Car theft rates in the US actually decreased over the last three decades—back in 1990, car theft stood at a staggering rate of almost 658 vehicles per 100,000 people.
Car theft rates are better now, but as with any belonging, the threat of theft is still as present as ever, meaning now is a great time to invest in a car security camera.
Learn about the importance of having security for cars, and discover our five favorite car security cameras, including dash cams.
Do Car Cameras Deter Theft?
Though cameras for car security are no doubt beneficial, there’s a chance they actually attract thieves looking to steal the contents of a car.
Unlike a home, deterrence really isn’t your goal when it comes to car security.
Place car cameras discreetly and choose cameras that are small.
Likewise, avoid car cameras that attach externally, including car surveillance cameras that are 360 degrees, because these are laughably easy to steal.
Modern vehicles sometimes come with built-in 360 car cameras that are completely undetectable, and therefore can’t be stolen from the car.
Recommended reading: Keeping A Car Outside Vs Garage: Which Is Best
Table of Contents
Top 5 Best Dash Cams 2024
The best car cameras are small, discreet, and feature rich. Level up your car security with these excellent dash cams designed for versatile vehicle surveillance.
Garmin Dash Cam Mini 2
Best wireless car security camera
Available on Garmin. From $129.99.
Pros
- Highly discreet
- Incident detection saves video from before, during, and after the event
- Voice control makes it easy to operate while driving
Cons
- MicroSD card is required for use
- Parking Guard needs a Constant Power Cable (sold separately)
Of Garmin’s dash cameras, the Dash Cam Mini is the most discreet. It’s about the size of a car key, and attaches unobtrusively to the dashboard, mirror, or windshield without attracting attention.
Don’t let its size deceive you: it’s a powerful device that records up to 1080p within a 140-degree view. Motion detection push notifications alert you to incidents via a linked device, while voice control makes it easy to control hands free and safely.
Key Specifications
- 1080p HD
- 140-degree field of view
- Voice control
- Parking Guard G sensor
- microSD card required
What is a G sensor?
A G sensor is an accelerometer used in dash cams. They register vibrations, which the dash cam uses to notify the user when someone tampers with the vehicle or if there is a collision while the vehicle is stationary. If armed, it triggers the dash cam to start recording.
Garmin Dash Cam Tandem
Best dual camera dash cam
Available on Garmin. From $299.99.
Pros
- Super wide field-of-view captures everything needed
- NightGlo works well to illuminate car interior footage
- Voice commands
Cons
- Expensive
- No LTE mobile data
Another great entry into Garmin’s dash cam line is the Tandem. Featuring two cameras instead of one, Tandem records both outside and inside the car, making it particularly useful if you have a habit for leaving stuff in the car (sidenote: bad habit).
Each lens boasts a 180-degree field of view. The front-facing camera supports up to 1440p, while the interior lens’ night vision feature allows for capturing up to 720p video in darkness. Expect voice commands. Unlike the Mini, expect a hefty price tag!
Key Specifications
- Dual-facing cameras
- 1440p HD (front facing)
- 720p HD (interior)
- 180-degree field of view
- NightGlo night vision
- Voice control
- Parking Guard G sensor
- microSD card required
Recommended reading: Why You Need Night Vision for Your Car
Ring Car Cam
Best 4G data dash cam
Available on Ring, BestBuy, Amazon. RRP $249.99.
Pros
- Dual facing camera views interior and exterior
- GPS tracking for missing vehicles
- Sensors alert linked devices if car is tampered with
Cons
- Expensive
- Teething issues upon launch
Ring Car Cam adds mobile data support via SIM card. This means that the live feed is useful even when Wi-Fi isn’t available. In the event that the car is stolen, the Ring Car Cam can track its location.
Otherwise, it’s much like a security camera, with 1080p HD video resolution, night vision, and two-way talk. This makes for a pretty advanced car camera, but the price tag might put some people off.
Key Specifications
- Dual facing 1080p HD
- Motion detection
- Push notifications
- Wi-Fi and LTE connectivity
- GPS
- Two-way talk
- G sensor
- Privacy covers
AREBI Spy Camera (4K)
Best hidden car camera surveillance
Available on Amazon. From $59.97.
Pros
- Impressively clear image
- Tiny size makes it super discreet
- Can be used wired or wire-free
Cons
- No G sensor features found in dash cams
- No audio/voice control
By far the smallest of the bunch, AREBI’s spy camera is a charming little cube designed for use in the home. Naturally, being about two inches large, it would also make for a nifty in-car security camera for drivers that just want car security as opposed to outward facing dash cams.
Claiming to be the world’s smallest camera with a built-in PIR motion sensor, the AREBI Spy Camera captures up to 4K HD video with a 160-degree field of view with a long-lasting battery life (between 3 to 10 days on a single charge in low-power mode).
Speaking of which, be sure to check out our article on security cameras without Wi-Fi if you’re on the lookout for internet-free security.
Key Specifications
- 4K video resolution
- 160-degree field of view
- 4-10 day battery life in motion mode
- microSD card support
- IR night vision
- Push notifications
AlfredCamera
Best cheap car camera
Available from the App Store and Google Play Store. Free, with the option for premium.
Pros
- Free, with option for premium
- No hardware security cameras required
- Unlimited number of camera devices at no additional cost
Cons
- Capabilities limited by the hardware of the device it is installed on
- No infrared night vision
Most dash cams don’t provide mobile LTE data support. Instead, use an old phone. By installing AlfredCamera to an old smart device, it transforms it into a fully functioning security camera that’s either attached to the windshield or dashboard via a dashboard mount.
With AlfredCamera, users get push notifications and live viewing on their paired device. The low-light filter is super useful for monitoring the interior of a vehicle in relative darkness.
Key Specifications
- Live feeds
- Motion detection
- Continuous recording
- Push notifications
- Low-light mode
- Two-way audio
- 7 day free storage
Or consider getting the hardware version AlfredCam which takes your in-car security experience to the next level.
“This is a review video for the AlfredCam made by the AlfredCamera company. I’m using it as a dash cam, but it’s intended to be an indoor camera. Testing it out for the first time! Hands-on review.”
What is the Best Security Camera for Your Car?
Dash cams are the best security cameras for cars, but dash cams are much more expensive than security cameras.
If you want to monitor the interior of the car, security cameras for cars are more than adequate, provided you’re able to power them.
AlfredCamera is a free car security solution. Because it uses old phones or tablets as security cameras, it’s a great way to try out car surveillance without spending a dime.
Dual camera dash cams (necessary for viewing both the exterior and interior of the car) are an investment, make sure it’s exactly what you require by using Alfred before making the purchase.
Well at our house, we can’t live without Alfred! Nightly here in California, we use our old smart devices as security cameras in every window of our home!! I’ll tell anyone who asks about security cameras and or surveillance stuff, don’t waste your money or time, just use Alfred! We can park our cars on the street or in the driveway even if we forget to lock em. we’re safe with Alfred. Motion activated video recording with live event notifications, plus use an alarm and the option to talk to the perpetrator through your devices, is amazing! Try it out.. you won’t be disappointed.
AlfredCamera User
Simply download AlfredCamera to your current phone as well as an old device, and it’ll convert the old phone into a car security camera, complete with low light mode, motion detection, and a siren.
Get started now to explore enhanced car security for free.
Use your phone for car security, safely
While AlfredCamera makes a great temporary car security camera, remove the phone when no one is occupying the vehicle to avoid attracting attention to the car. Some people even choose to remove dash cams when not in use. When the car is parked up for the night, a security camera viewing it through a window or from the side of the house is more useful.
Want more powerful security than what a phone can offer? Meet AlfredCam, the first hardware security camera designed for use with AlfredCamera that keeps an eye on your car 24/7.
What is the Best Way to Monitor a Parked Car?
Dash cams or security cameras inside your vehicle are a poor way to monitor a car that’s parked. The entirety of the vehicle must be visible to protect it from theft.
The best way to monitor parked cars is to set up a security camera at a window in your home with a clear view of the vehicle. Upstairs or downstairs suffices, as does somewhere on the exterior of the house, like the wall or porch.
Camera is pointed right at my vehicle – when someone slashed my tires, I was able to confront them about it and press charges.
AlfredCamera user
All AlfredCamera compatible devices make fantastic car security cameras, but AlfredCam and AlfredCam Plus provide infrared night vision (which phones, tablets and webcams simply don’t support).
This means your car gets superior security round the clock, even when it’s dark out.
Premium users get access to AlfredCam Plus’ all new vehicle detection mode, an AI based feature that records and sends a push notification to the user when Alfred notices a vehicle moving.
Is there a car camera that works when the car is off?
The majority of dash cams don’t work when the car is off, or else they drain the battery.
To monitor the inside of the car when the car is off, try using an old phone or tablet as a car camera. With AlfredCamera installed, it converts it to a fully functional security camera.
It’s also totally free, so why not get started now?
Your Dash Cam Questions & Concerns, Answered
Like any security measure, there are some downsides to dash cams. Below, find answers to the most common concerns people have about dash cams.
1. Will a dash cam drain my car battery?
Dash cams are usually powered by the auxiliary power outlet (commonly referred to as a cigarette lighter), but some support USB charging in newer cars. Either way, dash cams derive power from the car battery.
The power consumed by dash cams is minimal, but leaving it on when the car is parked slowly drains the battery. When at home, use a security camera to observe the parked car from a vantage point rather than leaving the dash cam on 24/7.
2. How do I make my dash cam always on?
Dash cams usually have a ‘parking mode’, which leaves the device on when the vehicle is off. But if it is powered by the car battery, it will eventually drain the car’s battery. When in use for several hours at a time, enable low-power mode if the model supports it.
3. Should I leave my dash cam in my car overnight?
Unless the dash cam is particularly discreet, get into the habit of removing it from the car overnight. When out and about and leaving the car in a parking lot, put the cam into parking mode to protect it.
4. How many hours can a car camera record?
Car cameras record any number of hours of footage depending on the size of the microSD card, whether an internet connection is available to upload cloud footage, and so on.
While the car is moving, have the dash cam facing the road record continuously. For cameras viewing the car while it is stationary, enable motion detection to save memory and get more relevant notifications.
5. Can dash cams see inside the car?
Dash cams can’t necessarily see inside cars. Single-lens dash cams only view the road out of the windshield. Dual-lens dash cams view both the interior and the exterior of the car at the same time. The latter is more useful for securing the contents of the car or monitoring the cab, as well as capturing footage on the road.
Conclusion
In car security cameras are beneficial for recording footage during an accident or emergency, but it’s just as important to have cameras viewing the entirety of the vehicle when cars are parked outside the home.
The good news is that there are plenty of inexpensive options for both internal and external cameras, including AlfredCamera, as well as other security devices that increase its security.
Recommended reading:
8 Best and Worst Places to Hide Your Spare Car Keys
Protect Your Vehicle From Auto Theft with These 6 Car Security Tips
How To Find A Stolen Car in 3 Steps
Why You Need Night Vision for Your Car
Another Car Blocking Your Driveway? Here’s What To Do