The waterproof Blink Mini 2 is the best Wyze Cam alternative available (2024)

FAQs

Is Blink or Wyze camera better? ›

Bottom Line: Security Companies Roundup

Both companies offer excellent and affordable home security options. However, Wyze has better monitoring options available for an additional fee. Because of this, Wyze is considered a better security company compared to Blink.

Blink offers easy-to-install security camera systems with good budget options featuring moderate video quality and local storage. Arlo, while still budget-friendly, offers more robust cameras with additional features and higher video quality. Arlo Secure, Arlo's subscription, also provides more features.

The new Blink Mini 2 has all these features, plus a weather-resistant indoor and outdoor construction, person detection, and a spotlight. The weather resistance is a feature that takes the Blink to the next level, making it a direct Wyze Cam v3 competitor.

While some Blink specs look better on paper, Wyze cameras outperformed Blink cameras during hands-on testing. The best thing Blink has going for it is its two-year maximum battery life, but Wyze's isn't half bad at six months.

That's always been possible with Wyze and can be done right now for anyone interested. Those minimums are also required by Aosu and many others. One benefit with Wyze is that they are 100% American-owned, and one of the most affordable 100% American-owned camera/smart home companies.

You Should Know: The only cost for Wyze cameras is the upfront camera costs. There are no mandatory subscriptions or monthly fees. To get person detection and unlimited clip lengths, buy Cam Plus, which costs either $1.99 if you pay monthly or $14.99 if you pay yearly (for one camera, that is).

The Mini's closest competitors are models from Wyze and TP-Link, which both have indoor / outdoor cameras with smart alerts and local storage with an onboard microSD card for under $40: Wyze with its $36 Wyze Cam v3 and TP-Link with the Tapo's $40 C120 indoor / outdoor wired camera.

How Much Does Blink Cost Per Month? Blink subscription plans cost $3 to $10 per month. Remember, however, that you'll also need to factor in the cost of the equipment and any accessories.

Both companies focus on affordable smart home devices, but Blink is owned by Amazon, whereas Wyze is a smaller, independent company. These brands have established a David and Goliath-like rivalry over the years to earn a place as the best budget security camera.

Subscribe or Pass

You can use Blink cameras without a subscription if you buy a Sync Module 2 ($50) and stick a USB flash drive in it to record locally, but I can't recommend the Blink Mini 2 without a subscription.

Does the Blink Mini 2 work through a window? ›

The Blink Mini was not designed to detect motion through glass and the results can be unreliable; therefore, we do not recommend using your Mini to detect motion through a window.

Is Mini 2 weather resistant for outdoor use? Mini 2 has an IP65 rating and can be safely placed outdoors when plugged into Blink Weather Resistant Power Adapter (sold separately), within operating temperatures of -20° to 45°C (-5°F to 113°F).

When it comes to subscription features, Ring is the winner, storing videos in the cloud for up to 180 days compared with Blink's 60 days. The Ring Protect Pro tier also offers 24/7 professional alarm monitoring and backup internet so your devices stay connected in the event of an outage, features Blink does not offer.

Smart Features

Blink, on the other hand, is only able to connect to Amazon Alexa and IFTTT, which is a real setback. On top of that, Arlo's motion detection is simply smarter than Blink's, and having options for in-app emergency dialing and continuous video recording ensure that you have maximum peace of mind.

Blink is an American home automation company which produces battery-powered home security cameras. The company was founded in 2009 by Peter Besen, Don Shulsinger, Dan Grunberg, Stephen Gordon, and Doug Chin.

You'd really have to nitpick to find faults, especially so at just $35. It's tough to beat as a starter security camera but even if you have an older, pricier unit from even the pros like Arlo or Ring, the Wyze cam v4's 2.5K resolution quality and excellent color night vision make it a worthy upgrade.

The night vision infrared LED is located on the front of the camera at the bottom left. If this area is covered, the camera's Night Vision is limited and nighttime images will appear dark or blurry.

Do I need a Wyze Security Plan to use Wyze Cameras? You can use all of our cameras without a plan.

Wyze Labs, Inc.

(formerly Wyzecam), also known as Wyze, is an American technology company based in Seattle, Washington, that specializes in smart home products and wireless cameras. It is a start-up of former Amazon employees.