Last updated on January 23rd, 2024 at 02:17 am
This post will help you choose the best indoor pet camera without a subscription.
Most of us miss our pets when we’re away from home. Some of us wonder how they’re doing with nobody looking after them.
If you’re one of them, then it’s time you got a pet camera. This gadget helps you monitor your pet’s activity from the comfort of your smartphone.
There are many pet camera options out there. If you’re on a budget, you’d want to choose an indoor pet camera without a subscription.
Before proceeding, you would want to know the difference between a pet camera and a generic security camera.
Difference Between a Pet Camera and Security Camera
With a security camera, you’re limited to watching your pet while away from home.
A pet camera, on the other hand, comes with some pet-specific features. This helps reduce pet stress due to boredom and separation from the master.
Examples include those that allow you to serve treats to your pet. Others can allow you to interact with your pet through voice or video chat.
These special features would usually require you to pay subscription fees.
As you’ll learn below, you can make do with a generic pet camera without the bells and whistles. In other words, you can manage well enough with an indoor pet camera without a subscription.
Privacy Concern
A pet camera is a form of a smart home gadget that functions over a Wi-Fi connection. As such, it can be hacked and your privacy compromised. So, you must take steps to secure your device.
Most importantly, you would need an extra strong password.
Keep your pet camera app updated and secure it with two-factor authentication. Turn it off when you’re home to be on the safe side.
Here are some suggestions to help you buy the best indoor pet camera without a subscription.
Furbo 360° Dog Camera
Furbo’s line of pet cameras is well-known for its treat-tossing feature. One such unit is the Furbo 360-degree unit.
It comes with many features, which you can avail yourself of through the Dog Nanny subscription.
You do indeed need to pay for premium features. However, the barking alert is a useful feature that comes free with this unit. You don’t have to pay a subscription fee to avail yourself of it.
This pet camera offers 360-degree views in silent panning mode. There’s also a useful automatic dog tracking feature.
If your pet is in darkness before you get home, the color night vision helps you monitor your furry one’s activity.
Then there’s the treat tosser, which allows you to store up to 100 pieces of treats.
With its panning ability, you can monitor your pet’s activity in a wider space.
The downside of this unit is that you need to pay to access recordings. But that’s not really a shortcoming if you only need alerts.
Take note that vertical tilting is unavailable. Also, you can’t store recordings within the camera.
Check out the Furbo 360° Dog Camera.
NETVUE Dog Camera
You can use voice commands with this dog camera. It supports Amazon Alexa. The two-way audio feature allows you to talk to your pet if needed.
This affordable 1080p pet camera may not be to your liking at first glance. You have limited pan and tilt angles.
So, you’ve got to position it in a spot where your pet is active. If you can identify that, then it’s not really a shortcoming.
There will be instances when your dog is left in the dark. This is when the night vision feature comes in handy.
NETVUE is impressive in this area. You get clear night vision images with this dog camera.
You may be new to pet cameras and find installation and setup tricky. If so, you get excellent support from the NETVUE team. If you run into problems after using it for a while, support will assist you with troubleshooting your unit.
If you want local storage for your recordings, this is the unit to go for. Your recordings will be saved on a memory card.
You can get motion alerts for free with the unit. You will need to pay a subscription fee if you need detailed alerts.
Go for this unit if you want just basic pet monitoring.
Mubview Pet Camera
Want to get instant motion alerts for your pet for an affordable price? Check out Amazon’s Choice pet camera.
Two standout features of this camera are the 2-way audio and decent image quality.
Once motion is detected, the camera gets to work and starts recording. A notification is sent to you.
Night vision is, however, in black-and-white mode. Images may not be that vivid. It’s not a shortcoming if you want to view only pet activity.
There’s no bark detection feature with this basic pet camera.
Camera installation is straightforward. You have two options with recorded footage.
The first is through a microSD card (not included). You may also try the cloud storage option. A free 7-day trial is offered. You can cancel at any time.
The pet camera is lightweight. So, you’ve got to be careful where you place it. It can get knocked off easily.
This 2K-resolution pet camera is a hot-selling product, with 4.4 out of 5 stars on Amazon and close to 3000 ratings.
If budget is a concern, grab this value-for-money indoor pet camera.
Wopet Dog Camera D01 Plus
This is the pet camera to buy for a wide viewing angle. This 1080p camera can support a wide angle of 165 degrees.
It lacks smart assistant support, however. Recorded footage is stored on a memory card, and night vision is in black and white but clear.
If you often return home late and don’t want to leave your pet hungry, the treat dispenser will be handy. You can fill up to two cups with treats.
Although pan and tilt aren’t supported, this decent pet camera supports two-way audio communication.
Motion detection is impressive if your pet doesn’t move around fast.
There’s also support for 5 GHz and 2.4 GHz WiFi systems.
Check out the Wopet Dog Camera D01 Plus.
YI Pet Security Camera
Do you want 360-degree tracking to monitor your pet? The YI Pet camera comes with this feature.
It boasts 1080p picture quality and supports motion tracking for up to 10 seconds.
It also comes with excellent night vision capabilities.
Two-way audio communication is also provided. It works with Google Assistant and Alexa as well.
Apart from motion detection, sound detection is also available.
This YI pet camera works on a 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi network and also through an Ethernet cable.
Check out the YI Pet Security Camera.
Frequently Asked Questions for Pet Cameras without a Subscription
Can You Use a Pet Camera for Human Movement Detection?
Yes, a pet camera doubles as a security camera. It detects human movements as well. So, if you no longer have a pet, you may use it as an indoor security camera. You can also monitor your baby or an elderly person with it.
Do Pet Security Cameras Need Electricity to Function?
Yes, most of them do. Since they’ve got to work long hours, electricity is required for their uninterrupted functioning. So, ensure you have a functioning power outlet near where you want to place the security camera.
Do All Pet Cameras Need Wi-Fi?
Wi-Fi is needed if you’re to view room activity remotely through alerts. If you record on an SD card, you don’t need Wi-Fi. You can view recorded footage on a computer by inserting the card into a card reader.
