Customer Ratings & Reviews

Awesome system for a really good price with solar included

It's perfect. I'm changing my other brand cams. No montgly subscription requirement. Just buy microSD cards and ready to go. Easy install. Wide coverage. Clear resolution.

Set up: Brings screws and requires a drill to set up the mount for the camera and the solar panel. The solar panel cord is long enough to be able to set up the camera at least 20ft from the solar panel. Then just download the app and the camera is detected pretty quick. Camera: built-in speaker, built-in light, built-in alarm, picture quality is amazing (crisp and clear whether day or night), and the camera itself is sturdy and well-built. Solar Panel/Bettery: Never have to charge! I noticed the solar panel starts charging the camera once the battery starts going underneath 75%. I haven't noticed lower than that. App: This app is amazing! Better than Arlo for sure. So many customizable features! It took me a few days to explore everything it offers. You can automate it in many ways and switch from "home mode" and "away mode" through a scheduled time. You can also set up the camera to only detect specific movement like: only pets, only people, only vehicles, or just general movement - and it alerts you of what type of detection it picks up (vehicle, pet, etc.) The app allows for "privacy mode" if you share your camera app with family members with just one click, so it doesnt send alerts. You can also take pics and record videos through the app and it saves on your phone. It has so many more features to make it simplify its use, you just have to explore the app and activate/customize the features to your liking. Subscription Service: way more affordable than Arlo or Ring. $3.49/device or $11.99/10 devices per month. There's in between prices for less cameras as well, and you can do a yearly service which saves you money if you want to pay up front.

Overall, we are pleased. Performance has been as expected & install was somewhat straightforward as explained later. The app is easy to understand & use. We have 1 camera covering our front & 2 covering the back. After some 2 months, we are still working on the notifications as the front camera sees a lot of activity. After firmware updates, there were some hiccups, forcing a couple of reboots. As to install, the back cameras are separated from the solar panels (which do a great job of recharging in limited sun exposure). However, there are no instructions on how to do this, even though all the hardware needed is included. We persisted through & managed regardless; instructions, would be helpful. One problem, when internet went down, we lost access to the cameras, odd since our local wifi was still working; this is a concern, confirming that the feeds go somewhere else before we get them (Beijing are you there?). We'll consider the new Hub when it is released to mitigate this.

I’ve used and tested a LOT of security cameras from the cheap eBay specials back in the day to full featured suites from name brands like Ring, Eufy and Arlo. I have to say that the Tapo setup has become my new favorite pick and if it weren’t for one small flaw, I’d be replacing at least one or two of my current platforms. I’m kind of surprised because I have more than a few TP-Link (which is the parent company of the Tapo brand) is the smart home devices and I’ve never really considered their cameras until now. I’ve always been happy with my TPLink smart switches and Smart Power strips, but I guess I never thought of them as a security cam company. And I saw there were cameras in an announcement about the merging of the Kasa branding and Tapo, but again I didn’t look into it that closely. Wow that was a mistake on my part! These Tapo cameras come with so many on board options and features and include local storage giving you a real option if you don’t want or need to get a subscription. However, the subscription fee is very reasonable, especially given the market so I’m definitely going to check out the free 30-day trial that is included in package! Tapo gives you up to 10 cams for one price and that price is lower than I am paying for my other subscription platforms. But if you want to avoid that and don’t need the extra features a sub provides, the TC85 includes an Mini SD card slot that supports up to a 512gb card. So you have plenty of options! They were incredibly easy to install, and I loved the design of the mounting bracket that gives you the option to mount the camera and the solar panel separately from each other. This provided some flexible options for mounting. Plus, with the solar panel, I could mount them in places where I wouldn’t put a camera I’d have to take down to recharge (even with the great battery life the TC85 has). The picture is clear and crisp, even at night and has an extremely wide field of view yet little to no barrel distortion common on other wide-angle cams. The starlight gives you great night color vision, and this can be augmented by the on-board spotlight as well. Given its size I was impressed with the alarm, which scared the daylights out of a rabbit about to check out my garden; proving that the AI pet detection works well! Overall, I found the detection and notifications worked well on average a bit faster than my Eufy and Ring cameras. Options for detection zones were great, but this also included privacy zones where detections can be suppressed, which was a first for me and added to the options for placement. Given the price, I can’t recommend this highly enough in terms of the features included and the local storage and overall performance. The build quality and engineering are top notch. It’s in the details like the way that everything seals up watertight and gaskets are provided for the connections. If I had to find a downer in all of this, it’s that the TC85 does not have support for Onvif or RTSP protocols, so using them with third party applications like a DVR or Home Assistant is currently out of the question. This may not be a big deal to many, but I mention it because it’s currently keeping me from purchasing additional cams to replace my others. It’s also a bit disturbing because on my research, many if not most of the other Tapo cams DO come with Onvif/RTSP support. I’m hoping this isn’t a trend, but I am holding out hope that a new API that is being developed will include support for the TC85. Because I’d really like to buy more and replace my other subscription platforms with one Tapo subscription. Yeah, they’re really that good! I’m going to start looking at more of the Tapo offerings.

We have been using the same security cameras for several years now and either they’ve ran their course and life span or there’s been something off with them lately. Therefore, after weighing our options, we decided to delve back into the security camera market to see what the competition looked like and perhaps that would solve our problems. That’s when I came across the new TP-Link TAPO solar powered security camera kit. Having used TP-Link products before in the past including smart devices, light switches, routers, etc. I knew they were a reputable company you can trust and will be around for a while in comparison to some of those other knock off brands you’ve never heard of where you would be lucky to find customer support in the event something were to go wrong with your product(s). The cameras, solar panels and mounting hardware was very easy to install with little to no reliance on the instructions. Once you fully charge the cameras via the provided USB cable, download the Tapo application, you are ready to sync the cameras to your account and begin the installation process. The syncing process did not take very long and each camera had an update that needed to be installed. The smart device application walks you through the process using simple, easy to understand, instructions providing you pictures and video as well. It even ensures you are mounting the hardware in a good place to ensure everything you want is in view. The mounting hardware provided allows for installation of the cameras and solar panels on one bracket and the option to use the provided long USB cables to mount the solar panels in a separate area in the event the area you want to view is not in the sunlight for power and charging. The whole installation process for all three cameras and solar panels took less than an hour, not including the initial charge time for the cameras. Within the application, you can live view video and/or recordings. Speaking of the video, you’ll be amazed at the quality of the cameras which offer 2K QHD video. The cameras and software are also able to identify and differentiate between people, animals and vehicles and has color infrared night vision. They have a 150 degree super-wide field of view and you are able to set up activity zones through the app to target or ignore certain areas (think a waving tree or flag that may constantly think there is movement detected you don’t want to worry about). Another benefit to this security camera kit is the lack of a “hub” that you need to plug into your existing modem/router as they simply run directly through your existing WiFi and to the smart phone/device app. The cameras and solar panels are IP66 weatherproof so no need to worry when it rains or snows. One thing we were looking for when shopping for security cameras was the wireless ability to install them without running wires all over your home or office. Our previous security cameras had solar panels as a power source however they would still die within days even though our house has full sun most of the day. The rechargeable battery in each camera is 10000mAh (almost twice the capacity than the high-end laptop I’m currently using) which makes the battery life relatively long when going between charges or at night when the solar panels aren’t able to charge them; I’m talking days on end because I tried it both ways and was surprised to see the battery percentage barely move even when there’s high traffic and they are constantly recording. I was surprised to see the cameras charging in daylight even when the solar panels were not getting full sun. According to the specs, the cameras can last up to 300 days on a single charge and the solar panels can keep the battery fully charged with just 45 minutes of daily sunlight. The smart device application is also very easy to use and understand, is very responsive with little to no delay and has plenty of options including to set alarms if a camera senses motion, use them as two-way audio, adjust the video quality, frame rate, turn on/off night vision infrared mode, etc. During the initial set up, you have the option to sign up for a free 30-day trial of their monitoring/recording which allows you to view/cloud store up to 30 days of events anywhere from the application. However, if you’re not a fan of paying subscription fees, each camera also has local storage where you can insert your own micro-SD cards (which are not included) which could run out of storage relatively fast considering the quality of the video these take. Overall, we have been impressed thus far with our new Tapo security camera kit and will probably eventually expand this system to replace the remainder of our previous system in due time. I would recommend this security camera kit over our previous manufacturer to anyone in the market for a user-friendly, high-quality security camera kit at a reasonable price.

This is my 4th Tapo (TP Link) product so I knew I was getting a quality product. I was not dissapointd. Inside the box younhave 3 camera's, 3 solar panels, 3 multi-use mounts, 3 short cable, 3 long cables and various mounting hardware. Per instructions, I charged all 3 camera's. Took 2.5 / 3 hours per camera. I already had the Tapo app loaded so next step, I powered on a camera (hold power down 3 seconds), then in app chose the add device (big + symbol, upper right)... After a few seconds, you will need to go into youe WiFi settings and connect to the Tapo device displayed on your screen. Once connected in the app, you enter your WiFi ESSID and password. Then reconnect to your network and in a couple mintes you are up and running. Lather, rinse repeat 3 times naming each camera and creating an icon as you go. Physically mounting, you have a a couple choices... You can (as I did) mount the camera and solar panel as one piece, or if needee, you can remove the camera mount and place it seperately while using the main mount and long chords to get the solar panel where it can catch. For me, I just grabbed my handy chordless drill, 3 included screws for each plate and in less than 30 seconds each, they were mounted. Then mount the camera and solar panel, plug them in, adjust the camera to prefered angle and the solar panel where it will catch the sun and you are good to go. Once installed, you can add MIcro SD's for local storage pr pay a small fee for cloud. Each camera, you can use the mic, operate the lights, turn alarm on/off, camera and tag. Nice set of items to have. End of the day, this is a great system to afford camera's without having to pull electricity to power them. Great choice if you have the need and means!

The quality of these cameras are great. Very durable and sturdy. I really enjoy the duality of them. I can choose to use its internal battery and recharge when needed or use the supplied solar panels. We were already integrated into the Tapo family with their light switches and smart plugs. It was extremely easy to add the cameras to our existing system. Took about 2 minutes with each camera besides the initial software update for each camera in the app. The display is clear and sound is good. The two way audio is clear and responds rather quickly both ways. The one downside with the sound, is the alarm, is it is not loud enough to scare anyone away. It sounds like a distinct fake audio recording of an alarm. I believe there are 3 sounds to choose from. Each sounded worse than the last. So if I was in the shoes of a robber I wouldn’t feel threatened enough to flee immediately. Video quality and playback is really good. So far, the notifications received once triggered are fairly quick. The app is easy to use. The cameras respond quickly in app. And there are many customizable features for your camera and what you need to be detected. You can set privacy zones, video distances, tag or track the movement of people, animals etc across the viewable area. You can also share the device(s) with someone else you trust. Storage and recording can be local with an microSD card, if you don’t opt into their Tapo Care for cloud. The biggest miss that TPLink has with these Tapo cameras is that they will not allow you to get “rich” notifications without their subscription, “Tapo Care”. Yes, you can get regular notifications but that doesn’t include a snapshot of what your cameras are picking up. The Tapo Care subscription only provides unlimited cloud storage, rich notifications with snapshots and a video sort filter. It goes up in price depending upon how many cameras are in your setup. I’m not impressed with that offering when there are others that offer emergency security services, including cloud service for those subscription prices. I do however appreciate that I can create smart actions through shortcuts, automations freely and a full array of other customizations. Because there’s no base station (main hub), all data is recorded via microSD cards. So be mindful that you have to buy a microSD card for all cameras in your setup. So that can be an inconvenience or deterrent for some. This isn’t much of a negative but it’s a personal preference of mine but I do not like that there’s no option to change from military time to standard, and not allowing that to be customizable. Thankfully, the solar panels are much smaller than I thought they would be but works effortlessly with the cameras. I did the initial battery charge to try them out without the panels. They aren’t located in spaces that get much action so I wasn’t able to test out how long the battery lasts. We’ve had them for a week and are at 98-99% charge without solar. With the solar panels we don’t have to worry about the battery levels at all. It may seem minor to others but having the ability to see snapshots of what’s happening on my property without having to fully open the app to see every recorded or live footage trigger is important to me and a potential deal breaker when it comes to securing the main areas of our home. I shouldn’t have to pay to get a thumbnail view. I should be able to decide if the event is worth my time. Or if it’s just a neighbor walking by, a stray cat or a vehicle going down the road. So that’s why I’m rating this a 4. Other than that personal inconvenience, I think these are great. You get alot in these cameras. Yes, I would recommend them if it fits into your budget and security needs.

Easy to set up,install and use. Great app. Also if you already have any cameras on the Kasa app, you can link them to the Tapo app so you can view and manage all your cameras in one application.

The TP-Link Tapo 3-pack Outdoor Wireless 2K kit with solar panels is an excellent value compared to anything else I've seen on the market with similar features. Unfortunately, this incredible value is quickly overshadowed by several quirks that show TP-Link still has some work to do. Don't get me wrong; this TP-Link Tapo kit really is an incredible value. You get three Tapo cameras and three solar panels, so you don't have to worry about getting on a ladder to charge the batteries. After using them for a week, they are still at 100% battery despite significant activity, indicating the solar panels provide more than enough power to keep the cameras charged. As for the app, I would not recommend TP-Link Tapo products to a novice. Yes, the app is feature-rich and has a seemingly endless number of settings for customization, but it's almost too much, making you hunt for some of the simplest settings. My number one gripe with the app is the lack of a notification snooze feature. This is something incredibly basic, but for some reason, TP-Link decided not to include it. I spent 15-20 minutes looking for a snooze setting, and the closest solution I could find was scheduling do-not-disturb times. Sometimes you are doing a bit of yard work and don't want your phone notifying you every five seconds that a person is in your backyard. If they added that one feature, it would be enough to give it five stars. The video quality of the TC85 kit is some of the best I've seen in battery and solar-powered cameras. The video is crisp, the audio is clear, and the night vision is more than adequate. Typically, I've found battery-powered security cameras sacrifice any number of features, usually to preserve battery life, but not the Tapo. These cameras send push notifications to my phone in a matter of seconds, the lights are nice and bright, and the motion detection is incredible at nearly eliminating false alerts. The build quality is worth mentioning. I'd give TP-Link a good, not great, score. The mounting methods for the camera and solar panel could use some work. The way they are mounted to tiny ball joints makes it difficult to tighten the camera and solar panel in a fixed position with confidence. I know they have versions that use a magnetic mount—why not use the same system here? Also, the cables make the solar panels feel like an afterthought. For example, the Tapo camera requires a micro USB and the solar panel has a USB-C. Their solution is to provide a female USB-C to male micro USB dongle. Why not just design the camera to use a USB-C? After using these cameras for a week, I'm still unsure if I would recommend them. On one hand, you have all the features you could possibly want in a battery/solar-powered security camera, but on the other hand, the complexity of the app combined with the lack of basic quality-of-life settings like notification snoozing is really frustrating. If you're looking for a robust system and don't mind dozens of notifications when you're out in the yard, then this is an excellent option for you.

This TP Link Tapo 3 Pack of outdoor cameras with solar panels, in white, is a great set of security cameras for your home. In summary, the setup and installation were not complicated, the picture quality is outstanding, and the functionality of the cameras and application to go with it are quite impressive. I’ll break it down: Things you will need to setup, install and use these camera are a WiFi Internet connection, user name and password, a smartphone to download and use the application, a micro SD card for each camera, a pencil to mark the drill holes, a drill or powered screwdriver to drill the holes to mount the cameras. Setup and Installation are fairly easy to do this set comes with all the instructions and guidance you will need. Tapo application is the app you will use to setup, manage, control, and access your cameras and settings. In this app, you can also take still shots and record videos. You can use this app to talk to the person on the cameras, turn on the light, and call the camera. Remote access: You can watch/view, snap photos and video, watch live and monitor your cameras via smartphone while you are away. Picture and video quality are superior on these cameras. Full color 2k cameras with night vision that is great too. The resolution on these is amazing. I’m very impressed. Sound on these cameras is good too. In the past I have used cameras that have poor audio quality, but these are not in that category at all. The audio quality is very good. Physical aspects of the cameras are good. The solar panels connect to the camera mount. The cameras are stationary, but you can adjust them as you see fit. Buttons and ports on the cameras are well covered to protect them from the outdoor elements. They include a micro SD card port and reset in the top part. In the middle is the on and off button. On the bottom is the charging port. All cords and extenders come with the set. What’s included: 3 cameras with mounts and hardware, 3 solar panels with mounts and hardware, installation guide, screw hole templates, all screws, caps, and washers. Micro SD cards are not included. This is a very good set of security camera with excellent picture quality and audio quality.

There are a few things that I look for in a security system. 1. Person, pet, vehicle detection, 2. Good picture quality, 3. Good night vision, 4. Local storage so I don’t need a subscription, 5. Smartphone notifications. 6. Either something I don’t need to charge or has a good battery life. 7. A good app. 8. Works with Apple ecosystem. This hits all of them except it only works with Alexa and Google Home. Some of the important specs. 150 degree FOV, activity zones, local SD storage up to 512 GB, IP66 rating, 10,000 mAh battery, solar, and doesn’t require a hub. Setup is easy and straightforward. Only thing I disliked is that these are using MicroUSB to charge. Making them have to include a microUSB to USB-C adapter in the box to connect to the solar panels. The original cord on the solar panel is short (which is nice when you connect it to the included mount for the camera and the solar panel. But if you are wanting to put the panel somewhere else it does come with a longer USB-C to USB-C cable to get that done. There is weatherproofing on the cable itself to help prevent damage during storms. Picture quality is good. Night vision is good as well. Comes with two modes, color, or your classic black/white. Bringing up the live view is quick with low latency, as is going through recordings. App is laid out well making it easy to navigate and find what you are looking for. Plenty of customization features. Low rate of false positives during testing. It does support an SD card, but those are not included with the purchase. Additionally, if you so wish they do have a monthly/yearly membership with some extra features such as saving your recordings to the cloud. But the person/pet/vehicle detection is free, which I’ve found to be rare, and very much appreciated.

I like almost everything about my new TP Link solar powered cameras, but there are a a few features that i had to consider when leaving this review. First off, I think these cameras are very high quality. There are three cameras plus three solar panels. You must charge each camera fully before you begin using them. Then you power them up, and connect them to the Tapo app. Setting up the cameras is actually very easy and you can be up and running in a matter of minutes. Mounting the cameras is also very easy since you don't need to worry about being near a power source or somewhere convenient for you to reach to charge the battery. The app interface is extremely easy to use. The layout is user friendly and it even provides a quick tutorial, which I appreciate. Video playback is very smooth, with almost no glitche, bugs, or pixelation. Now on to the feature I dislike the most, the subscription plan. The app constantlly promts you to subscribe or sign up for the 30 trial. You soon figure out that you cannot review ANY clips without the subcription plan or a Micro SD card. I found this to be very dissappointing as every single camera and app I use able to review clips, even on a limited basis without any type of paid subscription. I had to find some Micro SD cards to use, and I am even missing one that I will have to purchase. Once you install a Micro SD card, video playback runs very smooth. They detect motion very well and you can review the clips with ease. Another item I dislike is the fact that thumbnails on the alerts is only available in the paid subscription. Overall, these cameras are extremely nice and easy to use. They also perform nicer than any other cameras I own. If you mount Micro SD cards in them, you will find that they are the perfect solution for your security camera needs.

Runs amazing, app works smooth as long as you stay up to date with the updates. No issues I highly recommend ensuring you WIFI is within range for smooth feed. MESH WIFI works best if the distance is far from the product. Battery on its own lasts for like 3 months without charge at eco settings.

The TP-Link Tapo 3-pack Outdoor Battery-Powered Wireless 2K QHD Security Camera with 3 Solar Panels is a good choice for anyone looking for a reliable and versatile security camera system that can be used both indoors and outdoors, though with solar panels the system is geared more towards outdoor use. The bundle comes with three cameras, three solar panels, and the associated mounting hardware. The system offers 24/7 monitoring and is weatherproof with an IP66 rating, making it suitable for use in any weather condition. The cameras are capable of capturing high-quality footage with 2K QHD clarity during the day and 2K color night vision with an integrated starlight sensor that captures low light images in high definition color with reasonable detail up to about 100 ft. The cameras also come with built-in dual spotlights that illuminates darkness and low light conditions for enhanced viewing at night while still being displayed in full color. The Tapo TC85’s smart AI technology detects and identifies people, pets, and vehicles, sending you only relevant notifications while effectively avoiding unnecessary alerts. The system also comes with customizable sound and light alarms that can be adjusted to suit your preferences for a completely customized alarm system to deter intruders. The installation process was easy and hassle-free for the most part. To setup and configure the system only requires to scan a QR code to download the app the your smartphone. Connecting to your phone app and TP-Links cloud service is a breeze. Mounting is not quite that simple. In this kit with solar panels the TC85’s magnetic base isn’t used. The camera and the panel are both attached to a mounting plate, which in turn is mounted on a wall or an eave. In my opinion, this is significantly lacking. TP-Link should’ve have included the TC85’s magnetic mounting system and a separate mount for the small solar panel. Another oversight – perhaps more significant than the mounting system, is that the cable which attaches the solar panel to the camera. The solar panel uses a USB-C cable, but the camera uses USB-A/B and mini USB port, requiring the use of an extra adapter cable. Also, rather than having a 90 degree end like the solar panel cable, the adapter plug is straight. This works to connect the two, but now we have extra cables hanging off the camera that needs be dealt with, or wires just hang off the camera (see one of the attached photos). Configuring and installing the three cameras took a bit over 90 minutes, and that included installing the included solar panels. Running for several days with intermittent cloud cover, the cameras maintained a battery level of 85-100%. No more having to manually recharge. The TC85 allows you to store your video to their cloud service, which runs about $10/mo for 3 cameras. It also supports SD Card storage, as well as ONVIF so you can configure it to record to a local DVR on your own PC using a third party app such as Blue Iris or iSpy (more on this later). Overall I found the TP-Link Tapo 3-Camera Indoor/Outdoor 2K QHD Wireless Home Security Surveillance System is a good value and a good choice for anyone looking for a reliable, easy-to-use security camera system that offers high-quality footage, smart AI detection, and customizable alarms. If not for the oversight of using a cable on the solar panel that is not compatible with the camera – requiring the use of an adapter cable, I would give this kit the highest rating. I hope they fix this.

Great use for my ranch have one at the gate, one at the front door and back door. Never have to charge them the sun does the job for me. Picture is clear day and night definitely recommend these cameras.

Best cameras I’ve owned. Very clear and can zoom in to read license plates. Solar works great and easy to install

Great picture day or night. Solar portion keeps battery power charged at 100%

Love these cameras clear quality & free app to see happening 24/7

Good image quality. Software is full featured and relatively easy to use. No subscription required if you use inexpensive microSD cards (sold separately) for recording. Quite easy to install. It only comes with small screws for the camera/solar mounts so if you’re mounting on a hard surface like concrete or stucco you’ll have to find another solution. For mounting on my stucco walls I used exterior-rated construction adhesive. The software set up via phone app was fairly easy although there were a lot of screens to swipe through. If you’re using a microSD card for storage, make sure you push it in until it locks in place. This can be hard to do if you have fat fingers like me, so use a pen or some other small object to help.