Arlo Pro vs Arlo Q Plus: Pros & Cons and Verdict

There are dozens of security camera manufacturers who promise to create the most reliable, functional and durable devices. Sadly, the majority of those companies advertise poorly-built security cameras that are non-functional and weak products.

We need to pay close attention while choosing a security camera since it’s heavily linked with our overall security levels.

Arlo is one of the most trusted, important and well-known security camera manufacturers. They’ve released several best-selling products and are one of the best security camera companies.

Arlo Pro and Arlo Q Plus are two popular, functional, durable and reliable security cameras that are best-selling products with high ratings and thousands of positive reviews.

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These two offer quality features and can increase your security levels. Arlo Pro and the Q Plus model have thousands of satisfied owners who can vouch for their high functionality.

Arlo Pro vs Arlo Q Plus: Pros & Cons and Verdict

In this Arlo Q vs Arlo Pro article, we’ll compare, evaluate and rate the most important aspects of these security cameras. We’ll present a few detailed charts, and lastly, we’ll come up with a reasonable verdict and crown one of these two as the leading product.

1. Installation Process

The first thing we need to cover is the installation processes of both security cameras. Today, people always look for devices that have simple setup processes since no one likes spending hours reading manuals and watching guides on YouTube.

We need to be sure that both Arlo Pro and Arlo Q Plus can be set up without any professional assistance.

Arlo Pro

Arlo is a DIY security camera that doesn’t require professional assistance to complete the simple setup process. If you’re into DIY things, you’ll find the installation process of Arlo quite amusing and fun. To make this more exciting, you’ll have a fully functional Arlo Pro security camera up and running in 5 minutes.

The video posted above clearly shows the simplicity of the setup process of Arlo Pro. If you still have questions left, simply check the user’s manual for further guidance. As a last resort, reach out to the support team of Arlo. Those people are superb and will help with the issues you might be facing.

Arlo Q Plus

Unlike the Pro version, the Arlo Q Plus model is a wired security camera that has a slightly more complicated installation process. But don’t think of it as something hard and unaccomplishable. You’ll just need an extra 2 minutes (approx) to set up the Q Plus model.

Instead of writing a step-by-step guide, I’ll drop a fantastic video uploaded by Arlo that’ll take you through the whole setup of the Arlo Q Plus security camera.

If you still have questions left, refer to the user’s manual for further guidance. Alternatively, reach out to Arlo’s customer care area. They’ll gladly help.

2. Design

It’s essential for a modern smart home product to have an eye-catching design. Every smart home shopper searches for devices that are both functional and visually attractive since everyone wants to improve the overall looks of their indoor and outdoor environment.

So it’s vital for Arlo Pro and Arlo Q Plus to have eye-pleasing designs. Otherwise, people might consider purchasing other security cameras that are more attractive.

Arlo Pro

Visually, Arlo Pro is one of the most attractive security cameras ever created. It’s stylish, modern, simple and can easily camouflage if needed. Arlo Pro’s design is no different from its predecessor. As it seems, people like the design very much and Arlo didn’t bother changing it.

If you’ve never seen how the security camera looks, I’ll drop a picture below that perfectly illustrates the charming design of Arlo Pro.

So the design of Arlo Pro is pretty good, and I do agree that it’s one of the most well-made security cameras on the market. Besides having a good design, it’s essential for a security camera to have proper dimensions to fit the pre-planned mounting areas. The dimensions of Arlo Pro are 2.8 x 1.9 x 3.1 inches, and it weighs about 1 pound.

Arlo Q Plus

Arlo Q Plus is one of the most beautifully-designed indoor security cameras. Although it can attract admiring attention, it doesn’t have to be an attention magnet. If necessary, Arlo Q Plus can easily hide, and it loves staying in the shade.

I’ve met a lot of Arlo Q Plus owners, and everyone seems to be happy with the looks of the security camera. I’ve seen it mounted and placed on flat surfaces. I must say that it blends flawlessly with the indoor interior.

As for the visual details, around the inner diamond of translucent white, there are ten infrared LED lights. Whenever the camera is connected, a blue light will shine so that it alerts you that everything’s OK.

Besides the visual aspect, it’s essential to know the dimensions of the Arlo Q Plus security camera. The dimensions of the Q Plus model are 4.93 x 5.99 x 4.45 inches, and it weighs 1.27 pounds.

3. Features

It’s important to know the features of our security cameras since it’s one of the main reasons why people purchase them. Hence we’ve created an excellent chart that shows all the important features of Arlo Q Plus and Arlo Pro.

ARLO PRO	ARLO Q PLUS
100% Wire-Free	Amazon Alexa/Echo Support
Night Vision	Night-Vision
Free 7-day Cloud Storage	Live Video 24/7
720p HD Video	8x Zoom
Rechargeable Batteries	1080p HD Video
Live View	Free 7-day Cloud Storage
Web Application	Enhanced Sound and Motion Detection
Local Storage	Instant Alerts
Smart Siren	Web Application

So those are the main features of our security cameras, and both can be considered as top-notch devices. Arlo Pro and Arlo Q Plus offer superior features and are the best security cameras on the market.

4. Performance

Knowing the performance capabilities is the crucial aspect of our comparison article since the main reason why people purchase security cameras is for this critical aspect. If Arlo Q Plus and Arlo Pro can’t meet the minimum requirements of the buyer, there’s no need for us to invest in such devices.

Arlo Pro

Unlike the Arlo Q Plus security camera, Arlo Pro doesn’t record in 24/7 mode. It’ll only start recording when it detects suspicious activity.

You might think of it as a serious problem since there’s no guarantee that Arlo Pro will be able to capture all the important things happening in its field of view.

Luckily, there’s nothing to worry about. Arlo Pro’s sensors are pretty advanced and effortlessly capture every moving thing.

Also Read: Arlo Pro Security Camera vs First-Generation Arlo

The video quality of Arlo Pro is excellent. It’s true that it could’ve been better, but the 720p camera takes clean and vivid images. We’ve tested the quality of the camera while viewing the live feed and compared it with the downloaded clips.

As expected, the quality didn’t change a bit. You might wonder why on earth Arlo didn’t upgrade to a 1080p camera. If you think about it more, you might realise that it was due to the low-power wireless connectivity.

The main reason why Arlo didn’t upgrade to 1080p was the battery life. Since the 720p camera consumes less energy, this means that, as the company promised, Arlo’s battery life will last for more than six months.

We’ve personally tested the security camera and can confirm that the longevity of Arlo is incredible.

If you’re interested in how well the security camera records, take a look at the sample video posted below:

So the recording quality of Arlo Pro is terrific. You’ll have zero trouble figuring out who’s trespassing on your property. As for the viewing angle, Arlo Pro has a 130-degree field of view. While some might argue that it’s not enough, if you rewatch the video, you’ll see that we easily control the front yard with a single Arlo security camera.

The night-vision of Arlo Pro is excellent. We’ve conducted a few tests, and it has a range of 25 feet and shows a superb image.

The motion detection of Arlo is outstanding. It can be considered as one of the most important features since it’s what we rely on to detect and notify us about any intruders.

The sensitivity of Arlo is adjustable, and if it’s too high or low, you can change it. At first, our security camera was sending a lot of false alerts, but after adjusting the sensitivity levels of Arlo, it became more human-movement oriented and drastically decreased the false alert cases.

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The two-way audio feature is one of the main reasons the security camera gained popularity. While your voice might sound a bit robotic (due to the wireless aspect and power saving), you’ll get used to it quite quickly.

With this newly added feature, you can have full conversations with your guests. Alternatively, if you’re out of town and Arlo notifies you that someone is passing by, if they do something suspicious, you can scare them off by using the ‘Two-Way Talk’ feature.

Lastly, if anyone is considering installing the Arlo Pro beyond 200 feet: rest assured; we tested this, and it works fine within 220 feet range. Note that the Wi-Fi range mostly depends on the router and power of the connectivity.

Arlo Q Plus

To begin with, the camera capabilities of Arlo Q Plus are lovely. The 1080p camera captures ideal images in high quality. If you’re interested how well the security camera records, take a look at this:

Like the Arlo Pro, the Q Plus has a 130-degree field of view. If you’d like to take a closer look at something that isn’t visible while watching the live feed or the recorded clips, just zoom in and don’t worry about the quality loosening.

The zooming feature of Arlo Q Plus is enhanced, and it magnifies without losing the original quality of the video. The night-vision of Q Plus is flawless. If compared with Arlo Pro, it’s slightly better since the camera capabilities are superior.

The motion and sound detection systems of Arlo Q Plus are powerful. It quickly detects human activity, but sometimes Arlo has trouble differentiating it from, for example, vehicle movement.

Regulating the sensitivity levels of the security camera is essential. Otherwise, it’ll miss or send too many false alerts.

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What makes the Arlo Q Plus different from other security cameras is the ability to configure motion zones. If you feel like the security camera should focus more on certain parts of your house, you can do so by limiting its activity zone.

By doing so, the Q Plus will become smarter and more focused. The chances of being falsely triggered also decrease. If you want to know how to configure the motion zones, take a look at the picture below:

We’ve made the configuration so that the security camera sends instant alerts as soon as it detects activity in that specific area. As expected, the feature worked pretty well and we didn’t encounter any issues with it.

The two-way audio of Arlo Q Plus is excellent. You can hear the conversation held in the same room Q Plus is present, and if you have something to say, you can join in by using the ‘two-way audio’ feature.

The most significant advantage that makes the Q Plus outstanding is the built-in MicroSD slot that supports up to 128GB. If you don’t like the idea of paid subscriptions, it’s a beautiful feature that grants the ability to record continuous video without spending a single penny.

5. Mobile Application

It’s vital for both Arlo security cameras to have functional mobile applications since this heavily influences the user experience. If it’s too low and customers feel uncomfortable, it won’t take long for them to start looking for alternatives.

Arlo’s Mobile Application

Since both security cameras use the same mobile application, there’s no need to discuss it in separate topics.

While Arlo’s mobile application isn’t my favourite, it’s one of the best ones on the market. Arlo’s app is easy to use, intuitive and well-structured. It offers fast-access features and is completely free of bugs.

If you’re interested how Arlo’s mobile application looks on the inside, I’ve dropped a few pictures that show the most critical parts of the app.

So we have three sections to navigate from – Mode, Devices, and Library. Before moving forward, let’s find out what purposes these three serve:

• Mode – We have three modes: Armed, Disarmed and Geofencing. For example, if Arlo is in ‘Armed’ mode and detects activity, the security camera will send an alert to your phone and record a 5-second clip.
• Devices – You can find all the connected Arlo security cameras with their current statuses in this section of the app.
• Library – If you’re interested in the footage your security camera recorded, visit the Library section to review them.

Another exciting thing we need to note here is the geofencing feature. It relies on the location of your phone and uses it to arm or disarm the security camera. For instance, if you leave home, Arlo will take notice and will switch to the ‘Armed’ mode.

Arlo’s mobile application allows you to control up to 15 connected devices. There’s also a scheduling feature that, as the majority of buyers reported, is a bit confusing. If you don’t have time to read all the manuals and do some tests and tweaks, just activate the geofencing feature, and it’ll automate the whole arm and disarming system.

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Frankly, the mobile application of Arlo is quite good, and it’s free of bugs and glitches. We’ve rarely seen the app freezing or crashing. Plus, Arlo fixed the majority of bugs people reported.

6. Advantages and Disadvantages

It’s essential to know the advantages and disadvantages of both security cameras to avoid any misunderstandings before purchasing either of these two. To find out the pros and cons of Arlo Pro and Q Plus, we’ve created two detailed charts that show all the advantages and disadvantages of both.

Arlo Pro Security Camera

PROS	CONS
Two-Way Audio	Mobile Application Lag & Bugs
720p HD Video	Expensive
130° Field of View
Flexible Mobile Application
Several Modes
Rechargeable Battery
Email & Mobile Notifications
Live Stream
Sharp Night Vision
Works Well Over 200 Feet Distance	Purchase Arlo Pro

Arlo Q Plus Security Camera

PROS	CONS
Two-Way Audio	Single-User Mobile Application
1080p HD Video	Difficult Custom Zones Setup
130° Field of View
Flexible Mobile Application
Night-Vision
Ethernet
Built-in microSD
Motion & Sound Sensors
Activity Zones
Enhanced Motion Detection	Purchase Arlo Q Plus

Those are the main pros and cons of Arlo Q Plus and Arlo Pro. Both security cameras offer great features with a few cons. Depending on your needs, both can meet or even exceed your expectations.

7. Support

When people purchase smart gadgets, they often get lost during certain processes. After failing to find answers on their own, as a last resort, they reach out to the support teams for help. If the customer service of a company is poor and can’t provide professional answers and tips, customers will feel let down, and the user experience will noticeably drop.

Luckily, the customer care area of Arlo is well-known for being responsive, professional and helpful. I’ve personally reached out a few times and always received expert answers and tips.

So if you ever encounter issues with your Arlo security cameras, reach out to customer support. I’m sure they’ll gladly help with any problems you might be facing.

8. Comparison Chart: Arlo Pro vs Arlo Q Plus

The last thing we’d like to do is present a detailed chart where we directly compare the most critical aspects of Arlo Q Plus and Arlo Pro.

NAME OF THE SECURITY CAMERA	ARLO PRO	ARLO Q PLUS
Security Camera Name	Arlo Pro	Arlo Q Plus
Video Quality	720p HD	1080p HD
Field of View	130°	130°
Mobile Application	Yes	Yes
Night Vision	Yes	Yes
Motion Detection	Yes	Yes
Intelligent Alerts	No	Yes
Audio Capabilities	Yes	Yes
Live Stream	Yes	Yes
Third-Party Friendliness	High	High
Easy to Set Up	Yes	Yes
Notifications on Phone	Yes	Yes
Dimensions Of The Product	3.1 x 1.9 x 2.8 inches	4.93 x 5.99 x 4.45 inches
Problems	Mobile Application Bugs	Mobile Application Bugs
Unique Feature	Completely Wire-free & Smart Siren	Built-in MicroSD & Ethernet
Warranty	1-year	1-year
Check Price

The chart shows the capabilities of both security cameras. While the features seem to be quite similar, there’s a difference regarding performance. The key difference between Arlo Q Plus and Arlo Pro is that the Q Plus is meant for indoor use only while the Pro model can work both outdoor and indoor.

The third-party integrations of both security cameras are lovely. They happily integrate with IFTTT, SmartThings, and other popular smart home products.

The Bottom Line

So the main difference between these models is where you’d like to place them. If you think about purchasing the Q Plus model and plan on putting it outdoors, that’s not a good idea since it won’t withstand the harsh weather environments.

On the other hand, Arlo Pro is a weatherproof security camera that happily works both indoors and outdoors. If you haven’t decided where to mount the security camera, purchasing the Pro model would be a better decision since it’ll give you more options in the long run.

Furthermore, if you’re fond of wireless security cameras and don’t like the concept of plugging, Arlo Pro will be a better fit for you.

If you’re looking for a quality indoor camera, purchasing the Arlo Q Plus is a brilliant decision since it’s one of the best indoor security cameras on the market. With its outstanding capabilities, you’ll instantly fall in love with it.

On top of this, the built-in MicroSD makes the Arlo Q Plus even more attractive since it eliminates the need of subscribing to a paid cloud service.

Lastly, both Arlo Pro and Arlo Q Plus are top-notch security cameras that have best-seller statuses with thousands of positive reviews. These security cameras offer amazing features and increase the overall security levels of your house.

While deciding which one to purchase, make sure you understand your requirements. After you’ve figured it out, get the one that fits your needs the most.