Nest Cam vs. Canary (What You Need To Know – 2022)
How we reviewed: hands-on tests, hours studying Nest Cam and Canary sites, and reading 100+ customer reviews.
Nest Cam
Our Rating
Starts at $93.99
Canary
Our Rating
Starts at $119.99
Last update on 2022-11-10 / Affiliate links / Ratings / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Written By: John Fox | Security expert / Locksmith 30 Years Experience
11.01.2022
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In this rundown, we take a deep dive into the Nest Cam vs. the Canary: What’s the difference? Which is best for you? We tested both of these installing them on two typical family homes and comparing their performance and features.
Over the years, Nest Cam and Canary have been releasing high-rated cameras for your security and safety. They are the most popular security cameras in the market.
Quick Summary
- Get the Nest Cam if you prefer:Higher recording quality
- Easy setup procedure
- Enormous camera angle options
- Better customer service
- Get the Canary All-In-One if you prefer:
- Wider field view
- Free access to storage
- Extra sensors
Nest Cam
The Nest Cam is an impressive camera for monitoring indoor motion and activity. The live streaming feature for this camera is 24/7 with suspicious and ordinary situations.
CHECK LATEST PRICEThis camera ensures multiple zooming in different zones; the footage is detailed and higher in quality, and access to this footage requires a subscription. Furthermore, it has a two-way audio system so you can remotely respond accordingly after being notified through the mobile app. The coverage capability for this camera is 130 degrees. As the camera is not designed to interact with smart devices, its capable of works with Alexa voice control and Nest smart devices. The Nest smart devices help you set up scheduling after optimizing Android and IOs apps. Having said this, we should keep in mind that nest awareness is necessary for footage. Therefore, Nest Cams have very limited options for connectivity.
Canary
The Canary-All-In one camera is an excellent option. A great resolution of 1080p HD provides you with clear footage. The details that the footage provides depend on the view of the camera.
CHECK LATEST PRICEThis camera has 147 degrees of coverage capability, ensuring the best coverage feature of any indoor camera. Canary cameras can sense any activity or motion, from sending alerts on your Android or IOS mobile apps to any suspicious activity detected. You can set a built-in sound alarm and receive a notification when going through any uncertain situation. You can only set the siren to work at night to avoid false alarms. Without any camera, this camera grants the user with digital zooming and pan for better footage. The storage is up to twelve hours and viewing capacity of 5 videos for free. The talk features for a canary camera are only available through subscription.
While drafting out the comparison between Canary and Nest Cam, people have ranked Canary as #1, and Nest Cam is ranked third. People choose Canary-All-one home security because of its vast properties of angle, resolution, digital zooming, infra-red LEDs working at night.
Nest Cam vs. Canary: Similar Features
Mobile App
Nest Cam and Canary offer excessive user experience, giving access to a smartphone application designed for the Android/IOS system. The application helps you view live footage through a Wi-Fi connection. Both these apps and respective cameras provide great functionality and features connecting to your smartphone.
Winner: Both
Appearance and Texture
The Nest Cam Indoor cameras are much smaller to be hidden in any corner, requiring the USB cord. While Canary looks imposing but the power cord can easily be hidden. Both can fit without getting noticed.
Winner: Nest Cam
Installation
Nest Cam and Canary both require a constant Wi-Fi connection or a power source.
Winner: Both
Nest Cam vs. Canary: Differences
Features
Canary is less efficient in performance as it records snippets, due to which it can easily miss a few details. While Nest Cam streams 24/7 with every minor detail. Moreover, Canary is a Wi-Fi-enabled device providing a mode of interaction with your smart devices through mobile apps or Alexa. At the same time, Nest Cam provides limited contact with smart devices like Alexa and Nest devices.
Winner: Both
Video Capability
The Canary and Nest Cam differ in camera angle and resolution. Nest cam with a 1080p video output has a lower resolution than Canary. Canary Cam records a high resolution of 1080p. On the other hand, Nest Cam covers 130 degrees while Canary covers 147 degrees of view. Furthermore, Nest Cam provides a two-way audio system with a capacity for multiple zooming. While Canary cam provides a much lesser zoom power but contains a digital pen.
Winner: Both
Design
The Nest Cam is an indoor model camera with a round and smaller size measuring 2.9 x 4.5 x 2.9 inches, while the Canary is much larger with dimensions measuring 3 x 3 x 6 inches. The positioning of the Nest Cam is restricted as it needs to be hard-wired in that position, whereas canary cameras do not encounter any such difficulties.
Winner: Canary
Cost
The Canary costs $150 and is less expensive than the Nest Cam coting above $170.
Winner: Both
Nest Cam vs. Canary: Design and Outer Appearance
Nest Cam is smaller in size when compared to Canary cameras. It’s easy to hide anywhere in small spaces, likely not to be visible. It provides a remarkable field of view and clear night vision.
While Canary is a larger camera with an inbuilt 90db siren, known as an All-In-One Cam. The siren helps with any emergencies, which can be altered from the application canary provides. It easily connects to your Apple Watch and Amazon Alexa, holding a capacity of storing 24-hour footage.
Nest Cam vs. Canary: Pros and Cons
PROS
| Nest Cam | Canary |
| High Quality: Nest Cams having a resolution of 1080p allows many things to be captured, providing a 130-degree angle view. It has 8 LEDs that work best in low light or pitch black. | Quality: Canary has a 147-degree view angle and a 1080p resolution, letting you see even in the dark. The infrared LEDs help record night vision or dark mode crisply and clearly. |
| Speaking and Hearing Abilities: Nest Cam provides an easy and additional feature where you can pick audios to listen to and even speak through your smartphone. | Microphone: In Canary, these microphone helps capture clear audio, beneficial when there is any motion. |
| Integrates with Other Smartphones Appliances: Nest Cam integrating with Nest thermostat allows you to turn it on when you are away or left your home. It also integrates with other nest devices like bulbs or smart doorbells to turn it on or notify when motion is detected. | Automate Recording: Canary cameras have GPS connected to your phone that enables an automation system depending on whether you are at home or not. (1) |
| Scheduling: Nest Cam has a good schedule system that records specified data and everyday activities to disturb you by sending alerts all the time. | Siren for Warning: The Canary cameras have a built-in emergency siren at 90dB to alarm you if anything goes wrong. |
| Amusing Use and Well-Designed: The Nest Cam not only acts as a security camera but can also capture images and take time-lapse videos. The camera physically is sleek and compact, including all the useful features. It has a magnetic base, keeping it stable. It includes a ceiling mount and a hinge allowing it to move. | Sensors: Canary cameras have sensors that help determine and monitor air, temperature, and humidity. |
CONS
| Nest Cam | Canary |
| Previous Recordings are Difficult to View: Nest Cam allows recordings for 10 days in the cloud, giving no option to scrub through it. | Not Mountable: Canary cameras do not have a ceiling or wall but require a table or stand in support. |
| Local Storage not Provided: Nest cam cameras also do not provide local storage capacity and upload it directly on the cloud. (2) | Local Storage not provided: Canary cameras do not provide local storage, and the data is stored directly on the cloud. |
| Weak Detection: in a Nest cam, notifications are all gone when it switches to night mode or dark. | No Speaker: Canary cameras do not have speakers; thus, two-way communication isn’t possible. |
| False Alarms: a huge capacity of false alarms is present on windy days or harsh sunlight when operating with Next Cam. | False Alarms: when using canary cameras, there are a lot of false alarms as they have sensitive motion detection; even shadows and branches movement alerts the alarm. |
| Subscription: To improve performance and advanced algorithms in your Nest Cam, a subscription is needed to unlock various features. | Costly Subscription: The subscription plans vary throughout for Canary Cameras; the free plan only offers the last history of the past 12 hours, with 5 available book bars and 3 download capacities. While $49/ yearly to a two-day history, 25 bookmarks, and unlimited downloads. $99/ yearly to a 7-day history,100 bookmarks, and unlimited downloads. $299/yearly to a 30-day timeline and unlimited downloads and bookmarks. |
Wrapping Up
Ultimately, the Nest Cam and Canary are great security cameras with various features and abilities. These two have been trusted as the best-selling products satisfying customers. Through their corresponding cameras angles, they are raised for indoor usage.
Both are industry-leading products but:
- Use Nest Cam if you want:
- Higher recording quality
- Easy setup procedure
- Enormous camera angle options
- Better customer service
- Use Canary All-In-One if you want:
- Wider field view
- Free access to storage
- Extra sensors
Both the devices offer amazing features and are good options for home security. Nest Cam is recommended for users that have nest devices and are looking for an audio feature. Otherwise, Canary is beneficial in all terms. Both are good options for you to invest in., you will be in safe hands regardless of the product you choose. So decide and make up your mind selecting the best option for yourself looking at both cameras’ benefits.
You may want to check and bookmark other reviews and learning guides we’ve written for future references, in case you needed them. Until our next review!
References
(1) GPS – https://www.nationalgeographic.org/encyclopedia/gps/
(2) local storage – https://www.smashingmagazine.com/2010/10/local-storage-and-how-to-use-it/
