The best pet cameras let you keep an eye on your furry companions when you’re not home, whether you’re at work, traveling, or just out running errands. They can be especially helpful for pets with separation anxiety or those who tend to get into mischief. Beyond basic video monitoring, many of these devices come with additional features, such as two-way audio that allows you to talk to your pet, motion alerts, exceptional zoom, a wide field of view, and night vision. Treat dispensing cameras are an option, too, but I explain later in this article why I don’t recommend them.
As a pet products reporter, I’ve tested a wide range of pet tech, from smart feeders to pet fountains. My cats were my first babies, and I put as much thought into their care and safety as I do my daughter’s. I love checking in on them and have cameras set up throughout my house and outdoor spaces. Even when I’m home, motion alerts let me know where my cats are sneaking off to.
For this guide, I tested eight pet cameras to suit different needs, including smart models with AI features, subscription-free devices, and ones that toss treats. After more than two months of real-life testing and conversations with veterinary behaviorists and tech experts, my pick for the best overall pet camera is the Tapo C260. It’s the most affordable option I recommend, yet it delivers the strongest mix of pet and home monitoring features, even without the optional subscription.
Read more about how Insider Reviews tests and evaluates pet products.
Our top picks for the best pet cameras
Best overall: Tapo C260 - See at Amazon
Bet with AI: Petlibro Scout Smart Camera - See at Chewy
Best without a subscription: Eufy E30 - See at Chewy
Best overall
This tilt-pan AI camera combines pet-focused tracking and alerts with solid home security features, providing pet parents with flexibility, peace of mind, and reliable performance at an affordable price.
What we like
What we don't like
The Tapo C260 is for pet parents who want a single device that does it all, and does it well, at a budget-friendly price. While it’s the most affordable camera I recommend, it also offers the best combination of pet and home security features. Even without a subscription, you get pet motion detection, as well as familiar face recognition. This means you won't be bothered with alerts when your pet sitter stops by, but you'll be notified if a stranger appears.
The beauty of Tapo's numerous features is that you can toggle them on or off as you please. You can turn off person detection to focus only on pets and adjust sound sensitivity for meows, barks, or a baby's cries. That said, there's room for improvement when it comes to sound detection. The camera reliably picked up barks, but meows — especially raspy or soft ones — were detected less than half the time from more than 5 feet away. Results were best if the source of the sound was within about 10 feet of the camera. While there's also an alert for breaking glass, the C260 failed to recognize those sounds in my testing.
I set my Tapo camera on a shelf, but discovered it requires more careful placement. From about 5 feet away, the 116° tilt couldn't capture my cats' water fountain on the floor or the top of their cat tree, unlike my other top picks with 360° vertical coverage. I solved this problem by moving the camera a little farther back.
Its 4K resolution is about twice as sharp as many standard pet cameras, and my cat remained crisp on screen, even from a distance. While 4K video can lag when streaming over weak WiFi or cellular data, you can switch to 720p resolution or set it to "Auto" for smoother streaming.
This camera has the most powerful zoom I have tested. Even when fully zoomed in, the video was clear enough that I could spot small details, like leftover kibble in my cat's bowl from 15 feet away, day or night. Thanks to Tapo's smart pet tracking, I never had to pan or zoom manually to search for my cat. When the camera detects a pet, a magnified window pops up in live view, and the camera follows their movements, keeping them in frame.
The live feed is always accessible, and you can connect multiple cameras through the app. I liked that I could swipe between feeds without returning to the main screen, which made it easy to check on one cat downstairs while keeping an eye on another upstairs with a second camera. To view recorded clips, you'll need a microSD card or a $35 a year subscription. You can also connect Tapo cameras to Google or Alexa for streaming on Chromecast or Echo Show. However, you can't view the live feed directly through the Google Home or Alexa apps. For live viewing on your phone, you'll need the Tapo app.
I also tested the Ring Pan-Tilt Indoor Cam, and while it provides crisp day-and-night video, its functions are limited to home security. Since the Ring and Tapo C260 cameras are similarly priced, Tapo's additional pet-specific features make it a better buy for pet parents.
Best with AI
Offering the latest in pet AI, the Petlibro Scout camera recognizes and tracks individual pets, sorts their activities, and delivers personalized daily summaries for a smarter, hands-off pet monitoring experience.
What we like
What we don't like
Of the many pet camera feeders I’ve tested, Petlibro’s video quality stands out. So I wasn’t surprised when its standalone camera, Scout, delivered crisp footage day and night, with up to 5x zoom. What really sets Scout apart from other cameras is its AI features. It can recognize and track up to five pets, organize events by individual pet or behavior, and send daily summaries. While a few other cameras offer similar features, Scout’s interface is more intuitive, tracks more pets in greater detail, and improves in accuracy over time — though at a much higher price.
According to Philip Tedeschi, founder and professor at the Institute for Human-Animal Connection and a human-animal connection expert with Rover, the true value of a pet camera lies in its ability to capture behaviors you can share with your trainer or veterinarian. Scout’s optional subscription plans make this easier by organizing videos and photos by behavior, including eating, drinking, movement, selfies, and litter box use. It even adds AI-generated captions (“Atlas is calmly enjoying her meal, taking a peaceful moment to nourish herself in the cozy sunlight.”) and compiles a video summary of your pet’s day.
However, Scout doesn’t offer 24/7 continuous recording. Instead, it captures 30-second videos triggered by specific events. And since it lacks a microSD card slot, there’s no local storage option. A subscription is the only way to access videos and watch playbacks, and the plans are pricey. A standard AI plan gets you access to the last 7 days of video history, and the premium AI plan offers 30 days. You can also subscribe to less pricey cloud storage plans.
Without a subscription, Scout offers access to live viewing, photos (but not videos) sorted by individual pets, and access to its AI assistant, Tobi. Tobi is helpful for simple, straightforward questions. For example, when I asked when a cat last ate, Tobi not only gave me the date but also offered recent photos (a feature available without a subscription) and videos of her eating (available only with a subscription). It can also tell you when your pets last played or went to the litter box, as long as the camera has a clear view of those areas.
That said, Tobi struggled with more nuanced questions. When I asked if my cats had scratched near the couch, it said no, even though they had used the scratcher right beside it. Tobi also provides general health information, such as whether your pet may be overweight or if their eating habits seem healthy. However, pet parents should consult their veterinarian rather than relying on AI for health evaluations.
The Scout camera includes two-way audio, but I prefer using the bird chirp sound to draw my cat from her hiding spot. The camera doesn't offer bark or meow detection, which could be a drawback for some pet parents. It also lacks treat-dispensing, but we don’t recommend those extras anyway.
It didn’t take long to get everything up and running. When I played the bird chirp call, my cats came right to the camera so I could snap photos to build their profiles and train the AI. No pet camera’s AI has been perfect in my testing, and Scout was no exception. Lyra, my short-haired gray-and-white cat, was sometimes mistaken for Atlas, my long-haired black-and-white cat. However, Scout makes it easy to give feedback, and the AI actually learns from it. The more I corrected its mistakes, the better it became at recognizing my cats and their behaviors.
Best without a subscription
The Eufy E30 offers premium features, including 4K video, pet-only motion alerts, detection zones, 360° coverage, and seamless Google Home and Alexa integration without tethering you to a subscription.
What we like
What we don't like
The Eufy E30 is my top pick for a subscription-free camera because it offers customizable features I’d expect to pay a premium for. I’ve used Eufy cameras for years — from monitoring my chicken coop and catio to watching my cats indoors and keeping an eye on the front door. I first chose Eufy for its subscription-free setup, and I’ve stuck with it because it offers reliable connectivity, clear video, and easy integration with Google Home.
I placed the E30 camera in a high-traffic area to monitor my cats’ tree and water fountain, and its 360° vertical and horizontal view let me see everything. To avoid constant notifications, I set motion alerts to pets only. It reliably alerted me as my cat, Lyra, moved from the cat tree to the floor and into her closet retreat.
Other features make it even easier to focus on the activity that matters most to you. You can save up to four default positions — custom angles you choose, such as a food bowl, dog bed, or front door — and then jump to them with a tap instead of manually panning every time. You can also set custom motion-tracking areas, so the camera knows exactly where to watch for movement.
The E30 can stream in high resolution 4K down to 720p. Lower settings can look a bit grainy, but higher resolutions may lag if your internet connection is slow. I keep mine set to "Auto," which automatically adjusts the quality for smoother streaming. You can watch live through the Eufy, Google Home, or Alexa apps. Eufy's camera quality was excellent, both day and night, and the 8x zoom made it easy to check how much food was left in my cat's bowl. For nighttime viewing in color, you can turn on the spotlight. I wouldn't recommend shining it on pets, but it's useful for checking a bowl or litter box.
All of the camera's features are available without a subscription, but you'll need a microSD card to store and review past footage. That's a major advantage over the Wyze Cam v4, which I also tested. Wyze cameras are cheaper upfront, but you’ll need a subscription to access many of the camera’s features. In my experience, Wyze cameras have proven to be less reliable in the long term, and the company’s 2019 and 2024 security breaches raise concerns. While Eufy faced criticism over its own security in 2023, it has strengthened protections and earned security certifications that help protect personally identifiable information.
Why we can’t recommend treat-tossing cameras
Many of us want to spoil our pets with treats while we’re away, even if only to stop them in their tracks before they do something naughty. “A well-timed treat can interrupt the early onset of pacing, door scratching, or alert barking at the window, redirecting the dog’s focus before the behavior escalates,” says Dr. Alison Gerken, a board-certified veterinary behaviorist at San Francisco SPCA. But after testing the Furbo 360º Cat, Furbo 360º Dog, and Petcube Bites 2 Lite, I found that the drawbacks of treat-tossing cameras outweigh the benefits.
Getting the timing right is unlikely. To be effective, a treat must be delivered just before your dog starts barking or your cat starts clawing at the couch — not during or after. Likewise, if your dog is resting calmly and you trigger a treat but they jump up to bark in that split second, it's the barking that gets rewarded. Gerken says that when a pet expects a treat for an action, good or bad, they often "double down" until they get it. For example, a dog might bark louder or longer to earn their reward. If you give in and give them a treat to stop the barking, you've encouraged the escalated behavior.
My cat quickly learned the Furbo dispensed treats and became obsessed — hovering, staring, and eventually breaking into it with little effort. My editor only used the Furbo 360º Dog to toss treats to her pup a few times, knowing he'd likely become fixated, too. The toss itself can be startling: Kibble launched up to 8 feet across my living room, ricocheting off walls and scattering under furniture. While some pets may find the foraging stimulating, one of my cats was too spooked to search for or eat the treats. Tossers aren't always consistent either. Sometimes they spit out two treats, other times four, so the reward is unpredictable. Calories add up quickly when too many treats launch, while too few can leave pets frustrated and searching for snacks that never come.
Still, Gerken notes that treat-tossing cameras can be useful for keeping pets occupied when they're left alone, which may help reduce problem behaviors stemming from boredom or anxiety. She says the best time to dispense a treat is when your pet is already calm and lying down or playing appropriately, as a treat will help encourage them to continue those good behaviors.
If you'd like to buy a treat-tossing camera for your dog, I recommend the Furbo 360º Dog Camera over the Petcube Bites 2 Lite. Furbo's superior AI features (pet tracking, barking and chewing alerts, and an AI assistant) provide better insight for behavioral tracking than the PetCube. In our testing, the Petcube was unreliable, detecting barking less than 1% of the time and failing to detect meows entirely, and its connectivity was spotty. Additionally, the Petcube's treat tosser was too powerful.
The Furbo 360º Cat Camera was just as reliable as the dog version, but I don't recommend it if your cat tends to break into feeders, which, in my experience, is the case with most cats. The Petcube Bites 2 Lite is also not suitable for cats due to its powerful, startling treat launch. If you'd like to dispense small amounts of kibble as treats while you're away from home, I recommend using an automatic pet feeder. My pick for the best automatic cat feeder with a camera is the Petlibro Granary, which can dispense as little as 1 tablespoon of kibble.
What to look for in a pet camera
The best pet camera for your home depends on your needs and preferences, but ultimately, it should have up-to-date, secure safety features. Based on information from my veterinary and tech sources, research, and testing, these are the key features to consider when choosing among the best pet cameras.
Security: Even the best pet cameras can be vulnerable to hacking, especially those that connect via WiFi rather than being hardwired. The good news is that purchasing a secure camera and keeping its software up to date can significantly reduce the risk, says Ashley Allen, a senior security engineer at Posit PBC, an open-source software company.
Here are the security features of in-home cameras you shouldn’t overlook:
- Data encryption: Encryption scrambles your data so it looks like gibberish to anyone who doesn’t have the key to unlock it. Even if someone intercepts your data, they won’t be able to see or use it, Allen says.
Most home cameras use Encryption Standard (AES), where the service provider holds the key needed to unscramble and view your data. This means they can access your camera feed for troubleshooting, maintenance, or helping recover a lost video. Strict security policies, internal controls, and regulatory standards help prevent service providers from viewing your feed without a valid reason.
Few home security and pet cameras offer true end-to-end encryption, where you alone hold the key to access your feed — not even the service provider can view it. Eufy offers end-to-end encryption, which you must enable under the setting called “Advanced Encryption.” However, the company warns that if you toggle this setting on and forget your password, you’ll permanently lose access to your data. Since Eufy doesn't have the key to unlock your encrypted information, they can’t help you recover your password or data.
- Two-factor authentication: Two-factor authentication (2FA) provides an extra layer of protection by requiring a second security step to unlock your account. Common methods include fingerprint or facial recognition, generating a one-time code from an app on your phone, or receiving a code via text message. Allen always recommends enabling 2FA, which adds a security step controlled solely by you, not the company. Even if an attacker gets your username and password, they still can’t access your account. For in-home cameras, Allen says that using your fingerprint or face to unlock your account is more secure than getting a code sent to your phone.
- Automatic firmware updates: Keeping your camera’s software up to date is crucial because updates fix security problems and ensure smooth performance. If your camera is running old software with known weaknesses, a hacker could take control of it, says Jeff Ketelaars, co-founder of Security Guards Only. Turning on automatic updates is the easiest way to keep your camera up to date.
- Privacy features: Ketelaars says it’s worth considering camera features that help protect your privacy and reassure guests, including pet sitters. Options like built-in privacy screens or a tilt-down option physically block the lens to prevent recording. Bright spotlights aren’t recommended for shining on pets, but a small LED light that turns on during recording makes it clear when the camera is active.
Video quality: Most home cameras offer standard 1080p resolution, though a few still stream in 720p. Some cameras go higher, but keep in mind that better video requires better WiFi. Other useful features to consider include zoom and picture-in-picture (PIP) mode, which creates a smaller window of your camera feed on top of another screen or app. For example, in PIP mode, you can watch your pet in a little window while sending a text to your sitter. Some cameras offer color night vision. The Eufy E30 is one such camera, but it relies on a spotlight that can be disruptive to pets.
Audio quality: Clear audio lets you hear what’s happening on the other side of the camera, but our experts recommend using two-way audio to speak to your pet sparingly — or not at all. “Speaking through the camera doesn’t usually have the effect people hope it will,” says Kate LaSala, a certified separation anxiety trainer and founder of Rescued by Training. Rather than comforting your pet, Tedeschi says talking through a camera can confuse or frustrate them since they hear your voice but can’t find you. Some cameras — such as the Petlibro Scout — still offer two-way talk but also feature pet-friendly sounds to get your pet’s attention.
Features: Indoor pet cameras offer a range of features, from home-security-focused options such as security alerts for people at your door (as seen in Ring cameras) to pet-focused options with AI, like the Petlibro Scout. I named the Tapo C260 the best overall pet camera in part because it combines home security and pet-tracking features, making it versatile for many households.
Some cameras can connect to Google Home and Alexa apps, allowing you to view live feeds or create routines through your home management system. But that doesn’t always mean you can watch the feed on your phone through those apps. For example, with the Tapo C260, you can only see the live video on the Tapo app or if you cast it to a smart display or TV — direct viewing with Google Home or Alexa on your phone isn’t supported.
Across the cameras I tested, the feature I found most useful was notification filtering, which identifies individual pets and alerts you to their movements. Preset positions and target zones were also incredibly useful for monitoring specific areas. For example, with the Eufy E30, you can save up to four positions, like a food or water bowl or dog bed, and quickly jump to those spots without manually panning the camera. And with custom target zones, you can tell the camera exactly where to scan for movement.
For privacy, you can physically close the lens of most cameras using the privacy shutter. With both the Eufy and Tapo cameras, you can digitally black out portions of the field of view that you don't want recorded.
While some cameras also claim to detect barks or meows, I found their accuracy to be limited, especially for cats. Ultimately, the features that matter most depend on your needs and how you plan to use the camera.
Price: The upfront cost of a pet or home-security camera usually doesn’t cover a monthly subscription, which is often required to access recordings, enable specific motion or sound detection features, or unlock other advanced functions. An exception among the cameras I tested is the Eufy E30, which only requires a microSD card for recording, with no features locked behind a paywall.
How we tested pet cameras
Based on my personal experience, customer reviews, and a close look at specs, I narrowed down an initial pool of twelve cameras to eight, then tested them for over two months. I developed a standardized testing process to evaluate the cameras and their features, drawing on insights from both pet and tech experts.
Installation and setup: I evaluated how easy each camera was to install, position, and connect it to its companion app. I timed the setup, assessed the clarity of instructions, and noted any issues I encountered.
Ease of use: I explored the companion apps using both WiFi and cellular connections, testing live streaming, playback, settings navigation, and multi-camera support. For models compatible with Google Home and/or Alexa, I also evaluated ease of integration.
Image quality: I tested all cameras from the same spot in a high-traffic corridor at the top of my stairs, where my cats drink from a floor-level water fountain, climb their cat tree, and lounge on the floor. This setup allowed me to directly compare video clarity, field of view, zoom, and lag in daylight, low-light, and nighttime conditions. For cameras with AI pet-tracking features, I also moved them to other areas of the house to capture a wider range of behaviors, including my cats eating at their food bowl, using their scratching post, and visiting their litter box.
Audio quality: I tested two-way talk and standard audio for clarity, delay, and background noise. My husband stood in the room with the camera and reported what he heard when I spoke through the camera from another room or outside the house. He observed how clearly he could hear me and whether the camera picked up background sounds.
Features: Smart functions such as motion detection, pet/person recognition, barking or meowing alerts, and treat dispensing were tested for accuracy, usability, and reliability. For treat-tossing cameras, I tested the feature 30 times with varying treat sizes, from large dental kibbles to small kibbles, to check for jams or failed tosses. I evaluated barking and meowing detection by playing recordings of those sounds on my laptop, starting about 30 feet from the camera and gradually moving closer until the sound was detected.
Security: All of the best pet cameras in my lineup share security protections like AES encryption, two-factor authentication, and automatic (or, in the case of the Petlibro Scout, opt-in push) firmware updates. Beyond those essentials, I also dug into each company’s history. If I found past security issues, I evaluated the company’s response, including how it strengthened security measures and reinforced its commitment to user privacy.
Pet camera FAQs
What is the best home pet monitoring camera?
The best pet camera really depends on your individual needs, preferences, and budget. That said, my top pick is the Tapo C260 because it’s affordable and versatile, making it easy to adapt for your preferred use, whether that’s AI behavior tracking of eating, sleeping, or litter box use, subscription-free monitoring, or hybrid home security and pet monitoring features. Regardless of the model, the best pet cameras include up-to-date security features to protect your privacy.
Is it worth getting a pet camera?
Pet cameras can be fantastic tools for monitoring behaviors and capturing footage to share with your veterinarian or behaviorist. With so many models available, it’s easy to find one that fits your needs, preferences, and budget. That said, issues can arise if owners become overly anxious about checking in or try to intervene with two-way talk or by dispensing treats. Tedeschi says giving a pet treats from a camera can be comforting, but it can also increase their anxiety if a treat is given when they're already stressed or upset. He adds that your pet can become distressed if they hear your voice through the camera but cannot find you.
Is there a camera to watch pets without a subscription?
Yes. My top pick for a subscription-free pet camera is the Eufy E30 because it includes pet-friendly features that many other models lock behind a paywall, such as pet-only motion and sound detection, motion tracking, and default positioning. You can stream in resolutions ranging from 720p to Ultra 4K and record and review past events with a microSD card. Another option is the Tapo C260, which offers an optional subscription for cloud storage and playback. Alternatively, you can record and view live events by inserting a microSD card. All other features are available without a subscription, including pet detection and monitoring, bark and meow detection, and human facial recognition.
What is the difference between a pet camera and a security camera?
Pet cameras are designed with features that make it easier to focus on your pet while filtering out other unnecessary alerts. For example, the Eufy E30 and Tapo C260 work as hybrid devices, allowing you to disable human tracking and notifications so you only get alerts for pet movement. In contrast, a traditional home security camera like the Ring prioritizes human detection, doorbell notifications, and other security-focused alerts, with no pet-specific tracking. On the other end of the spectrum, the Petlibro Scout functions strictly as a pet camera, using AI to identify pets and log specific behaviors such as eating, drinking, and motion.
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Disclosure: Written and researched by the Insider Reviews team. We highlight products and services you might find interesting. If you buy them, we may get a small share of the revenue from the sale from our partners. We may receive products free of charge from manufacturers to test. This does not drive our decision as to whether or not a product is featured or recommended. We operate independently from our advertising team. We welcome your feedback. Email us at reviews@jkmperu.com.
