Vivint Doorbell Review: Why We Think the Vivint Doorbell Camera Is the Best

If you’re a parent and your kids beat you home from work, you don’t want them waiting for you on the front porch, especially in rain or snow. If you’re traveling for work and someone arrives with a delivery, you want to be able to address them face to face. If you’re a homeowner, you want to prevent package theft, especially during the holiday season.

With a smart doorbell camera, you get to enjoy these perks from anywhere inside the house, the country, and if connected by a network, the world. Gone are the days of relying on a tiny peephole or rushing home from work to let your kids inside.

Not all home security system companies are created equal, though. Vivint uses high-quality technology to connect their doorbell camera to a cellular network and their central home security system, so you can track your front-porch activity from the comfort of your living room or office, and talk in real-time with your friends, your neighbors, or the delivery person.

Read on to learn why House Method prefers the Vivint Doorbell Camera, how it works, and how much it costs. For a free quote from Vivint, call 888.841.5276.

Vivint Doorbell Camera beats the competition

We’ve compared Vivint’s Doorbell Camera to the other smart doorbell cameras on the market, including Ring Video Doorbells and the August Doorbell Cam Pro, and here’s what we found: Vivint’s product doesn’t use hardwired installation, but is instead setup through a wireless connection.

Why is this better? Wired doorbells require drilling for the wires, are not always battery operated, and once set up, they don’t move. One of the few perks to a wired doorbell camera is the variety of design options, but wireless doorbell cameras are sleek and simple, so they blend in with the front of your home. You can also move them at any time. Best of all, they don’t disconnect in the event of a power outage.

The Vivint Doorbell Camera takes 30-second smart clips of video footage, and those clips are saved for two weeks so that you don’t miss any activity.

Other perks: Vivint requires a professional installation, so you don’t have to waste your time attempting a DIY project. Vivint professionals are trained to set up your camera successfully and teach you how to use your system.

Vivint Doorbell Camera vs. Ring

As you consider a smart doorbell camera, it’s important to compare Vivint and Ring. Both offer smart doorbell cameras, but what makes them different?

The Vivint Doorbell Camera includes professional installation, multiple user notifications, on-demand video, and a strong wireless connection. You can also add on cameras, including the Vivint Ping Camera for indoor use with a two-way talk function and an outdoor camera.

While Ring allows you to choose from different doorbell camera options, both have issues. The Ring Video Doorbell Pro, for instance, does not come with batteries and must be set up through hardwiring. It also doesn’t come with storage. The Ring Video Doorbell 2, in contrast, uses both batteries and a wired connection, but doesn’t have a high video quality or a strong connection like Vivint’s Doorbell Camera. The field of view is also 160 degrees, compared to Vivint’s 180 degrees.

Vivint Doorbell Camera features

The Vivint Doorbell Camera, unlike other cameras on the market, has high-quality features. Even though it only comes in one color—silver—it is sleek and unassuming. Best of all, it is part of Vivint’s smart home security system which offers security, home automation, and professional 24/7 monitoring. The system is compatible with Amazon’s Alexa, as well as Google Home, and doesn’t require a 5-year contract if you purchase the equipment up front.

The Vivint Doorbell Camera features are compatible with the Vivint Smart Hub™, which comes with your security system package. Here’s what you can expect from the Vivint Doorbell Camera:

• Notifications—Through the Vivint Smart Home app, the Smart Hub™ panel, and the Vivint Ping Camera, you receive a notification with doorbell chimes every time someone approaches your front door.
• Smart lock integration—With this feature, you can unlock and lock your door for visitors and deliveries. You can also open and close your garage door.
• Zoom-in features—The video feed allows pinch-to-zoom in order to get a closer look.
• Clips of your camera history—This is one of our favorite features. Vivint keeps track of any activity occurring at your door. Should anyone attempt to break in or approach your door and turn away, you’ll have a record of this.
• 180-degree HD lens—See both right in front of the door and the entire front porch with this wide-angle camera lens.
• Day and night vision—When you’re in bed or away from home, you want to be able to see any visitors or strangers who come to your door after the sun goes down. This camera includes true night vision.
• Two-way talk and one-way video—No matter where you are, you can see who is at your door. If you want, you can talk in real-time with visitors through your smartphone with the built-in speaker and microphone.
• High-dynamic range image sensor—With this camera, you won’t get any blurry images of your front porch. The Vivint Doorbell Camera provides a clear view.
• Protection plan—If you have a Vivint service plan, you will get a free replacement for a defective doorbell camera.

How does the Vivint Doorbell Camera two-way talk work?

When your Vivint Doorbell Camera is set up to your panel and app, you can be sure that if anybody arrives at your door front, you will be notified. When the app is downloaded and you’re logged on, here’s what you can expect:

• As soon as someone presses the doorbell, you will receive a push notification to your phone through the app.
• You can view the video.
• Click the speaker to talk with the visitor. The microphone will turn black when it’s ready to use. Click when you’re ready to talk and click again when you’re done speaking. This works the same way on the panel.

Talking through the doorbell camera without receiving a notification is also available.

The Vivint Doorbell Camera is easy to manage and use, but we recommend testing it out as soon it’s set up, so you know how to operate it when someone arrives. When the professional comes to install it, make sure to ask them your questions.

Using the Vivint Smart Home app

With a smart doorbell camera, you don’t have to be home when a package is supposed to arrive or when relatives show up unannounced. With the Vivint Doorbell Camera, you are notified of any arrivals, can unlock and lock doors, and talk with visitors through the Vivint Smart Home app.

The app itself is free, easy to manage, and ranked highly (over 4 out of 5 stars) on the app stores. Once you download the app (available on iTunes and Android), you can login to your account and start monitoring your smart home system.

To access the Vivint Doorbell Camera from the app:

• Click the Camera icon, then click Doorbell Camera.
• Here, you can take a snapshot, talk to the visitor, view clips at the bottom, or adjust the notifications from the top right corner.
• You can filter your clips by date or customize them.
• To view or adjust the settings of your doorbell camera, return to the home screen on your app, click on top right corner, choose Notifications, and then change notifications or add new ones.

App management is extremely helpful for those who are often away from home. It’s always stressful to arrive at the airport, get to your gate, and suddenly think, “Did I forget to lock the front door?” With a Vivint Smart Home system, connected to the app, you don’t have to wonder. Now, you can know by checking through the app, and if you did forget, you can easily lock the door.

Resolving Vivint Doorbell Camera issues

When Vivint professionals install your Vivint Doorbell Camera, they can set it up to the panel, but it always helps to know how it works and how to resolve potential issues.

If you want to know how to connect the doorbell camera to the panel, follow these steps:

• Choose the menu icon in the middle of the panel screen, click Devices, and enter your PIN.
• Add a new device, then add the Doorbell Camera.
• The panel will ask if the camera is installed, and will then search for the camera. It will take a few minutes to connect.

When the Vivint Doorbell Camera is offline, you will need to follow the troubleshooting steps on support.vivint.com to fix. If this doesn’t work, you may need to delete and re-add the camera to your Smart Hub™. Here’s what you can do:

• Delete the camera—On your panel, go to Devices, enter your PIN, go to Doorbell Camera, scroll down, and click Delete Camera.
• Reset the camera—Hold the doorbell button for 20–45 seconds, until the light turns red. It will flash various colors for about two minutes then announce it’s ready for setup.
• Re-add the doorbell—On your panel, go to Devices, click Add New Device, click Doorbell Camera, and install.
• Connect the doorbell—Return to the doorbell. Hold the doorbell down until you hear the chime and hear “now connected,” which will take about two minutes.

You will have access to motion sensitivity and person detection sensitivity. Keeping the box smaller and focused on the area where somebody would stand helps to avoid receiving false notifications. If you receive too many false visitor detection notifications, you can lower the sensitivity settings.

You will receive a Vivint Doorbell Camera Manual with your purchase, which gives you directions on how to use the product. However, if you are struggling with any of these issues, you can call customer support. Vivint customer support specialists are happy to assist with Vivint Doorbell Camera issues.

Why we recommend the Vivint Doorbell Camera

If you’re a busy parent, jet-setting entrepreneur, or pet owner, or if you live alone and want to feel protected, then having a Vivint doorbell camera is beneficial.

We’ve looked at other doorbell camera options. Some may be less expensive, but here’s what we love about Vivint:

• You don’t have to worry about setting up the camera yourself. Vivint Doorbell Camera installation is quick and stress-free for customers.
• The device is connected through a wireless connection, which still works if there’s a power outage and or if you’re traveling abroad and have access to WiFi.
• It works day and night and has a wide-angle lens, giving you a clear view day or night.

Unfortunately, you can’t buy the Vivint Doorbell Camera on its own. You must have a Vivint Smart Home system, but that also means you can take advantage of the home automation or home safety features that come with Vivint plans. We still feel the Vivint Doorbell Camera cost is reasonable, considering the quality technology, convenience, and accessibility.

Similar products include outdoor cameras, indoor cameras, as well as video playback and storage.

Vivint Smart Home security system: Why it’s worth it

Homes without a security system are 300% more likely to be burglarized, so investing in Vivint’s home security system not only protects your family, but allows you to enjoy home automation services.

Vivint has a variety of packages, many of which include the doorbell camera. In addition, you can customize any of your smart home packages by adding standard smart home services such as the Vivint Doorbell Camera. You cannot buy the Vivint Doorbell Camera, however, on its own. Without the panel or app, it isn’t usable.

Benefits of choosing Vivint for your smart home security include:

• You can expect professional expertise and installation, as well as great, reliable customer service, available 24/7.
• Vivint provides a free at-home consultation, so the system is set up to meet your needs, and your family understands how to use it.
• Feel protected with 24/7 monitoring of your home security system. This costs between $20 and $60 per month, which is reasonable considering the constant monitoring from Vivint Smart Home Pros.
• With flexible payment options, Vivint is one of the only smart home companies that offers two different payment options:
  1. Pay for the security equipment up-front, and you don’t have to sign a contract with a monthly fee for monitoring or automation services.
  2. Pay month-to-month installments over 60 months at 0% APR on approved credit.

Vivint lets you monitor your house from afar, engage with visitors, and let friends or family members inside with smart locks so if you’re one of the million Americans who travel abroad every year, know that you can still monitor your front door, even while you’re away. Best of all, customer service is reliable and available 24/7.

When reading Vivint Doorbell Camera reviews, we found that many customers agreed with our recommendation.

Many of the best home warranty policies offer service for home security systems or doorbell cameras. Read our in-depth American Home Shield review and our Home Service Club review, two companies that offer that service.

Now you know how the Vivint Doorbell Camera works and why we recommend it. Learn more about Vivint’s products and get a free quote by calling 888.841.5276. You can also ask about ongoing promotions and deals.