'Crisp video, excellent subject detection, and no hidden fees' the 3 best subscription-free video doorbells, recommended by a smart home tech editor

Date:
Thu, 29 Jan 2026 13:08:24 +0000

Description:
Don't get stung by hidden fees these doorbells give you free video storage, subject detection, and more for no extra cost.

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A video doorbell is one of the best and easiest ways to increase your home security. Not only do they let you see who's calling, speak to them remotely, and choose whether or not to open the door, they also serve as a security camera for the front of your property, detecting and recording unexpected movement and sending you alerts.

Some of the latest models can even identify the person or object that has triggered the recording, whether it's a person, animal, car, or package, and send you notifications accordingly. You can also set privacy zones, so you won't be alerted to what's happening on the street or your neighbor's yard.

The downside is that many video doorbells only give you very basic features unless you also sign up to a membership plan, with monthly or annual
payments. These can be several times the cost or the doorbell itself, making affordable hardware much less tempting.

I'm TechRadar's smart home tech expert, and here I've rounded up my top three video doorbells that give you access to a full range of features with no subscription fees. All three let you videos on a microSD card so you don't need to pay for cloud storage, and offer advanced tools like subject recognition as standard.

You'll also find today's best deals on each doorbell below, with prices updated daily. Best overall Philips 7000 Series Video Doorbell Image 1 of 6 (Image credit: James Holland) Image 2 of 6 (Image credit: James Holland)
Image 3 of 6 (Image credit: James Holland) Image 4 of 6 (Image credit: James Holland) Image 5 of 6 (Image credit: James Holland) Image 6 of 6 (Image credit: James Holland)

The Philips 7000 Series is one of my all-time favorite video doorbells thanks to its wide field of view with sharp 2K resolution, on-board video storage, and excellent night vision. You can connect it to your existing wiring if you're replacing a conventional doorbell, or install it wirelessly in just a couple of minutes. Once fitted, it can be paired with Alexa or Google Assistant so you can operate it through your smart speaker.

During our tests we appreciated the excellent video captured by the 7000 Series doorbell's dual camera lenses, which give you a clear view of visitors and packages. The app is refreshingly easy to use as well, with thoughtfully designed features like voice assistant support to offer a guiding hand if you're not familiar with smart home tech.

We found its motion sensor particularly responsive as well (and you can customize it, or switch off motion detection entirely if it sends you too
many alerts). Our reviewer James Holland noted that "Its also very accurate
at only detecting humans when that preference has been set in the app."

Pre-recorded messages are a welcome addition too, letting you give instructions to a courier if you can't get to the door, for example. The only downside was that we sometimes noticed a slight delay when using the app to speak to a visitor directly.

It's not the cheapest model to buy outright, but the 7000 Series is excellent value in the longer term thanks to the lack of any additional subscription payments. There's even a chime included, so you can hear callers easily anywhere in the house, which is something that other brands often sell separately. Highly recommended.

Read our full Philips 7000 Series Video Doorbell review Best video quality SwannBuddy 4K Image 1 of 7 (Image credit: Chris Price) Image 2 of 7 (Image credit: Chris Price) Image 3 of 7 (Image credit: Chris Price) Image 4 of 7 (Image credit: Chris Price) Image 5 of 7 (Image credit: Chris Price) Image 6 of 7 (Image credit: Chris Price) Image 7 of 7 (Image credit: Chris Price)

Swann makes some of the best video doorbells and best home security cameras we've tested here at TechRadar, and they all have one big selling point: there's no subscription plan necessary to save your videos, or to use their most advanced features. Although you can pay for cloud storage if you really want to, it's not at all necessary.

The Swann Buddy4K is also a fully-fledged home security camera with features including motion detection, and the ability to differentiate between subjects such as people, pets, cars, and packages. All of this is included with the initial cost of the doorbell (unlike devices from brands like Ring, which charge a regular fee to unlock such features).

"Its possible to store videos by type particularly handy if you want to find out when a parcel was left on the doorstep," said our reviewer Chris Price. "Alternatively, you can store videos in chronological order on the built-in MicroSD card."

The doorbell's AI assistant (which generates custom voice responses for visitors so you don't have to speak to them) was still in beta when we reviewed it but, even without this, it's an excellent device that comes
highly recommended to help secure your home.

Read our full SwannBuddy 4K review Best value Eufy Video Doorbell Dual Image 1 of 7 (Image credit: Daniel Hessel) Image 2 of 7 (Image credit: Daniel Hessel) Image 3 of 7 (Image credit: Daniel Hessel) Image 4 of 7 (Image
credit: Daniel Hessel) Image 5 of 7 (Image credit: Daniel Hessel) Image 6 of
7 (Image credit: Daniel Hessel) Image 7 of 7 (Image credit: Daniel Hessel)

Eufy's smart-looking device is an excellent option if you're looking for a subscription-free video doorbell on a budget. Although its list price is
about the same as the Philips 7000 Series, it's often available at a steep discount.

Like the 7000 Series, the Video Doorbell Dual records video at 2K, which is just fine for us, and is loaded with advanced features like package detection and the ability to play pre-recorded voice messages, all with no membership necessary.

It has an infra-red sensor that detects body heat from visitors, while radar motion-detection scans for movement. Better yet, its software includes AI person-recognition, and during our tests it was able to accurately identify and label visitors in our video clips. We didn't receive any false positives, and the detailed app notifications meant we could tell who was calling at a glance, without even picking up our phone.

All your footage is stored locally on the HomeBase 2 (bundled with the doorbell), which provides 16GB for your clips. You can buy cloud storage if you really want to, but there's no compelling reason to when you can keep control over your own videos and access them for free.

We didn't love having to take the doorbell down to charge it (there's no swappable power pack), but it can be connected to existing doorbell wiring if you'd rather not run it from its battery.

Read our full Eufy Video Doorbell Dual review Boost your home security

Give your home security system an extra boost with motion detectors that can detect unexpected movement, and contact sensors that inform you when a door
or window has been opened. Aqara Aqara Zigbee Motion Sensor

Tapo TP-Link Tapo Motion Sensor

Ring Ring Alarm Contact Sensor

Ring Ring Alarm Motion Detector

Philips Hue Philips Hue Motion Sensor

Philips Hue Philips Hue Secure Smart Contact Sensor



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Link to news story: https://www.techradar.com/home/home-security/crisp-video-excellent-subject-det ection-and-no-hidden-fees-the-3-best-subscription-free-video-doorbells-recomme nded-by-a-smart-home-tech-editor


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