TP-Link Tapo C425 KIT vs eufy SoloCam S340: which should you buy?

Reviewed recording configurations

2 exact US configurations, checked against official documentation (latest review: 2026-09-29). These are documentation reviews, not hardware tests. The Planner uses these same facts to show storage allowances, 3/5-year costs and what remains without a paid recording plan.

A local-storage label does not establish continuous recording, smart alerts, offline operation or cloud retention. “Not verified” means this review has not established that feature. Prices keep their own recorded offer dates.

eufy SoloCam S340 · solar · Built-in storage

• 8 GB built-in storage; HomeBase 3 features and shared-storage limits are outside this reviewed route.
• Solar charging and event frequency affect battery endurance.

Without a paid plan	Status	Conditions & evidence
Local recording	Available	Local video is stored on the device without a recording subscription.Official source
Local playback	Not verified	This review does not establish this feature after a paid plan ends.
Continuous video	Unavailable	The model FAQ explicitly excludes 24/7 recording, including with HomeBase 3.Official source
Smart detection	Available	Human and vehicle detection run locally. Face recognition is a separate HomeBase 3 capability.Official source
Paid cloud video history	Not verified	This review does not establish this feature after a paid plan ends.

Source sections: Local Storage; FAQ: local AI and 24/7 recording. Review: HowManyCameras editorial process — AI-assisted review of official documentation; no hardware testing.

Try this exact configuration in PlannerPlan 4 of this cameraModel & recorded offers

TP-Link Tapo C425 KIT · solar kit · Camera microSD recording

• US product documentation; verify the hardware revision at purchase.
• microSD card up to 512 GB, purchased separately; use the camera card slot in this configuration.

Without a paid plan	Status	Conditions & evidence
Local recording	Conditional	Local video does not require a recording subscription; install and configure a compatible microSD card.Official source
Local playback	Not verified	This review does not establish this feature after a paid plan ends.
Continuous video	Not verified	This review does not establish this feature after a paid plan ends.
Smart detection	Available	On-device smart detection is listed without a subscription. Detection categories differ by model.Official source
Paid cloud video history	Unavailable	Tapo Care cloud video history requires the paid service; local storage is separate.Official source

Source sections: Local/cloud storage; free AI detection; recording-mode footnotes. Review: HowManyCameras editorial process — AI-assisted review of official documentation; no hardware testing.

Try this exact configuration in PlannerPlan 4 of this cameraModel & recorded offers

Recording and access during an outage

Internet loss, a disconnected router and loss of mains power are different failures. The matrix below covers 1 exact regional configuration. It separates official guidance from dependency inferences; it is not a hardware outage test or a battery-runtime promise.

Tapo C425 KIT · solar-kit · US

Regional Tapo FAQ explicitly lists Tapo C425 KIT. Camera-card route only.

• Complete setup and enable the intended microSD recording mode before the outage. Use a working compatible card; check the exact firmware and settings.
• These are documentation reviews and labelled dependency inferences, not outage tests. Power cycling, recovery timing, saved-clip corruption and deferred alert delivery are not established.
• Remaining battery charge is assumed; no backup runtime or sustained solar output is promised. Recording mode remains model-specific, not automatically 24/7 video.

Internet down · Wi-Fi stays on

The camera and router stay powered and connected locally; the home internet connection is down. No cellular failover.

Function	Status and conditions
New event / continuous footage	Conditional.Previously configured microSD recording can continue while the camera stays powered. This does not add a recording mode the model does not support.Official documentation.Official source
App playback on home network	Conditional.The phone and camera must remain on the same functioning home network. Previously configured microSD footage is available through local playback.Official documentation.Official source
Remote camera access	Unavailable.The camera has no working internet path in this scenario. Existing cloud clips are a separate service; their availability is not assessed.Official documentation.Official source
New phone push alerts	Unavailable.New camera events cannot deliver phone push alerts over the missing network path; delayed delivery after recovery is not established.Official documentation.Official source

Wi-Fi/router down · camera powered

The camera stays powered, but has no local network connection. No direct-access or alternate network is assumed.

Function	Status and conditions
New event / continuous footage	Conditional.Previously configured microSD recording can continue while the camera stays powered. This does not add a recording mode the model does not support.Official documentation.Official source
App playback on home network	Unavailable.No camera-to-phone network path remains. Removing a card for a computer is separate from app playback.Official documentation.Official source
Remote camera access	Unavailable.The camera has no working internet path in this scenario. Existing cloud clips are a separate service; their availability is not assessed.Official documentation.Official source
New phone push alerts	Unavailable.New camera events cannot deliver phone push alerts over the missing network path; delayed delivery after recovery is not established.Official documentation.Official source

Household power out · no backup

Mains-powered cameras and the router lose power. Battery cameras have charge remaining. No UPS, generator or backup internet is assumed.

Function	Status and conditions
New event / continuous footage	Conditional.Remaining battery power plus the documented no-network microSD route can preserve configured recording. Runtime and restart behavior are not verified.Dependency inference.Official sourceOfficial source
App playback on home network	Unavailable.No camera-to-phone network path remains. Removing a card for a computer is separate from app playback.Official documentation.Official source
Remote camera access	Unavailable.The camera has no working internet path in this scenario. Existing cloud clips are a separate service; their availability is not assessed.Official documentation.Official source
New phone push alerts	Unavailable.New camera events cannot deliver phone push alerts over the missing network path; delayed delivery after recovery is not established.Official documentation.Official source

Reviewed 2026-09-29. Sources: Installation Q10; Other Questions Q6 (without Internet); monitoring power requirement; Applies to list. Exact model power supply and local storage specification.

Test this configuration's outage assumptions in Planner

Before relying on a system, verify its installed behavior after setup: disconnect only the internet, then the camera's network connection, and separately assess loss of its normal power source. Check for new recordings and replay access after each change. Previously saved cloud clips, card-reader recovery, safe shutdown and recovery after reboot are separate questions.

Open these two configurations as A/B alternatives

Cost method and evidence limits · No-subscription buying guide

Side by side

Manufacturer specifications and recorded list prices, not our tests. A blank or “Not published” cell means the maker does not state it; we never guess a figure.

What the 3-year figure includes

Hardware at the lowest recorded US list price plus 36 months of the cheapest plan that saves video for one device. Storage cards, hubs, mounts, tax and shipping are not included; the model pages list which of those each camera needs. The TP-Link Tapo C425 KIT is the cheaper way to own one camera for 3 years; the eufy SoloCam S340 closes the gap only if you already pay for its plan on other devices.

Pick by installation, not by brand

• Power at the mount: TP-Link Tapo C425 KIT runs on solar + battery; eufy SoloCam S340 on solar + battery. A mount without the matching power rules a model out before any other spec matters.
• Where video lives: TP-Link Tapo C425 KIT records to microSD up to 512 GB or Tapo H200 hub; eufy SoloCam S340 to 8 GB built in; HomeBase S380 optional. Local storage keeps recording when the plan lapses; a cloud-only model keeps only live view.
• The app you already use: TP-Link Tapo C425 KIT works with Alexa, Google Home; eufy SoloCam S340 with Alexa, Google Home. Shared ecosystems show live view and alerts, not every feature of the maker's app.