Smart Security Camera Local Storage Explained: Why Choose Local Instead of the Cloud for Your Video Clips?

Estimated reading time: 12 minutes

When choosing which smart security camera brand or system to invest in, one of the most important decisions you need to make is deciding between local or cloud-based storage.

What this means is how the images captured by your smart security cameras and video doorbells are stored.

Almost all smart security camera brands offer some type of cloud-based storage option, but that usually comes at a cost.

There are free cloud storage plans that offer limited rollback of your camera’s video history and short, sometimes compressed video clips, but, in most cases, you’ll have to pay for a premium plan to access your footage history.

For example, Google has a two-tier Nest Aware plan; either 30 days of event video history and covers all Nest Cams for $8 per month, or Nest Aware Plus, which increases up to 60 days of event video history and 10 days of 24/7 video history. days a week for $15 per month.

Ring, owned by Amazon, has numerous premium Ring Home plans. Basic covers one device for $4.99 a month, Plus covers all devices in one location for $10 a month, and Pro adds 24/7 professional monitoring to the mix, starting at $20 a month.

It’s a similar story for companies like Arlo, Blink, Wyze, and Canary, all of which offer some type of free plan but then have a multitude of premium plans depending on the number of devices and level of monitoring you need.

Pros and cons of local storage for security cameras

Advantages

• Offline videos mean more privacy
• No monthly fees
• Immediate access
• Full control over data
• Low cost
• Works when Internet goes down

Cons

• Risk of data loss
• Capacity limitations
• Theft potential
• Vulnerability to physical damage
• Cybersecurity risks
• Not all brands offer it.

Cloud concerns

Now, we’re not saying you should avoid cloud storage entirely in favor of local storage, as there are plenty of reasons why you’d prefer the former, including the host of additional features brands include, such as person detection and pets, artificial intelligence. features, custom activity zones and more.

This is especially important with brands like Arlo, which hide many features behind a premium plan.

However, as with all smart home devices, anything cloud-based comes with privacy and security concerns.

Cloud storage providers devote significant resources to strengthening data security and privacy safeguards, including encryption and multi-factor authentication.

However, choosing to store your images on a third-party server means you are giving up control of your data to an external entity.

For example, in February 2024, Wyze had to apologize to customers after a camera breach allowed 13,000 customers to briefly see inside other people’s homes.

Ring, Google, and Anker have also admitted to several data breaches and encryption issues in the past.

Keeping it local

You can avoid the cloud altogether and keep your private videos private by using a smart security camera or video doorbell that lets you store video clips locally, on the device itself, or at a hub or synchronized station that offers physical storage.

Unlike cloud-based alternatives, local storage does not depend on an Internet connection, ensuring uninterrupted functionality even without Internet or Wi-Fi access.

Storing images locally involves saving recordings from your security cameras directly to physical storage devices such as SD cards, hard drives, or network attached storage (NAS) systems.

Local storage allows you to maintain full control over the accessibility and management of your data because it remains within your property – no prying eyes can see your clips… unless someone steals your storage device, of course.

However, accessing locally stored images requires physical interaction. You may need to retrieve the storage device, connect it to a computer, and browse files to locate specific recordings, which may be less convenient, especially when you’re away from home.

The good news is that the best security cameras with local storage often have features within their apps that allow you to access and view your locally stored clips as well; although this obviously means that some type of interaction with the cloud is required.

A big advantage of local storage is, as mentioned, the absence of monthly subscription fees.

Once you have purchased the necessary storage devices, there will be no additional costs, making it a cost-effective long-term solution. However, you may need to replace the storage devices and clean them occasionally to prevent them from becoming full.

Local storage cameras have capacity limits, requiring older images to be overwritten after a certain period. This may result in the loss of critical recordings in certain scenarios.

However, usually if you go the local storage route, the software running your security camera will automatically delete the oldest clips first, in case the storage capacity becomes full, but this is not always the case, so make sure you back off. Upload any super important clip.

While local storage offers direct control over security and privacy as the data remains in your possession, there is a risk of data loss if the storage device is damaged, stolen or lost; If someone pinches your camera that stores clips on a memory card, only that person will be able to view that action again.

Additionally, if you have local storage connected to your home network without proper security measures, you may be susceptible to cyber attacks.

Local storage types

Local storage is a general term for a variety of physical storage options, and there are numerous ways to store your security camera footage depending on the brand you choose.

Here are the main options…

microSD memory card

Local storage via microSD cards offers a convenient and cost-effective solution for storing security camera footage directly on the camera itself in a hub to which the camera connects.

With a microSD card slot, the cameras can capture and store images locally without the need for additional equipment.

However, it is important to note that microSD cards have limited storage capacity and may require regular maintenance to ensure uninterrupted recording.

hard drive

Using a hard drive for local storage provides ample space and reliability for storing security camera footage.

Whether integrated within a dedicated DVR (digital video recorder) system or connected directly to the camera or hub, hard drives offer flexibility and scalability to accommodate large volumes of video data.

This method is ideal for users looking for high-capacity storage solutions.

NAS drive

Network Attached Storage (NAS) drives provide a centralized and versatile solution for storing security camera footage locally within a network environment.

By connecting cameras to a NAS device over the local network, users can securely store and manage video data from multiple cameras in a single location.

NAS drives offer benefits such as enhanced data protection through RAID configurations, remote access capabilities, and seamless integration with other network services and applications.

NVR

Network video recorder (NVR) systems are dedicated devices specifically designed to record and store video footage from multiple IP cameras.

Unlike traditional DVRs, which are analog, NVRs work with digital IP cameras and take advantage of network connectivity for video transmission and storage.

NVRs typically have built-in storage options, such as internal hard drives, to store recorded footage locally.

Native centers

Brands like Arlo, Eufy, and Reolink offer a variation of a storage drive to control cameras and offer more disk space.

These base stations also typically offer additional connectivity options and can also unlock advanced features like Eufy’s AI cross stitch feature.

How much storage do you need?

Here are some rough estimates of how much storage space is required for 4K and HD video clips, along with examples of how many clips or the length of clips can be saved on different sizes of microSD cards.

In reality, the size of your camera footage can vary depending on a wide range of factors. And remember, if your camera only records when it detects motion, your storage usage will be less than if you record continuously.

4K video

• For 1 minute of 4K video footage at 30 frames per second (fps): approximately 375 MB to 500 MB
• For 1 hour of 4K video footage at 30 fps: approximately 23 GB to 30 GB

HD video (1080p)

• For 1 minute of HD video footage at 30 fps: approximately 130 MB to 175 MB
• For 1 hour of HD video footage at 30 fps: approximately 8 GB to 10.5 GB

Examples of storage capacity for microSD cards

• 32 GB microSD card: approximately 90 to 120 minutes of 4K footage or 4 to 6 hours of HD footage
• 64GB microSD card: Approximately 180 to 240 minutes of 4K footage, or 8 to 12 hours of HD footage
• 128GB microSD card: Approximately 360 to 480 minutes of 4K footage or 16 to 24 hours of HD footage

Tips to optimize local storage on a smart security camera

Drop resolution: Just because your camera can record in 4K with color night vision doesn’t mean it has to. You can often lower the quality to save space.

Adjust bit rate: Lowering the bitrate can significantly reduce file size without a major drop in visual quality.

Enable motion detection: Record only when motion is detected to minimize storage usage.
Set clip length: Shorter clips take up less space.

Transfer recordings: Transfer recordings regularly to an external drive or cloud storage to free up space on your camera storage.

Best Smart Security Camera Brands That Offer Local Storage

Now that you’re aware of what exactly local storage entails, here are some brands and security cameras to consider:

Reolink

Reolink offers a variety of wired and wireless security cameras that support local storage via microSD cards, such as the Argus Pro 4 or Argus Track.

The Chinese also offer NVRs (network video recorders) that can connect to external hard drives to expand storage. NVRs usually come with multiple channels so you can connect multiple cameras.

In 2024, Reolink also introduced a Home Hub, making local storage even easier.

eufy

Perhaps the best known of all the security camera brands to offer a local storage option, the majority of the Eufy range, including the SoloCam S340 and Indoor Cam S350, offer built-in microSD storage.

When paired with a Eufy HomeBase, local storage can be expanded to a whopping 16TB, but you’ll need to purchase compatible 2.5-inch storage drives (HDD or SSD) with a SATA interface.

The HomeBase itself, whether the latest third-generation model or the older second-generation model, also features 16GB of its own storage.

Wyze

Wyze is known for its affordable smart home products, and while the company has cloud-based plans, its cameras and video doorbells support microSD cards for local storage.

Depending on the model, Wyze cameras typically support microSD cards of up to 32GB or 64GB, providing storage for several days of footage in standard resolution.

Ring

Amazon has a service called Ring Edge, which allows you to store and process videos captured with your Ring camera locally instead of in the cloud.

However, you will need a Ring Pro subscription and the microSD card for Ring Edge is not located in any Ring security camera, but rather in the Ring Alarm Pro base station.

DVR specialists

Companies like Swann, Lorex, and Amcrest are well-known brands that specialize in DVR (digital video recorder) systems for surveillance and security purposes.

But while these brands are making inroads into the “smart” security camera market, they’re still essentially traditional players that are slightly different from Arlo, Ring, Nest, and the like.

They are popular choices for individuals, and often businesses, looking for comprehensive, reliable surveillance solutions, particularly those that require DVR functionality to store and manage video footage.

Frequently asked questions