Are you looking to discreetly improve your home’s security with a hidden camera? Spy cameras are an easy, quick, and subtle way to keep your eye on your space without disrupting the area.
Today, we discuss seven different hidden cameras. There is a range of spy cameras, including hidden cameras that look like home appliances and discrete live cameras. By the end of our article, you’ll understand the right spy camera for your home and security needs.
Our top pick is the Wyze Cam v3. It combines incredible night vision capabilities, full weatherproofing, and an amazing price!
7 Best Hidden Spy Cameras for Surveillance, Security, and Privacy with a Hidden Camera
A hidden camera lets you monitor the house while you’re away. It may even help you solve the mystery of the missing dog treats!
We’ve chosen seven excellent cameras with different specifications and applications. Before we examine each one in more detail, here is a summary of our recommendations.
- Completely weatherproof
- Color nightvision
- Magnetic mounting system
- MicroSD card slot
- Simply plugs into power outlet
- SD card slot
- Motion-detection
- Still works as a charger!
- Tiny size
- Infrared for night time recording
- 140-degree field of view
- MicroSD card slot
- Can be placed anywhere
- Two-year battery life
- Works with Alexa
- Subscription services available
- Works seamlessly with other Ring products
- Simple to set up
- Full 1080p HD
- Selective detection
- 2K video for clear recordings
- Connects with Google, Apple, and Amazon home automation
- Subscriptions available
- 160-degree field of view
- Extremely well-disguised
- Fit-and-forget
- Full 1080p HD video at 30 fps
- No batteries to change
Best Hidden Spy Cameras in Detail
Let’s dive in and look at each camera, starting with our top pick.
1. Wyze Cam v3
| Brand |
Brand
Wyze
|
| Camera Type |
Camera Type
Overt
|
| Connectivity |
Connectivity
Wi-Fi
|
| Power |
Power
Mains and Battery Power
|
| Special Features |
Special Features
Weatherproof
|
| Best For |
Best For
Exposed outdoor locations with poor lighting
|
The Wyze Cam v3 is at the top of our list of the best hidden cameras due to its abilities, size, and price. It’s a roughly 6 x 6 cm camera that looks small and unassuming. It’s not as naturally disguised as others on our list. But you can disguise it similarly to other spy cameras.
Wyze is a fully weatherproof camera that can be used indoors and outdoors. It’s rechargeable and requires only a micro SD card to set up.
My favorite feature is its amazing night vision. Spy cameras with night vision are truly hidden cameras disguised in the darkness.
Wyze Cam’s night vision abilities let you see in color. They even label their night vision as “Starlight Sensor,” reflecting this feature’s sensitivity to light.
I am also a fan of its magnetic mounting system. It lets you place your Wyze in any crevice of your house. It’s also simple to remove and manage without any tools needed.
Wyze Cam v3 gives you live views of your selected location. It can also notify you if anything happens in your space. This feature alone makes it one of the best spy cameras. It acts like a small security guard alerting you when something happens!
There is a Cam Plus subscription bundle without and with “expert assembly.” This upgrade adds Person Detection with real-time alerts. You can also record full-length videos and filter clips with people in them. There is also a discounted bundle of two cameras.
2. Alpha Tech Spy Camera
| Brand |
Brand
Alpha Tech
|
| Camera Type |
Camera Type
Disguised
|
| Connectivity |
Connectivity
Wi-Fi
|
| Power |
Power
Mains Power
|
| Special Features |
Special Features
Connects to app for monitoring
|
| Best For |
Best For
Easy, moveable covert surveillance
|
The Alpha Tech Spy Camera is a hidden USB charger. It’s a tiny camera that looks like an average phone charger. This hidden camera plugs into a power outlet for its battery power. This helpful feature gives you one less thing to worry about.
The USB-charger spy camera saves its footage onto an SD card. But you can connect it to your computer via a USB to get your videos. The USB port is functional. So you can use this to charge your phone while recording in plain sight!
There are a few issues with this spy camera. Plug outlets aren’t always in the most convenient locations. Of course, you can use extension cords to position your camera better. Another missing feature is audio recording. You only see what is happening in your videos.
But there are also some pros to this camera. You can set the camera to automatically start recording through motion detection.
The Tech Spy Camera records in Full HD 1080p and can support up to 256 GB of SD cards. That equals around 50 hours of Full HD video!
3. SIRGAWAIN Mini Spy Camera
| Brand |
Brand
SIRGAWAIN
|
| Camera Type |
Camera Type
Discreet
|
| Connectivity |
Connectivity
Wi-Fi
|
| Power |
Power
Battery and Mains Power
|
| Special Features |
Special Features
Less than an inch on all sides
|
| Best For |
Best For
Hiding in small, inaccessible places
|
Because of its size, let’s look at one of the best hidden cameras. This Mini Spy Camera is the smallest spy camera on our list. It’s a hidden security camera you can place anywhere.
The camera’s dimensions are roughly 2 x 2 cm, about the size of a common dice. I like the tiny size, which makes it easy to hide.
Even with these dimensions, the wide-angle lens can cover a field of view of 140 degrees. You can also film in Full 1080p HD video. So, even though it’s small, it still packs a punch!
The hidden spy camera can take images and record video. It also has night vision motion detection with its infrared lights. You also get two different fastening clips to hang your camera differently.
SIRGAWAIN’s Mini Spy Camera does have a short battery life, though. You can charge it while in use, making the hidden camera less discrete. You must provide your own micro SD card.
4. Blink HD Security Camera
| Brand |
Brand
Blink
|
| Camera Type |
Camera Type
Discreet
|
| Connectivity |
Connectivity
Wi-Fi
|
| Power |
Power
Battery Power
|
| Special Features |
Special Features
Works with Alexa
|
| Best For |
Best For
Locations without mains power
|
Blink Indoor cameras are a simple option for video recording your space. This wireless HD security camera is roughly 7 x 7 cm. That makes it small enough to go unnoticed in the right place.
Its black face also helps disguise the Blink Indoor. You can hide it on your shelves or among other home decorations. The camera mount in the box allows the camera to film anywhere from walls to the ceiling.
My favorite aspect of the Blink Indoor camera is its battery life.
You also never have to take the camera down because you can access all your videos from their convenient app. The app lets you control many features. You can even connect it to Alexa, which lets you access your camera’s live view from your Alexa device.
The Blink Indoor camera lets you perform audio surveillance and even talk through the device. But this may not be the smartest idea if you don’t want the camera’s location revealed.
HD security camera app has a subscription service. It lets you save videos to the cloud. This feature may be useful if you plan to leave the camera recording for an extended time.
5. Ring Stick Up Security Camera
| Brand |
Brand
Ring
|
| Camera Type |
Camera Type
Discreet
|
| Connectivity |
Connectivity
Wi-Fi
|
| Power |
Power
Mains and Battery Power
|
| Special Features |
Special Features
Works with other Ring cameras and doorbells
|
| Best For |
Best For
Connecting with other devices
|
Ring is one of the most well-known brands for video recording your property. The Ring Indoor Stick Up Cam is near the top of our list of the best hidden spy cameras. That is due to its reliability and great features.
The camera records 1080p Full HD quality. You can also pair it with any other Ring device or accessory. Their indoor camera comes in two versions—with or without a cable.
For our list, the battery-operated camera works best as a spy camera. It’s easier to hide, and a cable can be too much of a giveaway.
Thanks to its great mounting system, the camera can be attached almost anywhere. You just need to pop in the battery and connect the device to your Wi-Fi.
The app comes with many handy features. You can control different levels of security and privacy. These settings include motion detection, night vision, and selective detection.
The Ring Indoor Cam is small enough to be disguised among general decorations. It may not be as inconspicuous as other spy cameras on our list. But its performance makes up for it.
There are three other buying options:
- One camera with “expert assembly (saves you the hassle of setting it up)
- Two cameras with a discount
- A bundle with the Echo Show 5 (2nd generation)
6. Arlo Pro 4 Spotlight Camera
| Brand |
Brand
Arlo
|
| Camera Type |
Camera Type
Discreet
|
| Connectivity |
Connectivity
Wi-Fi
|
| Power |
Power
Battery Power
|
| Special Features |
Special Features
Built-in Automatic Spotlight
|
| Best For |
Best For
Visible deterrence even at night
|
The Arlo Pro 4 is an award-winning camera for home security. Thanks to its size and slim nature, it doubles as one of the best hidden cameras on the market. The Arlo Pro 4 comes in black and white options. So you can choose which works best for your environment.
It has the highest resolution on our list, with a 2K video resolution. It also has one of the widest fields of view, capturing 160-degree views. The camera can also film night vision shots in color for a clearer picture.
Connectivity is a big feature Arlo promotes. That’s why it can work with many home security system frameworks. It works with the Apple Home app and HomeKit, the “OK Google” option on Android phones, Alexa, and many more.
Arlo also has a paid subscription that gives you access to many features. The most helpful feature of Arlo Secure is the emergency response. You can get help from all emergency services by pushing a button.
This feature makes you feel secure if you use hidden cameras to add extra safety to your space. The Arlo Pro 4 also has an option with “expert assembly.” Again, this saves you time setting it up.
7. AES Smoke Detector Spy Camera
| Brand |
Brand
AES
|
| Camera Type |
Camera Type
Disguised
|
| Connectivity |
Connectivity
Wi-Fi
|
| Power |
Power
Mains Power
|
| Special Features |
Special Features
Connects to app for monitoring
|
| Best For |
Best For
Covert surveillance
|
The Smoke Detector Spy Camera from AES Spy Cameras is a smart solution for a discretely hidden camera. It operates using the same power supply as a regular smoke detector.
It’s super discrete and solves the wiring issue without making it look noticeable. It also solves the issue of battery life. But be aware that the camera does not work as a smoke detector!
This spy camera gives you Full HD 1080p video capture at 30 frames per second. It has super clear quality for hidden cameras. It lets you identify most objects in the frame.
How you mount the “smoke detector” determines the camera angle. If you have it on the ceiling, you get a bird’s-eye view of your space. You have a normal angle if you mount the “smoke detector” on a wall.
It may be worth exploring how easy it is to wire up a smoke detector in your place of interest. But it would be best if you never replaced a working smoke detector for this camera.
I am a fan of this Smoke Detector Spy Camera, as it does look convincingly like a smoke detector. It would be incredibly hard to spot if you weren’t looking out for it. This device lets you watch live playback through an app on your Apple or Android device.
What Are Spy Cameras For?
Spy cameras essentially give you eyes when you cannot be there yourself. They are helpful if you have valuable material and want to keep track of it. If a robbery happened in your house, the video from a hidden camera could stand as evidence in court. It would solve your mystery and help you get justice for it.
A hidden camera is for someone who wants to keep an eye on their space without interrupting the room. A camera in plain sight can deter theft. But people can destroy them. A hidden camera prevents this from happening but still operates similarly.
Other uses can be to check your safety for any break-ins while you’re home. Or perhaps you use them as nanny cameras. You can ensure caregivers treat your children or senior family members well. But you should not use spy cameras with malicious intent.
The most useful places to put a spy camera are your house, your workspace, or other spaces you may own. Do not put it in any place you do not own. Doing so may be breaking the law.
And ensure you are not invading anyone’s private space. Inform people of their presence as required.
Hidden Camera FAQs
These are the questions we get most about the best hidden cameras.
How Do You Hide a Camera in Plain Sight?
You have two options:
- Buy a spy camera disguised as an everyday object.
- Put a small camera among your household items.
Books are always a great way to disguise a camera. You may also want to put the camera in a box of sorts. Even a tissue box will do if the spy camera can see through the hole!
Can a Cell Phone Detect a Hidden Camera?
Yes, they can. Certain smartphone apps help you detect hidden cameras with more ease.
Phone cameras can pick up on infrared light invisible to the naked eye. Many hidden cameras use infrared light to power their night vision.
Where Can I Hide My Spy Camera at Home?
We suggest you place your spy camera in the room of the greatest importance. If you don’t want it directly in the room, place it in the nearby hallway. This placement gives you a great overview of your space. Someone has to use the hallway to get in.
Conclusion: The Best Hidden Cameras
After looking through our list, we can see that there are two options to choose from:
- Pick a camera disguised as an everyday object
- Choose a small camera that can blend into its surroundings easily
Another important aspect to consider is how convenient it is to get the footage. It’s another aspect dictated by the environment in which you put it. But you may also want a camera that can automatically delete old footage.
But you must let the space dictate which camera you pick. It may seem odd to hang a picture frame in a garage or place it on a workshop table. So, make sure to scout out your location first. Then return to our list when you are ready to buy!
After considering all these things, the Wyze Cam v3 is our top choice. It’s a very affordable, capable camera.
