Building a Google Nest Security System That Covers Every Angle

Best for
Renters and spots without outlets

Best for
Covering large yards with sharper video

Best for
Driveways and dark backyards

The Google Nest Cam with Floodlight combines an outdoor camera with lights that switch on automatically when it sees important activity. It distinguishes people, animals and vehicles and sends alerts through the Google Home app without a subscription. Video is 1080p HDR with night vision, and you get 3 hours of free event video history.

A Nest Aware Plus subscription extends that to 10 days of 24/7 recording and 60 days of event history, and a Nest Aware subscription adds familiar face detection and the ability to call local emergency services from the app. If Wi-Fi or power goes down, the camera stores up to an hour of recorded events. It has a built-in speaker and mic, mounts to a wall with screws, and is listed as waterproof.

This is the pick for a driveway, side gate or backyard where lighting deters trouble and helps the camera see. If you want higher resolution and do not need the lights, the 2K Nest Cam Outdoor is the step up.

• Automatic floodlight on detected activity
• 1080p HDR with night vision
• Up to an hour of offline event storage
• Talk and listen through the speaker and mic

The Google Nest Cam Outdoor in its wired 2nd Gen form comes as a 2 pack in the Snow color. It records 2K HDR video, which the listing calls Nest Cam’s highest resolution yet, with night vision and a wider, taller field of view meant to keep a long driveway or big yard in frame.

It runs on always-on wired power, so there are no batteries to recharge. Security features include encrypted video, two-step verification through your Google Account and a green LED that shows when the camera is processing or streaming. Gemini features, such as detailed alert descriptions, summaries and searching video history by asking, require a Google Home Premium subscription, with a one-month trial mentioned in the listing.

This is the best choice for wide exterior coverage and the sharpest image. It needs a power source at each location; where that is impossible, the battery Nest Cam fills in.

Best for
Existing Nest Secure owners only

The Nest H1500es Secure Alarm System is a starter pack with Nest Guard, Nest Detect sensors and Nest Tags. You can arm and disarm through the Nest app, by tapping a Tag on Guard, by passcode or by voice with the built-in Google Assistant. Pressing the button on a Nest Detect lets you open a door quietly without setting off the alarm, and Remind Me alerts tell you if you forgot to arm it.

The spec sheet lists an 85 dB alarm, battery power with a lithium battery, motion sensing and a 2-pound weight. The listing does not specify how many Detect sensors or Tags are in the pack. More importantly, Nest Secure is a discontinued, legacy system that relies on the Nest app, while the current cameras in this article use the Google Home app. Confirm it will still work with your account before buying.

We only suggest it for owners maintaining an existing setup. New buyers should plan around the cameras and look at a current Nest security bundle instead.

The Google Nest Cam Outdoor or Indoor is the battery-powered, wire-free model. It works outside or in, uses a magnetic mount, and includes a wall plate for brick walls. Like the floodlight model, it tells people, animals and vehicles apart, records 1080p HDR with night vision and gives 3 hours of free event history.

Connectivity is Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, and it stores up to an hour of events if Wi-Fi or power goes down. A Nest Aware subscription extends history up to 60 days. For continuous power and 24/7 recording with Nest Aware Plus, you add a weatherproof power cable or an indoor stand with power cable, both sold separately.

This suits renters, detached garages, porches without outlets and anyone who wants to move a camera around. For always-on recording without extra cables, a wired model is simpler.

• Battery powered, no outlet required
• Magnetic mount and wall plate
• Weather resistant

Best for
Watching the gaming room and entryways

The Google Indoor Nest Security Cam 1080p is the wired 2nd generation indoor camera, sold in non-retail packaging in the Snow color. It records 1080p HDR with night vision, distinguishes people from pets, and offers 3 hours of free event history, with Nest Aware extending that up to 60 days.

Activity Zones let you get notifications about specific areas, like your desk or the door to your gaming room, and familiar face alerts are available with Nest Aware. You can stream the feed to compatible smart displays with Google Assistant, and to smart displays, smart TVs and tablets with Alexa. The built-in stand places it on a wall or table. The spec sheet lists an IP65 rating, which is unusual for an indoor-only camera, so do not rely on it for outdoor use.

This is the right camera for inside the house. For anything outdoors, choose one of the outdoor models above.