Blink review
Updated September 30, 2026 · SmartHomeCue Editorial Team · Facts checked September 30, 2026
We earn a commission when you sign up through links on this site. Partner status can affect where a brand appears in our rankings.
Our verdict
Blink suits homeowners and renters who want cameras and a video doorbell running on their own setup, with monitoring at $0 and a $39.99 entry point. The trade-off is that cloud recording sits behind a $3.99 monthly plan, and support runs on help centre and community alone.
Key facts
- Best for
- Self-installed cameras and a video doorbell with no monitoring fee attached.
- Price
- $39.99 (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
- Monitoring per month
- $0 (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
- Products
- Camera, Video-doorbell (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
- Professional monitoring
- No (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
- Local storage
- Yes (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
- Cloud plan per month
- $3.99 (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
- Free features
- Live View, motion notifications, manual thumbnail refresh (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
- Top resolution
- 2k (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
- Recording retention
- 60 days (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
- Installation required
- No (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
- Legal entity
- Immedia Semiconductor LLC (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
- Support channels
- Help-centre, Community (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
- Pricing model
- Diy
- Power source
- Battery, Wired, Solar
- Ecosystems
- Alexa
- Official website
- blinkforhome.com
Apps and profiles
Pros and cons
Pros
- Monitoring costs $0, so the hardware keeps working without a monitoring contract.
- Entry hardware is priced at $39.99.
- Local storage is available, keeping footage off the cloud plan when you own a drive.
- Live View, motion notifications, manual thumbnail refresh stay available without a subscription.
- One brand covers both camera and video doorbell, so cameras and a doorbell share an app.
Cons
- Professional monitoring is not offered, so alerts never reach a monitoring centre.
- Support runs on help centre and community only, with no phone or email channel listed.
- Cloud video history depends on the paid plan at $3.99 a month; the free tier covers live view and motion notifications.
Who it suits
- Renters and homeowners who install their own devices and want to keep running costs low.
- Alexa households wanting cameras and a video doorbell in one place.
- People who prefer local storage over a monthly cloud video subscription.
Who should look elsewhere
- Anyone who needs professional monitoring to call out alarms.
- Buyers who want the highest resolution range, since the top resolution here is 2k.
- Shoppers who need phone or chat support, given support runs on help centre and community only.
Core features
Blink covers camera and video doorbell, so a camera and a video doorbell come from the same range. Monitoring is not part of the deal: professional monitoring is not offered, and the hardware runs as a self-installed system. Local storage is supported, which means clips can sit on a drive you own rather than only in the cloud. Cloud retention runs to 60 days on the subscription, while the free tier leaves you with live view, motion notifications and manual thumbnail refresh. Power options cover battery, wired and solar units, and the top resolution across the range is 2k.
How it compares on our data
On our monitoring monthly data, Blink sits at 1 of 51 brands, which reflects a monitoring cost of $0. On price the picture is narrower: Blink ranks 23 of 70 brands, so $39.99 is competitive but not the cheapest entry on the board. The gap between those two positions is the trade-off to weigh: monitoring is close to the front of the table, hardware price sits mid-field.
Plans and prices
Hardware entry sits at $39.99, and no contract term or monitoring fee is attached, so the monthly monitoring cost is $0. The optional cloud plan is $3.99 a month, and that tier is where the 60 days of cloud retention sits. Anyone happy with live view, motion notifications and manual thumbnail refresh can skip the plan and keep the running cost at $0. Compared with the alternatives, The Home Security Superstore lists at $13.95 and Annke at $19.99, so Blink is not the lowest hardware price of the three.
The company behind it
The legal entity behind the brand is Immedia Semiconductor LLC, named in the terms of service. Support runs on help centre and community, which is the help centre and community channels, so help is written rather than spoken. Setup is a do-it-yourself job: installation is not required by the brand, and the range is listed as self-installed hardware with battery, wired and solar power options.
How Blink compares
- 9.0 vs 9.1
9.0 vs 9.1- 9.0 vs 8.5
9.0 vs 9.0
9.0 vs 8.9
9.0 vs 9.0- 9.0 vs 9.0
9.0 vs 9.4Arno
- 9.0 vs 9.0
AOSU is also on the home security cameras list and sells in the same markets.
9.0 vs 8.7- 9.0 vs 9.2
- 9.0 vs 9.2
9.0 vs 9.1
9.0 vs 9.0
9.0 vs 9.1
9.0 vs 8.7BlazeVideo DE
Where Blink is available
- Available
- Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Mexico, New Zealand, Spain, United Kingdom, United States
Countries from the brand (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
Frequently asked questions
How much does a Blink camera cost to run each month?+
Monitoring adds $0 a month, so the hardware keeps its basic functions without a monitoring contract. The optional cloud plan costs $3.99 a month and adds longer cloud retention. Without it you still get live view, motion notifications and manual thumbnail refresh.
What is the entry price for Blink hardware?+
Blink hardware starts at $39.99. That is the number to compare against the alternatives on this page: The Home Security Superstore lists at $13.95 and Annke at $19.99. Blink sits above both, with Aqara listed higher still at £36.98.
Does Blink offer professional monitoring?+
Professional monitoring is not part of the service. Blink is a self-installed, do-it-yourself system, so alerts go to the app rather than to a monitoring centre. That keeps the monthly monitoring cost at $0.
Can I keep video recordings without a subscription?+
Local storage is supported, so footage can sit on storage you own rather than in the cloud. The free tier covers live view, motion notifications and manual thumbnail refresh. Longer cloud retention, up to 60 days, comes with the plan priced at $3.99 a month.
What kind of devices does Blink make?+
The range covers camera and video doorbell, so cameras and a video doorbell are both covered by the same brand. Power options include battery, wired and solar units. The highest resolution across the range is 2k, which is worth checking against higher resolution kits if detail at distance matters.
How do I get help with a Blink device?+
Support runs on help centre and community, meaning the help centre and the community. There is no phone or email channel listed, so troubleshooting is largely self-serve. The company behind the brand is Immedia Semiconductor LLC, which is named in the terms of service.
Do I need an installer to set up Blink?+
Installation is not required. Blink is listed as a do-it-yourself system with self-installed hardware across battery, wired and solar power. Budget for your own setup time rather than an installer call-out.
Does Blink work with my smart home setup?+
Blink pairs with alexa as the listed ecosystem support. If your home runs on a different assistant, check compatibility before buying, since the stated support covers Alexa. Local storage also means recordings stay on your own drive if you prefer that to a cloud subscription.
Sources
- blinkforhome.com checked September 30, 2026
Backs: Ecosystems, Support channels
“Do more with Alexa - stream live video, two-way talk with Alexa-enabled devices”
- blinkforhome.com/plans checked September 30, 2026
Backs: Cloud plan per month, Local storage, Monitoring per month, Recording retention
“Price $3.99 per month $39.99 per year - Basic one device cloud storage”
- blinkforhome.com/products checked September 30, 2026
Backs: Installation required, Pricing model, Power source, Price, Products, Top resolution
“Easy wireless setup - easy-to-install, wireless setup perfect for renters”
- blinkforhome.com/terms-of-service checked September 30, 2026
Backs: Legal entity
“This is an agreement between you and Immedia Semiconductor LLC (with its affiliates, "Blink", "we", or "us")”
- support.blinkforhome.com/en_US/subscription-features/subs... checked September 30, 2026
Backs: Free features, Professional monitoring
“No-cost features Available for all Blink cameras, with or without a Blink plan - Live View, motion notifications”
Compiled from 5 source pages, checked September 30, 2026. We did not open an account.
Not confirmed yet: Minimum contract.
Blink
Self-installed cameras and a video doorbell with no monitoring fee attached.