Security cameras are among the best tools for protecting your home. They’re a great crime deterrent, and if you still suffer a break-in, they’ll record the forensic evidence to help police find the perpetrator.
Whether you’re buying your first, upgrading what you have, or adding coverage to an unprotected area of your home, Black Friday is the absolute best time to buy one.
Black Friday security camera deals
Eufy Security Floodlight Cam 2 Pro
From: Amazon Was: $300 Now: $199 ($101 off with coupon)
Security camera/floodlight mashups like this kill two birds with one stone: They light up a broad swath of your property, and the record anything that movies within their field of view. The Eufy Security Camera Floodlight 2 Pro products 3,000 lumens of color-tunable light, and it records video in 2K resolution. Bonus points for storing its recordings locally, instead of in the cloud where they’re out of your control.
See the Eufy Security Floodlight Cam 2 Pro at Amazon
BlinkBlink Mini
From: Amazon Was: $35 Now: $20 ($15 off)
You don’t need to spend a lot of money to protect your home with a security camera. Amazon’s own Blink line packs a ton of bang for the buck. Take the Blink Mini, for example. This indoor camera measures just 1.97 x 1.93 x 1.41 inches (WxHxD), yet it can record at 1080p resolution and it features infrared night vision. You can stream video to Amazon Echo smart displays, too.
ArloArlo Essential Wireless Security Cam
From: Amazon Was: $130 Now: $100 ($30 off)
We’re big fans of Arlo security cameras, and this cost-reduced model is just the ticket for protecting smaller spaces. Arlo says its battery should last up to six months on a charge, and it connects directly to your Wi-Fi network—no need for an Arlo base station. It’s compatible with Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, and Apple HomeKit!
See the Arlo Essential Wireless Security Camera at Amazon
RingRing Stick Up Cam Battery
From: Amazon Was: $100 Now: $75 ($25 off)
Ring has one of the broadest smart home ecosystems on the market, with products in the security, lighting, and both DIY and professional monitoring. The Ring Stick Up Cam Battery can be deployed indoors or out, thanks to its weatherized enclosure. The corded Stick Up Cam Plug-in is available for the same price. If you’ll be deploying the camera outdoors, this $125 bundle includes a solar panel that will keep its battery perpetually charged.
See the Ring Stick Up Cam Battery at Amazon
Google Nest
All new for 2021, the Nest Cam features a magnetic mount and can operate indoors or out, and on battery or AC power.
Nest Cam (battery)
From: Google Play Was: $180 Now: $150 ($30 off)
This is a great, battery-powered high-end security camera that’s fully weatherized, so it can be deployed indoors or out. It’s also one of the easiest security cams to set up and use. With excellent image quality and Nest’s polished app, the Nest Cam (battery) delivers great protection.
See the Nest Cam (battery) at the Google Play store
ArloArlo Ultra 2 Wireless Security Camera
The Arlo Ultra 2 is a high-end rarity in security cameras, delivering a whopping 4K resolution with HDR to deliver the best image quality in its class. It’s wireless, of course, and operates on battery power. It can be deployed indoors or out, and it has an integrated spotlight. This is a sensational discount.
See the Arlo Ultra 2 at Amazon
Ring Floodlight Cam Wired Plus
RingFrom: Amazon Was: $180 Now: $140 ($40 off)
Ring didn’t invent the idea of marrying a floodlight with a security camera, but the combination of the company’s inexpensive home security system and its expanding collection of smart lighting products makes the Ring Floodlight Cam Wired Plus a great value, and it’s even better at this price. The more sophisticated Ring Floodlight Cam Pro, with Ring’s Birds Eye View technology, is also on sale for Black Friday, reduced from $250 to $200.
See the Ring Floodlight Cam Wired Plus at Amazon
GoogleNest Cam with Floodlight
From: Google Play Was: $280 Now: $230 ($50 off)
Not to be outdone, Google has expanded its home security lineup with the all-new Nest Cam with Floodlight. It consists of the outdoor 1080p Nest Cam mounted between a pair of dimmable LED floodlights that produce 2,400 lumens of brightness.
See the Nest Cam with Floodlight at the Google Play store
ArloArlo Pro 3 Floodlight Camera
From: Amazon Was: $250 Now: $164 ($86 off)
Most floodlight cameras must be hardwired to your home’s electrical system, which limits where they can be deployed. That’s not a problem Arlo’s floodlight cam—it operates on battery power for up to six months, so you can mount it just about anywhere. Mount an Arlo solar panel next to it and you’ll never need to change its battery.
See the Arlo Pro 3 Floodlight Camera at Amazon
Abode
Abode Cam 2
From: Abode Was: $40 Now: $25 ($15 off)
The very small and quite excellent Abode Cam 2 is an excellent value in security cameras. You can deploy one on its own—indoors or out—or add it to an existing Abode home security system. This was already an inexpensive camera, and now you can pick one up for 34 percent less.
Michael Brown / IDG
Ecobee SmartCamera with voice control
From: Amazon Was: $100 Now: $70 ($30 off)
This excellent home security not only has a built-in Alexa smart speaker, it can also act as the hub for a complete home security system when deployed with Ecobee’s room and door/window sensors. Even better, it also supports Apple’s HomeKit ecosystem, including HomeKit Secure Video.
See the Ecobee SmartCamera with voice control on Amazon
LiftMastermyQ Smart Garage Camera
You need to protect your garage, whether you park your car in it or just use it for storage. This camera was tailor-made for the job, and if you connect it to a myQ garage door controller, the camera’s video feed will appear right above the controls for that device. It’s a good value at $150; now’s your chance to snag one for half off.
From: Best Buy Was: $150 Now: $75 ($75 off)
See the myQ Smart Garage Camera at Best Buy
ArloArlo Pro 4 Spotlight Camera bundle
From: Best Buy Was: $600 Now: $400 ($200 off)
The Arlo Pro 4 is our pick for the best home security camera of 2021, and this deal nets you not just one of the indoor/outdoor cameras but a three-camera bundle that includes a dual battery charging station, three anti-theft mounts, and a yard sign. These cameras typically sell for $200 each, so this Best Buy offering is a true bargain for the kit.
See the Arlo Pro 4 Spotlight Camera at Best Buy
When is Black Friday 2021?
Black Friday traditionally comes the day after Thanksgiving, marking the beginning of the holiday shopping season. This year, Black Friday falls on Friday, November 26. But retailers have been launching Black Friday deals even weeks earlier in recent years, trying to beat the competition to the punch.
Black Friday buying tips
Resolution is the most important feature in security cameras. These days, 1080p video is considered the floor and you’ll find it in cameras costing as little as $20 on Black Friday. Add features such as higher resolution, battery power, weatherization for installing outdoors, package detection, and the like, prices will steadily rise.
Once you buy a security camera that you like, it’s a good idea to stay in that same ecosystem. It’s a pain to juggle multiple apps, and most products in this category require you to sign up for a subscription to store you recordings in the cloud. If you have a smart home system or a home security system, you’ll want to buy cameras that can be incorporated into those systems. If you have a Ring Alarm, you’ll want to stick with Ring cameras. Likewise if you have a SimpliSafe system, you’ll want to integrate SimpliSafe cameras.
Who has Black Friday smart home deals?
All the big players—Amazon, Google, Best Buy, Walmart et al—are offering plenty of Black Friday deals, with Amazon having the most diverse offerings. The other big box stores will likely focus on more mainstream categories, while the Google Play Store mostly sells only Nest devices. Follow these links to see what’s available:
Updated periodically with new pricing details and additional products.
Author: Michael Brown, Executive Editor, TechHive
Michael is TechHive's lead editor, with 30+ years of experience covering smart homes, home networking, and home audio/home theater. He holds a BA in Multimedia Journalism, authored the book Desktop Video Production, and was awarded Best Online Review by the Computer Press Association. Michael built a smart home in 2007 and used it as a real-world product-testing lab. Now living in the Pacific Northwest, he is converting his 1890 Victorian bungalow into a modern smart home. Michael has worked at CNET, PCWorld, Electronic Musician, and Maximum PC. As a freelancer, he contributed to New Media, Camcorder, MacWeek, and more.