Do I need a subscription to use my Blink camera?
No, you can still view live videos and get motion alerts without a subscription.
However, storing video clips on the cloud is not free. That’s why Blink offers subscription plans starting at $3 a month for one device or $10 a month for unlimited devices.
Blink Subscriptions
Blink cameras come with a free trial, but if you want to access more features like video history or receive notifications, you’ll need to sign up for a subscription plan. The company offers two plans: Basic and Plus.
The Plus Plan is $10 per month for an unlimited number of devices, and it includes video recording, 60 days of unlimited video history, and rapid video access. You’ll also get 10% off Blink devices on Amazon and an extended warranty for all Plus-subscribed devices.
On the other hand, the Basic Plan costs $3 per device and includes 60 days of watch history and motion alerts. It’s not a bad deal, but it does limit the ability to take advantage of more advanced features like person detection and geofencing.
One of the main reasons for opting for a cloud storage subscription is that it allows you to store video clips in a remote location. This is a great feature for home security and peace of mind.
Another benefit of cloud storage is that it saves the footage automatically, so you don’t have to worry about it being deleted from the camera or Blink’s servers. It also makes it simple to play back video clips.
If you prefer not to pay for cloud storage, you can opt for a local storage option that allows you to plug a USB drive into Sync Module 2. This feature also improves battery life by storing the files locally. The Sync Module is available as an add-on for outdoor and indoor Blink cameras.
With a local storage solution, you can store up to 256GB of footage on a USB drive. This is a much cheaper alternative to the monthly fee for Blink’s cloud storage service and can be a useful tool for saving space in your home.
Cloud Storage
Cloud storage is an umbrella term for the many different types of file storage that can be accessed over the Internet from devices connected to the Internet. Typically, a cloud storage provider stores data in large, high-capacity data centers located around the world.
It offers a number of advantages, including the fact that organizations do not need to purchase additional storage on-premises. Instead, they pay a fixed amount each month for the space they use.
In addition, cloud storage providers often offer data security and backup features that are not available on-premises. This allows businesses to avoid the risk of losing important files and applications due to a disaster, and it also ensures that old data remains accessible and safe for future uses.
Blink offers a cloud storage subscription that costs $3 per month for the Basic Plan or $10 per month for the Plus Plan. This subscription will allow you to store video footage in the cloud for all your Blink cameras.
With a subscription, Blink will automatically download all of the videos from your cameras to the cloud each day. You can then access them anytime from the Blink app or from a web browser.
However, if you don’t have a subscription, Blink will store your videos locally on the USB drive that comes with your camera. This is a good option, but it’s not a substitute for cloud storage and should only be used to supplement the cloud when necessary.
Free Trial
Blink offers a free trial of its subscription plan when you buy a new Blink mini, indoor/outdoor camera, or video doorbell. It will not charge you before or during the trial, and you can cancel your subscription at any time on the app.
You can use a Blink camera without a subscription, but you won’t be able to save recordings for the future on the cloud. This is the feature that most users find most useful, and it’s why many people opt for a Subscription Plan over a free one.
Yes, the Basic plan allows you to store up to 60 days of active footage in the cloud. It also includes a backup option through a Sync Module hub, which you can attach to a USB drive and keep clips on a local storage device for permanent access.
It also adds a one-year warranty for your Blink devices, which you can extend by paying a small fee. This is especially important if you have an older camera that you want to protect from a potential hardware failure.
The Basic plan is available for $3 per month, while the Plus plan costs $10 per month and includes an unlimited number of devices. If you’re planning on adding more than three Blink cameras, you can also consider purchasing an annual subscription instead of a monthly plan to avoid ongoing fees.
For a limited time, blink is offering a free trial of its Plus plan. This trial is applicable to new customers only, and it lasts 30 days from the date of installation.
Pricing
Blink is a low-cost security system that offers some of the lowest prices on the market. Its camera models are similar to those offered by the Amazon-owned Ring, but with far fewer features and no professional monitoring service.
The cameras have a 110-degree field of view, 1080p video quality, two-way audio and night vision. They can be viewed either through the free Blink Home Monitoring app or via compatible smart home devices such as Amazon Echo.
They have a long battery life of over two years, which makes them perfect for those who want to save money while keeping their house safe. The only downside is that they require a subscription for cloud storage, which can cost $3 per month or $30 a year depending on how many cameras you have.
If you don’t want to pay for cloud storage, a $35 Sync Module 2 will allow you to store clips on the device instead. It also lets you integrate up to 10 cameras into a single app, so you can monitor multiple locations from one location.
For a limited time, existing Blink customers with XT2 and XS models can continue to receive free cloud storage for their clip recordings. However, the pricing will change to $3 per camera after January 1, 2021.