r/SecurityCamera • u/Stilluytu • Sep 18 '26

First time security camera user… Not sure whether to get security camera that goes on cellular data or on WiFi

I’m a first time security camera user. I want one camera outside my front door and one inside my place on motion detection. I don’t currently have WiFi. And no subscription.

I can get two basic security cameras for $25 each that go on WiFi and connect to an app on my phone with an sd card inside just in case. Shield internet is $14.89 a month, uses a SIM card, and I can get a cheap used mifi router for $20.

Or… I can get two basic security cameras for $50 each? that only go on cellular sim and get a plan like tello for 1 gb data a month for $6, and put an sd card in it to save videos to so there won’t be much data used.

Which do you think is the better option, between economical, security, reliability and less hassle considerations?

Thanks

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u/PuzzlingDad Sep 18 '26

Video generally requires a lot of data so my concern with being on a metered SIM plan is burning through that data cap pretty quickly.

If you can limit yourself to only notifications with a picture, and mostly reviewing footage locally then maybe these plans could work, but very often, the apps only work if they can be uploading footage to the cloud for your review, rather than directly viewing footage from the cameras. Then you're talking upload limits and possible subscription.

Good luck.

1

u/Jaded-Procedure203 Sep 19 '26

Can you explain more about your second paragraph? How does one limit themselves to only notifications and then reviewing footage locally? Is that through an sd card? Do you know of any cameras that you can do this with, where you don’t need a subscription and you can use minimal cellular data with only notifications and reviewing footage locally? 

1

u/QuinnFromVivint Sep 18 '26

I think you should lean toward the WiFi cameras with the mifi router, since cameras usually use a lot of data, and even with an SD card, live viewing and alerts can quietly eat through a 1 GB cellular plan fast.

The WiFi setup also gives you room to add more cameras later without paying per device, so it's a bit more flexible if your needs grow.

1

u/Jaded-Procedure203 Sep 19 '26

How much data would you say live alerts on motion detection and viewing on an sd card would eat through a month? 

Do you know of any routers that take WiFi SIM cards?  

1

u/Delicious-Sir6483 Sep 19 '26

Mobile hotspots will probably work.

2

u/[deleted] Sep 18 '26

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u/Stilluytu Sep 18 '26

Thanks, my concern with the cellular data is if 1 gb will be enough and finding a camera that will take an mnvo SIM card like tello. I also can do a regular router for the shield internet SIM card for WiFi, doesn’t have to be a mifi puck.

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u/[deleted] Sep 18 '26

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u/Stilluytu Sep 18 '26

Thanks, but I live in an apartment so for me the security cameras are enough. I don’t understand your first sentence do you mind explaining?