United States · USD · data checked 2026-10-27
Budget outdoor cameras, ranked by 3-year cost
Of the 33 outdoor cameras with a recorded United States price, these are the 12 cheapest to own over 3 years, and all of them record without a plan. The cheapest are TP-Link Tapo C120 ($39.99), Wyze Cam v4 ($44.98) and Reolink Argus MagiCam ($64.99), and the 3-year cost runs from $40 to $129. The cheapest camera that needs a plan, the Arlo Essential (3rd Gen) Battery at $69.99, costs $430 over 3 years with its $9.99-a-month plan, more than any camera listed here.
Every model with a recorded local price, sorted by hardware plus 36 months of the cheapest plan that records. A low sticker price with a required plan is not a budget camera; the 3-year column shows the difference.
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| Model | Power | Local storage | Lens · resolution | Cloud plan | Price | 3-year cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TP-Link Tapo C120 | Plugs into an outdoor outlet | microSD up to 512 GB | 103° · 2K | None | $39.99 | $40 |
| Wyze Cam v4 | Plugs into an outdoor outlet | microSD up to 256 GB, 24/7 local recording | 98.5° · 2.5K | None | $44.98 | $45 |
| Reolink Argus MagiCam | Rechargeable battery | microSD up to 256 GB | 113.3° · 1080p | None | $64.99 | $65 |
| TP-Link Tapo C425 KIT | Solar + battery | microSD up to 512 GB or Tapo H200 hub | 122° · 2K | None | $69.99 | $70 |
| Wyze Solar Cam Pan 2K | Solar + battery | microSD up to 512 GB | 108° · 2K | None | $79.98 | $80 |
| TP-Link Tapo C460 | Rechargeable battery | microSD up to 512 GB or Tapo H200 hub | 113° · 4K | None | $84.99 | $85 |
| eufy Solar Wall Light Cam S120 | Solar + battery | 8 GB built in | — | None | $99.99 | $100 |
| Reolink RLC-820A PoE Bullet | PoE | records to a Reolink NVR (or microSD on models that have a slot) | 87° · 4K | None | $99.99 | $100 |
| SwitchBot Outdoor Spotlight Cam 2K | Rechargeable battery | microSD up to 256 GB | — · 2K | None | $99.99 | $100 |
| eufy SoloCam E42 | Solar + battery | microSD up to 128 GB; HomeBase optional | 130° · 4K | None | $119.99 | $120 |
| TP-Link Tapo C325WB ColorPro | PoE | microSD up to 512 GB | 106° · 2K | None | $119.99 | $120 |
| Reolink Solar Floodlight Cam | Solar + battery | microSD up to 512 GB | 124.5° · 2K | None | $128.99 | $129 |
Prices are recorded USD offers with a checked date, not live quotes. Missing local prices or plan fees stay unpriced; no currency conversion or other-region fallback. Manufacturer specs, not our tests; a blank lens or storage cell means the maker did not publish it.
Read before you choose
Why the cheapest camera and the cheapest complete system differ
Sources & checks
Specifications come from each maker's page, checked on the date shown; prices are the recorded store listings on each model page. How we compute the 3-year cost.
- TP-Link Tapo C120: manufacturer specifications · checked 2026-09-15
- Wyze Cam v4: manufacturer specifications · checked 2026-09-15
- Reolink Argus MagiCam: manufacturer specifications · checked 2026-09-15
- TP-Link Tapo C425 KIT: manufacturer specifications · checked 2026-09-15
- Wyze Solar Cam Pan 2K: manufacturer specifications · checked 2026-10-27
- TP-Link Tapo C460: manufacturer specifications · checked 2026-09-15
- eufy Solar Wall Light Cam S120: manufacturer specifications · checked 2026-09-15
- Reolink RLC-820A PoE Bullet: manufacturer specifications · checked 2026-09-15
- SwitchBot Outdoor Spotlight Cam 2K: manufacturer specifications · checked 2026-09-15
- eufy SoloCam E42: manufacturer specifications · checked 2026-09-15
- TP-Link Tapo C325WB ColorPro: manufacturer specifications · checked 2026-09-15
- Reolink Solar Floodlight Cam: manufacturer specifications · checked 2026-09-15