Home security has become a hot topic in tech, with many companies expanding their smart home portfolios to include indoor and outdoor cameras. It shouldn’t really come as a surprise, as even a single security camera allows you to do a great variety of things. You can, of course, monitor your home and its surroundings, with live footage sent directly to your phone, but that’s not all. You get features such as package or movement detection, smart notifications, and some models even double as an intercom.
Best smart security camera: Keep your home safe
The best smart security cameras monitor your home’s interior and exterior using 3D motion alerts, night vision, and even Alexa integration.
Arlo offers some of the best smart security cameras in the business. The company’s catalog is quite extensive, and each product ispacked full of handy features. You can also expect all of them to work seamlessly with the Arlo app, which in itself is great, as it offers plenty of functions and a slick, modern design.
However, many smart security camera makers, including Arlo, limit the functionality of their products by putting more advanced features behind a paywall. Here’s everything you need to know about Arlo’s subscription. Is it necessary, and what does it give you in return for the monthly payment?
What is Arlo Secure?
Arlo’s Secure service provides enhanced security features and benefits for Arlo camera users. It includes advanced features such as extended cloud storage for recorded videos, 24/7 continuous video recording, and more, depending on the subscription level.
Arlo Secure vs Arlo Safe
You may have also heard of Arlo Safe. While Arlo Secure service enhances your Arlo camera system with features like 24/7 Emergency Response, Arlo Safe is a personal safety app for on-the-go protection. It includes features like emergency activation, location sharing, and crash response. Arlo Safe is intended for personal and family safety, and only available in the US at the moment.
Do Arlo cameras require a subscription?
No, Arlo cameras do not require a subscription to function. If you don’t want to pay a monthly fee, you’re able to buy and install an Arlo camera, register it within the company’s companion app, and start using the device without paying for any extras.
However, the functionality of your camera will be limited if you decide not to pay for Arlo Secure. Again, it’s not that an Arlo device will be unusable – you’ll still be able to connect multiple cameras to the Arlo app, monitor your home, and watch footage on your phone. However, there are limits to what you’ll be able to do. In general, these limitations are dependent on the devices you own and are divided into two groups.
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With the Arlo’s oldest cameras, including the Wire-Free, Pro and Pro 2, Q and Q Plus, Go, and Baby, you’re able to addup to five camerasto a single account. What’s more, those devices come with seven days of complimentary cloud storage. If you want to save a recording, all you need to do is save the clip before it’s written over on the cloud.
With Arlo’s newer products – including the Ultra 2, Pro 5S 2K, and Pro 3 Floodlight – there’s no limit to the number of cameras you can add to one account. Unfortunately, these cameras don’t come with free cloud storage, so you’ll need to rely either on local storage or go for a paid subscription to store your recordings.
What do I get with an Arlo subscription?
Aside from lifting the above limitations, Arlo Secure unlocks features that will enhance the functionality of your cameras. Below is a partial list ofthe best features Arlo Secure opens:
How much does an Arlo subscription cost?
Currently, Arlo offers three subscription tiers. If you choose the lowest tier, you can decide between coverage for a single camera or an unlimited number.
Arlo’s single-camera Secure subscription is going up 60%
If you have an Arlo camera, prepare to soon pay more to use its premium features.
Unfortunately, Arlo recently raised the price of its Secure subscription. With the first increase hitting the company’s unlimited camera tiers,the latest oneis set to target the lowest, single-camera tier. You can now expect to pay $8 per month for a single camera Arlo subscription, up from $5 previously. A similar increase hit the yearly single-camera subscription, which now costs $90 annually – up from $60 previously. Here are the tiers and their new prices:
You can also buy all of these plans as a yearly subscription, saving you a little bit of money compared to buying them monthly.
How to get an Arlo Secure subscription
Now, if you’ve decided that signing up for an Arlo subscription is the way to go for you,setting one up is extremely easy. There is one thing to keep in mind if you’re an Apple user: activating your subscription will not be possible through theiOS app. You can only do that onAndroidor by visiting Arlo’s website. Here’s how to set up your subscription:
