Blink Indoor Camera review: A solid wireless security camera best for basic setups

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• The Blink Indoor Wireless Camera lets you keep an eye on your home while you're away.
• It's affordable and easy to place, set up, and use, with good video quality for most users.
• But while the camera itself is solid, Blink's smart-home experience can't match the competition.

From keeping an eye on valuables to helping you find out which pet chewed on the furniture, a home security camera can serve countless purposes with less than a few minutes of setup.

The Blink Indoor Camera offers exactly that, with an attractive combination of performance, price, and convenience in a palm-sized device. The camera's wireless design spares users the hassles of cables and outlets, meaning you really can put it just about anywhere. It's even compatible with Alexa. 

But while the camera itself is wireless, you still have to plug in a separate hub to get it to work. And though the device works well as a standalone security camera, Blink's app and overall ecosystem aren't the best. 

This is a solid buy if you're just looking for a single indoor camera on a budget, but there are better options if you want a camera that can work well as part of a larger home-monitoring system. 

You can put the Blink Indoor Camera just about anywhere, but you do need to plug in a hub

The Blink Indoor Camera's wireless design is one of its best aspects. Finding a home for your device is as simple as finding a flat surface for it to sit on. You can also mount it using the included stand. Not only does the wireless design reduce visual clutter, but now camera placement isn't dependent on having an outlet nearby or wrangling a power cord. 

The camera has a pretty small footprint — measuring 2.8 inches by 1.2 inches — so it doesn't require much space on a shelf, table, or mantle. With its thick base, it's tough to knock over, so you can rest easy knowing it will stay put while you're away. 

But while the camera itself isn't tethered by cables, its wireless functionality has a catch. In order for the device to work, it needs to pair with a separate hub, the Sync Module, which does have to be plugged in. Blink packages the Sync Module with every Camera System it sells, whether you buy one camera or five, but it adds $10 to the price versus just buying an add-on Blink camera by itself. 

The Blink Indoor Camera is able to operate wirelessly by communicating with the Sync Module using radio waves. Only the Sync Module needs a power cable to do power-draining functions like connecting to Wi-Fi. A single Sync Module can communicate with all of the Blink devices in your home within range, including cameras and doorbells. 

Though the Sync Module keeps the actual camera wireless, having to plug in a separate device takes away from the system's overall convenience. If you're buying a "wireless" camera because you hate unsightly cords, the Sync Module could be an issue, especially if you're trying to keep it in range but out of sight. Most wireless, hubless cameras are pricier than the $80 Blink, but the Ring Stick Up Cam is one option that's just under $100.  

Setup is easy, but the Blink app is mediocre

Getting started with home monitoring can be daunting, so the easy setup of the Blink Indoor camera is perfect for beginners. From the start of setup to completion, it takes less than three minutes. However, you will need to make an account with Blink first if you don't have one already. That's what you'll use to sign into the app and what gives you exclusive access to your video feeds.

Once you have the camera placed and the Sync Module plugged in, it's as easy as using the Blink smartphone app to scan the QR code on the back of both devices to connect them to your Blink account. 

Though easy to use, the app has less polish than you'd expect from an Amazon-owned brand. It's barebones, and the video feeds can often take a while to load. It also constantly checks that you're watching, or else it'll automatically pause — presumably to preserve the camera's battery life.

It does, however, allow you to view instructions, tweak settings, snap pictures, and view clips captured from motion alerts. Clips are stored locally on your device, or you can opt for cloud storage with a Blink Subscription Plan for $3 a month. You can export your saved clips to view on a desktop by plugging in a USB flash drive (not included) to the Sync Module. 

The camera uses AA batteries, which has benefits and drawbacks

All you need is two AA batteries to keep the camera juiced. You can use the included tool to unscrew the back in order to put them in — or you can just use anything flat like a quarter to do the same in a pinch.

The Blink Indoor's use of AA batteries has both pros and cons, though. On the one hand, it's nice that they're incredibly easy to obtain. However, this does mean that you will eventually need to buy replacements, and how long your camera lasts will depend on what batteries you buy: Different brands have different lifespans.

Blink advertises up to two years of usage with the included pair of batteries, but there's no way to check the current status in-app. However, Alexa users can link their camera to the Alexa app to receive low battery notifications. 

For people hoping to cut back on waste, using disposable batteries produces far more trash than a wired or built-in rechargeable battery option. This can be remedied by using rechargeable AA batteries, but you'll just need to have the foresight to charge some up ahead of time. 

Solid video quality helps keep an eye on pets, guests, and more

With up to 1080p video resolution, the Blink Indoor Camera offers solid video quality for keeping an eye on large objects. During testing we used it to monitor pets, different rooms, and even 3D-printing progress. It worked great, even in different lighting conditions, though it had difficulty maintaining details with mixed lighting in the same frame. 

The camera also includes infrared night vision for dark conditions. Details are crisp in this mode; the camera is able to keep an eye on the same subjects without the loss of too much video quality, making it a worthwhile contender for keeping an eye on your sleeping little ones. 

Most competing indoor cameras in this price range also top out at 1080p with infrared night vision for dark conditions. However, this Blink model is missing a few extra features found on more expensive models, like memory card compatibility; magnetic base attachment; casting support to a TV; and intelligent person, animal, or vehicle identification. 

The Blink ecosystem leaves something to be desired

Something to keep in mind when investing in any device designed to work as part of a home-monitoring system is that it's just that: a system. Even if you plan to only buy one device, you're committing to that brand's platform and app. And if you do end up wanting to add more devices you're committing to a bigger ecosystem of that brand's gear. 

And this is where Blink falls short. Blink's system as a whole leaves a lot to be desired. With competition like Google Nest and Amazon Ring in the running, Blink misses the mark with its lackluster app, hub reliance, and mediocre customer support — because yes, we did have to reach out to support during testing. 

It's easy to run into issues if you start integrating Blink devices of different generations. Compatibility quirks can even brick your whole system temporarily. We ran into barriers when adding a previous-generation Sync Module to the Blink app due to out-of-date firmware — something that Blink doesn't mention as a potential problem. 

After a lengthy process that involved research, a call to the support team, and waiting 24 hours for a firmware update, it finally worked. While this specific older Sync Module is no longer available, it does highlight potential issues for users with older devices looking to pair their existing tech with newer models.

Even though the camera works well as a cost-effective standalone security solution, it's difficult to recommend Blink to anyone looking to furnish a full home-monitoring system. Alexa users would probably be better off with Amazon's other security brand, Ring. Though both are owned by the same company, Ring offers cameras with more intricate designs, more features, and a better app in exchange for a higher price point. 

Blink Indoor Camera specs at a glance

Should you buy the Blink Indoor Camera?

If you're looking for a simple security camera for standalone use, the Blink Indoor Camera offers worthwhile performance. With its wireless design and stable base, it's very easy to place around your home to keep an eye on anything you want to monitor. 

We think it's an especially worthwhile pick if you just want a single budget-friendly camera that you plan to move around the house or if you need something to monitor a pet in one room while you're out.

Shoppers looking to buy the Blink Indoor Camera as their first piece in a larger home-monitoring system, however, should pass on this device. If you're willing to spend a bit more money, its performance and convenience are rivaled by other brands that are better for furnishing a larger system, like Google Nest or Amazon Ring. 

In our testing, we just ran into too many issues to recommend Blink as a platform over other companies that deliver a smoother user experience across multiple devices.