Security camera battery life compared: what each maker claims, and under what test

From a month to two years, by the makers' own figures, and the figures cannot be ranked against each other because each maker counts a different day. Blink assumes "default settings", Arlo under three minutes of recording, Wyze and Tapo 10 to 20 events, eufy and Reolink 300 seconds. Every figure is from the maker's own pages, read 3 October 2026.

How long do security camera batteries last?

Each maker publishes a number and a condition, and the condition is the part that matters. The table keeps them together.

Blink's two years is the longest figure here and the least specific: "Up to 2 years with default settings", from two AA lithium cells rather than a rechargeable pack. Arlo's figures assume its "Optimized or Best Battery Life Power Management settings" and under three minutes of recording a day. The rest count events, which are a different unit again.

Which makers can be compared like for like?

eufy and Reolink, which both state battery life at 300 seconds of recording a day. On that test eufy gives the eufyCam S3 Pro "365 days per charge", while Reolink's own table gives its Argus 4 Pro 2 months and its Altas 20.

Three hundred seconds is five minutes a day: ten 30-second clips, or twenty of 15 seconds. Reolink's table is unusually honest about its own range. The same 300 seconds a day gives 2 months for the Argus 4 Pro, 3 for the Argus Eco, and 20 for the Altas, which carries a much larger battery. Reolink also says its batteries "can be recharged about 500 times". If you are choosing between the two brands on battery alone, eufy's S3 Pro and Reolink's Altas are the pair to compare.

How much does the number of events matter?

Google's Nest page answers it best, because it gives three scenarios for one camera. The Nest Cam (battery) lasts "about 7 months, with 2-4 recorded events each day", about 3 months at 9-12, and about 1.5 months at 20-25. Recording five times as much costs most of the battery.

The Nest Doorbell (battery) shows the same curve a little lower: about 6 months at 2-5 events a day, 2.5 at 13-16, and 1 at 25-30. A doorbell on a busy street will sit at the bottom of its range whatever the box says, which is why Ring's first item on what drains a battery is "Too many motion events".

Does cold weather shorten battery life?

Every maker that mentions it says the same: cold shortens battery life. Google adds that its battery "won't charge at temperatures below 32°F (0°C)"; Arlo lists "Cold temperatures below 32°F (0°C)" first among the things that reduce it; Ring that its batteries "will drain faster when it is cold outside".

Blink's page lists "Extreme heat and cold" among the things that affect its two-year figure. A winter at freezing is the case none of the headline numbers describe.

How long does a Ring battery last?

Ring does not give one. Its battery page says the batteries "are made to last for months between charges", then lists what drains them faster: too many motion events, cold, and a weak Wi-Fi connection.

Wyze takes a third approach to the same problem: it says you can "purchase additional batteries to swap them out as needed" for the Battery Cam Pro. That leaves a Ring buyer without a figure to compare. If battery life is the deciding point, ask Ring for the model you are looking at, or look at whether a solar panel or wiring is an option.

Does a long battery mean no subscription?

No. Battery life decides how often you climb a ladder, not whether the camera keeps its video. Blink and Arlo keep recordings only with a plan or, for Blink, a drive in the Sync Module; Nest's battery camera keeps three hours of event history free; eufy, Reolink and Tapo record to storage you own.

Each brand's answer is on its own page: Blink, Arlo and Nest, and every brand on the roundup. If the battery figures above look short, the usual fix is a panel: each maker's sunlight figure is on the solar page, and the battery and solar cameras that record with no plan are on the outdoor page.

Battery cameras that record with no plan

Each takes a solar panel, built in or optional, so the battery figure matters less, and each records locally with no subscription. Specifications as published by each maker; nothing was tested.

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Corrections

If a maker changes a battery figure or the test behind it, tell us and it is corrected with the date noted.

How this was checked

Every figure was read from the maker's own page on 3 October 2026: Blink, https://support.blinkforhome.com/en_US/tech-specs-outdoor4/outdoor4-camera-tech-specs; eufy, https://service.eufy.com/article-description/What-is-the-expected-battery-life-of-the-eufyCam-S3-Pro; Reolink, https://support.reolink.com/articles/900000421243-How-Long-Does-the-Battery-Last-for-Battery-powered-Cameras/; Arlo, https://www.arlo.com/en_gb/support/faq/1202753/How-long-do-Arlo-camera-batteries-last; Wyze, https://support.wyze.com/hc/en-us/articles/17501899504411; Google Nest, https://support.google.com/googlehome/answer/10901611; Tapo, https://www.tp-link.com/us/support/faq/3946/; Ring, https://ring.com/support/articles/9iatk/troubleshooting-battery-performance. Nothing was measured.