A smart video doorbell can provide a window to the world outside your door even when you are not home. Not only do these doorbells work as stand-alone mini security systems, but some also can tie into Apple’s HomeKit smart home framework. HomeKit allows you to control your video doorbell and other smart home devices using the Home app or Siri on an iOS device.
Not only can you control the device, but some doorbell cameras also let you store and retrieve video from iCloud, thanks to Apple’s HomeKit Secure Video feature. It’s a level of convenience that sets these HomeKit-enabled devices apart. Below, you will find our picks for the best HomeKit video doorbells that you can buy today.
Logitech Circle View
Logitech’s Circle View video doorbell is one of the best HomeKit-enabled video doorbells that you can buy. It not only supports the basic remote control features of HomeKit, but it is also is the first consumer video doorbell that works with HomeKit Secure Video. HomeKit Secure Video allows you to stream and record video from your video doorbell to your iOS device via the Home app and iCloud. Equipped with a 5-megapixel sensor, the Circle View video doorbell can capture HD video with HDR for improved quality in difficult lighting conditions.
It also has a respectable 160-degree field of view for “head-to-toe” viewing so you can see who is at your door and easily spot packages on the ground. The biggest detractor is its 3:4 ratio that limits the side-to-side view, making it difficult to view items or people in the periphery. Those with a small entryway won’t notice this narrow field of view, but it may be a deal-breaker for those with a porch or a wide entrance to their home. Learn more about the Circle View in our full review.
Read our in-depth Logitech Circle View review
Arlo Video Doorbell
Arlo’s Video Doorbell stands out for its smart detection that can distinguish between people, animals, cars, and packages. It lets you know precisely who or what is at your door — is it the delivery person with a signature-only package, the neighbor’s cat, or your best friend unexpectedly dropping off food? The Arlo Video Doorbell also cuts down on false alerts from people or cars that are just passing by. The video doorbell delivers a crisp and clear HD-quality stream with a wide 180-degree viewing angle and a 1:1 square aspect ratio that reduces blind spots. You can see both what is in front and to the side of your door.
It also has two-way audio so you can talk to the person waiting at your door. If you want to use HomeKit, you must also have the Arlo Smart Hub, which adds complexity to the system and is an added expense. The system also does not support HomeKit Secure Video. You must open the Arlo mobile app to review any video clips, a drawback we noted in our review.
Read our in-depth Arlo Video Doorbell review
Netatmo Smart Video Doorbell
Netatmo’s Smart Video Doorbell offers an integrated storage solution that allows you to store up to 32GB of video on the camera itself. The attractive-looking doorbell streams video in 1080P HD quality with a 140-degree field of view. Netatmo’s lineup of smart cameras now supports Apple’s HomeKit Secure Video, thanks to an upgrade released earlier this year.
Though the smart cameras integrate into secure video, the Netatmo Smart Video Doorbell only supports basic HomeKit features. Hopefully, Netatmo will roll out secure video support soon. Other key features include two-way audio, night vision, and integration with your existing wiring and doorbell chimes. Find out what we love and what we don’t in our full review.
Read our in-depth Netatmo Smart Video Doorbell review
Yobi B3
Yobi may not have the brand recognition of Logitech, but the company has some experience with video camera technology. The B3 video doorbell is created by the folks behind the popular iBaby baby monitor sold previously in Apple retail stores. The B3 builds upon that architecture, lifting the baby monitor’s two-way audio and motion detection and packaging it into a doorbell unit. The doorbell is lightning fast with 1080P HD video and a wide 180-degree field of view.
It integrates with Apple HomeKit and doesn’t require another app or Yobi account to function. It’s not as feature-filled as the other video doorbells on our list, so don’t expect to see facial recognition or discrimination between a person, pet, or package. The Yobi B3 may be a decent video doorbell, but it has one glaring omission. Though it is compatible with HomeKit, it doesn’t support local or cloud-based video recording. You can sneak a peek at your doorway in real time to see if someone is hijacking your package, but you cannot review any stored footage from a theft earlier in the day.
