Eufy vs Reolink for No-Subscription Home Cameras

eufy and Reolink both sell cameras that record locally with no monthly fee. Choosing between these brands comes down to wiring preferences, local network standards, and documented security histories. Both brands offer person and vehicle detection with no paid plan, so neither requires a cloud AI subscription.

Eufy vs Reolink: Which Should You Buy?

Reolink is better for wired Power over Ethernet (PoE) installations with local network video recorders. Eufy is better for wireless battery cameras centered around a local HomeBase hub.

Reolink documents open networking standards and provides local network video recorder (NVR) recording without internet access. Eufy sells battery cameras that can store video on its HomeBase S380 hub.

Who Makes Eufy and Reolink

Eufy and Reolink are separate brands with different owners. Eufy belongs to Anker, and Reolink sells under its own name.

The official eufy About page lists Anker eufy as a smart home brand under Anker. The page states that Anker is a global smart hardware technology company founded in 2011.

The official Reolink About page states that Reolink was founded in 2009. Reolink describes itself as a leader in intelligent visual technology for the home and business. Reolink notes that its products serve users across more than 110 countries and regions. Reolink's About page does not state where Reolink is headquartered.

Local Storage and Subscriptions

Neither brand forces buyers to pay an ongoing monthly fee to access standard camera hardware features.

Reolink states on its Reolink subscription cost blog that Reolink does not require a subscription. Most Reolink cameras take microSD cards up to 256GB or 512GB. Reolink also supports Network Attached Storage (NAS) setups and File Transfer Protocol (FTP) servers. For continuous local recording, Reolink sells dedicated NVR hardware. Reolink includes person, vehicle, and pet filtering, package detection, and custom motion zones without subscriptions.

Reolink Cloud is optional for buyers who want off-site clip storage. We could not confirm a current Reolink Cloud price on Reolink's own pages. Check the latest figure on Reolink's subscription cost page before you pay.

Eufy states on its eufy Security portal that users access advanced security features without monthly fees. Eufy emphasizes that automated detection runs directly on local devices. Eufy claims that data is encrypted and saved immediately to local hardware.

For centralized home storage, eufy sells the eufy HomeBase S380 for $199.99. The HomeBase S380 supports expandable hard drive storage up to 16 TB. The HomeBase S380 recognizes people, vehicles and pets, and its BionicMind feature recognizes faces. Some eufy hardware operates independently without a hub. The eufy SoloCam support page confirms SoloCam devices work as standalone hardware.

Eufy offers optional cloud backup subscriptions. The eufy Basic cloud plan costs $3.99 per month for one device with 30-day video history. The eufy Plus cloud plan costs $13.99 per month for multiple devices with 30-day video history. For broader options without cloud fees, explore our guide to security cameras without subscription.

Wired vs Battery Lineups

Reolink sells wired PoE cameras and NVR kits alongside Wi-Fi, battery and 4G LTE cameras. The eufy product pages we cite cover battery cameras, a battery doorbell and a 4G LTE camera.

Reolink details its hardware lineup in its Reolink protocol support guide. Reolink sells PoE cameras, plug-in Wi-Fi cameras, battery-powered Wi-Fi models, 4G LTE cameras, and NVR kits. Reolink also produces the Battery Video Doorbell (2nd Gen) and the Reolink Home Hub. The Reolink Argus series battery cameras support solar panels for continuous outdoor power.

According to Reolink offline support documentation, PoE cameras and NVRs record and play back over local networks without internet access. You lose remote smartphone access, push alerts, and email notifications when internet service drops. For more offline home security equipment, read our overview of security cameras without Wi-Fi.

The eufy Video Doorbell C30 runs on a 5,000 mAh battery without subscription fees. The C30 includes human and motion detection, accepts microSD cards up to 128GB, and pairs with HomeBase hubs. For off-grid surveillance, the eufy 4G LTE Cam S330 includes a 9,400 mAh battery, a solar panel, and a cellular SIM card. We could not confirm a eufy PoE camera or NVR line on an official eufy page.

The Eufy Camera Controversy

Researchers and reporters questioned eufy's encryption and cloud uploads between late 2022 and early 2023. Anker admitted part of the problem in February 2023.

On December 21, 2022, 9to5Mac reported on eufy security findings discovered by independent security researchers. 9to5Mac reported Anker saying that a small preview image goes to its AWS server when the user chooses to include a thumbnail with a notification. Researchers also demonstrated that video streams could be viewed without encryption in VLC media player.

On February 1, 2023, 9to5Mac reported that Anker admitted the issue, citing reporting from The Verge. Anker confirmed its cameras were not natively end-to-end encrypted and had produced unencrypted video streams for the eufy web portal. Anker committed to updating its cameras to encrypt web portal streams. Anker also promised third-party security audits, external penetration testing, an independent security report, and a public bug bounty program.

Reporting from Gizmodo covered the eufy cloud controversy on February 1, 2023. Gizmodo reported that researcher Paul Moore found eufy cameras sending video to a cloud server without cloud storage enabled. Gizmodo quoted eufy's Eric Villines saying, “This wasn't enough, and it's been fixed.” Gizmodo reported that Anker committed to using encrypted WebRTC connections for live video streaming.

The eufy privacy commitment page states that notification preview thumbnails are briefly hosted on AWS cloud servers. Eufy states that preview thumbnails use server-side encryption and delete automatically. The same eufy page describes an Advanced Encryption option that uses end-to-end encryption.

Reolink has also faced documented security vulnerabilities. On January 19, 2021, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency released CISA advisory ICSA-21-019-02 for Reolink P2P cameras. The advisory identified hard-coded cryptographic keys and cleartext transmission of sensitive data across RLC-4XX, RLC-5XX, and RLN-X10 hardware. The advisory lists a CVSS score of 9.1. Reolink advised users to disable peer-to-peer (P2P) functionality and install updated firmware.

On January 26, 2022, Cisco Talos disclosed security vulnerabilities in Reolink hardware. Cisco Talos identified denial-of-service flaws and authentication bypass vulnerabilities in the Reolink RLC-410W. Cisco Talos confirmed that Reolink cooperated with researchers to resolve the issues and release firmware updates for customers.

Smart Home and Open Standards

Reolink provides native compatibility with open streaming protocols and third-party automation systems.

Reolink publishes clear hardware rules for the Real Time Streaming Protocol (RTSP) and the Open Network Video Interface Forum (ONVIF) standard. Reolink documents that its PoE cameras, plug-in Wi-Fi models, NVRs, and Home Hubs support RTSP and ONVIF. Reolink battery-powered Wi-Fi cameras only support RTSP and ONVIF when connected through a Reolink Home Hub. Reolink 4G LTE cameras do not support RTSP or ONVIF at all.

Reolink also provides official smart home platform documentation. The Reolink Home Assistant integration guide explains how to connect cameras to a local Home Assistant server. The guide instructs users to enable RTSP and ONVIF settings on the camera. Once enabled on the same local network, Home Assistant detects the Reolink device automatically.

We could not find an official eufy RTSP compatibility table or an official eufy Home Assistant guide. Users looking to build local smart home systems can see our guides on Ring alternatives and building a dumb home setup.

Who Should Pick Eufy or Reolink

Select your camera system based on physical wiring limits and smart home integration requirements.

Pick Reolink if you want:

• Reliable PoE wiring for 24/7 continuous recording to an on-premise NVR.
• Direct support for open video standards including RTSP and ONVIF.
• Official integration with local Home Assistant automation servers.
• Local recording that continues working during internet outages.

Skip Reolink if you want wireless battery cameras without purchasing an extra hub for open streaming protocols.

Pick eufy if you want:

• Battery-powered cameras and video doorbells that install without network cables.
• Expandable centralized local storage up to 16 TB through the HomeBase S380.
• On-device BionicMind facial recognition without monthly fees.
• Standalone Wi-Fi cameras like SoloCam that operate without a base station.

Skip eufy if you require documented RTSP support, official Home Assistant links, or pure offline continuous recording.

What Would Change Our Verdict

Our recommendation would change if either company alters its software policies or subscription structures. If eufy introduces official RTSP and ONVIF firmware across all models and publishes a supported Home Assistant integration, eufy would match Reolink on open standards. If Reolink eliminates local RTSP access or forces users into a mandatory monthly cloud subscription, Reolink would lose its advantage for local home servers. If either brand suffers an unpatched security failure, our privacy evaluation will reflect that change.

Sources

• Anker eufy About Us Page
• Reolink About Us Page
• Reolink CGI, RTSP, and ONVIF Support Guide
• Reolink Subscription Cost Blog
• Reolink PoE Offline Operation Support Article
• Reolink Argus Series Store Page
• Eufy Security Products Portal
• Eufy HomeBase S380 Product Page
• Eufy SoloCam Standalone Support Description
• Eufy Video Doorbell C30 Product Page
• Eufy 4G LTE Cam S330 Bundle Page
• Eufy Cloud Backup Basic Service Page
• Eufy Cloud Backup Plus Service Page
• Reolink Home Assistant Integration Guide
• 9to5Mac December 2022 Eufy Breach Report
• 9to5Mac February 2023 Eufy Encryption Admission Report
• Gizmodo February 2023 Eufy Local Security Scandal Report
• Eufy Privacy Commitment Page
• CISA Advisory ICSA-21-019-02 on Reolink P2P Cameras
• Cisco Talos Vulnerability Spotlight on Reolink Cameras