Today, dozens of manufacturers advertise their products as top-notch security cameras. They promise exciting features, high durability, reliability, and security.
Sadly, not all of those statements can be trusted since the majority promote nonfunctional, unreliable and poorly-built security cameras that fail to do the job.
On the bright side, Arlo and Canary are two notable, trusted and innovative companies that have released several best-selling security cameras. Arlo Pro and Canary Flex are two popular and reliable devices that offer high levels of security and interesting features.
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Arlo Pro vs Canary: Pros & Cons and Verdict
In this Arlo vs Canary article, we'll rate, compare and evaluate the most important aspects of both security cameras. We'll present comparison charts, and lastly, we'll come up with a reasonable verdict and crown one of these two as a leading product.
1. Installation Process
The first topic we need to write about is the installation processes for Arlo and Canary. Today, everyone looks for devices that are easy to set up; they want to be able to complete the task quickly and efficiently themselves. For smart home products, a user-friendly setup process is now considered the norm.
Arlo Pro Security Camera
Arlo Pro is a DIY security camera that has a simple installation process. I won't write a step-by-step guide since Arlo uploaded an excellent video that perfectly explains how to set up your security camera.
I've personally done the setup and can guarantee that there's no chance of messing up. If something still goes awry, don't worry – Arlo Pro's package includes a well-written user manual that explains everything in detail.
Alternatively, reaching out to the Arlo support team is another option. Those people are superb and will help with any issue you might be facing.
Canary Flex
Canary Flex is another wireless, DIY security camera that takes just minutes to complete the activation. As with Arlo, there's no need to include a written guide as Canary has uploaded this video to take you through the steps.
So the setup process of Canary Flex is pretty simple and doesn't require any professional assistance. Simply check the user manual if something goes wrong and, as a last resort, reach out to Canary's customer care.
2. Design
It's essential for modern devices to be both functional and good-looking. Smart home shoppers always look for beautifully-designed and eye-catching security cameras that, if necessary, will be hard to spot and disguised.
Arlo Pro Security Camera
Arlo Pro is one of the most beautifully-designed security cameras on the market. It would seem the majority of Arlo and Arlo Pro security camera owners are happy with its sleek, state-of-the-art look, and, reflecting this, Arlo hasn't felt the need to try and upgrade the design.
If you're not familiar with Arlo Pro's looks, take a look at the picture posted above. Arlo is only available in white; the dimensions are 2.8 x 1.9 x 3.1 inches, and it weighs about 1 pound.
Arlo Pro looks terrific when mounted and it blends perfectly with its environment, whether inside or outside. I've met other Arlo owners, and all had a positive opinion of this security camera's design.
Canary Flex
While people consider Arlo Pro as a visually attractive security camera, Canary Flex is a newly-released device that has also caught people's attention. You can purchase Canary Flex in either white or black. It has a simple, minimalistic design that blends its surroundings, both indoors and outdoors.
The dimensions of Canary Flex are 1.9 x 1.9 x 4.35 inches, and it weighs 1.5 pounds. I've seen the camera mounted and it looks outstanding – magnificent, even.
I've rarely seen a security camera this well designed. The cute design of Canary Flex hides its true identity, and, literally, no one will have a clue that it's a surveillance camera.
3. Features
Buyers of smart devices particularly need to know about the features and capabilities of their potential purchase. It's essential for a security camera to have all the necessary features that will make the device functional, reliable and secure.
We need to be sure that Arlo Pro and Canary Flex offer high levels of security and that there's no chance of them disappointing us. Hence we've created a detailed chart that shows the main features of both security cameras.
| ARLO PRO SECURITY CAMERA | CANARY FLEX | |
|---|---|---|
| 100% Wire-Free | 100% Wire-Free | |
| Two-way Audio | Intelligent Motion Detection | |
| Night-Vision | Live View | |
| 720p HD Video | Two-way Audio | |
| Local Storage | 720p HD Video | |
| Smart Siren | Wi-Fi Enabled | |
| Web Application | 2-Way Audio | |
| Rechargeable Batteries | One-Touch Emergency Access | |
| FREE Cloud Storage | Privacy Mode | |
|
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Both security cameras have useful features and exceed the majority of competitors in every major aspect.
Canary Flex and Arlo Pro are top-notch security cameras that offer every feature that is required for a security camera to be considered powerful and reliable.
4. Performance
We can think of this part of our comparison article as the most important one. The main reason why people purchase security cameras is their performance capabilities. If Canary and Arlo can't deliver satisfying results, there's no incentive for us to invest in such devices.
So we need to find out and make sure that Arlo Pro and Canary Flex are genuinely as good as people say.
Arlo Pro
Arlo Pro is a top-rated security camera with perfect features and outstanding capabilities. Arlo Pro records in high quality and the 720p camera captures clear and quality images.
Besides the advantages and all the positive things people say about the Arlo Pro, there are a few drawbacks that can be problematic. The inability to record in 24/7 mode raises some questions, and people often panic at the thought of not being able to monitor all activity.
Suggested Read: Nest Cam Outdoor vs Arlo Pro: Pros & Cons and Verdict
Some even think that relying on Arlo's sensors are a mistake and the security camera can't guarantee to capture the entirety of suspicious activity. While this might be partially true, Arlo Pro's sensors are pretty advanced and ensure that all the motion and sound alerts are captured.
You can configure Arlo's motion and sound sensors, and there's a feature to adjust the sensitivity levels so that the security camera sends less false alerts. If you think that the Arlo Pro is falsely triggered, try lowering the sensitivity levels.
Arlo Pro records in 720p quality and has a 130-degree field of view. Some might argue that the 720p camera isn't enough to capture clean videos, but as soon as you witness the capabilities of Arlo you'll see that the quality is top-notch.
If you're interested how well the Arlo Pro records, I've dropped a small video that shows the camera capabilities.
One of the main reasons why Arlo Pro is a huge success is the two-way audio feature. It made the security camera extraordinary, and, consequently, Arlo has easily outranked all its competitors.
For example, if you're out of town and Arlo sends an alert, you can simply view the footage; and if the alert is triggered by a stranger trespassing on your property, you can scare them off using the two-way audio feature.
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Your voice will sound a bit robotic due to the wireless aspect and power saving, but you’ll get used to it quickly. As for the coverage, the extended Wi-Fi coverage of Arlo Pro is superb. Arlo Pro works great within 250 feet, and that's more than enough.
Canary Flex
Canary Flex is another powerful security camera that instantly gained praise as soon as it was released. In contrast to the first-generation Canary, the Flex model works both indoor and outdoor. It offers better features and functions at a higher level.
Also Read: Nest Cam Indoor vs Canary All-in-One: Pros & Cons and Verdict
Canary Flex's camera records in 720p and captures high-quality vids. The 116-degree viewing angle is a bit narrow, but the security camera is still good at capturing the surroundings.
Canary Flex offers a paid membership program that comes with a few perks. For one, if you subscribe, you get to use the two-way audio feature (which Arlo Pro offers for free). Other perks include insurance deductible reimbursement, extended warranty, and incident support.
There's also a 30-day cloud storage for paid members, and you're eligible for a dedicated representative who will help to find any video recorded in the past 30 days. The paid membership might sound like a great thing, but it's important to know that it costs $10/monthly to connect a single security camera.
If you plan on using multiple Canary Flexes, you'll have to pay more (connecting new Canary Flex security cameras are $5 per month each).
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Canary Flex lately introduced the live streaming feature and made a statement that there are no more issues with the loading problem.
The motion detection system of Canary Flex is quite good and easily detects human activity. We've seen cases when the sensors were falsely triggered, but those instances are rare.
5. Mobile Application
Besides everything we've discussed, one of the leading aspects that make a security camera desirable is its mobile application since we have to use it quite often to monitor, control and track the activities of our devices.
It's essential for Arlo and Canary to have functional mobile applications so that the user experience doesn't fall. If the apps of Arlo Pro and Canary Flex are buggy, messy and glitchy, buyers will become disappointed and eventually switch to different manufacturers.
Arlo Pro Security Camera
Arlo Pro's mobile application is clean and comfortable to use. It's intuitive and offers fast access features. Arlo's mobile app is one of the best on the market, and it never crashes, glitches or freezes.
The mobile application of Arlo had some problems, and a lot of users reported the app unexpectedly freezing and requiring a reload for it to start functioning. Luckily, it's solved, and we've never encountered a similar problem since.
The interface of Arlo's mobile application is simple; if you want to take a look, check out the pictures posted below. Besides the iOS and Android mobile apps, there's a web app for you to access via desktop.
So, three sections are mainly used for monitoring, controlling and reviewing the activities of our security cameras.
- Mode – Arlo Pro has three main modes – Armed, Disarmed and Geofencing. For example, if you have the ‘Armed' mode activated, as soon as your security camera detects activity, it'll record a 5-second clip and will send a notification to your smartphone.
- Devices – You can view the current statuses and connected Arlo devices, battery life, and connectivity in the ‘Device' section.
- Library – The library section stores all the clips recorded by your security cameras. If you want to review those footages, the library is the place to go.
Before moving forward, the last thing we'd like to note here is the geofencing feature of Arlo Pro. It's still in beta mode but works quite well.
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If you don't know what the feature does, I'll explain: Geofencing tracks the location of your smartphone and acts as it sees fit. For example, if you leave home, Arlo will switch modes so that it doesn't miss anything from its field of view.
Canary Flex
Canary's mobile application is available for iOS and Android. They've also introduced a web app that allows access from a desktop computer. The app itself is clean, easy to navigate and intuitive. We've rarely had cases of it crashing or freezing.
What we love about the mobile app of Canary Flex is the timeline feature. It allows you to review time-stamped events from the past 24 hours. You can access useful information like who armed or disarmed the security camera when the registered users came home and if there were any triggers during your absence.
If you're interested how the mobile application looks on the inside, take a look at the pictures posted below.
The interface is pretty simple, responsive, well-structured and intuitive. The homepage of the app shows the connectivity, battery power, and a button to launch the live feed.
While the app itself works well and there aren't any signs of lags, when you launch the live feed there's a small delay, and sometimes we've encountered significant slowdowns in the stream.
Like the Arlo Pro, Canary uses three main modes: Home, Away, and Night. Canary can switch between modes automatically, but you can intervene if you want to do something differently.
Canary will stay focused while you're away and will record everything it finds suspicious. While you're home, it's better to disarm the security camera to protect your and other registered user privacy.
The ‘Night' mode helps to control your house at night when you're asleep. Canary was good at detecting people walking around the house at night. It instantly starts recording and makes the contents available to all registered users.
6. Advantages and Disadvantages
What we need to write about now is the advantages and disadvantages of Canary Flex and Arlo Pro. It's important to know all the pros and cons to avoid any misunderstandings before making any purchase decision.
Hence we've created two detailed charts that list all the advantages and disadvantages of both security cameras.
Arlo Pro Security Camera
| PROS | CONS | |
|---|---|---|
| Two-Way Audio | Mobile Application Bugs | |
| 720p HD Video | Pricey | |
| 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 | ||
| Local Storage | Purchase Arlo Pro |
Canary All-in-One
| PROS | CONS | |
|---|---|---|
| Easy to Set Up | Perks Only for Paid Members | |
| Intelligent Motion Detection | Frequent False Alerts | |
| 720p Camera | No Local Storage | |
| Flexible Mobile Application | Batteries not user-replaceable | |
| Live View | ||
| Web Application | ||
| Night Vision | ||
| Intelligent Alerts | ||
| Two-Way Audio | ||
| Unlimited Exports | Purchase Canary Flex |
So both of these security cameras have some nice sets of features, and Arlo and Canary offer a uniqueness that sets them apart from other surveillance cameras. While Arlo Pro leads in the comparison, Canary also offers high security and reliability.
The main disadvantage of Canary Flex is the fact that it restricts users from accessing specific features unless they subscribe to the paid membership plan. That's a huge issue where, in comparison, Arlo wins big.
7. Support
It's vital for smart home manufacturers to offer quality customer care areas. A lot of buyers get lost during specific processes and cannot complete tasks without additional assistance.
If customers fail to find an answer in the user manual, forums and guides, as a last resort they reach out to the support teams.
Luckily, Arlo and Canary are well-known for having great support teams. I've reached out to both and always received professional answers and tips.
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