eufy vs Reolink: what each records without a plan, and what one costs

Both record without a subscription, so neither wins on that. Reolink is the better fit if you want 5 GHz Wi-Fi, a cable to each camera, or a two-year warranty; eufy if you use Apple Home or want a cloud plan with a price you can read before you pay. Every figure is from eufy's and Reolink's own pages, each with the date it was read.

Is eufy or Reolink better without a subscription?

On the question this site exists to answer, they tie. Reolink's own page says "Reolink does not require a subscription", and eufy's cameras record to a HomeBase hub or to the camera itself; both answers are on the Reolink page and the eufy page. So the choice comes down to the rows below.

Read the table as a list of conditions. If your router's 2.4 GHz band is crowded, or you want to run a cable to each camera, Reolink covers it and eufy mostly does not. If your home runs on Apple Home, or you want the option of a cloud plan with a printed price, eufy does and Reolink does not.

Where do eufy and Reolink keep the video?

eufy keeps video on a HomeBase hub or in the camera; Reolink on a microSD card in each camera, a recorder, or a Home Hub. Reolink says most of its cameras take a card "up to 256GB or 512GB"; eufy's HomeBase 3 holds 16 GB and takes a drive up to 16 TB.

The difference is where the storage sits. A eufy system usually puts it in one box in the house, the HomeBase, which also means one box to lose. Reolink usually puts a card in each camera, or every camera on a recorder for a bigger setup. Reolink says its recorders are "Ideal for 24/7 continuous recording across multiple cameras without relying on an internet connection".

What does a eufy or Reolink cloud plan cost?

eufy publishes it: $3.99 a month or $39.99 a year for one device, and $13.99 or $139.99 for all of them, each keeping 30 days. Reolink's own pages do not agree on a price, and Reolink says its cloud "is available in select countries only".

eufy's page is plain: Basic covers one device and states that "Repeatedly purchasing the same package will extend service only for the original device, not for additional ones", so two cameras need the all-device plan. The full breakdown is on the eufy cost page.

Reolink's is harder to pin down. Its cloud site, read from this site's server, showed only 4G SIM data plans. Its own blog lists a Standard plan for up to five cameras at "USD 6.99 per month", and a single-camera plan at "USD 5.99 per month (regular price USD 4.29, 30 % off)": a discount that costs more than the regular price. Until Reolink publishes one consistent figure, this site does not print one as its price.

Which has 5 GHz Wi-Fi, eufy or Reolink?

Reolink, for most models. Its table lists the 2.4 GHz-only ones and then says "All other Reolink Wi-Fi cameras 2.4 GHz / 5 GHz". eufy's support pages name its Wired Video Doorbell, Outdoor Cam and Floodlight Cam 2K as 2.4 GHz only.

Reolink's 2.4 GHz-only list names the E1, the E Series 320 and 321, the RLC-211W, the Keen and most of the Argus line — Argus 2, 3, Pro, PT, PT Lite and Eco. Its E1 Pro and Argus 4 Pro take both bands. The full model-by-model list for nine makers is on the 5 GHz page, and which of them take a network cable is on the Ethernet page.

Do eufy and Reolink work with Alexa, Google and HomeKit?

Both work with Alexa and Google Home, with model exceptions on each side. Apple Home is the split: eufy names two series that work with HomeKit, while Reolink says its cameras "cannot work with the Apple Homekit yet".

Each has its gaps. eufy's doorbell page says auto live streaming on an Echo Show when it rings is "not supported". Reolink's Duo and Go lines, and the add-on cameras in its recorder kits used on their own, do not work with either assistant. On Apple Home, eufy names its eufyCam 2 and Indoor Cam 2K series, and recording there needs Apple's own iCloud+ plan. The details are on the Alexa page.

How long can you return eufy or Reolink cameras?

Both give 30 days. eufy calls it a "30-Day Money-Back Guarantee for Any Reason" on its own stores; Reolink counts "within 30 days from the date of delivery". After that, eufy's camera warranty is 12 months and Reolink's is 2 years.

Both charge the return postage when the reason is yours rather than a fault. eufy's guarantee applies to its own stores: for anything else it says "please contact retailers", which for an Amazon order means Amazon's policy. Every maker's terms are on the returns page; if you are weighing eufy against a brand that does need a plan, see Arlo vs eufy.

eufy and Reolink cameras that need no plan

One outdoor and one indoor camera from each. All four record locally with no subscription. Specifications as published by each maker; nothing was tested.

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. This costs you nothing and never affects what is covered here.

Corrections

If either company changes a price, a policy or a model list here, tell us and it is corrected with the date noted. Reolink's cloud price will be added once its own pages agree on one.

How this was checked

eufy's cloud prices were read at https://www.eufy.com/cloud-storage and Reolink's at https://reolink.com/blog/reolink-subscription-cost/ and https://cloud.reolink.com/user/subscribe-plan/sim/list on 3 October 2026; HomeKit at https://service.eufy.com/article-description/How-many-security-cameras-can-you-have-on-HomeKit and https://support.reolink.com/articles/900000628746-Do-Reolink-Cameras-Support-Apple-Homekit/ the same day. Wi-Fi, cables, assistants and returns come from the pages linked above, each with its own read date. Nothing was tested.