Top 3 Floodlight Security Cameras (2026), Tested and Reviewed

Consider these flood cameras

Photo: Simon Hill

Reolink Elite Floodlight WiFi (wired) for $230: Similar to the Reolink pick above, the difference with the Elite Floodlight is that it’s a dual-lens still camera designed to give you a 180-degree wide view (59 degrees vertically), rather than a tilt camera. If you want a fixed camera to cover the entire side of the property, this could be a solid choice. It records up to 4K video at up to 20 fps, has a 105dB alarm, and supports dual-band Wi-Fi 6. The rest of the specifications, including the 3,000 lumen adjustable temperature flashlight, are compatible with the TrackFlex above.

Google Nest Cam with Floodlight (wired) for $280: This old floodlight security camera may still be your best bet if you prefer Google Home and have a Nest doorbell. The limited 1080p resolution is mitigated by the high frame rate (30fps), HDR, and decent 6X digital zoom. The two-panel floodlight can emit up to 2,400 lumens of warm light (4,000K), and the brightness is adjustable. Google’s AI detection is probably the smartest in the business, and this is a very reliable camera, but you have to opt in to make it worthwhile, as there’s no local recording option. Google Home Premium starts at $10 per month or $100 per year, but that includes all your devices. It may be better to wait, as Google recently released 2K Nest camerasand there’s a good chance it will update its flashcam soon.

Photo: Simon Hill

Philips Hue Secure Camera, $130 and Discover the Floodlight (wired) for $160: Strictly speaking, these are two separate devices, but I used this setup in my old house, and it worked very well. If you invest in Hue lightingDiscover Floodlight is one of My favorite outdoor lights A versatile way to brighten your space. It can output 2,300 lumens, and you can easily adjust temperature, color, and brightness in the Hue app, which also allows for scheduling animated scenes. Add a Philips Hue wired security camera And you can turn on the floodlight and any other Hue lights you have. It’s only 1080p, but the wired camera worked well for me, running reliably, and Philips Hue now offers 24 hours of video history for free. But if you want AI detection, burst recording, activity zones, and 30-day video history, you’ll have to subscribe for $40 per year for a single camera.

Arlo Pro 3 Floodlight Camera (Battery) $250: An obvious choice for people using the Arlo system, this battery-powered camera allows for wireless installation, although you’ll need to charge it. It offers up to 2K footage with HDR and the excellent Arlo app and alert system, though you need an Arlo Secure plan ($10 per month or $96 per year for a single camera, or $20 per month or $216 per year for unlimited cameras). The flashlight is a single panel that surrounds the face of the camera and delivers up to 2,000 lumens. You can boost the brightness to 3000 lumens and eliminate event recording delays with Arlo external charging cable ($50)although you will need to power it to an outlet. Arlo has a newer wired camera with a spotlight that I plan to test soon.

Eve Outdoor Camera (wired) for $249: This stylish floodlight camera can replace an outdoor light to give you motion-activated light (up to 1,500 lumens), 1080p video (157-degree field of view), and two-way audio. As a HomeKit camera, you’ll need an Apple HomeKit hub (Apple TV, HomePod, or iPad) and an iCloud+ storage plan. Unfortunately, the video and audio quality are only average. This camera also only works on 2.4GHz Wi-Fi, and there’s no Android support.

Floodlight cameras that we don’t recommend

Toucan Security Floodlight Camera (wired) for $80: You can connect this camera to an outlet, and it comes with an 8-meter waterproof cable. It has a motion-activated light (1,200 lumens), records 1080p video, and supports two-way audio. I found the shots quite detailed, but they struggled in direct sunlight. You can record locally to a microSD card (sold separately) and get 24 hours of free cloud storage, but there are limitations. Plans start at $3 per month. Even with motion detection set to the lowest sensitivity, this camera was triggered a lot during testing, and there’s no way to filter out people, so I got frequent false positives (flying leaves, moths, and birds all triggered alerts).

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