Safe and sound
The Arlo Pro from Netgear is an excellent security camera that should work for anyone who wants to protect and secure their home from potential crime. It's a lot faster when it comes to receiving security alerts than other security cameras, and the fact that you can remotely activate the siren with the Arlo Pro Base means you can attempt to stop crime before it even happens.
For
- Wireless or wired charging
- Supports solar panel charging
- Local and cloud storage
- Remote siren with Arlo Pro Base
- Subscription is a flat rate
Against
- Only 720p recording
- No motion zones
- No person detection
Affordable and modular
The Circle 2 is a decent option for a security camera if you just want something fairly basic. It has both wired and wireless options, though you'll get better video quality if it's plugged in. The wider field of view means you'll see more, and you're able to set your own motion zones and it has person detection, so it doesn't alert you to every little thing that moves.
For
- Wired or wireless options
- Records in 1080p when plugged in
- Allows specified motion zones
- Has person detection
- Unlimited cameras
Against
- No siren
- No local storage
- Subscription price is per camera
If you want the complete package when it comes to security cameras, then the Arlo Pro is what you want. However, if you just want to have some security cameras around your house, and prefer to have a wider viewing angle but miss out on a few features for less price, then Circle 2 should be good enough.
Let's break it down
Out of these two security cameras, we think the Arlo Pro is the better option overall. The Arlo Pro is wireless by default, but it can be powered by a rechargeable battery or just with standard mini-USB. It even has the option to be charged up via solar energy, so you can just install the solar panel and it'll always be charged as long as there is sun outside.
If you have the Arlo Pro Base, then it can be used for local storage of your camera recordings in addition to the cloud storage, which keeps footage from the past 7 days. The Base Station is also required to activate the 100+ decibel siren, which can remotely scare off intruders before they commit any crime. This feature alone makes the Arlo Pro worth a purchase.
| Header Cell - Column 0 | Arlo Pro | Circle 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Power | Wired or wireless, supports solar charging | Wired or wireless |
| Video quality | 720p | 1080p when plugged in, 720p default |
| Field of view | 130° | 180° |
| Local storage | With Arlo Pro Base Station | No |
| Motion zones | No | Yes (with subscription) |
| Person detection | No | Yes (with subscription) |
| Mobile alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Maximum cameras | 15 cameras per Base | Unlimited (video quality may be affected) |
| Free cloud space | Last 7 days | Last 24 hours |
| Amazon Alexa | Echo Show | All Echo devices |
| Subscription | $9.99 monthly or $99.99 a year for Premier, $14.99 monthly or $149.99 a year for Elite | Per camera, $3.99 a month for Basic or $9.99 a month for Premium |
| Google Assistant | No | Yes |
Unfortunately, the Arlo Pro does not let users set up motion zones and there isn't person detection, so this is where the Circle 2 shines. With the Circle 2, you can highlight certain areas of the house, such as the front door or gates, and it will alert you whenever there is motion in those zones. The person detection helps the camera distinguish between people and pets, and the Circle 2 is pretty good about this.
The Circle 2 also has a wider range when it comes to viewing angles, and you can have an unlimited number of cameras, whereas the Arlo Pro has a limit of 15 per Base Station. However, the more cameras you have with the Circle 2, the more it may affect your video quality, since it's all done over Wi-Fi, with no option for local storage.
Both the Arlo Pro and Circle 2 can work without paying extra for a subscription. You'll have video recording and free cloud storage, though the Arlo Pro keeps 7 days worth of recording whereas the Circle 2 only keeps the last 24 hours. However, you get more features with their subscription plans, but Arlo Pro has a flat rate, while the Circle 2 sub charges per camera. This is also worth thinking about if you want to set up a bunch of cameras in your household.
Amazon Alexa works with both Arlo Pro and Circle 2, though the latter has wider compatibility. The Arlo Pro only works with Echo Show right now, whereas Circle 2 works with any Echo device you have. Google Assistant support is also coming to Circle 2, leaving Arlo Pro out in the cold.
After going through all of the options, we still prefer the Arlo Pro over the Circle 2. It has local storage with the Base Station, remote siren support to ward off intruders, fast security alerts, supports solar-powered charging, keeps more footage in the free cloud storage, and has a flat rate for the subscription if you choose to go that route.
Get peace of mind
The Arlo Pro is an excellent option for those who want to prevent crime from happening to their home. Arlo Pro has 720p recording, local storage with the Base Station, fast alerts, stores the last 7 days of footage in the cloud, and has a remote siren that can ward off intruders. It's just missing motion zones and person detection.
Security camera for everyone
The Circle 2 is a good and affordable option for those who want a basic security camera for their home. It's easy to set up and has wired and wireless options and records in 1080p when plugged in. It has a 180° viewing angle and the ability to set up motion zones and enable person detection with a subscription. However, the subscription charge is per camera, so it can definitely add up.
