The Affordable Tapo D205 Video Doorbell Mini Has Impressive Quality and Makes a Great Ring Alternative – Now Just $34

The Tapo D205 Video Doorbell Mini is an entry-level, budget-friendly video doorbell that I've come to appreciate for what it is – an affordable Ring alternative that will enhance home security and convenience on a budget.

I've been a user of video doorbells since we bought our first home almost 10 years ago, with some a more permanent fixture than others. I was excited to try the Tapo D205 Video Doorbell Mini, to see how it compares with the other video doorbells I've tested and make full use of the features.

It's usually around $49.99, but currently on offer for $34.99 at Best Buy, and I've been impressed by the video and audio quality, and it was so easy to install. It's not without its quirks, though. As far as affordability goes, it's a contender for one of the best video doorbells on the market.

My One-Minute Summary

Overall, the Tapo D205 Video Doorbell Mini is a brilliant, budget-friendly doorbell that I found easy to install and use. With just some DIY know-how, a screwdriver and a smartphone, it's been a seamless experience through 14 days of testing.

I've been particularly impressed by the video and audio quality, both daytime and nighttime. The video quality can be adjusted to 2K or 360p to preserve battery life, which has dropped from 100% to 84%, so I'm not convinced it'll make it to the 180-day battery life expectancy.

It can detect people and motion as they enter a 25ft detection range, which is helpful if you're expecting a visitor or delivery, but not so helpful if you're planning on using the D205 as a means of surveillance beyond this modest distance.

The app is really easy to use, with the ability to engage in two-way audio, set privacy zones to block out a neighbor's property, and access stored activity in the Tapo Care Cloud storage. This storage is an ongoing cost that'll set you back $3.49 per month after the free 30 days. You do, however, have the option to use a 512GB microSD card to avoid these costs.

Equally, the eufy E340 and the Lorex 2K, both of which we've reviewed, are great alternatives if you want to avoid paying a monthly fee.

I admit, I am more familiar with Ring video doorbells and security cameras because they are a permanent resident at my home address. The cost of those devices are closer to $100+, which is double that of the D205, but if you want even more customization and detection with a fantastic range, then the Ring Battery Doorbell Pro is a good backup option, but with a higher upfront cost.

Tapo D205 Video Doorbell Mini: Specifications

Installation and setup

The Tapo D205 Video Doorbell Mini arrives in a neat, compact box that contains everything that you'll need for installation. In the box you'll find the video doorbell, mounting bracket, mounting wedge, 3M adhesive, foam pad, screws and anchors, USB cable, mounting template sticker, and the all-important quick start guide.

Before installing any hardware or software, the battery needed a charge. The guide estimated that this would take about 6.5 hours. However, my sample took around seven hours to charge.

Once the doorbell was fully charged, I set it up and installed it on our gated fence using only the essential DIY skills. I downloaded the Tapo app and connected it to the home Wi-Fi. I then followed the on-screen instructions and it went without a glitch.

To install, I first attached the mounting wedge to the bracket because I wanted to achieve a better view of looking down our drive. Make sure it's facing the right direction, and watch out for the screw underneath as it's tiny and easy to drop.

You can then attach the bracket in your desired spot by either sticking it to the wall or mounting it to the wall. I opted to install on the wooden fence next to the gate, the side access to our house. I used the screws for this, but if you're securing to masonry, the relevant plugs are also supplied.

It's advised that the doorbell be placed 4ft above the ground, and the 15° mounting wedge be used for a more focused view from a specific side.

The Tapo D215 then simply clicks into place, and a tiny screw underneath is all that holds it in place. This would be easy to remove; good for recharging, but not good for thieves. The use of a release pin, such as eufy models, would've made it more of a challenge for those up to no good.

Overall, it took me fewer than 10 minutes to set up and install the D205 by myself.

Video Quality

After using the Tapo D205 Video Doorbell Mini for 14 days, I have found that the video quality was consistently good.

Daytime: I could clearly recognize the faces I know at the gate, and larger branding on packages as they enter the 25ft motion detection range. However, small details on packages and number plate detailing were not as clear, unless this filled the 145° horizontal, or 83° vertical field of view.

I couldn't see the floor in front of the lens, so this, sadly, will put a lot of packages out of view. Ring and eufy doorbells often have package detection, so you're able to view the floor at your doorstep with the camera, and set alarms if anyone tries to remove it, which can help deter porch pirates. But those video doorbells cost more upfront, so on this budget-friendly Tapo, that's an area of functionality you won't have.

However, the 10x digital zoom of the D205 was exceptional; it didn't appear grainy, and details were just as clear as they were when zoomed out.

Nighttime: The video is in black and white at nighttime, enabled by two 850-nanometer infrared LEDs to allow the D205 to capture footage in low light conditions.

Overall, the picture was still clear, but a lot of detail was lost; faces needed to be close up to the camera lens for me to recognize them, and I could not read any packaging. It could, however, detect people just as quickly as during the day, which still makes it a viable security measure for the house.

In both daytime and nighttime, the D205 survived lashings of rain throughout the test period. It's an IP-54 rated device, which means that it is water-resistant, but it isn't fully waterproof.

Dynamic light: The front of our house gets a lot of sun throughout the day, which is balanced well; there is no beam of light behind a moving person, animal, or vehicle, and facial details remained clear in these bright conditions.

Audio Quality

I could clearly hear people outside standing next to the Tapo D205 Video Doorbell Mini, and they could clearly hear me when engaging in two-way communication with no echoes or delays.

However, when viewing live or stored footage, I noticed that the background noise (wind, traffic, etc.) sounded amplified. There was a constant low "hum" of this noise, but this doesn't interfere with the clarity of communication through the video doorbell.

This is where you feel the cost of more affordable video doorbells, as their higher-end counterparts have very effective noise cancellation to avoid wind, traffic, or background noise being picked up.

App and Smart Features

The Tapo app is simple and intuitive to use. It can be downloaded by scanning the QR code found on the box and Quick Start Guide, or direct from Google Play (Android) or App Store (iOS).

You can link it to Google Home or Amazon Alexa devices, such as the Echo Show, as another smart home gadget that receives notifications when motion or a person is detected, or when the doorbell is activated.

I found that the app was stable while using it and quick to load. I could customize how I viewed and engaged with footage easily, too. For example, you can opt to capture footage in 2k or 360p and set custom privacy zones so that you're not surveilling a neighbor's land. This is important as capturing areas of your neighbors' homes where they might expect privacy (for instance, their bedroom windows) could land you in trouble.

You can also talk through live footage, engage in two-way audio when the doorbell is activated, or, if you're not around, opt for a "quick response" to automatically respond if the doorbell isn't immediately answered.

If you're signed up to Tapo Cloud Storage, then you can also playback and download activity detected in the app. Activity is stored for 30 days, video clips can be made into a short video summary, weekly reports can be viewed, and rich notifications with snapshots will be received. I found it useful to look back through the activity outside our gate.

The D205 can be shared with up to five family members in the app so that you can manage the smart device together. Invitees will have limited permissions, and they can not modify camera settings, but they'll still be able to live view and talk.

Motion Detection and Notifications

The Tapo D205 Video Doorbell Mini can detect people when they come into range using AI algorithms, and motion within the cameras view. If either of these are enabled, you'll receive an instant notification to your phone.

To test the accuracy of the people detection and motion detection, I switched off motion detection. I waved my hand in front of the camera and received no notification. However, when I stood in front of the camera, I received a notification that a person was detected. This is good.

Both motion and people were detected as they entered the specified 25ft motion detection range. However, in reality, this range often felt a lot shorter. Neither motion nor people were detected as they approached the drive, and the camera stopped rolling as the subject was close to being out of range.

It's worth noting that, unlike the Tapo D210 Video Doorbell we reviewed, you can't set a Detection Tag in live view. This feature would draw a box around the subject (person, package, animal, vehicle) and track its movement while it's within range. I liked this detail, especially in low light levels, and it would be good to have the same access to software across all Tapo devices for consistency.

Increased sensitivity results in fewer missed recordings and notifications; lower sensitivity results in fewer unwanted recordings and notifications. By lowering the sensitivity, you will help to preserve the battery power, but I fear that this may miss some important events if you are using the D205 as a means of security.

The only time when I felt that the notifications were on overdrive was when I was taking out the trash. The D205 is located next to the trash cans, so if I were in this proximity to the camera for a couple of minutes, my phone received a notification every 20 seconds.

When the doorbell is activated, I also receive a notification on my phone. I noticed a lag time of a few seconds between pressing the button on the D205 and receiving the notification on my phone, which looked as though I was receiving a phone call.

It was quick to answer the doorbell and see who was standing outside the gate. Similarly, when motion or a person was detected, I found that I could quickly load the notification to see the activity.

The D205 can work with Amazon Alexa and Google Home to receive doorbell activations, too. As someone who has yet to set up a smart home and isn't too confident with how voice assistants can be used, I won't be compromising on how I use the device.

Power and Battery Life

The Tapo D205 Video Doorbell Mini is battery-powered, making it a fantastic renter-safe home security option. As we've previously explored, I found it easy to install and I imagine that it'll be just as easy to remove as and when needed.

It was installed next to the side gate for 14 days, and, in that time, I didn't have to recharge it, and the power levels haven't dropped as rapidly compared to other Ring-alternative video doorbells, such as the Reolink Video Doorbell (Battery), which dropped to 41% within just 10 days.

Within the time I tested the D205, the battery level depleted from 100% to 88%. Tapo suggests that the battery can last for up to 180 days, which I feel is an optimistic expectation. On the tested rate of battery usage, it would last just over 100 days.

It took more than seven hours to charge the battery when it arrived, so I'd expect it to take this amount of time (perhaps longer) to recharge. A USB charging cable is included, and you'll need to remove the D205 from the mounting plate to charge because the battery is built in. This is a long time to be without a video doorbell while it's charging, so it would be better to do this when you're at home if you're concerned about security.

Connectivity and Reliability

The Tapo D205 Video Doorbell Mini has been one of the more reliable Ring-alternative doorbells that I have tested. It didn't detect a poor signal or lose connectivity, as with the others.

It requires a 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi for a stable wireless connection. In my home, our Wi-Fi router is located behind thick, external stone walls and inside a cupboard under the stairs. With the D205 located around the side of the house on a fence, the signal had some distance to travel, and yet it remained stable.

The D205 pushed notifications to my phone when activity was detected; it did this 25 times within 24 hours, as an example. For contrast, our testers found the eufy E340 to have quite a severe lag despite being in a moderate range of the Wi-Fi router.

When subscribed to Tapo Cloud Storage, activity will also be recorded for playback and download; it'll record the activity in snippets of up to 20 seconds. It'll do this if you have a 512GB microSD card installed instead. And I could watch live footage from anywhere. I experienced fast load times and a steady live view with clear audio.

If you find that the Wi-Fi connectivity is poor or that you're missing activity, the Tapo Smart Hub with Built-In Chime ($22.99 at Amazon) can be bought to boost signal across a lower frequency broadband, so it can reach the device without interference.

Privacy and Security

The Tapo D205 Video Doorbell Mini has a couple of home privacy options, including zones to block out a neighbor's property, and Privacy Mode to disable streaming and the recording functions to protect your privacy.

I enabled a privacy zone to block footage of my neighbors' homes, opposite. I could set multiple zones, if I wanted to, and it was simple enough to move the custom zone while editing.

I also activated Privacy Mode during testing, and it worked easily. I couldn't live-stream or view any stored footage during this, as it gets automatically disabled.

Unlike other video doorbells, including the Tapo D210 Video Doorbell, I had to sign up to the Tapo Care Cloud Storage off the bat, rather than enjoy a free trial period and sign up once that ends. This means that no data will be stored unless you sign up. While the first 30-days is free, you'll be looking at paying upwards of $3.49 per month after this time to continue with access to stored footage.

If you'd prefer to not have the ongoing cost, local storage on a 512gB microSD card – like this SanDisk 512GB Ultra SDXC UHS-I Memory Card (Amazon) – is another option.

Post-installation it is unclear how my data is handled with nothing obvious to read on the app. The app also doesn't support two‑factor authentication which would provide extra login protection.

Price and Value

The Tapo D205 Video Doorbell Mini comes with everything that you need (aside from a screwdriver) in the box. You may feel that you would benefit from the addition of a Chime. This will ensure that you hear when the doorbell is activated.

It doesn't look as though there is a compatible chime with the D205, so either the Amazon Echo Show 11 or the Amazon Echo Dot Max would suffice. The Echo Show 11 will also display footage as you answer the activated video doorbell.

The D205 can also be connected with the Tapo Smart Hub with Built-In Chime ($22.99, Amazon) if you need to boost the signal. This can make it part of a 64-strong ecosystem of Tapo devices, so you can control and access your video doorbell, security camera, and smart lighting all from one central hub.

Aside from the small upfront cost of the Tapo D205 Video Doorbell Mini, which is typically 49.99 on Amazon, but sometimes discounted as low as $34, you will also have the ongoing cost of the Tapo Care Cloud Storage.

This is typically around $3.49 per month when the free 30-day trial ends. During the trial, you'll get 30 days of cloud video storage for events, video clips that can be made into a short video summary, weekly reports and rich notifications with snapshots.

This is notably cheaper than the Ring subscription plans, starting at $4.99 for the Basic plan, which includes up to 180 days of event history, person, package, and vehicle alerts, and video preview alerts. However, Ring video doorbells are generally more expensive than Tapo.

For example, I have the Ring Wired Doorbell Pro installed next to my front door. This costs $229.99 when not on sale at Amazon. The image quality is comparably crisper day and night, and the 1536p head-to-toe HD+ video means that I can see a complete person standing right outside our front door, rather than just the head and shoulders that I see with the D205.

If you'd prefer to avoid paying any subscription fees altogether, then I'd opt to install a 512GB memory card for local storage. This will mean that you'll get a good, affordable video doorbell for a fraction of the price of a Ring video doorbell.

Alternatively, look into buying the eufy E340 video doorbell instead. On test, we found that the eufy footage is crisp, audio is clear, and it's easy to install. Plus, you can access all features without a monthly subscription. Subscriptions will get you more storage and allow longer recordings of doorside interactions.

Installing a video doorbell is a good way to start improving your home security. Learn how else smart tech gadgets can help transform your home, and check out these home security tips to make your home safer and more secure.