I spent more time comparing video doorbells than I expected.
I had three non-negotiables:
- local storage
- no required monthly subscription
- a camera that could actually show packages sitting right below the door
I looked at Eufy, Tapo, Reolink, and Ring before eventually going with the Anona 3K Dual Cam Video Doorbell.
The price was part of it, but mostly I liked that I wasn’t giving up features just to stay around the $100 mark.
The dual-camera setup ended up being the main reason I picked it.
Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, I may earn from qualifying purchases.
The second camera actually makes sense
There are two separate cameras: a 5MP main camera pointed outward and a smaller 2MP camera angled down toward the doorstep.
I initially thought the second camera might be one of those features that sounds more useful on the product page than it is in real life. But for a doorbell, it makes a lot of sense.
The main camera handles faces and everything happening in front of the door. The lower camera shows packages, pets, shoes, or anything sitting directly underneath it.
For me, that’s more useful than just making the main camera extremely wide-angle.
What sold me on it: the second camera isn’t just a spec-sheet extra. It actually covers the one area most doorbells tend to miss – directly below the lens.
You can see both views in the app at the same time, so if someone drops off a package, you don’t have to guess whether it’s still sitting outside later.
The image quality is better than I need from a doorbell
The main camera records at 3K/5MP.
I’m not expecting a doorbell to replace a dedicated security camera, so I’m mostly looking for clear faces, decent detail around the entrance, and footage that doesn’t turn into a blurry mess when I zoom in a little.
For that, it’s good.
The lower 2MP camera isn’t as sharp as the main one, which is noticeable if you compare them directly. But it’s mostly there to show whether a package is on the ground, so I don’t really see that as a problem.
There’s color night vision too. I wouldn’t choose a doorbell based on that feature alone, but it’s useful if there’s some lighting around your entrance.
No subscription mattered a lot too
I’m getting tired of buying smart-home stuff and then finding out that half the useful features sit behind another monthly subscription.
What I get here without paying monthly:
- person detection
- pet detection
- package detection
- detection zones
- local microSD recording
For recordings, there’s support for microSD cards up to 512GB. The card isn’t included, but I’d much rather buy one SD card once than keep paying monthly just to access my own recordings.
Cloud storage is available if you want it, but it isn’t mandatory.
That was a big part of the appeal for me.
Battery or wired power
I also liked having the choice between battery and wired power.
There’s a built-in 5200mAh battery, so you can mount the camera without running new wiring. Anona claims up to 100 days of battery life, although I’d take that as a best-case estimate rather than something everyone will get.
How often the camera triggers, live viewing, Wi-Fi signal, and recording settings are all going to affect battery life.
The two setups are pretty simple:
Battery mode
- easier installation
- motion-triggered recording
- no existing doorbell wiring needed
Wired mode
- better if you want 24/7 recording
- no need to think about charging
- makes more sense for a busy entrance
If you already have doorbell wiring, you can hardwire it instead.
I like having both options. Even if you start out using it wirelessly, you’re not stuck with that setup forever.
What else I considered
The closest alternative for me was the Eufy Video Doorbell E340.
It also has two cameras, including one aimed down toward packages, so I spent the most time comparing those two.
A quick version of how I saw the alternatives:
Eufy E340 — probably the closest competitor. Also dual-camera, and it makes a lot of sense if you already use Eufy gear.
Tapo D235 — better if you prefer one very wide head-to-toe view instead of two separate camera feeds.
Reolink Video Doorbell WiFi — strong option for local storage, especially if you already have Reolink cameras or an NVR.
Ring Battery Doorbell 2K Plus — the biggest ecosystem of the bunch, but the subscription side made it less appealing to me.
I basically kept coming back to the same question: what am I actually getting for the money?
For my setup, two cameras, local storage, and free smart detection mattered more than being part of a bigger ecosystem.
A few things to know before buying it
There are a few things I’d keep in mind:
- 2.4GHz Wi-Fi only
- 24/7 recording requires wired power
- the microSD card isn’t included
- the advertised 100-day battery life is probably best-case
- battery life will depend a lot on motion activity and live viewing
The 2.4GHz limitation isn’t necessarily bad for a doorbell since it usually has better range through walls, but on a newer Wi-Fi 6 device I would’ve liked to see 5GHz support too.
None of these were deal-breakers for me, but they’re worth knowing beforehand.
The smaller features
The included chime was nice because I didn’t have to buy anything extra.
Two-way audio works as expected, and there are quick replies if you don’t want to answer the door directly.
There’s also Alexa and Google Assistant support, IP65 weather resistance, and a voice changer.
The voice changer is probably something I’ll barely use. Package detection is way more useful to me.
Is it worth it?
For around $100, I think it hits a really good middle ground.
There are cheaper doorbells, and there are more established brands, but I’d have to give something up with most of the alternatives I considered.
My take: I wouldn’t buy it for one huge standout feature. I’d buy it because it gets a lot of the practical stuff right without forcing you into another subscription.
That’s basically why I kept coming back to the Anona when comparing everything.
I get:
- a пщщв front-door camera
- a separate package view
- local storage
- smart detection
- battery or wired installation
- no required subscription
That combination made more sense to me than paying more for a bigger brand and still giving something up.
If you’re looking at the same type of doorbell, you can check the current Anona price here.
P.S. I found a detailed comparison of this model while I was deciding between Anona, Eufy, and Tapo. It helped me narrow things down, especially on storage and subscription differences.
