Amcrest vs Foscam- Best Brand for Home & Business Security

We are mentally at peace when we realise that our homes and businesses are secure. We feel relieved when we connect to our people and properties from anywhere. All these are possible through a technologically advanced CCTV system.

We offer a range of security and surveillance brands that provide enhanced and comprehensive home and business security solutions.

The two most prestigious CCTV brands are Amcrest and Foscam. Amcrest is an American brand, whereas Foscam is a Chinese brand. We elaborate here the Amcrest vs Foscam comparative study.

Their comparison reveals their best features and functions. It will help owners get the most suitable product depending on location and budget.

Amcrest vs Foscam- Compare Brands for Home & Business Security

We have evaluated these brands on the following characteristics.

1- Brand Overview- Amcrest vs Foscam

2- Similarities & Differences- Amcrest & Foscam CCTV Brands

3- Pros & Cons- Amcrest Brand & Foscam Brand

4- Product Portfolio

5- Images, Video & Night Vision Quality

6- Smart Features & AI Support

7- Brand Positioning & Price Strategy

8- Internal & Cloud Storage Options

9- Mobile App & Remote Access

10- Installation & Configuration

We discuss these points one by one to deeply understand them.

1. Brand Overview- Amcrest vs Foscam

Amcrest Brand

The Amcrest is an American brand that was formed in 2013 in  Houston, Texas. The company has a wide variety of wired and wireless cameras and recorders. Its wired camera systems are popular worldwide.

The Amcrest brand is affordable with high-quality products. It has a range of CCTVs with IP, PoE, PTZ, wireless and NVRs. All these products are strong and sturdy, and the best for long-lasting CCTV solutions.

The camera has the best resolution up to 4k. It gives clean images day and night. Its wired systems are more well-known than its wireless systems.

Foscam Brand

The Foscam is a Chinese brand. It has affordable cameras with basic smart features. The brand targets the home and small business market segments.

It is a veteran brand that was started in 2007. The company started in the IP camera market segment and gradually penetrated the home and small business security surveillance market segments.

It is known for its wired and wireless cameras with affordability and ease of use. It is more focused on its wireless cameras. It has solar, battery and plug-and-play cameras that can be easily installed. They have basic smart features. Advanced features are locked behind a subscription plan.  

2. Similarities & Differences- Amcrest & Foscam CCTV Brands

Similarities- Amcrest & Foscam Brands

• Both brands have IP cameras for indoors and outdoors.
• Both brands have remote access. They can view their locations live and check playbacks. Amcrest connects through the Amcrest View Pro, and Foscam connects via the Foscam App.
• Both brands have Cloud features. Though it is optional.
• Both brands support ONVIF products. They support third-party platforms like Blue Iris.
• Both brands have local storage. They record on NVRs and SD cards.
• Both brands have IR LEDs that give bright and clean images.
• Both brands have basic smart AI features.

Differences- Amcrest & Foscam Brands

• The Amcrest brand has 4k cameras, and Foscam has 1080p to 5MP resolution cameras.
• The Amcrest has professional-grade CCTV systems, and Foscam has lightweight indoor and outdoor camera systems.
• Amcrest supports dual frequency, 2.4GHz and 5.0GHz. The Foscam supports only 2.4GHz frequency.
• Amcrest has more robust CCTV cameras. Foscam has delicate wireless setups.
• Amcrest is budget-friendly and targets middle and upper-middle market segments. The Foscam brand is more affordable and suitable for mid-tier clients.
• Amcrest has Alexa and Google Assistant integration features. The Foscam has an Alexa feature but a limited Google Assistant feature.

3. Amcrest vs Foscam- Pros & Cons

Amcrest Brand- Pros

• Amcrest cameras are professional-grade. They are strong with good image quality.
• Amcrest devices come up to 4k resolutions.
• Amcrest has strong and sturdy devices with excellent night vision features.
• This brand has spotlight and floodlight models. They provide colour night vision.
• Amcrest has basic AI features. They detect motion and track objects. They give alert signals, sensing threats, and can differentiate between humans and non-humans.
• Its devices are affordable. They are designed for middle-range and upper-middle-range clients.
• They record locally on HDDs and SD cards. Cloud features are optional.
• The brand is ONVIF and RTSP compatible.

Amcrest Brand- Cons

• The Amcrest brand doesn’t have advanced AI features.
• It is a bit costly compared to the Foscam brand.
• The Amcrest app is not updated with modern features.
• Its devices are complex and require technically trained officials.

Foscam Brand- Pros

• Foscam cameras have both wired and wireless models.
• It has affordable pricing compared to Amcrest.
• The Foscam devices are DIY type and good for home and small businesses.
• Its cameras are compact and can store data internally on NVRs and SD cards.
• It has decent AI features.  
• Foscam cameras have resolutions between 1080p and 2k. Its higher-end model gives colour night vision.

Foscam Brand- Cons

• Foscam has no 4k cameras.
• It has no robust cameras like Amcrest models. It has lower build quality.
• Foscam don’t support advanced AI features.
• Very limited third-party support.

4. Amcrest vs Foscam- Product Portfolio

Amcrest Brand

• Bullet and Dome IP cameras- They are 1080p, 2k and 4k. Models available in IRs, spotlight and floodlight. Higher models have WDR features.
• PTZ Cameras- These are pan, tilt and zoom cameras. Highly robust outdoor PTZ cameras with 2k and 4k resolution. Zooming up to 12X.
• NVR & DVR Systems- It has 4-channel, 8-channel, and 16-channel PoE NVR kits.
• Wireless Cameras- These are wireless devices with 1080p to 4k resolutions. They can store data on SD cards.
• Video Doorbell CCTVs- It has 2K and 1080p Wi-Fi doorbell cameras with basic AI features.   

Foscam Brand

• Foscam Indoor/Outdoor Cameras- It has 1080p IP and wireless cameras. Have basic smart features with 2-way audio.
• Wireless Cameras- It has wifi cameras with easy-to-install features.
• PTZ Features- It has pan, tilt and zoom cameras with 4x to 18x optical zoom features.
• NVR Systems- These systems come in 4, 8 and 16 cameras. These are smart, wired systems with DIY capabilities. Good for homes and small locations.
• Doorbell Cameras- It has 2MP Wi-Fi video doorbell cameras with smart features. Doorbell cameras view a wider angle with object classifications.

5. Amcrest vs Foscam- Images, Video & Night Vision Quality

Amcrest Brand

• Amcrest devices have a resolution between 1080p and 4k.
• It gives clean images in low light and darkness.
• It has Starlight sensors and gives clean images in low light and against dark backgrounds.
• The WDR-supported cameras. WDR is available in most models.
• The frame rate supported is 30 frames per second.
• Night vision is good. Can view up to 131 feet in the darkness.

Foscam Brand

• Foscam has a maximum resolution of 5MP.
• The brand has a decent low-light performance. Its devices are IR-studded.
• Foscam’s select models have WDR features.
• It has 25 to 30 frames per second, based on models.
• It has fixed lens cameras.
• Foscam cameras can view up to 60 feet in the darkness.

6. Amcrest vs Foscam- Smart Features & AI Support

Amcrest Brand

• Amcrest devices have basic AI features. Its cameras can detect motion and alert users to suspicious movements.
• It allows marking alert zones against intrusion. Pushes alert messages and signals.
• It’s some models that differentiate between humans, pets and vehicles.
• The facial recognition feature is available in premium devices.

Foscam Brand

• The Foscam model has limited smart features.
• It has a PIR + motion sensor combo in selected devices.
• It can detect motion, track objects and issue alert signals.
• Perimeter protection is limited.

7. Amcrest vs Foscam- Brand Positioning & Price Strategy

Amcrest Brand

• The Amcrest brand is a wired solution for homes and businesses. It is a strong CCTV system targeted at mid-range clients. It is a budget-friendly brand in the consumer-grade market segment.
• Its NVR kits come in the range between $250 and $700.
• Its PTZ cameras come in the range between $150 and $500+.
• Its indoor and outdoor cameras fall in the range of $60 to $200.
• Its wireless cameras come between $40 and $90.

Foscam Brand

• The Foscam brand is a more affordable and budget-friendly brand than the Amcrest.
• The brand is more suitable for price-conscious clients. Those who are looking for decent wireless and wired cameras for homes and small places are its clients.
• Its indoor and outdoor cameras come in the range of $50 to $150.
• Its PTZ cameras fall in the range of $100 to $300.
• Its wifi cameras come in the range of $35 to $75.
• Its NVR kits for 4 and 8 cameras are in the range of $200 to $500.

8. Amcrest vs Foscam- Integration and Compatibility

Amcrest Brand

• The Amcrest brand supports Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant.
• The brand supports third-party products. It is ONVIF-compliant.
• It supports the Home Assistant, Blue Iris and RTSP platforms.

Foscam Brand

• Foscam devices support Amazon Alexa, but it has limited capability for Google Assistant.
• The Foscam devices have limited support for third parties.
• It supports Home Assistant and Blue Iris partially. Supports RTSP.

9. Amcrest vs Foscam- Mobile App & Remote Access

Amcrest Brand

• Amcrest cameras and NVRs can be connected through the Amcrest View Pro App. The app is available for Android and iOS platforms.
• It adds Amcrest and some third-party devices for remote surveillance.
• The Amcrest app gives live streaming, playbacks and device commands.
• This application is basic. It has some primary features only. Not a very intuitive software.
• The Amcrest has software for PC. It is the Amcrest Surveillance Pro CMS app. It is available for Windows and Mac.

Foscam Brand

• The Foscam App adds Foscam devices.
• It is available for Android and iOS users.
• The application can detect motion and support two-way audio.
• Its user interface is decent. The firmware update is irregular.
• The Foscam VMS is available for Windows and Mac.

10. Amcrest vs Foscam- Installation & Configuration

Amcrest Brand

• Amcrest has wired and wireless cameras. Its wireless cameras are DIY type.
• Its wired cameras are professional-grade. They require drilling, cabling and fixing.
• Its installation requires technical assistance.
• The device addition is possible through QR codes or device IDs.

Foscam Brand

• Foscam devices are mostly used in homes and small businesses. It is a DIY type.
• Its wired and wireless installations are not very technical.
• Most devices can be installed without trained personnel.
• Devices can be added via QR codes or device IDs.

Conclusion- Which Brand to Choose? Amcrest vs Foscam

Choose Amcrest

• If you want wired systems on a larger scale.
• If you want 4k cameras and 4K supported NVRs.
• If you want advanced AI features compared to Foscam features.
• If you want durable and reliable devices.
• If you want third-party-supported devices and apps.

Choose Foscam

• If you want highly budget-friendly products for homes and small places.
• If you want compact cameras with a DIY installation type.
• If you want decent, smart, featured cameras.

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