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The best solar powered security cameras will help you achieve peace of mind and protect your home using the sun’s energy.
There are few investments in life that provide peace of mind as much as a home security system that lets you monitor your property 24/7 and review footage anytime.
The best security cameras have been around for decades, but a solar powered camera security system offers a lot more convenience. There’s no need to wire it in or charge batteries – just install the system where you need it and let the sun keep you powered on for constant security. This guide lists the best solar powered security cameras to help you find the ideal model for your needs.
One of the main reasons to get a security camera is so you can relax knowing your property has video surveillance running around the clock, and a solar powered setup ensures you don’t have to worry about wiring in or changing batteries.
A decent solar powered camera security setup lets you see what’s happening whenever you need to via your smartphone app. Everything is recorded should you ever need to roll back the clock and look at what happened earlier.
| Camera | Price | Resolution | Night vision | Battery life |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arlo Essential XL | £149.99 + £39.99 solar panel | 1080p | Yes, colour | 12 months |
| Ring Outdoor Camera Solar | £139.98 | 1080p | Yes, colour | Six to 12 months |
| Reolink Argus PT Ultra | £189.99 | 4K | Yes, colour and black and white | Three months |
| Eufy SoloCam S340 | £179 | 3K | Yes, colour | Three months |
Although bought separately, we’ve chosen Arlo’s Essential XL and Essential Solar Panel as our top choice. (Arlo)
| Specification | Arlo Essential XL |
|---|---|
| Cost | £149.99 + £39.99 solar panel |
| Resolution | 1080p |
| Night vision | Yes, colour |
| Battery life | 12 months |
Arlo is fast becoming a powerhouse brand in the world of home security cameras. This model offers rich 1080p video, and users can have two-way audio conversations using the app to control the camera. Plus, it features a spotlight and siren should you wish to give an unwanted guest a warning to move along.
You’ll need to pay for a cloud storage subscription to scroll back through footage, but this feature heightens security. While this is a solar-compatible model, you’ll need to pay extra for the panel from Arlo, making the total package one of the most expensive options on this list. The solar panel is weather resistant and doesn’t need to be installed adjacent to the camera. It can be positioned in the best spot for sunlight using the 2.4m power cable.
This camera provides superb video and audio quality and a strong light and siren, backed by fantastic battery life and a powerful app to support it all.
Ring’s camera can be positioned away from the solar panel for optimum sunlight. (Ring)
| Specification | Ring Outdoor Camera Solar |
|---|---|
| Cost | £139.98 |
| Resolution | 1080p |
| Night vision | Yes, colour |
| Battery life | Six to 12 months |
This Ring camera is also known as the “Stick Up Cam” and does as the name suggests. It adheres to whatever surface you want to mount it on, making it one of the quickest and easiest cameras to install. Additionally, it includes a solar panel and a battery pack, offering complete power protection.
Being Ring, you can expect one of the best apps to support this camera, meaning you can enjoy the 1080p video quality, rich noise-cancelling two-way audio and smart movement notifications all on your smartphone. You get a wide 130-degree field of view plus colour night vision, allowing you to see everything you need to, no matter the time of day.
You’ll need to pay for a subscription to access all features and be able to rewind video footage. The ability to set zones of sensitivity is a great feature that ensures you only get motion notifications when you need them.
The Outdoor Camera from Ring is a very high-quality audio and video camera that offers decent battery life, includes a solar panel and is backed by one of the more feature-rich apps you can get for a security camera. There’s an ongoing subscription cost for recording footage, but for this setup, it’s worth it.
Reolink’s solar powered camera can provide a full view of a home’s exterior. (Reolink)
Reolink’s image quality is one of the clearest on the list thanks to the 4K resolution and the ability to rotate the camera (PT stands for pan and tilt) mechanically 360 degrees. This gives you a true see-it-all perspective. The camera offers colour or black-and-white night vision plus two-way audio capabilities. You also get a security light and siren that can automatically activate upon detecting motion.
Unlike many other models, this system gives you the option to store locally on a microSD card. Plus, it comes with many powerful features even if you don’t pay for the subscription, something the Ring camera can’t offer.
This camera uses both 5GHz and 2.4GHz wifi, which means you’ll get the best connection to your home network so you can receive timely alerts on your smartphone app. Time lapse is another useful feature, which lets you see an entire day’s activity sped up over seconds. Everything is totally weatherproof and easy to install, and it comes with a powerful 6W solar panel so that the three-month battery life (less than the Arlo and Ring options) is something you never need to worry about.
Reolink’s 4K camera offers a superb image and 360-degree movement to capture all angles. The ability to store locally means no required monthly costs for additional features, and this system comes with solar included.
Eufy’s camera would be ideal for those with large gardens or driveways. (Eufy)
| Specification | Eufy SoloCam S340 |
|---|---|
| Cost | £179 |
| Resolution | 3K |
| Night vision | Yes, colour |
| Battery life | Three months |
Eufy’s SoloCam is an ideal camera for anyone who wants to pan around and zoom in for truly expansive cover. It features wide-angle, high-quality video, and you can zoom in using the second telephoto lens. This lens offers a rich, 2K quality so you can see up to 8x in detail with real clarity. You can even zoom in on one section using a box-out window while still viewing the wider angle simultaneously.
The system uses local storage if needed, which means no expected ongoing costs. Although the battery tops out at three months, if you have sunlight, it should keep charging and going for as long as you need. The easy installation process should take about 15 minutes. Included with the camera is a built-in spotlight for added security and AI motion detection so you don’t get too many false alerts.
This camera has a mechanical controller that allows you to move it a full 360 degrees (using the app) to achieve a wide area of coverage. There’s also a model variant that offers 4G connectivity if you want to be connected without the need for wifi.
Ideal for telephoto zoom that gives you detail from afar, this camera offers high resolution, the ability to pan mechanically and local storage that saves you from ongoing costs. An easy installation and powerful app support make this a strong choice.
The quality of your video and audio is important. If you want the longest and most detailed range of view, then you’ll need to opt for a 2K or higher resolution, as this will allow you to zoom in digitally without losing too much quality. That said, if you’re just wanting a wide field of view, then 1080p should be fine. Most security cameras now come with colour night vision, so look for that feature since nighttime is likely when the camera will be used.
Spotlight and siren inclusion are worth considering, as this makes the camera an actual deterrent should you detect someone on your property when you’re not there.
Consider ongoing payments, as some models require you to pay for cloud storage to scroll back in time through video. Some cameras offer features only available if you pay for the subscription, so think about what you need – and don’t need – before you pick a model.
Battery life is generally acceptable on most models, but if you’re in an area with poor sunlight, you may want to consider one with a better battery life – or a model that you can also charge via other means to keep it going.
The app is another factor to think about. Most apps now offer notifications when they detect people, but some offer custom zones and specific object detection. These can be helpful features if you want to keep false notifications to a minimum on your smartphone.
Solar powered cameras are as good or better than wired and battery powered options. They simply include the extra capability of charging via solar, which means one less thing for you to think about, and they’re very easy to install. There are many less reputable brands out there, so be cautious when buying, as audio and video quality can vary quite drastically.
One downside here is that you’re limited to certain camera models that are compatible with solar. That said, most offer top-end premium features now. If you’re in an area with limited sun, though, this could be an issue, as it may defeat the point of a solar camera if you have to take it down to charge via USB regularly in the winter months.
Yes, they’ll work using the stored energy generated throughout the day, and most offer night vision in black and white and colour. Many cameras have built-in lights to give more clarity to the image, so you’ll get a clear and colourful shot at night and you can alert passers-by that they’re being watched.
Most solar powered security cameras use a wifi connection to share audio and visual data with an app on your device, anytime and anywhere. This varies, with some having a longer range but a smaller bandwidth (2.4GHz wifi) and others coming with a shorter range but a faster capacity (5GHz wifi).
There are also a few rare options that come with 4G LTE so you don’t need wifi to access the camera from wherever you are.
