How Many Home Security Cameras Do I Need?

Recommendation: The average home needs 3–4 security cameras for complete coverage: one doorbell camera, 1–2 outdoor cameras, and one indoor camera. To get complete protection, you need cameras to cover entry points, your home's exterior, and key interior areas.

Security cameras are an integral part of your home security system. You can't be everywhere at once, but with a good set of security cameras, you can keep an eye on your home no matter where you are.

If you're in the market for surveillance cameras for your home, there's a lot to consider: what kind of cameras to get, what features to look for, and where to place them are just a few things to think about.

Not only that, you'll also want to make sure you have enough cameras to effectively cover the most vulnerable and important areas of your home.

Read on to find out everything you need to know to decide how many cameras you need.

How many indoor security cameras do I need?

Recommendation: Apartments, condos, and small single-family homes under 1,500 sq ft need at least 1 indoor camera. The average single-family home (1,500–2,500 sq ft) needs 1–2 indoor cameras. Large homes/properties (2,500+ sq ft) need 2+ indoor cameras.

Until recent years, many people thought of surveillance cameras as only necessary for businesses or large estate-style homes. But indoor security cameras have come a long way—they’re more affordable than ever, deliver high-resolution footage, and video feeds can be accessed anywhere, making them a smart choice for families in the market for a complete home security system.

Approximately 27%–37% of Americans use indoor security cameras in their homes, and the demand continues to grow each year as more people recognize the benefits security cameras provide. Some of these include:

• Monitor your home from anywhere. You can view your live camera feeds or recorded footage no matter where you are through an app on your smart device.
• Stay connected to family and pets. Want to check in on your kids or pets while you’re away? Indoor cameras provide a way to check in at home and make sure everyone is safe and sound—and staying out of mischief.
• Provide evidence. In the event an intruder ever gets inside your home, footage from your surveillance camera can be an invaluable tool for law enforcement.
• View activities inside your home. It can be nerve-wracking letting people you don’t know well into your home, whether it’s a repair person, new babysitter, or cleaning service. An indoor camera provides peace of mind in knowing you can monitor activity that takes place inside your home.
• Check in after an alarm goes off. When part of a connected system like Vivint, you can receive notifications on your smart device when certain triggers, like a smoke alarm or entry in your front door, occur. From there, you can view your indoor camera feed to check on your home and see if further action is needed.

What to look for in an indoor camera

If you’re in the market for an indoor security camera, the choices can be overwhelming. Some of the basic features you’ll want to look for include:

• Night vision. Night vision isn’t just for outdoor security cameras; your indoor cameras should come equipped with infrared night vision, so you can clearly see what is happening inside day or night.
• Two-way audio. This feature is particularly important for families and allows you to have a conversation with your kids, sitter, or family members right through your camera.
• Motion detection. Some cameras continuously record and store footage, while others have built-in motion detectors that trigger recording only when there's action.
• App availability. You should be able to access live and recorded camera footage via mobile app, anytime and from anywhere.
• Field of view. Look for a camera that has a wide-angle lens for the best coverage. The Vivint Indoor Camera has a 155-degree lens so you don't miss a thing.
• HD resolution. The last thing you want is a camera with poor resolution. Look for one with 1080p resolution for the clearest picture.
• WiFi connectivity. WiFi cameras provide greater flexibility with placement, since you don’t have a wired connection that limits where you can put your camera.

How many outdoor security cameras do I need?

Recommendation: Apartments and condos typically do not need an outdoor camera. Small single-family homes (<1,500 sq ft.) need at least 1 outdoor camera. The average single-family home (1,500–2,500 sq ft) needs 1–2 outdoor cameras. Large homes/properties (2,500+ sq ft) need 3+ outdoor cameras.

Outdoor security cameras offer a number of benefits:

• Deter crime. Resarch on convicted burglars found visible outdoor security cameras were an effective deterrent against burglary, as many burglars didn’t feel the risk of being identified was worth the effort.
• Safely see what’s going on outside. What do you do if you’re awakened from your sleep in the middle of the night and you hear a noise outside? According to law enforcement officials, your safest bet is to avoid confronting an intruder. With an outdoor camera, you can check your camera feeds from the safety of your home, and then decide what action to take from there.
• Protect your car. If you keep your vehicle parked in the driveway, an outdoor camera can help you keep an eye on it. The Vivint Outdoor Camera Pro has RADAR-enhanced vehicle detection and deters intruders who approach your car.
• Obtain evidence. Your camera feed can be valuable in obtaining evidence or identifying those responsible for vandalism on your street or theft on your property.
• Check in on kids and pets. You can’t be everywhere at once. An outdoor camera makes it easy to check on your kids and pets while they play outside and you get things done around the house.

What to look for in an outdoor camera

• Night vision. With many occurring during in the evening, an outdoor camera with infrared night vision is a must.
• Weather-proof. Your camera should withstand high and low temperatures along with rain, snow, and other elements. Look for a rating of IP65 or higher.
• Auto-recording. A camera that detects important events and captures them automatically means you always have important footage when you need it.
• Person detection. A good outdoor camera doesn't just react to motion—it intelligently differentiates between people, packages, vehicles, and behaviors to only record significant moments.
• HD clarity. Crystal-clear image quality (1080p or higher) is particularly important for outdoor cameras, when weather and lighting conditions are constantly changing.

How many doorbell cameras do I need?

Recommendation: Most apartments, condos, and homes need one doorbell camera. If you have multiple structures on your property, you may consider additional doorbell cameras.

While an outdoor camera gives you a wide field of view of your yard and driveway, a doorbell camera focuses on your porch. The biggest benefits include:

• See and speak to visitors from anywhere. Two-way talk lets you answer the door from the couch, the office, or another state.
• Prevent package theft. A doorbell camera alerts you when a package arrives. The Vivint Doorbell Camera Pro uses intelligent package detection to safeguard your deliveries, and Smart Deter™ wards off any would-be thieves.
• Know when the kids get home. Get a notification and video recording whenever your front door sees important activity, like when you kids arrive home from school.

What to look for in a doorbell camera

• Wide field of view. A tall and wide field of view is essential for a doorbell camera if you want to see faces and packages on the ground. The Vivint Doorbell Camera Pro has a 180° x 180° field of view—wide enough that you can see packages placed underneath the doorbell camera.
• Package detection. Look for a camera that can recognize people and packages, not just motion.
• Two-way audio. Clear, two-way audio makes answering the door remotely possible.
• Night vision. Deliveries and visitors don't stop after dark. IR night vision ensures you can still see what's going on at night.
• HD resolution. Look for a doorbell camera with at least 1080p HD resolution.

Should I buy wireless or wired security cameras?

One of the main things you’ll need to decide when looking for a security camera is whether to get a wireless or wired security camera.

A wired camera requires cables to connect it to the internet, as well as for video transmission. Some believe the physical connection between the ethernet cable and camera means wired cameras don’t experience the interference that wireless devices sometimes have, but that's not always the case.

Installation for wired cameras is more complicated than wireless, often resulting in visible cables or pricey installation fees to hide and manage wiring. It also limits the number of areas where you can put your camera. We recommend professional installation for wired cameras, which saves you time and hassle.

Wireless cameras, on the other hand, do not require professional installation. They connect directly to WiFi and can be placed anywhere you have a WiFi connection. It’s also important to note the majority of WiFi-enabled cameras still require an AC adapter in order to connect it to a power source, so they’re not truly wireless but they do take advantage of a wireless Internet connection. There are battery-operated surveillance cameras on the market, but the use of batteries means more upkeep and expense to maintain.

If you plan on making your security camera part of a complete smart home system, a WiFi-enabled camera makes this much easier. Since most homes don’t have enough cable and DSL ports for all of their devices to connect to, most people prefer WiFi-enabled devices for their smart homes.

Where should I place my security cameras?

Place both your indoor and outdoor cameras in your home’s most vulnerable areas, as well as areas you want to keep a closer eye on inside the house.

Camera placement checklist

For complete coverage, make sure you have cameras monitoring the following key locations:

• Front door
• Back door
• Driveway and garage
• First-floor windows
• Front yard and walkway
• Backyard and side gates
• Main living areas
• Areas with valuables
• Nursery
• Attached garage interior

Outdoor security camera placement

Some of the best places to mount your outdoor security cameras include:

• Front door. Many burglars use the front door to gain entry into a home, so a camera that captures the front of your home is an important place for a camera. A doorbell camera, like the Vivint Doorbell Camera Pro, captures the entire front porch area with its wide-angle lens, night vision, and ability to view camera footage from the Vivint app.
• Front of the house. You should also place a camera that has a good view of the front of your house and yard. This will give you a clear view of areas like your driveway, garage door, and walkway.
• Backyard. You’ll also want to put an outdoor camera in the back for a view of your backyard and the backside of your home. You can place your camera over a window or back door for a good overall view of your backyard, or direct it toward a shed or gate.

Indoor security camera placement

What about your indoor security cameras? That depends on what you’re using the camera for. If you want to keep an eye on kids and pets, you can place your camera in places like:

• Nursery or child’s room. The Vivint indoor camera camera can double as a nanny cam, so you can put the camera in your child’s room or play area. Two-way audio also makes it easy to communicate with your kids or hear whether or not they’re crying.
• Family room. If your family and pets tend to hang out in the family or TV rooms, you can place a indoor camera camera there to check up on them wherever you are.

If you’re using your camera as part of your surveillance system, a few places to put your cameras include:

• Areas that contain valuables. One survey of real burglars found the majority head straight to the master bedroom to look for valuables like jewelry, cash, or safe deposit boxes.
• Points of entry. Front and back doors and windows are good places to put indoor security cameras to catch any potential intruders.
• Garage. For homes with attached garages, placing an indoor camera inside the garage can help you monitor vehicles, bicycles, storage, and sporting equipment.

When you get a Vivint system, our Smart Home Pros will provide personalized recommendations based on your concerns and the layout of your home to ensure your cameras are placed in the areas that provide maximum coverage.

Frequently asked security camera questions

Learn more about how many security cameras you need for your house.

How many cameras do I need for a 2-bedroom apartment?

Most apartments benefit from having 2–3 cameras: a doorbell camera for the entrance and 1–2 indoor cameras for the main living areas and any secondary entry points.

Do I need cameras for every entry point in my home?

Not necessarily. Focus on the most vulnerable entry points first—front door, back door, and ground-floor windows. A doorbell camera and well-placed outdoor camera can cover multiple entry points.

How many outdoor cameras do I need for a large property?

Large properties may need as many as 4–6 outdoor cameras to cover the perimeter, driveway, outbuildings, and backyard areas.

Is it possible to have too many security cameras?

Yes. Too many security cameras can strain your Wi-Fi bandwidth and create unnecessary footage to review.

What's the minimum number of cameras for home security?

At minimum, one doorbell camera provides basic front-door coverage. 2–3 cameras offer significantly better protection for most homes.

Do I need indoor cameras if I already have outdoor cameras?

Yes, indoor cameras provide additional protection for the inside of your home. Outdoor cameras deter and detect intruders approaching your house, while indoor cameras capture evidence if someone gets inside. They also help you monitor children, pets, and workers.