Last updated: November 2026
A pet camera does more than a regular indoor camera: it lets you talk to your dog or cat, get an alert when they bark or meow, and with some models toss them a treat while you’re at work. The best option for most dog owners is the Furbo 360° Dog Camera, because it combines treat tossing, a 360° view and smart barking alerts in one device. It now needs a Furbo Nanny plan to activate, though, so if you’d rather not pay for a plan at all, the Petcube Bites 2 Lite works without one.
The other important question is what you get without a subscription. The Petcube, Tapo and Aqara cameras give you live view and two-way audio for free, and Furbo says its cameras keep live view, talking and treat tossing if you cancel the plan after the first three months. Saved video and smart alerts often need a plan. If you mainly want to watch your home rather than your pets, see our guide to the best indoor security cameras instead.
Quick Recommendations
- Furbo 360° Dog Camera — Best overall. Tosses treats and rotates to see the whole room, but needs a Furbo Nanny plan to activate.
- Petcube Bites 2 Lite — Best value treat camera. Works without a plan from day one, with a wide 160° view and a large treat container.
- Furbo 360° Cat Camera — Best cat camera. Adds a feather wand toy you control from your phone, and needs a Furbo Nanny plan like the dog camera.
- Tapo C260 — Best without a subscription. A 4K pan and tilt camera that detects pets, barking and meowing and records to a microSD card.
- Aqara Camera E1 — Best for Apple Home. HomeKit Secure Video with a pan and tilt camera for about $70.
Top Choices at a Glance
| Product | Ecosystem | Key Feature | Approx. Price | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Furbo 360° Dog Camera | Alexa | Treat tossing with a 360° view | ~$72 + plan | Best overall |
| Petcube Bites 2 Lite | Alexa | Holds up to 1.5 lb of treats | ~$80 | Value treat camera |
| Furbo 360° Cat Camera | Alexa | Remote-controlled feather wand toy | ~$72 + plan | Cats |
| Tapo C260 | Alexa, Google Home | 4K pan and tilt, local recording | ~$60 | No subscription |
| Aqara Camera E1 | Apple Home, Alexa | HomeKit Secure Video | ~$70 | Apple Home |
Compatibility Matrix
| Product | HomeKit | Alexa | Google Home | Matter | Hub Required | Wiring/Power |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Furbo 360° Dog Camera | No | Yes (Furbo skill) | Not stated | No | No | Plug-in, USB adapter not included |
| Petcube Bites 2 Lite | No | Yes (Petcube skill) | Not stated | No | No | Plug-in, adapter included |
| Furbo 360° Cat Camera | No | Yes (Furbo skill) | Not stated | No | No | Plug-in, USB adapter not included |
| Tapo C260 | No | Yes | Yes | No | No | Plug-in |
| Aqara Camera E1 | Yes (HomeKit Secure Video) | Yes | Not stated | No | Apple home hub for HomeKit Secure Video | USB-C, adapter not included |
The Aqara Camera E1 is the only option here that works with Apple Home, and none of the treat cameras in this guide does. The Furbo cameras need a Furbo Nanny plan before they work, and the Furbo and Petcube cameras only connect to 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi, so check that your router still broadcasts that band before you buy one.
The Best Pet Cameras in 2026
Furbo 360° Dog Camera — Best Overall
The Furbo 360° is the best pet camera for most dog owners. It tosses treats on command and turns to see the whole room. You need a Furbo Nanny plan to activate it, but you can cancel after three months and keep the basics.
Best for: Dog owners who want to check in, talk to their dog and reward them with a treat during the day.
What stands out in real use
You open the Furbo app, see your dog in 1080p, and swipe to turn the camera around the room. Tap the treat button and the camera tosses a treat out of the front, which is a good way to get your dog’s attention or reward calm behavior. With the Furbo skill for Alexa you can also say “Alexa, tell Furbo to toss a treat” or set a treat schedule. The Furbo needs a Furbo Nanny plan to activate: a yearly plan, or $29.97 for the first three months and then $9.99 a month for the Standard plan. Nanny adds barking alerts, so you know when something is upsetting your dog, plus video history, auto tracking and extra alerts, like activity, crying and smoke alarm alerts. Furbo says live view, two-way audio and treat tossing keep working if you cancel after the first three months.
Key specs
- 1080p video, 132° lens, 4x digital zoom
- 360° view from a rotating base
- Color night vision
- Holds about 100 treats (round treats around 0.5 in work best)
- Two-way audio
- 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi only
- Alexa
Pros
- Live view, two-way audio and treat tossing keep working if you cancel the plan
- Sees the whole room, not just one corner
- Alexa voice commands for treats
- Color night vision
Cons
- Needs a Furbo Nanny plan to activate, with a three-month minimum
- USB power adapter not included
- 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi only
- Doesn’t work with Apple Home
Installation and compatibility notes
The Furbo sits on a table or shelf and plugs into an outlet, but the box only has the cable, so you’ll need a 5V 2A USB power adapter (Furbo sells one for about $12). The “Core Features, No Ongoing Cost” version that worked without a plan isn’t sold new on Amazon anymore, so the listing we link to is the “Subscription Required” version, and you choose your Furbo Nanny plan during setup. Skip third-party offers for the old version, which can be used units.
Price: ~$72 (plus a required Furbo Nanny plan)
Petcube Bites 2 Lite — Best Value Treat Camera
The Bites 2 Lite is a pet camera with a treat dispenser that does the same basic job as the Furbo and works without a subscription from day one. It flings treats, has a wide 160° view and holds more treats than any other option here.
Best for: Dog and cat owners who want a treat camera that works without a plan.
What stands out in real use
The camera shows 1080p video through a 160° lens, so from one corner it covers most of a room, and you can zoom in up to 8x. The container holds up to 1.5 lb of treats, and three inserts let you choose how many treats it flings at once. You get live view, two-way audio and treat flinging without a subscription. Petcube Care costs $9.99 a month, or less on a yearly plan, and adds sound and motion alerts, video history (up to 90 days on the top plan), pet and person alerts and recognition of barking and meowing. The Petcube app also has a 24/7 online vet chat.
Key specs
- 1080p video, 160° lens, 8x digital zoom
- Night vision
- Holds up to 1.5 lb of treats (1 inch or smaller)
- Two-way audio
- 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi only
- Alexa (Petcube skill)
Pros
- Works without a subscription from day one
- Large treat container
- Wide view without a rotating base
- Treat flinging works for cats and dogs
Cons
- The camera doesn’t rotate
- Alerts and video history need Petcube Care
- 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi only
Installation and compatibility notes
Place it on a shelf or table with a clear view of the room. Amazon also sells a much cheaper “Subscription Required” version of the Bites 2 Lite that only works with a Petcube Care plan, so make sure the title doesn’t say that. Petcube recommends crunchy, round treats up to 1 inch so they don’t jam.
Price: ~$80
Furbo 360° Cat Camera — Best Cat Camera
The Furbo 360° Cat Camera is the best cat camera because it gives you a way to play with your cat, not just watch them. It has a feather wand toy you move from your phone.
Best for: Cat owners who want to play with their cat and toss treats while they’re away.
What stands out in real use
It’s the same camera as the Furbo dog version (1080p, 360° view and about 100 treats), with a detachable feather wand toy on the side that you control in the app. You can swap the feather for one of your cat’s own toys. Like the dog camera, it needs a Furbo Nanny plan to activate, which adds meowing alerts, video history and the extra alerts, and Furbo says live view, two-way audio and treat tossing keep working if you cancel after three months.
Key specs
- 1080p video, 4x digital zoom
- 360° view from a rotating base
- Remote-controlled feather wand toy
- Holds about 100 treats
- Two-way audio
- 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi only
- Alexa
Pros
- A toy you can control from your phone
- Meowing alerts and video history while the plan is active
- Treat tossing and a 360° view
Cons
- Needs a Furbo Nanny plan to activate, with a three-month minimum
- USB power adapter not included
- Not every cat cares about the feather toy
Installation and compatibility notes
Put it on a stable surface where your cat can reach the feather toy, away from shelves your cat jumps on. Like the dog version, it’s now sold new only as a “Subscription Required” model, and you’ll need your own USB power adapter. If you also want your cat’s meals served on a schedule while you’re out, see our guide to the best automatic cat feeders, and for a litter box that cleans itself, our guide to the best automatic litter boxes.
Price: ~$72 (plus a required Furbo Nanny plan)
Tapo C260 — Best Without a Subscription
The Tapo C260 doesn’t toss treats, but it’s the best choice if you don’t want to pay a monthly fee. It records 4K video to a microSD card and detects pets on the camera itself.
Best for: Pet owners who want clear video, local recording and pet alerts without a subscription.
What stands out in real use
The C260 turns 360° and tilts 116°, and Tapo’s Smart AI tracking follows your pet around the room. It detects people, pets, dog barking and cat meowing, so you can get an alert for exactly what you care about. Clips save to a microSD card (up to 512 GB, sold separately), and it has a physical privacy mode that turns the lens away when you’re home. It’s also the only option here that connects to both 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz Wi-Fi. Tapo Care, from $3.49 a month, adds cloud storage and snapshots in your alerts.
Key specs
- 4K video, 360° pan and 116° tilt
- Detects people, pets, barking and meowing
- microSD card up to 512 GB (sold separately)
- Night vision up to 40 ft, plus color night vision
- Dual-band Wi-Fi
- Alexa, Google Home and SmartThings
Pros
- Records locally without a subscription
- Sharpest video in this guide
- Pet, bark and meow detection
- Low price
Cons
- Doesn’t toss treats
- Doesn’t work with Apple Home
- First setup can take a while because of firmware updates
Installation and compatibility notes
The C260 sits on a shelf or table, and it’s for indoor use only. Add a microSD card before you set it up so it can record from the start. For more cameras that save video without a monthly fee, see our guide to the best security cameras without a subscription.
Price: ~$60
Aqara Camera E1 — Best for Apple Home
The Aqara Camera E1 is the best pet camera for an iPhone household. It supports HomeKit Secure Video, so your pet clips show up in the Apple Home app, and it pans and tilts to see the whole room.
Best for: Apple Home users who want pet clips in the Home app and saved to iCloud.
What stands out in real use
With HomeKit Secure Video, your Apple home hub (an Apple TV or HomePod) analyzes the video and can tell you when it sees an animal, a person or a vehicle, and it saves the clips to iCloud for 10 days. It uses your iCloud+ plan, which starts at $0.99 a month for one camera, instead of a separate camera subscription. In the Aqara app the E1 records 2K video, pans 360° and can save to a microSD card, and it also works with Alexa.
Key specs
- 2K video in the Aqara app (1080p in Apple Home)
- 360° pan and tilt
- HomeKit Secure Video and Alexa
- microSD card up to 512 GB (sold separately)
- Wi-Fi 6
- USB-C power
Pros
- The only option here that works with Apple Home
- No camera subscription with your iCloud+ plan
- Pan and tilt for about $70
- Local recording to microSD
Cons
- Doesn’t toss treats
- Power adapter not included
- Pan and tilt controls are only in the Aqara app
Installation and compatibility notes
You’ll need a USB power adapter, because the box only includes the cable. HomeKit Secure Video needs an Apple home hub and an iCloud+ plan, and our guide to HomeKit Secure Video explains the plans and what each one covers. For more Apple Home cameras, see our guide to the best HomeKit security cameras.
Price: ~$70
How to Choose a Pet Camera
Decide if you want a treat dispenser. A pet camera with a treat dispenser, like the Furbo or the Petcube, lets you reward your pet from your phone. If you only want to see and hear your pet, a regular pan and tilt camera like the Tapo C260 or Aqara E1 costs less and usually has better video.
Choose for your pet. A dog camera usually focuses on barking alerts and treats. A cat camera adds something to play with, like the Furbo Cat Camera’s feather toy, and meowing alerts. Treat cameras work for both, as long as your treats are the right size for the dispenser. If you also want your dog’s meals served on a schedule while you’re out, see our guide to the best automatic dog feeders.
Check what’s free without a plan. Most pet cameras give you live view, two-way audio and some alerts for free, and then charge for video history and smart alerts. Furbo now sells its 360° cameras new only as “Subscription Required” models: you start a Furbo Nanny plan during setup, and its setup guide for Subscription Required cameras says you keep the basic features if you cancel after the first three months. Petcube sells both versions of the Bites 2 Lite on Amazon, so check that the title doesn’t say “Subscription Required”.
Rotating or fixed. A camera that pans and tilts, like the Furbo, Tapo or Aqara, can see the whole room from one spot. A fixed camera with a wide lens, like the Petcube, needs a corner with a clear view of the space where your pet spends the day. If your dog goes in and out through a pet door, point the camera at it, and our guide to the best automatic dog doors covers doors that open only for your dog. For a cat, see our guide to the best automatic cat doors.
Check your Wi-Fi. The Furbo and Petcube cameras only connect to 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi. If your router combines both bands under one network name, setup sometimes fails, and our guide on why a smart camera keeps going offline explains how to fix the connection.
Think about Apple Home. None of the treat cameras in this guide works with Apple Home. If you want your pet camera in the Home app, choose the Aqara Camera E1.
Keep the cable out of reach. Put the camera where your pet can’t knock it over or chew the power cable, and keep the treat container away from a dog that can reach the counter.
Conclusion
For most dog owners, the Furbo 360° Dog Camera is the best pet camera: it tosses treats and sees the whole room, as long as you’re fine paying for a Furbo Nanny plan for at least the first three months. The Petcube Bites 2 Lite gives you a treat camera that works without a plan, and the Furbo 360° Cat Camera is the best cat camera thanks to its feather toy. If you don’t want a subscription, the Tapo C260 records 4K video locally, and Apple Home users should choose the Aqara Camera E1.
Do pet cameras need a subscription?
Not for the basics on most models. The Petcube, Tapo and Aqara cameras in this guide give you live view and two-way audio without a plan. The Furbo cameras need a Furbo Nanny plan to activate, but Furbo says live view, two-way audio and treat tossing keep working if you cancel after three months. Video history and smart alerts usually need a subscription, except on cameras that record to a microSD card, like the Tapo C260.
What is the best pet camera with a treat dispenser?
The Furbo 360° Dog Camera is the best pet camera with a treat dispenser for most people. It holds about 100 treats and turns 360°, but it needs a Furbo Nanny plan to activate. The Petcube Bites 2 Lite works without a plan and holds up to 1.5 lb of treats.
What is the best camera for cats?
The Furbo 360° Cat Camera is the best cat camera in this guide. It has a feather wand toy you control from your phone and treat tossing, and like the dog camera it needs a Furbo Nanny plan to activate. If you don’t need a toy or treats, the Tapo C260 detects meowing and records to a microSD card.
Is there a pet camera that works with Apple HomeKit?
Yes, a regular HomeKit camera like the Aqara Camera E1 works well as a pet camera. It supports HomeKit Secure Video, which can alert you when it sees an animal and saves clips to iCloud. None of the treat-tossing cameras in this guide works with Apple Home.
Why won’t my pet camera connect to Wi-Fi?
Many pet cameras, including the Furbo and Petcube models, only connect to 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi. If your router uses one network name for both bands, setup can fail. Make sure the 2.4 GHz band is on and move the camera closer to the router during setup.
Written by Evan Mercer
Founder & Lead Researcher, Smart Home Matrix
Evan digs through spec sheets, firmware changelogs, and thousands of owner reviews so you don’t have to. Every guide starts with a compatibility check and ends with picks he would install in his own home. Read more about Evan and this site, or see exactly how we choose products.