Logi Circle 2 vs. Nest Cam Indoor: Which should you buy?

Logi Circle 2

The Logi Circle 2 is an easy-to-install motion-detecting security camera. It starts recording once motion is detected and has a 180-degree field of view. It's also compatible with Alexa, Apple HomeKit and Google Assistant, and has night vision that is visible up to 15 feet.

Nest Cam Indoor

The Nest Cam Indoor is a security camera designed to help you keep up with things going on in your home whether you're there or not. You'll receive instant alerts when it detects motion and you also have the ability to live stream when you need to. You will need a subscription if you want to view videos back over a long period though.

Both Nest and Logitech are big names when it comes to security cameras so it can be difficult to determine one to go for. Both offer similar features, like instant notifications when it detects motion, both are quick and easy to install, and both have 2-way audio communication. However, there could be other things that could sway you one way or another.

Live Streaming

The Logi Circle 2 is an HD home security camera that records video once it has detected motion. You'll also be sent a snapshot of the current view when you are notified, letting you see things at a glance. You can then option the notification and view in real-time what is happening at home and act accordingly. There's 2-way audio communication, so you can interact with whoever is on the other side of the camera. It can store videos for up to 24 hours giving you the chance to look back on the day's videos at the end of the night. You even get a 30-second highlight reel of the day, instead of having to sift through all the videos. It has a 180-degree field of view, which is great for making sure all areas are covered.

The Circle 2 is weatherproof, which means it can also be used outdoors. We're looking at the wired version here but there is also a wireless version if you wanted more options on where to put it. In the dark, night vision kicks in with a range of up to 15 feet. It's compatible with Alexa, Apple HomeKit and Google Assistant so you can use your voice to control it. You can view videos via the Circle app or on your computer through the Circle web app.

Out of the box, you can get unlimited streaming, smart alerts, 24-hours storage and a 30-second daily brief. For more, you'll need a subscription, which we'll get to in the next section.

The Nest Cam Indoor camera also offers 1080p HD video recording. It's wired and powered via a wall socket within your home, just like the Logi Circle 2 (there is no wireless option).

Similarly, whenever the Nest Cam detects motion, you will receive alerts where you can then watch real-time video footage. There's 2-way audio communication, and if you want to look back on any videos, the Nest Cam stores videos from the last 3 hours. Which is lacking compared to 24 hours with the Logi Circle 2 but the daily brief with the Nest Cam is a nice feature for looking back over the day. Another thing the Nest Cam Indoor falls short on, in comparison, is the fact that it is not weatherproof, hence, the name. It can only be used inside your home.

The Nest Cam Indoor has a field of view of 130 degrees. It means it won't quite capture corner-to-corner compared to the 180-degree field of view on the Logi Circle 2, but it's a decent angle to capture the main part of a room. Installing the Nest Cam is also quick and easy. You can set it on a table or a shelf, attach it to metallic surfaces with the built-in magnet, or place it on the wall by using the removable wall plate.

One thing the Nest Cam has over the Logi Circle 2 is the fact that it can connect to other Nest devices. If you own other Nest products, this can help to you go even further to securing your home. For example, if you own a Nest Protect and it detects smoke or carbon monoxide, then the Nest Cam will automatically turn itself on and start recording. You can then look back to see the cause or watch live through the app, if you away from home.

Subscriptions may vary

With either of the cameras, there are subscriptions involved in order to get more features. Logi Circle 2 offers two pricing tiers with Circle Safe. On top of the ability to live stream and receive 30 second daily briefs and instant notifications, you can get the Basic package ($4/month), which allows you to view videos from the last 14 days, opposed to 24 hours for free.

The Premium package ($10/month) lets you view video footage from the past 31 days. You also get person detection, meaning you can set it up to only receive notifications when it detects a person. With Premium, you'll also have the ability to set up Motion Zones. Basically, you can set specific areas to monitor, like the front door or windows. You can set up to five Motion Zones through the Circle app.

Nest Cam has three pricing tiers with Nest Aware: 5-day ($5/month), 10-day ($10/month) and 30-day ($30/month). The main features you get with Nest Aware are live streaming 24/7, Intelligent Alerts, and Activity Zones where you can select specific areas to monitor within your home, just like you can with the Logi Circle 2. Intelligent Alerts is when you receive alerts specifically for a person and not when your pet may have nonchanantly walked by the camera's view, which is the same as Circle Safe's person detection subscription feature.

The names of each subscription indicates how far back it will save your videos. All other features are included with each subscription so it all depends on how long you want to be able to go back and view your video history.

So which should you buy?

Both cameras offer a lot of the same features, but the Logi Circle 2 is cheaper out of the box. It's super easy to install and setup, so you'll be ready to go in minutes. You get more when it comes to the free features, like 24-hour free storage as opposed to the three hours you get with the Nest Cam Indoor. The Logi Circle 2 can also be used outdoors where the Nest Cam Indoor is built for the indoors specifically. If there were times you needed to keep an eye on things outside, you can easily transfer the Logi Circle 2 outside without the fear of it getting wet since it's water-resistant.

Even when it comes to subscriptions, the Logi Circle 2 gives you more for less. It will cost a bit more if you installed more than one camera but even then, it works out cheaper than a Nest Aware 10-day subscription. If it's the price point you're looking at then you'll want to go for the Logi Circle 2. The wide-angled camera view is also a bonus as you get to see a bigger picture.

However, if you already own Nest products then the Nest Cam Indoor will better integrate with other Nest products. The ability of one product being able to activate another product to help you fully monitor your home and access the situation at hand means you should make use of that ecosystem.