Updated September 30, 2026 · SmartHomeCue Editorial Team
Lorex vs Shelly
What sets them apart
| Compare |  Lorex |  Shelly |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $29.99 | €39.90 |
| Products | Camera, Smart lock, Video doorbellCovers more | Camera, Smart lock |
| Money-back period | 30 daysHigher | 14 days |
| Cloud plan per month | $5.99 | €3.99 |
| Free features | local recording, live view, playback and alerts without plan | Camera live streaming, 5 events of event history, motion events with recordings, smart notifications (Shelly Smart Control standard plan) |
| Top resolution | 4k | 1080p |
| Recording retention | 60 daysHigher | 30 days |
| Monitoring per month | $0 | Not confirmed |
| Professional monitoring | No | Not confirmed |
| End-to-end encryption | Not confirmed | Yes |
| Installation required | No | Not confirmed |
Same on both: Minimum contract (0 months), Local storage (Yes).
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Key differences
- Lorex scores higher overall: 9.2 vs 9.1.
- Products: only Lorex offers Video doorbell.
- Recording retention is higher at Lorex: 60 days vs 30 days.
- Support channels: only Shelly offers Community.
- Money-back period is higher at Lorex: 30 days vs 14 days.
- Shelly is available in 24 more countries.
- Power source: only Lorex offers Solar, Poe.
Our verdict on each
Lorex
Lorex suits households that want cameras, video doorbells and smart locks from the same brand, with local recording, live view, playback and alerts working before any plan is bought. Entry hardware starts at $29.99, and the Lorex Connect cloud plan is $5.99 a month on top of that.
Shelly
Shelly suits homeowners and renters who want broad smart home kit with no hub to buy first. Device prices start at €12.90, the range covers thermostat, lighting, plug, hub, sensor and blinds work over matter, zigbee and z wave, and local control keeps routines running when the internet drops.
Score breakdown
| Area | Lorex | Shelly |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | 9.1No contract term at 0 months, a monitoring charge of $0, and cloud extras at $5.99. | 9.1Entry price €12.90 sits under the €15.36 median for smart thermostat brands here. |
| Offer | 9.2The range spans camera, smart lock and video doorbell, and the core camera features work before any cloud plan is bought. | 9.2No hub required, local control, energy reporting, and cloud extras left to an optional €3.99 plan. |
| Trust | 9.3HigherTrading since 1991 as Lorex Technology Inc., with a 30 days return window. | 9.1Matter certification, 2 to 5 years cover and 14 days returns, all under Shelly Europe Ltd. |
Positions in our rankings
| Ranking | Lorex | Shelly |
|---|---|---|
| Home security cameras | 9 of 83 | 14 of 83 |
| Security cameras without a subscription | 9 of 53 | 13 of 53 |
| Smart locks | 7 of 43 | 12 of 43 |
Feature by feature
| Products | Lorex | Shelly |
|---|---|---|
| Camera | Yes | Yes |
| Smart lock | Yes | Yes |
| Video doorbell | Yes | No |
How the counts compare
| Fact | Lorex | Shelly |
|---|---|---|
| Money-back period | 30 days | 14 days |
| Recording retention | 60 days | 30 days |
Every fact side by side
| Fact | Lorex | Shelly |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | Diy | Diy |
| Power source | Battery, Wired, Solar, PoeCovers more | Battery, Wired |
| Ecosystems | Alexa, Google, Homekit, Matter | Alexa, Google, Homekit, Matter |
| Legal entity | Lorex Technology Inc. | Shelly Europe Ltd |
| Headquarters | Canada | Bulgaria |
| Founded | 1991 | Not confirmed |
| Support channels | Email, Chat, Phone, Help centre | Email, Chat, Phone, Help centre, CommunityCovers more |
Where each stands against the rest
| Fact | Lorex | Shelly | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monitoring per month | $0at the median | Not confirmed | $0 |
| Minimum contract | 0 monthsat the median | 0 monthsat the median | 0 months |
| Money-back period | 30 daysat the median | 14 dayslowest quarter | 30 days |
| Recording retention | 60 daysabove the median | 30 daysat the median | 30 days |
Median across 65 listed brands.
Pros and cons
Lorex
Pros
- Local recording, live view, playback and alerts all work with no plan, and local storage is supported, so footage can stay on a drive the buyer owns.
- Cameras, video doorbells and smart locks come from the same brand, and installation is not required, so a homeowner can cover a front door and garden without hiring an installer.
- Cameras reach 4k and run on battery, wired and solar options, covering outdoor and off-grid spots.
Cons
- Professional monitoring is not offered, so an alarm travels no further than the owner's own devices and the DIY approach is the only route.
- Cloud video is kept for 60 days, so anything that must stay retrievable longer has to sit on local storage.
- Entry hardware at $29.99 is above The Home Security Superstore at $13.95 and Annke at $19.99, so the ticket at the till is the weak spot.
Shelly
Pros
- A hub is not required, so plugs, sensors and switches start working without bridge hardware.
- Local control is supported and energy reporting comes as standard, so offline routines and consumption figures arrive together.
- Entry price €12.90 sits below the €15.36 median for smart thermostat brands.
Cons
- Camera video tops out at 1080p, below the higher resolutions common on other security cameras.
- Cloud retention of 30 days needs the Shelly Smart Control premium plan at €3.99 a month.
- The camera runs on battery and wired, so placement decides between wiring and battery changes.
Who each suits
Lorex
Who it suits
- Households that want footage kept on their own drive rather than rented cloud space.
- Renters and owners fitting cameras, a video doorbell and a smart lock without tradesmen.
- Buyers who read the running cost before the ticket, since Lorex carries no contract term.
Who should look elsewhere
- Households after a professionally monitored alarm, since Lorex does not offer professional monitoring and a monitored brand fits that need better.
- Shoppers on the smallest budget, because entry hardware at $29.99 sits above The Home Security Superstore at $13.95.
- Buyers who want cloud features folded into the hardware price, because the Lorex Connect plan is $5.99 a month on top.
Shelly
Who it suits
- Renters and new buyers who want a hub-free start and automations that keep working offline.
- Households already running Alexa, Google or HomeKit, or planning to settle on Matter later.
- Anyone tracking energy use, since energy reporting is standard across the range.
Who should look elsewhere
- SONOFF, if you want thermostatic radiator valves, since thermostat, trv and lighting includes trv and the Shelly range leaves it out.
- Aqara or Lutron, if the same device mix suits you better from another brand, since hub, sensor and lighting and lighting, blinds and thermostat cover the same categories.
Current offers
Shelly
Current offer
Free trial
3 months free on Shelly Smart Control Premium: 3 months free
Free for 3 months, then EUR 3.99/month (monthly plan) or EUR 35.99/year (yearly plan); offer only available if you have not tried Premium before; cancel anytime
Source, checked September 30, 2026
Country by country
| Country | Lorex | Shelly |
|---|---|---|
| Austria | No | Yes |
| Belgium | No | Yes |
| Canada | Yes | No |
| Croatia | No | Yes |
| Cyprus | No | Yes |
| Czechia | No | Yes |
| Denmark | No | Yes |
| Estonia | No | Yes |
8 of 32 countries where either is available.
Questions about each
Lorex
What does Lorex cost to get started?+
Entry hardware starts at $29.99 for a camera, and the range also covers video doorbells and smart locks, so the same brand can cover a whole front door. Nothing recurring is due at the point of sale, and the purchase carries no contract, so the hardware price is the whole commitment at checkout.
Is there a monthly subscription?+
The Lorex Connect cloud plan is $5.99 a month and is the only recurring charge. The monthly monitoring cost is $0, so hardware already paid for adds no monitoring bill, and the cloud plan stays optional rather than required for core use.
Shelly
What does Shelly hardware cost to start with?+
Entry price is €12.90, which covers the cheapest device in the range rather than a bundle. The camera sits higher at €39.90, and the catalogue spans camera and smart lock. Budget for hardware first, then decide whether the cloud extras earn their monthly fee.
Is there a monthly fee or a contract?+
The Shelly Smart Control premium plan costs €3.99 a month, and it is optional rather than required. There is no minimum term, since the contract length is 0 months. The Shelly Smart Control standard plan keeps live streaming, motion event recordings and smart notifications at no cost.