Arlo Without Subscription: Everything You Need To Know

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In this day and age, security is one of the biggest concerns for homeowners. And what better way to ensure the security of a home than with a security camera.

That’s where Arlo Technologies steps in. However, because they offer both free and premium plans, you might get confused about what plan is the best for you.

I, too, wrestled with this decision. Having recently purchased an Arlo camera, I was unsure if I should invest the extra money into getting myself a subscription. And so, I headed online to find an answer to this.

After reading scores of articles and visiting many online forums, I finally reached a conclusion.

Arlo cameras can be used on their own without any subscription, without access to a lot of the features and perks like motion detection, cloud storage, and customizable motion zones.

In this article, you will learn all the differences between the free tier and the premium subscription and whether the Arlo subscription is worth the investment for you.

Can You Use Arlo Without A Subscription?

Yes, you can use Arlo cameras without any subscription. The free tier lets you stream video from your camera to your smartphone via the Arlo app.

It is important to note that the maximum duration of these streams is limited to 30 minutes regardless of your subscription type. This is done to avoid the potential problems that can arise if a stream is accidentally left active.

If paired with an Arlo base station, you will also be able to store recorded footage locally. However, premium features like motion detection, cloud storage, and customizable motion zones are unavailable to you in the free tier.

Arlo Without Subscription: Pros and Cons

Arlo cameras are among the best available on the market and can be used either with or without a subscription. As mentioned earlier, you can still stream video from your camera to your smartphone without a subscription.

Another perk of using the free tier is that all Arlo cameras can connect to the Arlo base station, including the Arlo Video Doorbell.

When you connect your camera to the Arlo base station, you get better battery life, improved long-range wireless connectivity, and the option to store recorded footage locally.

Local video storage can be in either USB sticks or SD cards, depending on the type of base station you have.

It is important to note that you can only store videos locally when using the free tier with newer cameras. You cannot use cloud storage without an Arlo Smart subscription. However, older Arlo cameras like the Arlo Pro 2 offer the following perks within the free plan:

• Up to seven days of recording in cloud storage.
• Limited support for three months.
• Five camera limit.
• Motion alerts to your smartphone.

What The Subscription Tiers Offer

While Arlo’s base plan may seem like the entire package in itself, purchasing the premium subscription gives you significantly more perks and benefits to using your Arlo camera. The additional perks included within the premium subscription are:

• Custom motion detection zones that you can set and define for more focused surveillance.
• Utilizing AI to detect people, packages, vehicles or animals within the motion detection zones.
• An enriched notification system that lets you know what your camera is seeing directly on your lock screen or notification bar without having to open the Arlo app. It also offers quick options like calling an emergency contact or activating the system’s siren.

Arlo offers two premium subscription options as part of Arlo Smart:

• The Premier Plan – $2.99 a month for a single camera and $9.99 a month for up to five.
• The Elite Plan – $4.99 a month for a single camera and $14.99 a month for up to five.

Both plans allow you to store up to 30 days of footage on the cloud.

The difference between the two plans is the video resolution. The Elite Plan allows you to record 4K footage, which is great if you have the Arlo Ultra or any other Arlo 4K cameras.

On the other hand, the Premier Plan lets you record in 2K or 1080p resolution, which is good enough for any of the other models.

Some cameras like the Arlo Ultra, Pro 3, Pro 2, Q, Q Plus, and the Baby Camera are capable of 24/7 video recording. However, this feature is not included within Arlo Smart.

You will have to add a separate CVR (Continuous Video Recording) subscription to your camera in addition to your Arlo Smart subscription.

The 24/7 recordings are not available for download and cannot be backed up locally. If you have a CVR subscription, you can only view the video on the Arlo app or the website.

Arlo offers two options for a CVR subscription – $10 a month per camera for 14 days of 24/7 recording and $20 a month per camera for 30 days of 24/7 recording.

Is Getting A Subscription Worth The Cost?

The topic of Arlo subscriptions can be quite divisive within the Arlo community. While many people say that getting the subscription did not really add much to their experience, there are many more who vouch for Arlo and claim that purchasing the subscription unlocks the best functions and features of your Arlo camera.

Unlock Premium Features With a Subscription to Arlo

If you feel your camera runs out of battery too quickly, you can choose to get a base station instead, as the subscription doesn’t add too much here.

However, if you’re looking for premium features like better resolution, cloud storage, and AI detection, the Arlo Smart subscription is the way to go.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Does Arlo only record when motion is detected?

Arlo cameras come with four different modes – Armed, Disarmed, Schedule, and Geofencing. When your camera is armed, it will get triggered by motion (or sound, for newer models), and the camera will record for 10 seconds and send you an alert.

Schedule mode lets you set a schedule for your camera to record, irrespective of triggers, while Geofencing mode lets you toggle between modes based on the GPS location of your mobile device.

Can you tell if someone is watching you on Arlo?

Arlo cameras have red LEDs around the lens of the camera, which activate when someone is viewing the camera live. So, if you see these lights on, it means your camera is active, and someone is currently viewing the stream.

However, it is important to note that these lights only come on when there is not enough ambient light and will not be noticeable in well-lit rooms.

Can Arlo cameras be blocked?

Unfortunately, just like any other WiFi camera, Arlo cameras too can be jammed. In the case of wired systems, phone lines can be cut to disable the camera.

Does the Arlo doorbell count as a device?

Yes, the Arlo Video Doorbell is counted as a camera regarding the device limit on your Arlo account or as part of your Arlo Smart subscription.