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Blink Indoor Review

Derek Hales

Written By: Derek Hales

Updated on:

The Blink Indoor Camera is a low-cost, entry-level camera to dip a toe into the waters of home security. It’s simple, easy to use, and affordable.

Let’s dive in and see what this camera is all about.

Affordable, Basic Indoor Camera with Free Storage

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Blink Indoor Camera

The Blink Indoor Camera offers 720p video quality, motion detection, push alerts, and one-way audio. It lacks infrared night vision, but still had good clarity during our performance tests. Blink doesn’t have a subscription program and, instead, opts to give up to 120 minutes of free cloud-based storage from your smartphone. It’s easy to setup and easy to use, even if the video quality isn’t spectacular.Check Price

Pros

  • Budget-friendly with free cloud-based storage
  • Supports live streaming and activity-based push alerts
  • Wireless install and batteries last up to 2 years

Cons

  • Lacks 2-way audio
  • Doesn’t offer infrared night vision
  • Indoor only

Quick Specs

  • 2.8″ x 2.8″ x 1.4″
  • 720p resolution
  • 110° field of vision (diagonal)
  • Battery-powered (two AA batteries)
  • Custom activity zones
  • Subscription: optional
  • Compatible with Alexa
  • Wi-Fi connection @ 2.4 GHz only
  • Two-way audio

Performance

Video Quality

Good

Audio Quality

Okay

App Quality

Good

10 SECOND SUMMARY: The Blink Indoor camera offers decent video quality and a value-price. It only has one-way audio so if you were hoping to send 2-way audio messages through your camera, this camera may not be a good fit for you. But, aside from that issue, this camera uses the same app as other Blink cameras so in-app options are mostly the same.

Video: Day vs. Night

During the day, figures were easily distinguishable from basically any distance indoor. It also did not seem to struggle with overexposure around windows, which can sometimes be a problem with inexpensive systems.

Day

Blink indoor camera - daytime video quality

Even with a wider view range, clarity and video quality was still quite good.

Blink indoor camera - daytime video quality

Night

The night video lacks infrared technology so the clarity was definitely more of an issue. This would be especially evident in low-lit environments.

But still, considering the bottom dollar, the clarity was decent enough to see figures and activity.

Blink indoor camera - night video quality

This Blink cam is only rated to be an indoor camera. That in mind, for the sake of science we did go ahead and test the outdoor camera quality. As would be expected, the outdoor video quality was about equal to the indoor camera quality.

Blink indoor camera - night video quality outdoors

NOTE: Full disclosure, I have a large floodlight attached to the building adjacent to this camera which does help illuminate the field in the night image above.

Audio

The Blink indoor camera has simple audio detection, but it lacks 2-way audio, which would allow you to speak audibly through the camera.

If audio is an important feature to you, I would recommend checking out our reviews for one of the following cameras:

The Blink App

The Blink app works in conjunction with any Blink camera, allowing you to view details about the camera or receive push notifications.

Blink app settings

To install, simply find the app listed in your app store and download it. Follow the in-app prompts to pair the camera to your phone and you’re good to go.

Blink security camera app
Blink security camera app

All activity clips can be accessed directly from your phone, with a storage bar at the top that graphically shows exactly how much storage you have remaining.

What happens when activity is detected?

When any activity is detected from the camera, you have one of two choices.

You can:

  1. View: view stored video for yourself and watch a live-feed
  2. Ignore: ignore the alert; regardless of your decision, the footage is stored on the Cloud with all of the other detected footage that the camera has captured

If you have multiple Blink cameras, the app makes it simple to create, manage, and view a multi-camera system.

Blink Design

The design of the Blink indoor camera is simple and pretty similar to its outdoor-rated, sister camera, the Blink XT2.

Blink Indoor camera design - front view

What’s on the back of the camera?

The back of the camera has a charging port as well as a small mounting plate for wall installations. You can choose to use a mounting plate or simply sit it up on a flat surface without using a mount.

Back of the Blink Indoor camera
Back of the Blink Indoor camera

What does it do?

The Blink Indoor camera can sit up in your home freestanding or be mounted on an interior wall for simple indoor security for your home or business.

As activity occurs in the camera field, the camera will send push notifications to your smartphone, letting you know what is going on.

You can use the app to view the camera footage in real-time or view saved snippets from the activity filmed when you were away.

RELATED Click here for more security camera reviews

Features

Some of the top features of the Blink indoor camera include:

  • Motion Notifications: sends a push notification to your smartphone when the camera detects motion in the camera’s view
  • Flexible Use: designed to be used indoor or outdoor and can sit upright on a shelf or be mounted to a vertical surface
  • 24/7 Live Video: can record footage for 24/7 live video playback (but only stores footage when motion is detected)
  • App Control: view the camera footage from your smartphone or other device using wifi pairing and cloud video storage
  • Multiple Pairing: pair multiple cameras together (indoor or outdoor) for whole-home security
Blink camera app settings
Blink camera app settings

What’s in the Box?

The Blink camera system comes with the following parts and accessories:

In the box, you’ll get:

  • Blink Indoor Camera
  • Mounting Kit
  • AA 1.5v Non-rechargeable Lithium Batteries (2 per camera)
  • Quick Start Guide
  • Sync Module
  • USB Cable
  • Power Adapter
What's in the box with the Blink indoor camera
What’s in the box with the Blink indoor camera?

What is the USB cord for?

The USB cord pairs the camera to the Sync Module. You would also use this cord for any future updates to the system.

What is the USB cord NOT used for?

The USB cord does not currently allow:

  1. Transfer of video footage to an external local server; only cloud-based storage is available at this time
  2. Charging the camera; this camera gets power from 2 AA lithium-ion batteries

Setup & Usability

Setting up the Blink indoor cam requires a few simple tools.

  1. Blink camera
  2. Blink Sync module
  3. Your smartphone
  4. A wifi connection

Once you’ve got all the items above, follow the steps below.

How easy is it to setup?

The Blink security system is very easy to setup. Essentially, it takes three quick steps.

Blink camera setup steps
  1. Create an account on the Blink app using your smartphone.
  2. Plug in, add sync module, and connect to Wifi.
  3. Insert batteries into the camera and sync your camera.

How easy is it to install?

Once the camera is set up, you’re ready for install. Installation can happen in one of two different ways, depending on where you want it:

  1. Free-standing
  2. With mount

Freestanding, the Blink camera will basically just sits upright on a flat surface. You can place it on any indoor surface that is flat.

With a mount, the Blink camera attaches to a piece of hardware that can attach to any interior vertical wall surface.

To install the mount, use the screws provided to secure the mount to the wall. Push the mount into place onto the back of the camera and you’re good to go.

How easy is it to use?

This camera is easy to use and maintain and it uses two lithium-ion batteries. The AA batteries included last up to 2 years, which limits your maintenance on the unit. Furthermore, because there are no cords, it’s fast and easy to move it around if you need to.

Blink indoor camera is battery powered
Blink indoor camera is battery powered

With your smartphone, you’ll receive push notifications directly. If activity happened and you missed the alert, you’ll be able to view the saved video in the Blink app.

Does Blink require a subscription?

No. Blink does not require or even offer a subscription plan.

Cloud-based storage is free (up to 120 minutes). If you exceed the storage limits it will simply start deleting the oldest videos.

There is no way to opt-in for more storage beyond 120 minutes and unfortunately, this system does not offer local storage as an option.

The Sync Module

Although Blink does not require a monthly subscription, it does require the purchase of a Sync Module. A Sync comes with “Camera Kits”, but if you purchase an “add-on camera”, you’ll need to purchase the Sync separately.

CHECK PRICE: Click here to check the price for the Sync Module.

What is a Sync Module?

The Sync serves as the primary point of connection between the camera and the cloud-based server. Using the Sync, you can pair up to 10 cameras (assuming they’re all within range of the Sync).

Blink Indoor Camera Specifications

Blink
ModelIndoor
TypeIndoor Only
Size2.8 x 2.8 x 1.4"
Weight3.5 oz
Video Quality720p
Night VisionNo
Field of View110° (diagonal)
Power2 AA batteries (non-rechargable)
Motion DetectionYes
2-Way AudioNo
Local StorageNo
Cloud StorageYes; 120-min limit
SirenNo
Live StreamingYes
ReturnsVaries by retailer
Warranty1-Year Limited
PriceCheck Price

Should you buy the Blink Indoor?

I would recommend the Blink Indoor you’re looking for the following in a security camera.

  • No subscription fee: One of the biggest advantages of the Blink system is that there is no subscription fee. It’s a free cloud-based storage system and stores up to 2 hours of video clips.
  • Wire-free system: If you’re looking for a wireless installation and setup, this camera could be a solid option. It is battery-powered and the batteries last up to 2 years. Keep in mind, you will need to plug the Sync Module in somewhere within range of the camera.
  • Don’t need quality night shots: There is no infrared capability on this camera, which means it may struggle with nighttime footage in dimly lit environments. But seeing as it’s an indoor camera, night time footage may not be as critical.

Click here to learn more about or to buy the Blink Indoor security camera.

Budget-Friendly, Free Cloud Storage
  • Design - 96%
    96%
  • Performance - 92%
    92%
  • Quality - 96%
    96%
  • Usability - 97%
    97%
  • Value - 96%
    96%
95%

Summary

The Blink Indoor is a wireless security camera that’s budget-friendly and quick to setup. It does not require (or offer) a subscription, instead giving users 120 minutes of free cloud storage. The Blink connects to an app where you can view a history of your clips, customize settings, and configure you’re camera. In our tests we found the video quality to be pretty good, though it leaves something to be desired at night. For the price, it’s hard to complain too much as the Blink checks all the right boxes at this price point.

About Derek Hales

Derek HalesDerek Hales is the Founder and Editor-in-Chief of ModernCastle.com. He has been featured in Fast Company, Reader's Digest, Business Insider, Realtor.com, She Knows, and other major publications. Derek has a Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration from Kansas State University. Hales has been testing and reviewing products for the home since 2014.