really good. I would definitely recommend this camera.

The Arlo Essential XL Security Camera (gen 3) is a large, heavy security camera that does a fantastic job of capturing sharp video day and night, sending notifications to my phone and identifying objects. It is quite bulky and heavy for a security camera with a rechargeable battery. That doesn't affect anything but aesthetics though. Setup is quick and easy. Charge the battery to full, download the Arlo app and it walks you through pairing, updates the camera, and then walks you through the process of installing the camera and adjusting the view. This security camera uses a USB-C cord to recharge the battery, which I much prefer to the magnetic cords used previously. However, I don't like that you can't use just any USB-C cord. The charging port is narrow and the cord that they include has a narrow jacket to fit. So if you lose the cord, you can't just simply replace it with another. The app gives thumbnails to view while identifying objects, so far it's been accurate. Clicking on a thumbnail lets me view the entire footage of the event. Video is sharp and clear, day and night. The spotlight is very bright. The security camera comes with a free trial of Arlo Secure plan that is necessary to keep premium features. I love the video quality, the detection accuracy, and ease of setup with this Arlo Essential XL Security camera. Taking off a star because I'm not a fan of it being bulky and heavy, or that the charging cord is not universal.

Arlo Outdoor Security Camera My first impression of this Arlo Outdoor Security Camera Essential XL, 3rd generation, was that it definitely felt like a premium product. It turns out that my first impression was correct. In addition to the security camera, it comes with a charging cable (it’s already partially charged right out of the box – a nice feature) and a Quick Start Guide. The Quick Start Guide is more comprehensive than many other Quick Start guides. Before it takes you into the “Get started” section of the Guide, it not only tells you what’s in the box, but includes a very nice section titled "Get to know your camera”. This section identifies all the relevant parts of the camera with an arrow pointing to each camera feature. This helps you become more comfortable with all the features before you even start setting up your camera. Once you’ve connected the camera to your network, it will check to make sure that you have the latest firmware, and, if not, it will update it. After that, you’re in business. Once set up, the motion detector starts filming whenever it detects motion, so you can see who’s coming and going. In my case, my wife leaves the garage door open for much of the daytime hours, and I have several sets of expensive Ping golf clubs, lots of expensive fishing gear, and a number of other valuable things in the garage. It’s probably a bit alarming for any bad guys who dare set foot in the garage, since their motion sets off the spotlight built into this security camera and most likely scares away anyone who has bad intentions. The photos and videos that the camera takes when it senses motion are of high enough quality to allow me to hopefully identify anyone who ventures into my garage with bad intentions. To summarize: This is a very nice security device that is very reasonably priced, so there's no reason not to protect things that are of value to you. And it’s also great for allowing caregivers to keep an eye on their loved ones without having to be in the same room with them 24/7. This security camera is very impressive. Highly recommended. You won’t be disappointed.

The Arlo Essential cameras arrived well-packaged, with a clearly written instruction booklet that made the initial setup feel promising. The wireless camera itself feels like a step up in build quality compared to earlier Arlo models I’ve used. Unfortunately, the setup process through the app was frustrating. While the app’s interface is clean and intuitive, the onboarding was confusing. After selecting the device type and model, I was asked to choose between four subtypes—none of which matched my camera exactly, especially since the power button placement didn’t align with the options shown. Eventually, I held the power button for three seconds, saw the blue light, and the app found the camera—great. But after entering my network credentials, I ran into repeated connection errors. I tried rebooting, factory resets, reinstalling the app, and even waited through multiple failed attempts. After a dozen tries and a 35-minute support call (plus a callback), I was told the camera required a 2.4GHz network and WPA2 security. Support even suggested I contact my internet provider to switch from WPA3 to WPA2, but it turned out my network was already set to WPA2-Personal. Despite what the documentation claimed, I ultimately connected successfully using my 5GHz network. Even after receiving a replacement wired Essential camera, I encountered the same issues. I decided to dig into the app settings and, on a hunch, deleted my home location and re-added it from scratch. Surprisingly, that simple change resolved the connection problem for both cameras instantly. It’s surprising that support didn’t suggest this earlier. Once installed, both cameras were mounted about four feet from the front and back doors. The wired camera has proven more reliable, consistently connecting to the live feed and recording clips ranging from 19 seconds to a full minute. The wireless camera, despite being placed at an equal distance, struggles with lag and only records brief clips—sometimes just two seconds. I suspect this is due to network performance even though both camera indicate full strength, and I plan to test alternate placements. Image quality on both cameras is excellent, with up to 8x zoom during playback to capture fine details. However, the monthly subscription is pricey compared to other systems I’ve used, and without a plan, you can’t access recorded footage at all. In summary, the Arlo Essential cameras themselves are well-built and deliver impressive video quality. The app is functional, but the setup experience—especially for wireless models—was unnecessarily complicated. Once connected, the wired version offers better reliability, while the wireless camera may require some trial and error to optimize performance. If Arlo can streamline the setup process and improve wireless performance, this system would be much easier to recommend. I still gave a 4 star rating since they do have good notification options and a high quality image and some of the connection issues may have been due to me previously having an Arlo account.

Was happy to test the Arlo Essential Camera. There was an area of my house towards my car that I have always wanted to have monitored due to recent activity in our neighborhood. Having this camera gives my family and I piece of mind. The camera was easy to install to the side of our house that faces the street and at the same time keeps our cars in view. The camera also is 2k day and night vision. Love the fact that you can speak through the camera if needed and there is a light on the camera that you are able to turn on. In addition, your able to mute unmute the sound. You are also able to put it in alarm mode and or turn off the mode if needed. It did not take long to charge the camera in the house. Mounting the camera was easy. At first I was wondering if the small nails would be an issue, however, turns out it is perfect. I am unsure at the moment how long the battery life will lasts, it seems to be doing pretty well. The app also makes it easy to sync easy with your cell phone. Overall a great purchase. Pros: Easy to Install Easy to download app and connect 2k Cons: None at the moment. Thank you so much for letting me test this product. This is a total game changer for me.

The camera and app functionalities appear to be in line with most other DIY security cameras/apps I’ve used. In general, it does what it should. I’ll focus on the neutral and less desirable aspects, for me. Neutral: I’ve seen cameras marketing color night vision. Those appear to do this with AI/software logic. I thought that’s what this camera was going to do. The details from Arlo are skimpy and I don't recall seeing any specific images or explanation about how they handle it. What Arlo means by color night vision though is when motion is detected, it turns on a spotlight to light up the area so that the video can be in color. Seems to be a little misleading, in my opinion. Like me turning on the flashlight in my backyard and claiming I have color night vision. Cons: The battery does not appear to be user replaceable. This would be my preference for any battery powered light. That way I can have one charged and ready to go once it was time to pull it down and recharge. Depending on where you put this, that’s something to keep in mind…can you get to it easily when it is time to charge and do you want to do it again once it’s finally charged. To be fair, after about 15-days, the battery has only dropped by 4%, so the XL should definitely minimize the number of times you have to do this. Also, there is no antitheft mounting. Granted any criminal with knowledge and the right tool(s) can take any light, but it’ll take a little time. The base fixture on this is only held in place with a retention tab. Depending on where you place it, someone could walk off with your camera if they so choose and with little effort. Being a plastic mount, I also wonder how durable that retention tab will be after a enough weather cycles in colder leaning climates. I personally don’t like outdoor products with shiny black plastic. They all become cloudy, brittle and flake after enough seasons.

The Arlo Essential XL 1 Camera Wireless 2K Security Camera (3rd Gen) is a solid choice for anyone looking to add to their home security for use indoors or outside throughout the year and in the elements. As soon as I unboxed it, I could tell that the the camera’s build quality is superb. The weight is substantial but not overly so. It is very well-made and has the ability to withstand outdoor conditions for long periods. While it is slightly larger than some competing brands, it isn’t overly so and won’t be obtrusive when installed on your porch or back patio, etc. This model claims to offer four times the battery life of its predecessor, which is a significant improvement to help cut down on the frequency of charges. The device arrived with a considerable charge, and after just 30 minutes of being plugged in, it reached full capacity indicated by the solid green LED. Setting up the camera was very simple. The included quick start guide walked me through putting the device into pairing mode and since we already use the Arlo app for our doorbell, it immediately found the camera when it opened up. Feature-wise, the Arlo Wireless camera dual band wifi connectivity so you can count on a signal when you need it. You can talk to people outside with its 2-way audio ability. At night, it has the ability to display color and has a strong spotlight to help you see what’s going on. When you need to get a little extra definition, it records 2K video and has up to 12x zoom. In summary, the Arlo Essential XL 1-Camera Wireless 2K Security Camera is a well-designed, feature-rich device that excels in ease of use, battery life, and video quality. Its sturdy build and advanced capabilities make it a top choice for anyone looking to put in or upgrade their home security system. I would certainly recommend Arlo as a solution for your home.

I installed this about 9 days ago after fully charging it and it’s currently at 87%. I’m not sure the extended battery life is close to what was advertised, but that does depend on settings and the amount of activity in the area. Mine is installed in my garage and apparently it’s a bit more active than I thought, but I still expected better battery life. Setup was fairly simple with the exception of scanning the barcode from my phone. I have a screen protector on mine and it took multiple tries to get it to work. The video quality is excellent and where this really shines. I’m disappointed at the lack of integration with more smart home brands. It looks like it on works with Alexa. I primarily use Apple Home for my setup and I realize there are fewer options for Apple, but most devices work with Google as well and that didn’t appear to be an option. This is probably my third Arlo camera and I feel they are omitting options that other devices offer. The device itself misses a decent amount of activity and when the alert pops up, there is a decent delay before the live view comes on. There is also no option to add a memory card for onboard storage, probably because they want you to subscribe to their cloud plan. I did activate the free trial and I like the AI descriptions that are generated when activity is found. For example, it might read “Black truck backing up” or “person loads bags into vehicle”. The descriptions have been extremely accurate. I’m not sure it’s worth paying for but it does work well. If you need an entry level camera with basic features and quality video, this would work well for you or if you’re willing to pay for the cloud service to get the AI features. If you’re looking for something to integrate into an ecosystem outside of Amazon Alexa, I would look elsewhere.