Short answer: not necessarily. Whether you pay monthly depends on where your video is stored.
Cloud cameras: video stored on the company’s servers
Many popular doorbells and battery cameras upload clips to the manufacturer’s cloud. Without a plan, some only show live video and alerts, and you can’t go back and watch what happened. A plan adds saved clips, longer history and smart features. Prices vary by brand and change over time, so check the current plan before you buy.
Local recording: video stays at your property
A system with a network video recorder (NVR) records to a hard drive in your home or business. The phone app is free, you can watch live and play back recordings from anywhere with internet, and nothing stops working if you skip a payment.
- No monthly fee for recording or the app
- Continuous recording is possible, not just short motion clips
- Your video stays yours – it isn’t uploaded to a company’s servers
- Keeps recording if the internet goes down (you just can’t view it remotely until it’s back)
Is a cloud plan ever worth it?
Sometimes. If you only want a doorbell, the convenience of a cloud doorbell can be worth a small monthly fee. And if a thief could steal the recorder, cloud backup keeps a copy. For a multi-camera setup around a house, farm or shop, a local recorder in a hidden spot is usually the better value.
Our camera systems record locally with no required subscription. See camera installation.
