Lorex Security Camera Cost and Pricing

Buying a Lorex camera isn’t easy. The wireless security solutions section currently has four pages of products. Don’t even ask about the wired options. It’s a shame because the equipment is excellent. The durability of the commercial-grade cameras is one of the reasons we put Lorex on our list of best business security cameras.

Lorex also has some options that are perfect for residential settings. If you can find them. But we can help with that. We have plenty of experience buying Lorex products and know the best security cameras and equipment to look out for. In this article, we’ll go through the pricing and features so you know what you’re getting. Let’s get started.

Package pricing

Equipment Options: Cost, Features & Installation

Security cameras are just one type of product that Lorex sells on its online store. You’ll also find DVRs, NVRs, and a range of accessories. We can skip these for now. The best place to start is by choosing a camera type.

There are analog cameras, digital IP cameras, Wi-Fi cameras, and wire-free cameras. You’ll notice on the website that some appear in two categories. These are the hybrid models. Let’s break down how all the types of cameras compare.

*Some features, like remote live streaming and push notifications, require an internet connection.
**Not all models support these features. Check the specific camera models before making any purchase.

As for hybrid systems, the price can range from a few hundred dollars to over $2,000. It all depends on how many cameras are included in the system and what types of cameras they are. Our advice if you’re leaning towards a hybrid system is to check how many wired cameras and wireless cameras the system can support. You’ll typically find DVRs or NVRs that support up to eight wireless cameras and eight wired cameras.

We recommend building your security system slowly. Buy a couple of cameras and see if they meet your expectations. It’s easy enough to add more equipment in the future, and it’s better than spending thousands of dollars and being disappointed with the result. Plus, you get to see how much coverage the cameras capture and if you need to address any blind spots.

Analog Cameras

Analog cameras are as old-school as Walkman and Betamax. (Remember those?) But that doesn’t mean they’re obsolete. While they record analog videos, they transfer and store them to a DVR recorder that saves the videos in digital format. That means you can access those same recordings using a computer or even upload them to a personal cloud storage.

Those aren’t the only modern features you can enjoy with analog cameras. You can also integrate them with Alexa and Google Assistant, with some even allowing you to stream live videos on a smart display such as the Echo Show.

We also saw a few DVRs that support person detection and facial recognition. What makes these DVRs special is that all the post-processing is done locally, so they technically don’t need an internet connection to know if the video contains a person.

However, note that most of those advanced features happen on the DVR, not the camera itself. So if you’re picking up analog Lorex cameras, look at the DVR features rather than just the features of the cameras.

In total, Lorex offers a whopping selection of over 50 analog camera systems. These systems include a wide range of components with varying resolutions from 1080p HD to 4K, different camera types like pan-and-tilt and fixed-angle, and models suitable for indoor and outdoor use. Here are some examples:

Digital IP Cameras

Unlike analog cameras that use a coaxial cable for data transfer, digital IP cameras can use either an Ethernet cable or Wi-Fi. That makes them more scalable and easier to set up. And speaking of easy setup, you’ll find digital IP cameras from lorex that offer a Power over Ethernet (PoE) connection. That means they draw power from the same Ethernet cable they use for data transfer. Lorex has some of the best PoE cameras we’ve seen.

One downside of digital cameras is they are prone to hacking. The same can be said about any camera that connects to the internet, but IP cameras are particularly susceptible because they stream data via the Internet Protocol (IP) that doesn’t provide much security beyond password protection for your account. That’s why we recommend changing your camera’s default password, and use a strong one!

Another downside of IP cameras? The cost. Digital IP cameras are typically pricier than analog ones. So even though digital IP cameras support larger ecosystems, we suggest keeping the system small to save money.

Wire-free Cameras

Wire-free cameras have ups and downs, but when it comes to ease-of-set-up, they are the clear winners. Lorex wire-free IP cameras connect to the internet via Wi-Fi and use batteries for power. That means they are a cinch to set up. And with current technology, wireless security equipment is more than reliable enough.

Before deciding to go with Lorex wire-free cameras, know that they come with inconveniences. For one, you need to recharge the battery from time to time. In our experience with a couple of battery-powered Lorex cameras, that can be as often as every three months, depending on use. Aside from that, you have to make sure the camera gets good Wi-Fi coverage when setting it up.

Here are examples of Lorex wire-free cameras systems, which include two to six cameras.

Another thing to keep in mind is that Lorex’s wire-free cameras are a little different from the wire-free cameras we see from brands like Arlo. The Arlo wire-free cameras we tested connected to Wi-Fi directly and used cloud storage for video recording. As such, we had to pay a minimal subscription fee to activate our Arlo cloud. With Lorex, the wire-free cameras stream to a DVR for local storage, which means we didn’t need a cloud subscription (although that was an available option as well).

We should also warn you that wire-free cameras have limited range, so while installing them is a breeze, you have to make sure each camera gets reception from your Wi-Fi. In case your Wi-Fi signal is not strong enough to reach your cameras, you might have to invest in a good Wi-Fi extender or upgrade to a Wi-Fi mesh system, adding to the cost of the already expensive wire-free cameras.

Wi-Fi Cameras

If you’re more used to cameras that don’t come with a DVR or NVR – such as what the Nest Cam offers – turn to Lorex’s Wi-Fi camera catalog. These cameras run on power from a wall outlet, but they connect to Wi-Fi like wire-free cameras. Their biggest distinction is that they store videos locally to a microSD card and backup clips in the cloud. Some prefer that because there’s no pressure to keep locally stored videos safe. If, let’s say, a burglar steals the camera itself (where the microSD card is plugged in), you’d still have backup of your recordings in the cloud.

The downside? Well, you might need to pay for a cloud subscription to extend your cloud access. Lorex offers free cloud storage, but for only seven days. That means you can store each clip for up to seven days before it gets removed permanently. Fortunately, a cloud subscription is really cheap. Lorex offers several options depending on the camera model, but we saw plans as low as $2.99 per month for 30 days of cloud storage.

Wi-Fi cameras from Lorex are closely similar to the cameras we see from brands like Ring, Nest Cam, and Arlo. You can read our Ring camera review for an overview. Wi-Fi cameras are more flexible because you can manage them individually, unlike DVR- or NVR-connected cameras that are managed as a group. We think it’s best for homes that need less than five cameras, though. Wi-Fi cameras connect to your router individually, so having more than five might overcrowd your network.

Fusion Collection

As briefly mentioned earlier, Fusion bundles support both wired digital IP cameras and Wi-Fi cameras in one security camera system. As the Wi-Fi cameras offer the most advanced features, they take Lorex’s IP camera systems to the next level when used with Fusion bundles. Here are a few examples to choose from.

Fusion bundles are the most flexible, and since they use both digital IP cameras and Wi-Fi cameras, you can easily build a system to cover your entire property. For instance, you might find it easier to install Wi-Fi cameras outdoors and wired IP cameras indoors. With Fusion bundles, you can do just that.

Keep in mind, though, that compatibility will be a strong factor here. Not all Wi-Fi cameras are compatible with DVRs and vice versa. Once again, it’s best to start with a simple system, and if you feel that you need more coverage down the line, add security cameras as you see fit. You’ll be able to filter which cameras work with your DVR once you have the DVR’s model number.

Installation Cost

Most security camera brands these days don’t require professional installation, and the same is true with Lorex. Lorex will ship your new cameras to you, and then you’ll install them yourself. They may look intimidating to install, but it’s very doable. Besides a couple of hiccups – we had a hard time connecting the Lorex 4K Dual Lens to Wi-Fi – our install process went smoothly.

Of course, not everyone is comfortable doing the job themselves, especially if you have five or more cameras lined up to be installed. If you want professional help familiar with Lorex installation, look up InstallerNet. They are a third-party home installation service that Lorex partnered with for professional installation. Pricing is on a case-to-case basis, but in our experience, professional home security installation across the industry starts at around $100.

Monthly Fees and Monitoring Costs

One of the great things about Lorex is that there are no mandatory monthly fees. Since most of Lorex’s cameras record to a DVR or NVR locally, you don’t need a cloud subscription, which is what most camera brands charge for monthly.

That said, Lorex offers cloud backup add-ons at different rates depending on the camera model. One we saw was the Lorex Cloud Storage plan, which costs $2.99 for each camera and $9.99 for unlimited cameras installed in one location. Both options provide 30 days of cloud storage.

For reference, that’s almost as good as the offer from Ring, one of our favorite brands for its cloud subscription. Ring’s cloud storage plan (Ring Protect Plus) costs $10 per month. It stores videos for 180 days, also from unlimited cameras like Lorex.

Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, and Other Integrations

Whenever we review a security system, we stack its value not only based on its built-in features but also on how well it works with the smart home products in our lives. And although Lorex looks less tech-y than Nest, Arlo, and Ring, it does pretty well in the integrations department. In fact, most Lorex DVRs and NVRs can now connect with Alexa, Google Assistant, Apple TVs, and Chromecasts.1 The unit we tested had both Alexa and Google Assistant support.

The Alexa and Google Assistant integrations make it possible to control Lorex using your voice. You could ask Alexa or Google Assistant to show you live feed from cameras on a smart speaker with a screen, like the Amazon Echo Show for Alexa or Google Nest Hub for Google Assistant. On the other hand, the Apple TV and Chromecast integrations provide a way to check real-time feeds on a bigger screen. If you own any of these smart home products, aim for Lorex systems that advertise smart home voice control and smart TV integrations.

Is Lorex Better Than Its Competitors?

We also want to show how Lorex compares to other brands and to industry standards. By doing so, we aim to help you see its real value to your home security.

What stood out the most for us about Lorex was the number of options it offered. Some security camera companies like Canary and Ring only offer a handful of equipment selections, but Lorex provided us multitudes of choices. We admit that choosing was intimidating at first, but once we figured out what we wanted and needed, we were able to narrow down our options.

When it came to features, it was clear that Lorex isn’t your run-of-the-mill security camera brand. It offered features we don’t commonly see such as 4K video quality, smart motion detection a.k.a. person detection, and continuous recording. Most brands that offer such features (Arlo, for example) charge a monthly fee.

Of course, we also experienced setbacks like with wire management and limited app features. Lorex hardware may be good, but it has yet to launch a piece of software good enough to complement its cameras. For starters, we would have liked to see a single app manage all Lorex cameras. As it stands, there are three different apps for different camera and DVR models, making setup and use a little bit more intimidating.

Those weren’t deal-breakers for us, but we thought you should know before spending hundreds of dollars on a security camera system.

Summary: What We Liked Most About Lorex

To sum things up, we think it’s only right to tell you what we felt were Lorex’s strongest points. If these are what you’re looking for in a security camera system, then Lorex might be the right one for you.

Professional-grade equipment

In our hands, Lorex cameras didn’t feel cheap. The cameras were made of metal instead of cheap plastic that we commonly see in security cameras today. Most of the outdoor models were also rated at least IP66 (safe from dust and water jets) and IK10 (vandal-proof).

No monthly fees

No matter how many Lorex cameras we used, we weren’t asked to pay a monthly fee. This is especially beneficial if you have a large property as other camera brands charge a higher monthly fee as you expand your system.

24/7 continuous recording

Except when we told it to stop, Lorex recorded 24/7. It captured every moment, so we rested easy knowing that we’ll have hard evidence in case of a break-in. We know that recordings are crucial in helping law enforcement solve crimes!

Crisp and clear videos

The video quality is always important to us, so we were glad to see Lorex deliver high-quality images all the time. Our system consisted of 1080p cameras or higher that captured and streamed crisp and clear videos with infrared and color night vision.

Advanced, High-Tech Features

Although Lorex still sells analog security cameras, which are quite outdated now, it manages to keep its cameras relevant by adding modern, high-tech features that rival that of newer brands. Our Lorex system offered smart detection and remote app viewing, while more advanced models even have voice assistant and smart TV integrations.

Our Final Thoughts

When we reviewed Lorex, it showed us how professional-grade, high-end surveillance systems fit in a residential setting. We felt protected and secured, and not only because we had eyes watching our home 24/7, but because Lorex is a trustworthy brand.

That said, Lorex isn’t for everybody. Since the brand is camera-centric, it’s not the best choice if you’re looking for a whole-home security system with sensors and automation features. With Lorex, you’ll have to self-monitor as well.

If you’re after a more traditional home security approach with professional monitoring, check out our list of the best home security systems. However, if you’re looking for a security camera — or rather, a camera system — to supplement your existing home security, Lorex is definitely worth considering.