Arlo security cameras raise monthly fee from $2.99 to $7.99 in two years

The monthly cost of a cloud subscription for using a single Arlo security camera on the cheapest plan is increasing to $7.99 per month. That’s up from $4.99, and up from the $2.99 price charged in 2022 …

The Verge reports on the steep increases.

In more “things are just getting expensive” news, the Arlo Secure subscription service is climbing. Again. This time, it’s going from $4.99 to $7.99 for a single camera or video doorbell. This 60 percent price hike comes on the heels of an increase early last year from $2.99 to $4.99 […]

The updated plans are now live on Arlo’s site, and the lowest-tier Arlo Secure plan, which includes 30 days of cloud storage and smart alerts for people, pets, packages, and vehicles, costs $7.99 monthly for one camera.

A potential workaround means sacrificing a lot of functionality.

One way around this is to use an Arlo Smart Hub, which starts at $99 and can record video for some Arlo cameras locally. Unfortunately, you lose smart alerts for people, pets, packages, and vehicles, the ability to add activity zones to the camera, and other software features accessible in the Arlo app.

9to5Mac’s Take

This is all part of the broader problem of not owning our own stuff. When we rely on cloud services for products to work, we can either find ourselves being held hostage to these types of excessive price increases, or even find our devices completely bricked when a company goes bust or ceases support.

But for security cameras, the lesson seems clear: Stick to cameras which support Apple’s HomeKit Secure Video. This is not only completely secure, but also value for money. Although you need an iCloud subscription to use it, the cloud storage doesn’t count against your allowance.

Photos: Arlo