Arlo home security system review

Arlo’s packages can be integrated within existing smart home set-ups (image credit: Arlo)

Arlo is an excellent home security system provider with a wide range of products that can fit different needs – making it one of the best security systems for homes, particularly in the UK. Their three main offerings are security monitoring doorbells, monitored alarms, 4K-capable HDR-enhanced cameras, and smart hubs.

When using Arlo, homeowners can either select individual products or one of their three bundles, and choose to self-monitor the system with no plan or subscribe to one of their plans, which start at £3.49 a month for a more advanced (albeit self-monitored) home security service. With all options, homeowners will receive notifications and have access to live video streaming via the Arlo Home app. However, videos won’t be stored in the cloud unless you pay for a subscription and, unless you purchase items that come with a hub unit, you won’t be able access footage saved on SD either. 

There is an initial three-month trial of the subscription plans which is free to cancel via the app or using your web browser. Perks of the Secure and Secure Plus plans include unlimited Arlo camera cover; rich interactive notifications; person, animal and package vehicle detection; theft replacement; a call a friend option; and enhanced cloud video quality and history. An extended warranty option is available for those on a Secure Plus plan as well as 4K video recording and storage for up to 60 days. 

Rating: ★★★★

Quality-wise, on paper, Arlo is on par with major players in the home security sphere, however, their Trustpilot scores are very low (1.2 out of a potential five stars) and customer reviews are relatively negative regarding the general function of items, such as connectivity to wifi, using the app and even customer service.

Arlo offers an excellent range of cameras that are great for indoor and outdoor use. Plus, they are easily connected to other smart home devices for a seamless setup. However, there is a monthly fee you will need to pay to access more advanced features such as storage, activity zones, person detection, and interactive notifications. 

It’s worth noting that Arlo is now part of Verisure, which offers its own quality smart home security systems. If you already have a Verisure home security system installed but want to enhance your home’s security furthermore, you can actually integrate Arlo cameras into your package for better visual verification from Verisure’s monitored service.

Every component of Alro’s system can be installed quickly DIY (image credit: Arlo)

Arlo products are said to be easy to install and set up. The outdoor cameras are wireless (using magnetic wall plates and screw packs) and are battery powered, but the indoor camera and Smarthub will need to be plugged in. The hub also needs an ethernet cable connection, which comes included in the pack.

All of Arlo’s equipment connects with Amazon Alexa, IFTTT, Google Home, Smart Things and Apple HomeKit (although a separate SmartHub is required and is only compatible with Essential Spotlight Camera). The Arlo app is available from the App Store, Google Play, and Amazon. 

Arlo’s security cameras are available in several different models. These can be generally classified into outdoor wireless cameras, XL security cameras, and wired indoor cameras. All these have easy connectivity through wifi and 4G SIM and stream and record in at least 1080p colour video, whether day or night. 

• Installation type: DIY
• Price range: From £29.99 to £629.99
• Number of packages: Three 
• Monitoring: DIY

• Highlights: Wireless high-quality video footage on better camera models
• Service: With Arlo, homeowners can build their own home security packages, or use one of their three bundles. While the system can be used without a subscription, for advanced benefits the Secure (from £3.49/m) and Secure Plus (£13.99/m) subscriptions are available
• Warranty: One year
• Key benefit: The solar panel charger, included with the three pre-built packages, keeps cameras charged with no need for batteries or a wired system

The best home security system for your lifestyle and home will completely depend on your living situation and home security needs, but these benefits might influence a decision on Arlo:

• Excellent quality cameras: Arlo offers an excellent range of smart security cameras, including outdoor wireless cameras with built-in spotlights and sirens, XL long-life security cameras with extended batteries, and hard-wired indoor cameras with continuous power. Arlo’s cameras provide resolution for images and video ranging from 1080p to Ultra-4K with HDR.
• Fast installation: Arlo’s range of cameras and video doorbells are boasted to be effortless to install. In fact, the company claims anyone can set them up in less than ten minutes; all you need is the Arlo app. 
• Video doorbells: There is a good range of award-winning Arlo video doorbells. These come in two types: wired video doorbells that benefit from continuous power and 100% wireless video doorbells that are very easy to install. The built-in camera resolution is 1080p for video and comes with a 180° viewing angle, integrated siren, bidirectional audio, and direct video calls. 
• Accessories range: Arlo also offers a wide range of accessories to complement your home security system. These include ceiling adaptors and wall mounts, rechargeable batteries, solar panels, cases, and smart hub add-on units. It’s unlikely you will need any extras Arlo doesn’t cover. 

Similarly, disadvantages should be a realistic metric by which to judge a home security system. Our cons for the Arlo systems are: 

• Price: Arlo security cameras tend to be more expensive compared to other intelligent security equipment brands. And, although the subscription plans are reasonably priced, they don’t include a professional monitoring service.
• Limited features: Many advanced features such as cloud video history, interactive notifications, cloud activity zones, and theft replacement are only available for customers in the Secure and Secure Plus plans.
• Not pet-friendly: While homeowners can set up indoor cameras above your pet(s)’ height, there is no other way of configuring the camera settings to distinguish pets from intruders.

The outdoor cameras can be controlled via a smartphone (image credit: Arlo)

Arlo cameras require a SmartHub which needs to be purchased separately to the bundles and needs to be placed within 4.2 metres of your equipment. As a result, battery usage for the cameras themselves is significantly reduced because the storage uploads occur in the hub and then, optionally, in the cloud. 

The subscription plans, Secure or Secure Plus, both include continuous data threat monitoring, video deletion, and two-factor authentication. For example, if your cameras are stolen and you have a Secure plan, you can get a free replacement. Monthly subscriptions start at £3.49 for a single camera and £9.99 for unlimited cameras under the Secure package and the Pro Secure subscription costs £13.99 for unlimited cameras. 

There are three home security bundle packages available: The Essential four-piece kit, The Advanced six-piece kit and The Ultimate eight-piece kit. The items or bundle you pick for your home will ultimately depend on your security needs. Arlo’s cameras – which work wirelessly using wifi – act as motion sensors, rather than having separate devices, but don’t monitor constantly. When motion is detected, the cameras switch on and begin recording while sending a notification to your smartphone. This is supposedly less draining on batteries. 

The system is unmonitored so it’s up to you how you react but you can quickly activate the siren (default 100db built-in) from the app as a deterrent for intruders or lurkers. Alternatively, if it is a parcel delivery, you can use the two-way audio to communicate with whomever is at your property. 

The video quality varies across the cameras. The Arlo essential indoor security camera records 1080p video, whereas the Arlo Pro 2 comes with 2K colour and night vision and the Arlo Ultra 2 outdoor camera gives 4K HDR video, with 12x digital zoom for more precision. The Ultra has a built-in spotlight and ultra-wide 180° viewing angle, while the more basic cameras still offer 130° field of view.

Arlo is a little expensive in comparison to other home security systems out there. For instance, Simplisafe’s The Windsor package comes in at around the same price as Arlo’s Essential Home Security Kit. When comparing the two, Arlo’s two essential cameras, a wireless video doorbell and solar panel charger bundle seems very pared-down versus Simplisafe’s 12-piece kit including siren, cameras, five entry sensors and two motion sensors. 

Yale is another firm competitor for Arlo, as they only offer self-monitored surveillance with no option for professional assistance. Arlo’s outdoor cameras are wireless while Yale’s require a drilled cable but otherwise the cameras and alarms are fairly comparable so consider both carefully before investing in either. 

Arlo offers three bundles ranging from £479.96 to £1,569.95 (or systems can be custom built) and three subscription plans. The plans offer significant advantages, so it is worth considering a subscription to make sure you are getting the most out of your home security system. If you don’t have a plan, you only get access to live video streaming and notifications. With the Arlo Secure plan, you gain access to up to 2K video quality, up to 30 days of video storage, interactive messages, person, vehicle, animal, and package detection, cloud activity zones, call a friend feature, and theft replacement. With this plan, you pay £3.49 monthly for a single camera or £9.99 a month for unlimited cameras. 

The Arlo Secure Plus plan includes all the features mentioned above, plus an extended guarantee, and costs £13.99 a month for unlimited cameras. Like most of the best home security systems, all of Arlo’s equipment comes with a standard 12-month guarantee. 

If you’re having issues with your Arlo appliances, a lot is covered in the support pages and we found it easy to contact customer services over the phone. It took 5-10 minutes to speak with someone, but the live chat on the Arlo website wasn’t as successful.

Most devices come with a good amount of battery life — the Arlo Ultra 2 Outdoor Security Camera lasts six months — rechargeable batteries and a magnetic charging cable or solar recharging panels, depending on the products. 

The original warranty period for Arlo products is usually one-year from the date of purchase, this depends on the product, and there is a 30-day returns period. 

If you take out a Secure Plus subscription plan you will unlock the extended warranty which is 12 months, and commences immediately on the end of the original warranty period. Do check terms and conditions.

Alro’s wireless video doorbell has a HD camera and a built-in alarm (image credit: Arlo)

“Arlo is known for its high-quality video and artificial intelligence features. We got notified whenever our Arlo cameras detected people, packages, or pets, leading to very specific and helpful notifications.” 

• Security.org review

“Generally, the Arlo Pro 4 works pretty well. Imagery was beautifully sharp and crisp in my tests – on a par with the outdoor Nest Cam and slightly better than the Eufy SoloCam E40 – and I found the colour night vision works well, too.”

• Expert Reviews review

“We think that Arlo’s wireless security cameras are a great choice, whether you want to keep an eye on package deliveries, check in with your pet, or welcome the kids home after school (…) Arlo backs up the cost with beautiful hardware that’s easy to use and install. And it has some of the best video quality among security cameras.” 

• Safewise review

“Problems with a camera. Not connecting to the server even after numerous factory resets. Tried support. Shocking service. Poor website. Chat line is always unavailable. Promises not kept. No replies to messages. Viewing Trustpilot, US and UK, now understand bad ratings. I too will be getting rid of the system. Shame as the product is pretty good.”

• Tom Grebby, via Trustpilot

“In fairness the cameras are pricey but of decent quality. They are let down on the connectivity and the solar chargers which hardly last a single winter.”

• Kev O’Hara, via Trustpilot

“I bought an Arlo wireless smart doorbell after problems with both Nest and Ring. It has a much sharper picture than either and wifi setup is easy provided you ignore the instructions which, as usual, assume more knowledge of IT than most users possess. Chime 2, which came with the camera, is a different story. After about a dozen attempts to get it to work I gave up and handed over to our daughter who works in IT. She couldn’t get it to work either!

• Customer, via Trustpilot

Arlo offer an excellent range of cameras, motion detectors and accessories to build a home security system for any size of home. Every one of their devices is high-quality with cutting-edge software that makes monitoring a doddle. Their packages, while not what we would consider affordable, are thorough and low-maintenance and their paid-for plans have no-contracts for a flexible solution.

Rating: ★★★★

We considered several factors when reviewing the various Arlo home security systems and cameras. We included five main criteria when comparing it to some of the best self-monitored home security systems and best wireless home security camera systems: design, durability, efficiency, performance, and guarantee options, and took into consideration professional and customer reviews that have set up and tried the products in Arlo’s range. We also compared the Arlo security cameras with the best home security system UK in terms of both performance and price.

We considered the following factors:

• Reputation, including customer reviews
• Variety of packages available
• Security features and functionality
• Upfront and contract pricing
• Usability

For more information, read our article on how we review home security systems.