A video doorbell can seem like an easy way to secure your home, protecting your porch and allowing you to remotely greet guests and deliveries.
But that's until you realize most of the bestselling technology requires a subscription to be able to use key features, such as storing event clips and identifying people and packages.
The Eufy E340 Will Protect Your Porch Without a Monthly Subscription
The E340's dual cameras give you a clear view of the person at the door and any packages left on your porch.
The eufy E340 can record recent clips, identify people and packages, and give you real-time alerts without having to pay for a monthly subscription.
When you consider that the eufy E340 costs the same as the Ring Battery Doorbell Plus – our other top pick – suddenly one option is smarter financially in the longer term.
Ring's subscription plans start at $4.99 a month, where you'll get 180 days of video event storage, and person, package and vehicle alerts. The eufy E340 offers all of this without having to pay saving you up to $60 each year while still enjoying similar functionality.
Its dual cameras give you two views: One straight on and one of the floor, so you can clearly identify people and packages. Plus, its night color vision is super crisp thanks to a night light that automatically activates when it detects motion – but you can still identify faces without it.
The eufy E340 has local storage up to 8GB, where it stores video clips of recent events. Head of Solved here at Homes & Gardens, Punteha van Terheyden, has been using the doorbell for over six months, and says, 'Skipping monthly video doorbell subscription fees and still securing my home with all the great features available feels like a life cheat. I also have never had to clear my local storage as it automatically deletes old clips.'
'Downloading videos you want to keep is so easy as well,' she says, half a year after writing the eufy E340 review and with it still in use at her home. You can share them instantly using any of your mobile apps, including messages, email, notes, or social media, allowing you to quickly send clips to your spouse or roommate after an event, or save them for your own reference.
The doorbell also pre-records the few seconds before somebody rings the doorbell, so you can see them approach, and potentially the car they arrived in.
Even the on-device AI that can distinguish between alert types can be used for free, while most brands would put this helpful home security feature behind a paywall.
Another useful feature that isn't found in many doorbells is facial recognition, let alone being able to use it for free. You can set faces to members of your household or frequent visitors, and the E340 will recognize them as they approach. Then, you can change how the app will alert you to their presence.
Basically – the eufy E340 is more user-friendly than the competition, and is designed to give you as much functionality as possible for your money, without demanding a chunk of your monthly income.
Eufy is also strong on data security. With local storage, no clips need to get sent to the cloud, where they can be intercepted by hackers. Also, you can send clips to eufy for analysis, bug fixes, and improvement – but this is completely optional.
The eufy E340 Video Doorbell is available for $89.99, discounted from $149.99.
More to Shop
The eufy E340 is the best (and only) video doorbell that has this much functionality without a subscription. To compare, here's what you can get from our other top-tested picks.
All prices correct at time of publication.
Without a subscription, the Ring Battery Doorbell Plus won't record clips or distinguish between people and packages, but if you pay $4.99 a month, you'll enjoy crisp visuals, noise-cancelling audio, and real-time alerts without delay.
Read more in our full Ring Battery Doorbell Plus review.
The Arlo 2K Video Doorbell has a wider, 180-degree field of view compared to the Ring, eufy, and Blink models above, and it has a built-in siren for extra security. But without an Arlo Secure Plan, you're quite limited on features, and won't be able to view or save clips.
Read more in our full Arlo 2K Video Doorbell review.
If you're not fussed by the fancier features, the Blink Video Doorbell costs a fraction of what the top Ring and eufy models do, while still boasting all the essential features needed to protect your home and speak to guests and couriers without opening your door. Subscriptions are cheaper, starting at $3.99 a month, but without one, you can't store video history.
Read more in our full Blink Video Doorbell review.
Next, learn the best security measures for a house, and see our expert-backed renter-friendly home security options.
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