Lorex vs Night Owl Security Cameras

If you're doing some research before you set up a high-quality home security system, Lorex and Night Owl security cameras are products you've probably heard of before.

Both offer several key benefits and can contribute significantly to your home security. Still, you must understand which suits your situation best, so we'll be discussing both to ensure you make the correct purchasing decisions for your home or business setup.

Lorex vs. Night Owl Security - What do they have in common?

Lorex and Night Owl are both advanced camera-based home security systems that encompass various features to homeowners interested in self-managing their security systems. In addition, both options support local storage using SD cards to accomplish this.

You can customize both systems to fit your home, and both come with an app that you can download on your phone or tablet and use to easily monitor your system performance and security. Both systems can also support night vision which is very useful for security after hours.

Both Lorex and Night Owl are compatible with Google assistant.

Lorex vs. Night Owl - What are the differences?

While both are worthy surveillance systems in their own right, there are many differences. The most notable difference is that Lorex is an "old faithful" product that has been around for several years already in comparison to Night Owl, which is relatively new on the security scene (though it is growing in popularity).

There are several key differences in terms of hardware, too. However, most favor Lorex with its service offering 1080p HD camera quality, temperature sensors, and the ability for your security to be monitored by third-party professionals.

On the other hand, Night Owl can offer you both wired and wireless devices. Additionally, Night Owl offers DVR and NVR.

What you need to know about Lorex

Installation

Every Lorex Camera is designed with DIY installation in mind, and the company advises that setup is simple irrespective of the camera model. However, installation time and difficulty vary because there are wired, wireless, and power over Ethernet Lorex camera options.

No matter which model you purchase, each will come with a detailed installation guide and requires tools most DIY enthusiasts have at home, like drills and screwdrivers. Everything you need to operate your new Lorex camera will come in the box.

Home Automation

Lorex doesn't have a vast selection of smart home integration options; it will work with Alexa, Google Assistant, Apple TV, and IFTTT, which allows you to create rules with IFTTT with other smart home devices. However, unlike many security companies, Lorex doesn't offer any home automation products of its own.

Features

Lorex offers an array of features such as local storage with external hard drives, two-way voice communication, in addition to push notifications sent to your mobile app for effective and convenient monitoring when alerts are triggered.

Pricing

Prices can somewhat vary due to the large variety of bundles and models to choose from. For example, customers can purchase standalone cameras or a bundle of cameras (of up to 32); prices start at $99 for a single camera.

Wireless cameras offer SD card recording options, but if you choose a Lorex camera model with a higher resolution, you'll want to choose a DVR or NVR to store video because there is no cloud option offered. In addition, Lorex IP cameras connect to an NVR, while MPX cameras use a DVR. DVRs are geared towards homes, and NVRs are geared towards business purposes.

Nerd Pros

• Wide Selection: Thanks to Lorex's expansive selection, irrespective of whether you live in a small apartment or large home or you're securing a business, they can cater to your security needs.
• No Added Costs: Many companies require customers to pay an additional monthly fee to unlock top-tier features or store extra videos. Lorex security cameras are an exception. While some cameras have more features than others, you'll never be made to pay extra to utilize what the product has to offer.
• Customized motion detection: Most outdoor security cameras will have a motion-activated alert system; however, it is necessary to prevent false alerts (for example, for a car driving past) you can customize the motion detection feature by increasing or decreasing sensitivity to try to reduce the risk of any false alerts.

Nerd Cons

• Larger Outlay: While the cost of this security camera system isn't outrageous, it can be higher than competitors' systems because there is no subscription plan; customers have to incur a higher upfront cost with these products.
• Confusing options: Despite how helpful the customer services team is for new customers seeking information regarding their options, the array of options can be confusing to navigate. Product choices could be better laid out and explained so as not to overwhelm customers.
• Smart home integration: While some integrative features are offered, they could be expanded significantly above and beyond what is currently offered.

What you need to know about Night Owl

Installation

Installation should be a breeze if you're in the market for an NVR system since Night Owl's NVR systems connect wirelessly, removing the need to do any complex hard wiring.

However, the DVR system still requires hardwiring with 60-foot cables, potentially lending itself to being a more challenging install.

Home Automation

Some other security system companies offer reams of smart home capabilities that easily integrate, which, sadly, Night Owl doesn't. However, This company does offer two distinct features.

Smart Doorbell: A 1080p doorbell Camera that allows you to answer the doorbell with your smart device, whether you're home or not. You can use two-way audio to tell a delivery person where to leave your parcel or tell a visitor when to expect you home.

Smart Safe: This is a unique security feature that can give you peace of mind that your valuables are safe at home when you're not. The smart safe communicates with your smart device via wifi which allows you to check its status and receive notifications anytime the keypad is touched, the safe has been opened, or otherwise disturbed.

Pricing

Pricing is also variable with Night Owl, with prices beginning at around $80 for a basic two-camera setup. However, the cost can be much higher, with a 14-camera NVR package potentially costing $1500.

Nerd Pros

• Easy Install: Install for the NVR system would typically be straightforward to accomplish and not require expensive professional assistance.
• High-Resolution DVR cameras: The majority of Night owl's DVR options tend to have 5 MP cameras, which is pretty high resolution for CCTV cameras, which tend to average 1080p.
• Reliable Connection: DVR wired systems can offer a benefit as they have a direct, more reliable connection that is less likely to experience any interference.

Nerd Cons

• Limited cable reach: Your cable reach may mean your options for camera placement are limited, consequently restricting your field of view.
• Camera Quality: Night Owl's NVR cameras have 1080p picture, which is great, but not as good as the 5 MP (megapixel) you can get with some DVR systems. Lorex offers a wireless camera with 1080p quality.
• Mobile App: Of course, a mobile app is usually a plus; however, many customers report bugs and difficulties using the app on both iPhone and Android, which is a significant negative for any home security camera in this day and age.

Lorex vs. Night Owl - Making Your Pick

Both companies offer solid cameras with no monthly fees. However - since neither offers third-party monitoring, self-monitoring is really the name of the game.  Because of this, we recommend Lorex, due to their superior mobile app. If you're not worried about checking on on things and just want to have a recording of events happening outside your home - either option would be fine.