Skip to main content
DEAL WATCH: Keurig K-Express | 22% off $69.99

Keurig has changed the face of coffee, and snagging one of these for less than $70 is a solid deal. Read Review

BUY NOW
A person hugging a dog outside Credit: Getty Images

The Best Smart Pet Cameras of 2024

Recommendations are independently chosen by Reviewed's editors. Purchases made through the links below may earn us and our publishing partners a commission.

A person hugging a dog outside Credit: Getty Images

Why trust Reviewed?

Reviewed's mission is to help you buy the best stuff and get the most out of what you already own. Our team of product experts thoroughly vet every product we recommend to help you cut through the clutter and find what you need.

Learn more about our product testing
1
Editor's Choice Product image of Eufy Pet Dog Camera D605
Best Overall

Eufy Pet Dog Camera D605

Check Price at Amazon

Eufy's Pet Dog Camera D605 is our best overall pick for thanks to its free local storage, dog-friendly smart alerts, and custom treat dispensing. Read More

Pros

  • Motion-tracking
  • Tosses treats
  • Free alerts and storage

Cons

  • No smart assistant support
2
Editor's Choice Product image of Petcube Cam
Best Value

Petcube Cam

Check Price at Amazon

A smart pet camera doesn't need to cost a lot and the Petcube Cam is the perfect blend of affordability, features, and smarts to care for your pet. Read More

Pros

  • Affordable
  • Compact
  • Great features

Cons

  • Narrow viewing angle
3
Editor's Choice Product image of Petcube Bites 2

Petcube Bites 2

Check Price at Amazon

The Petcube 2 is a treat-tossing pet camera complete with 1080p video quality and a 160-degree field of view, perfect for saying hi to Fido remotely. Read More

Pros

  • Built-in Alexa
  • Tosses treats
  • Great video

Cons

  • Large size
4
Product image of Petcube Bites 2 Lite

Petcube Bites 2 Lite

Check Price at Amazon

From performance to features, the Petcube Bites 2 Lite has many of the trimmings of the pricier Bites 2 camera, but it's a more affordable pick. Read More

Pros

  • Works with Alexa
  • Tosses treats
  • Good video quality

Cons

  • Large size
  • Easy to knock over
5
Product image of Petcube Play 2

Petcube Play 2

Check Price at Amazon

The Play 2 is uniquely built with a laser, so you can play games with your pet remotely. It also has crisp video and four mics for easy communication. Read More

Pros

  • Encrypted storage
  • Clear video
  • Built-in games

Cons

  • Laser sound can be loud
  • Best Overall Eufy Pet Dog Camera D605
  • Best Value Petcube Cam
  • Other Smart Pet Cameras We Tested
  • How We Test Smart Pet Cameras
  • What You Should Know About Buying Smart Pet Cameras
  • More Articles You Might Enjoy

As a pet owner, you may wish that you could be there for your four-legged friend at all times. But unless your pet is small enough to fit in a handbag, you probably can’t get away with taking them with you everywhere you go. Sometimes the dog or cat just has to stay home. But thanks to modern technology like smart pet cameras, your pet never has to feel alone.

For the best pet camera, you've got to go with the interactive Eufy Pet Dog Camera D605 (available at Amazon) . It's got all the bells and whistles the best pet camera should have like free local storage for video clips, a robust spread of dog-specific smart alerts, and crystal clear video. Eufy's motion-tracking pet camera keeps your pup in view almost anywhere in the room, and can also toss treats on-demand. Looking for something cheaper? The Petcube Cam (available at Amazon) offers plenty of value for the money with features like bark detection and in-app vet chats. However, there are plenty of great pet cameras we've tested for you to check out with pup.

An English bulldog eating food from a bowl next to the Eufy Pet Dog Camera D605.
Credit: Reviewed / Rachel Murphy

The Eufy Pet Dog Camera D605 (pictured) is one of the best pet cameras you can buy right now.

Best Overall
Eufy Pet Dog Camera D605

If you're looking to treat your dog—and yourself—to a smart pet camera with all the best bells and whistles, look no further than the treat-tossing Eufy Pet Dog Camera D605. Offering a 170-degree wide-angle view with 1080p video resolution, the view from Eufy's dog camera is impressive both day and night. Unlike most pet cameras, Eufy’s comes with free local storage (up to 16GB), so you don’t have to pay a penny more after purchasing (or worry about uploading videos to the cloud).

The camera also excels at sending timely alerts when your dog comes into view (and automatically begins recording), and has a wide range of motion up to 270-degrees, which did a great job of tracking my pup as she moved around the room.

At the end of each day, the Eufy Pet app uniquely sends a “Doggy Diary” that recaps what your pup has been doing. While this isn’t a necessary feature, it makes it much easier to learn about your dog's day rather than scrolling back through an entire 24-hours worth of footage. The spread of free smart alerts is robust, too. Not only can it tell you when it sees your dog, but it can also send alerts when your dog goes to the bathroom, licks its paws, or barks.

The treat-tossing portion of the camera has an anti-clog design that can launch tiny dog biscuits, cookies, and other small pieces of food at three different distances. The camera makes a noise when it gears up to launch a treat, which may bother some pups, but my dog did not mind.

One bummer is that the camera does not work with smart assistants like Alexa or Google Assistant. However, Eufy says that plans are in the works for voice support down the road. There is also no option to view the live stream in a web browser like you can with Eufy's home security cameras. The only way to check in on your pup remotely is by using the Eufy Pet app on your iOS or Android mobile device or tablet, which works well and was quick to load during our testing.

While the Eufy Pet Dog Camera D605 is one of the more expensive cameras in the category, it is worth the money if you want a feature-filled, treat-tossing dog camera that is reliable, accurate, and comes with free local storage.

Pros

  • Motion-tracking

  • Tosses treats

  • Free alerts and storage

Cons

  • No smart assistant support

Buy now at Amazon
The Petcube Cam sits on a black surface.
Credit: Reviewed / Rachel Murphy

The Petcube Cam is the best affordable smart pet camera you can buy.

Best Value
Petcube Cam

For an affordable pet camera that doesn't skimp on smarts, you've got to go with the PetCube Cam. The Petcube Cam packs a lot of useful features into a device that squarely fits in the palm of your hand. It doesn't come with fancy extras like treat tossing or laser games like some competitors, but it’s got everything you need to successfully check-in with your furry friend from anywhere without spending a lot of money.

As the most affordable pet camera we’ve come across, it’s also the smallest, making it easy to place just about anywhere in your home. It also has a magnetic base, which you can use to hang from existing steel surfaces, or you can use the peel-and-stick tape to secure the mount in place. Many of the other cameras in our guide are large and take up a lot of space, so the small size is appealing whether you live in an apartment or mansion.

Offering 1080p HD resolution, the camera delivers high-quality daytime video, great night vision up to 30 feet away, and 8x digital zoom. The 110-degree viewing angle isn’t the largest available, but it gets the job done just fine. The Petcube Cam’s audio is among the best we've tested, allowing us to communicate simultaneously without any static or delays. It’s a snappy little gadget that accurately and quickly sends notifications.

Like other Petcube cameras, it only works with Amazon Alexa—not Google Assistant or Apple’s Siri. However, the Petcube app is the easiest way to control the camera and offers a pleasant user experience. It’s worth noting that you’ll need one of Petcube’s Care Memberships to get the best features like smart alerts, web viewing, instant vet chat, and video history. The paid plan also supports secure cloud recording using 128-bit AES encryption, according to Petcube.

The live stream automatically begins playing as soon as you open the app, where you can set recording schedules. You can set the camera to record as soon as motion and sound are detected (and anytime someone interacts with the camera). It also intuitively listens for barks and meows and can differentiate between people and pets.

For a simple, affordable way to keep tabs on your pet from the palm of your hand, the Petcube Cam offers value like no other.

Pros

  • Affordable

  • Compact

  • Great features

Cons

  • Narrow viewing angle

Buy now at Amazon

Other Smart Pet Cameras We Tested

Product image of Petcube Bites 2
Petcube Bites 2

The Petcube 2 is an interactive pet camera complete with 1080p video quality and a 160-degree field of view. One of the coolest things about this pet camera is that it tosses treats, giving you a way to feed your cat or dog when you're not there. It’s also super easy to set up and refill. The Bites 2 is compatible with Alexa (not Google Assistant or Siri), so you can toss the pup a treat with just your voice. But, what sets the second generation of Petcube’s pet cam apart is the integrated Alexa speaker. You can use the Bites 2 just as you’d use an Echo smart speaker. Ask for the weather, check your calendar, play games, set timers… the list is endless. Don’t expect too much of the speaker in terms of music quality, but it’s certainly decent enough for interactions with Alexa.

The app is easy to use and offers an activity timeline of three to 30 days as part of the optional Petcube Care membership, which ranges in price from $4.99 to $14.99 per month. Through the app, owners can also connect directly with a vet if they have pet health questions, which is cool. The first consultation is free, and thereafter, the service is $4.99 per month.

The app also lets you filter the video timeline to show only specific activities like barking or meowing, play sessions, humans coming and going, and more. It ideally sits on a tabletop to offer a wide-angle view of the room, and its minimal design comes in three finishes to blend well with just about any decor.

Petcube automatically starts recording when it detects activity, which is a nice touch for remote management. Those clips are capped at ten seconds of length and only available for four hours, though, unless you subscribe to Petcube Care. If you need a reliable pet camera that's packed with features, the Petcube 2 is a fantastic selection.

Pros

  • Built-in Alexa

  • Tosses treats

  • Great video

Cons

  • Large size

Buy now at Amazon

$179.00 from Walmart
Product image of Petcube Bites 2 Lite
Petcube Bites 2 Lite

The Petcube Bites 2 Lite is a stripped-back, more affordable version of the Petcube Bites 2. Both cameras are the same size and share features like 160-degree viewing angle, 1080p HD, built-in treat dispenser, and night vision. Both work with Alexa, but the Bites 2 has Alexa built-in. The Lite version only has one mic (instead of four like the Bites 2) and connects over a 2.4GHz connection, whereas the Bites 2 supports dual-band Wi-Fi.

We didn’t notice much difference between the two cameras during use, as Petcube’s performance and smarts are pretty much the same from camera to camera. A monthly Pet Cube care subscription gets you smart alerts for sounds like barks and meows, which were delivered quickly to our devices during testing. The plan also includes video history, web viewing, saving and sharing video clips, and smart filters to prevent unwanted alerts.

Additionally, it holds 1.5 pounds. of dry treats that you can dispense at different distances using the PetCube app. Or, you can also use Alexa voice control to toss treats. If you don’t want Alexa built into your pet camera, but still want the features of the Bites 2, the Bites 2 Lite is a well-working, less expensive alternative.

Pros

  • Works with Alexa

  • Tosses treats

  • Good video quality

Cons

  • Large size

  • Easy to knock over

Buy now at Amazon

$104.99 from Walmart
Product image of Petcube Play 2
Petcube Play 2

Petcube’s Play 2 pet cam borrows its app and aesthetic from the Petcube Bites 2. What sets it apart is a pretty cool feature that allows a pet owner to play Chase the Laser with their pet from anywhere. When we tried it with a cat, we were able to rouse her from a nap and get her interested in the laser, but the cat quickly became intrigued by the not-so-quiet mechanical sound of the laser moving around.

A tap and drag of the finger within the Petcube app is all it takes to initiate a game of laser, but the movement is delayed and a bit jerky. It’s a nice way to play with your pet from anywhere, but only if your cat or dog loves chasing lasers.

The Play 2 has a 160-degree viewing angle, 1080p HD video, night vision, and is built with four mics and a speaker bar. Like other Petcube cameras on our list, you can get access to 24/7, year-round vet assistants in the Petcube app using videos from sources like Petcube cameras. Each recorded clip is 30 seconds long and is stored securely in the cloud using 256-bit AES encryption, according to Petcube.

The Petcube Play 2 is for anyone whose pet is easily bored and needs some engagement throughout the day.

Pros

  • Encrypted storage

  • Clear video

  • Built-in games

Cons

  • Laser sound can be loud

Buy now at Amazon

$107.16 from Walmart
Product image of Furbo 360° Dog Camera
Furbo 360° Dog Camera

The Furbo 360° Dog Camera, like the name states, has 360-degree rotation abilities. The smart pet camera is virtually identical to the original Furbo—all the way down to the bamboo cover and treat-tossing abilities—but it’s mounted on a rotating base that you can turn in a full circle when viewing live video from your phone.

This model also offers automatic motion tracking, so it will keep your dog in frame if they’re moving around while you’re watching the live feed.

Like the original Furbo, we found that this camera offers clear video both during the day and at night. The camera has a wide-angle lens that lets you see 132 degrees, and the unit rotates smoothly when you turn it via the app.

Additionally, the two-way audio works well, allowing you to hear what’s going on in the room and talk to your dogs as needed.

However, we encountered a few issues with the Furbo dog camera that prevented it from ranking higher on our list. First, the app offers free “barking alerts” to let you know if your pet is making a commotion, but we found that any louder-than-average noise triggers an alert.

Things like the door shutting, a squeaky toy, or a loud TV scene all triggered alerts, resulting in a frustrating number of false alarms. Further, despite several attempts, we were unable to connect the Furbo to Alexa, a commonly noted problem among users.

Read our review of the Furbo 360° Dog Camera.

Pros

  • Clear video

  • Motion tracking

  • Tosses treats

Cons

  • Poor Alexa connectivity

  • Sensitive bark alerts

Buy now at Amazon
Product image of Skymee Petalk AI II
Skymee Petalk AI II

The Skymee Pet Talk AI II pet camera tosses treats on-demand and allows for the creation of feeding schedules, helpful features for on-the-go pet owners, but the overall performance of this pet cam leaves a lot to be desired.

The daytime video is supposed to be 1080p, but it’s not as clear as other cameras we’ve tested with the same resolution. On the plus side, it touts great features like remote pan/tilt for the camera, which is responsive and works well. The built-in camera also has an impressive 180-degree field of view, one of the largest of any pet camera we’ve tested. You can also set helpful treat-feeding schedules or manually toss your pet a bite-sized snack in the Skymee app.

But the video feed can be slow to load and we experienced a fair amount of in-app buffering during our testing. When speaking from the app to the camera, the audio was delayed and hard to understand, making it some of the worst we’ve tested.

There’s also no cloud storage plan to easily access missed events. Instead, the camera supports SD cards, so you can review video activity at a later time, which isn’t that helpful for remote management unless you’re always watching the live stream.

The bottom line: Skymee’s pet camera has a few great features, but, ultimately, there are better treat-tossing cameras to buy, like our Best Overall pick.

Pros

  • Tosses treats

  • Feeding schedules

  • 180-degree viewing angle

Cons

  • So-so video quality

  • App buffering

  • Muffled audio

Buy now at Amazon
Product image of WOpet TitBit
WOpet TitBit

WOPet is a fine choice if all you want to do is live stream your pet and toss the occasional treat, but that’s really about all the camera can do.

The device claims to work with Amazon Alexa, however, we couldn’t get it to work, and other users noted a similar problem. It doesn’t offer any compatibility with Google Assistant or Apple’s Siri, which leaves you to rely on the WOPet app for total control of the camera.

The app has among the most dated and barebones interfaces of any we’ve tested, but in terms of functionality, it’s fine. It captures details about your pet like age, weight, breed, and activity level. There are features like remote treat tossing and recording and saving videos directly to your phone. Two-way talk is available, but there is a slight delay. The 1080p video looks good during the day and the night vision is equally sharp. We also like how easy it is to dispense a treat with just the tap of a button in the app.

Design-wise, this camera looks unlike anything else in its class. The cylindrical shape makes it easy to place in corners of a room to capture the full view. It also comes with a suction cup base to help prevent curious pets from knocking it over.

Oddly enough, WOPet doesn’t offer cloud storage plans or any way to review video at a later date. There are also no smart alerts. For the price of this camera, you can certainly do better with a smarter, more affordable option like our Best Overall pick.

Pros

  • Tosses treats

  • Good video quality

  • Easy to use

Cons

  • Dated app

  • No cloud storage

Buy now at Amazon

How We Test Smart Pet Cameras

The view from a pet camera of an English Bulldog eating food.
Credit: Reviewed / Rachel Murphy

Meet the other tester, Bacon the Bulldog, pictured here during one of several rounds of on-camera appearances.

The Tester

Hi there, I'm Rachel Murphy, the senior staff writer for Reviewed’s smart home section. My work in this article was built on top of the original piece, which was written and tested by Sarah Kovac, Reviewed’s former smart home editor. I live and work in an actual smart home, where I can test products in real-life scenarios and run into all possible hangups and annoyances (and there are many).

The Tests

The best smart pet cameras.
Credit: Reviewed / Rachel Murphy

The best smart pet cameras come in all shapes and sizes.

Pet cams might be able to help relieve some of that guilt for pet owners who have to be away from their furry friends. You can check-in, chat with, and toss treats to your dog or cat from anywhere with an internet connection… but will your dog find it calming or creepy? To find out which cameras are worth your time, I enlisted the help of my 12-year-old English bulldog, who begrudgingly put up with my testing for several weeks. I set the cameras up by her food and water bowls, an area she frequents at various times throughout the day. She wasn't sure what to think when treats started flying out of some of the smart pet cameras we tested.

We tested the accuracy, connection, and reliability of these pet cameras over Wi-Fi and cellular data. We downloaded companion apps, checked in on video streams, and communicated via two-way audio to determine which cameras offer the most useful features for pet owners.

What You Should Know About Buying Smart Pet Cameras

Features

Pet cameras come in all shapes and sizes, but you don’t need to buy the biggest, most expensive model to successfully monitor your pet from anywhere. For the most part, pet cameras function as indoor security cameras, offering clear video, night vision, and loud two-way talk, which is all you need to check in on your furry friends from afar. But what sets pet cams apart from traditional security cameras is that some, including models from Petcube, are equipped with intuitive features like listening for barks and meows or built-in vet chat support. While some indoor cameras can detect animals, you won’t find these in-depth, pet-specific features on standard home security cameras.

Interactive pet cameras are more costly but could be worth the investment if you’re away from home frequently. Some cameras can dispense entire meals for your pet multiple times a day, while other models can toss treats on-demand and play laser games with your pet. However, there’s no guarantee your cat will enjoy chasing lasers or that your dog will oblige with a treat-tossing camera. These extras are only worth paying for if you think your pet will enjoy them.

Finally, carefully consider the size of the pet camera and where you place it in your home. Most pet cameras are large and take up a lot of space, but there are a couple of smaller models out there that make for easier placement. Additionally, some cameras come with suction bases, while others have magnetic mounts to hold them securely in place. These are important features to consider, especially if you have a hungry pet who may be tempted to knock over the camera and access the extra food inside.

Treat Size Matters

Cameras that double as feeders aren’t compatible with just any size kibble or treat, so you’ll need to make sure the food fits. Dry food pellets that are too large can get stuck in the camera and cause it to malfunction. Treats and pieces of kibble that are about a half-inch (or smaller) in size should be suitable for most food-dispensing pet cameras. Certain models may have more specific requirements, so make sure to read the details before you buy.

Smart Assistant Compatibility

Whether you use Alexa, Google Assistant, or Siri, it’s important to make sure the smart pet camera you choose works with your preferred smart assistant. It may seem obvious, but not all pet cameras play nice with all voice assistants (and some don’t work with smart assistants at all).

For cameras that support voice assistants, Alexa and Google Assistant are the most popular options, though the functionality is limited. Like many smart home devices, it’s rare to find a pet camera that supports Apple HomeKit. To avoid any surprises, look for a camera that’s compatible with the smart assistant you use the most. Compatibility information can be found on the product’s webpage or the exterior of the product’s packaging.

Privacy

Even your pet security camera needs security. So, what should you look for? Features like two-factor authentication, end-to-end encryption, and the option for local storage are all things to consider before investing in a smart pet camera setup.

Two-factor authentication, which sends a code to your mobile device to verify it’s you, is available on many smart pet cameras and something to activate. That way, if someone tries to hack into your account, you will receive an alert and can quickly take care of the problem.

Another thing to consider is how your videos are used and stored. Most pet cameras allow you to turn them on and off from the app to control when they're recording and uploading video to the cloud. Look for end-to-end encryption for storing videos. The encryption offers a layer of protection that can help prevent unwanted eyeballs from viewing your saved and stored videos.

Make sure you create a strong password that’s unique to your pet camera’s app. Data breaches feel like the norm as of late, making it all the more important not to reuse passwords across multiple websites and apps.

Finally, when using these devices with smart assistants like Alexa, Google, and Siri, you can help protect your privacy by regularly deleting your voice recordings and muting the speaker’s mic when it’s not in use.

Looking for more privacy tips? Read our guide to securing your smart home.

Meet the testers

Camryn Rabideau

Camryn Rabideau

Contributor

@CamrynWrites

Camryn Rabideau is a full-time freelance writer and product tester with eight years of experience. She's been lucky enough to test hundreds of products firsthand, and her specialties include bedding and pet products, which often require help from her two dogs, three cats, and flock of rambunctious chickens.

See all of Camryn Rabideau's reviews
Rachel Murphy

Rachel Murphy

Editor, Home

@rachel_murphy

Rachel Murphy is Reviewed's home editor. She holds a journalism degree from the University of Central Florida. Prior to joining the team, she worked as a freelance writer for publications like Insider and Mashable, and as an associate editorial producer for Good Morning America. Aside from smart home tech, her interests include food, travel, parenting, and home renovation. You can usually find her sipping on coffee at any time of the day.

See all of Rachel Murphy's reviews

Checking our work.

Our team is here for one purpose: to help you buy the best stuff and love what you own. Our writers, editors, and lab technicians obsess over the products we cover to make sure you're confident and satisfied. Have a different opinion about something we recommend? Email us and we'll compare notes.

Shoot us an email

Up next