Does the camera have night vision? Does it have extra features like color night vision?
Does the floodlight camera have adjustable motion detection? Does it have motion zones or sensitivity options? Does it include objection recognition for people? Are there extra costs for these features?
Do you prefer a wired or wireless camera? Do you have a junction box where you want to install a wired camera or are you willing to have one installed?
Can you control the brightness of the camera's floodlights? Can then reach more than 2,000 lumens? Can you schedule the lights?
Does the camera have a higher resolution to take advantage of its vantage point?
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Outdoor security cameras serve an important role in keeping an eye on your home and other AI-related benefits, but they also benefit from a little light -- or in this case, a lot of light. Floodlight cameras only turn on when they sense motion, with powerful LED panels that can shine a light on even the biggest, darkest yards. That could scare away a burglar or simply give you better visibility to see exactly what's going on. I've tested floodlight models from Eufy, Nest, Lorex, Arlo and plenty of other security companies to narrow down the best ones.
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What is the best floodlight security camera?
Eufy offers three LED panels to boost your brightness. Eufy
After more than 120 hours of testing, I found the Eufy S330 Floodlight Camera deserves its place at the top of the list. What makes the Eufy camera model stand out is its high-resolution pan-tilt camera, three bright panels and other features, such as AI detection. With Eufy's adjustable brightness and color temperature, as well as smart home syncing, the camera is ideal for anyone seeking to be more aware of their neighbors, reducing the likelihood of neighborhood complaints while maintaining a strong commitment to keeping their property safe.
That said, while we do have our favorite, you shouldn't ignore our other picks. Our list features top floodlight cameras, including no-cloud local storage options, a versatile wireless Arlo model and a budget-friendly Blink model variant. So, if you're still unsure, make sure to check out our other guides, which tackle topics such as the best security cam lights overall and the best outdoor home security cams.
Best floodlight home security cams
Eufy Photo Gallery 1/1 Eufy Best overall flood home security camera Eufy S330 Floodlight Camera Pros Bright 3-panel LEDs
Panning camera with tracking
Free object detection
2K resolution
Free onboard storage
Alexa and Google Assistant support Cons No two-way audio
Expensive For maximum LED brightness, Eufy’s S330 comes in swinging with not two but three LED panels added up to 3,000 lumens. The IP65-rated cam also has a 2K resolution panning cam that can view a full property from multiple angles, complemented by its free object detection and tracking capabilities to follow what’s happening. The panels on the Eufy floodlight camera have customizable brightness options and many modes from night-only operation to turning on when a human is detected. Eufy’s internal 8GB of storage isn’t especially large, but it means you don’t have to rely on cloud video storage subscriptions (although that’s also available). Alexa and Google Assistant capabilities are also welcome. However, the camera does skip some common smart features like two-way audio, focusing more on illumination and excellent video. ... Show more Get it now $250 at Amazon
Lorex/Amazon Photo Gallery 1/1 Lorex/Amazon Best no-subscription floodlight home security camera Lorex 2K Floodlight Camera Pros 2K resolution
Free object recognition
No-subscription storage
Two-way audio
Adjustable LED panels
Color night vision Cons Not quite as bright as our top pick While Eufy took our top spot, it’s a very close call with this Lorex cam, which can reach up to 2,400 lumens and has a 2K resolution for detail. It’s another cam that offers free object recognition, spotting people, animals and vehicles, and acting accordingly to cut down on false alerts (and corresponding flares of lights). It also comes with expected smart home additions like two-way audio and night vision that the Eufy S330 skips, making it an excellent pick for those who want the complete package. Note you can adjust the angle of these panels to focus on the areas you want to guard most. Lorex is another company that offers free onboard storage with no subscriptions required. Everything is added in the upfront price. That includes support for Alexa and Google Assistant. ... Show more Get it now $220 at B&H Photo-Video $250 at Crutchfield $220 at Lorex (white)
Arlo Photo Gallery 1/1 Arlo Best wireless floodlight home security camera Arlo Pro 3 Floodlight Camera Pros Excellent wireless design
2K resolution
Intelligent alerts
Optional brightness boost with cable
Optional Apple Home/HomeKit support Cons Many features require an Arlo Secure subscription While not every wireless design is a good fit for bright floodlights, which may drain battery life faster, Arlo makes it work with this compact camera that can reach 2,000 lumens on battery power. The wireless design makes it a lot easier to place in that one spot to really light up the dark corners. It also brings a hefty 2K resolution. Arlo’s object recognition, activity zones and intelligent alerts work very well but you will need an Arlo subscription (starting at $8 per month) to activate many of these advanced features. And if you want to boost the brightness even more, you can purchase an outdoor cable to bump the LEDs up to 3,000 lumens. Finally, add in an Arlo hub and the cam is compatible with Apple HomeKit -- although all these extra costs may start to weigh the camera down for some buyers. ... Show more Get it now $236 at Amazon $250 at Arlo Specs & Configurations Setup Moveable, outdoor/indoor Resolution 2560 x 1440 (2K) Storage Cloud storage Google/Alexa Compatibility Google Assistant Field of View 160 degrees Learn more Arlo Pro 3 Floodlight Camera review Add to compare
Blink Photo Gallery 1/1 Blink Best budget floodlight home security camera Blink Outdoor 4 with Floodlight Camera Pros Affordable floodlight option
Easy app management
Built-in siren
Optional local storage
Affordable subscription Cons Alexa-only support
Person detection only with a subscription Floodlight cams are expensive, there’s no way around it. But if you’d like to save how much cash you drop on a model, this Blink Outdoor 4 option is one of the most affordable we’ve examined. At less than $100, it still brings plenty of lumens with its two LEDs, along with smart extras like two-way audio and a siren. We’re also huge fans of the Blink app, which is one of the easiest to use and doesn’t seem to run into the bugs that can sometimes plague other smart home apps. Blink cameras also have the option to add a Sync Module hub, which enables free local storage with a USB drive. Or you could pay about $3 per month for a Blink subscription, which adds cloud storage and person recognition. ... Show more Get it now $100 at Amazon $100 at Best Buy
Google Photo Gallery 1/1 Google Best floodlight home security camera with object recognition Google Nest Cam with Floodlight Pros Great AI recognition capabilities
Free temporary cloud storage
Capable 2,400-lumen floodlights Cons Expensive for the resolution Google’s Nest Cam comes in a variety of forms, including this version with 2,400-lumen LED floodlights. Nest remains one of the best options for Google’s AI-powered object recognition. It’s incredibly accurate at identifying people versus animals or vehicles so you can choose exactly how you want the floodlight to respond. Plus it’s free to use these detection features. The camera functions with Alexa and Google Home but you’ll get extra usability out of it if you’re a Google user. Object recognition isn’t the only thing that’s free either -- the cam offers 3 hours of cloud video storage when it records an event, giving you a window to view and download it. Otherwise, the Nest Aware plan at $8 per month adds more cloud storage and familiar face recognition. ... Show more Get it now $269 at Amazon $280 at Best Buy Learn more Google Nest Cam with Floodlight review
Best floodlight home security cameras Best floodlight home security cameras Eufy S330 Floodlight Cam Lorex 2K Floodlight Camera Arlo Floodlight Pro 3 Blink Floodlight Camera Google Nest Cam with Floodlight Price $165 $250 $250 $70 $280 Resolution 2K 2K 2K 1080p/HD 1080p/HD Light 3,000 lumen, three-panel LEDs 1,500 - 2,400 lumen, two-panel LEDs 2,000 lumen panel wireless, 3,000 lumens with cable 2,600-lumen, two-panel LEDs 2,400 lumen, two-panel LEDs Field of view 360-degree panning 122-degree 160-degree 143-degree 130-degree Power source Wired Wired Wireless Wired Wired Motion detection Motion, human, tracking Motion, person, animal, vehicle Motion, package, person, vehicle, animal (with subscription) Motion, person recognition (with subscription) Motion, person, animal, vehicle Night vision N/A Color night vision Yes Color night vision Night vision with HDR Audio N/A Two-way audio Two-way audio Two-way audio Two-way audio Voice assistant Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, Apple HomeKit (with hub) Amazon Alexa Amazon Alexa, Google Home/Assistant Motion detection range Up to 40ft Up to 32ft Up to 25ft Up to 30ft Up to 15ft Review score N/A N/A 9/10 N/A 7.4/10
Other floodlight home security cameras we've tested Chris Monroe/CNET Ring Floodlight Cam Wired Pro: Ring's floodlight camera model includes Ring's excellent privacy zones and Ring extras like Bird's Eye view. However, we liked the design of our final picks a little more, and paying $5 or more per month for object recognition can be a tough sell when some of our other picks offer it for free. Eufy Floodlight Camera E340: This Eufy cam has an extra-high resolution for those who want even more detail. But overall we preferred the three-panel version, which adds extra light that's hard to find in these home models. Blink Outdoor 3 Floodlight Mount: We love the idea of a floodlight mount and this Blink model is an excellent choice for budget lighting when you want to save money, especially if you already have an existing camera. But it's bested by the greater power and features of the Blink wired model if you don't mind paying a little more. Best Wireless Home Security Cameras of 2025 See at CNET
How we test At CNET, we use careful testing to review all the features of home security cameras, including clarity of the image, app usability, how well motion detection works and how easy the cams are to install. We walk test the audio communication features, how effective the motion zones are and how easily object detection can tell when a person leaves a package behind or picks one up before they leave. For more information, see our full list on how we test cameras.
Factors to consider when choosing a floodlight home security camera Amazon Resolution Those bright lights work best when paired with a camera with a high resolution that can capture a lot of detail. A 1080p will get the job done but for the best clarity for these (often high-mounted) cameras, we prefer 2K resolutions, like a couple of our top picks. Brightness and customization Lumens is a great indicator of visible brightness (don't try to compare it to watts, especially with LEDS), and a few thousand lumens is a guarantee of bright lights that can fully light up a larger area. But we also like to see customization options for brightness, shade of light and scheduling. That helps keep lights from waking you up at night or angering the neighbors, allowing you to make adjustments as you need. Smart home support Smart home support with existing platforms is always nice to have, especially when setting routines with other smart lights or cams. We look for support for Google Home and Amazon Alexa. Apple support is much harder to find for security cameras at this time, although as the Matter standard continues to progress we hope that will change. Power options While careful use of batteries can lead to good power management for wireless floodlight cams, those floodlights do tend to take up some extra juice. They are also often mounted in high locations where getting them down for battery recharging can be a pain. Consider carefully if you prefer wireless placement or the no-charge wired option, which may take extra installation work. Please keep in mind that wired floodlight cams often need to be connected to a junction box. Motion detection Motion detection and object recognition are especially important for floodlight cams, because they help the floodlights to turn on only when there's a reasonable cause like a detected human figure. We favored a couple of cameras that offer free object recognition on this list but you may have to pay a subscription fee for advanced features. Eufy offers three LED panels to boost your brightness. Eufy Night vision Night vision isn't quite as important with broad floodlights but it can help improve clarity at the edges of the image when things are dark out. For the best clarity, consider looking for a camera that has color night vision too. Two-way audio and sirens Audio options can be very important if you want to question a stranger (or shout out to a friend) or sound a siren to scare off trespassers. They aren't quite as valuable on floodlight cameras as they are on video doorbells, for example, but it's still an important feature. Fortunately, most floodlight cameras now have these audio options.
Where to place floodlight home security cameras The Ring Spotlight Cam Plus is a welcome iteration of Ring's outdoor cams. Ring Placing security cameras is always important but doubly so for floodlight cameras, which need careful positioning to make use of their bright lighting. For floodlight cameras, consider mounting them in a higher, central location, such as above a garage or patio. But also work to make sure they won't be beaming their LED panels over a fence right into a neighbor's windows. We have a full guide on some of the best spots for security cams here. Best Home Security Cameras Without a Subscription for 2025 See at CNET