Arlo vs Swann- A Verdict on When to Buy Arlo or Swann

The modern infrastructural developments and evolution of work culture have rapidly increased the need for CCTVs in homes, businesses, institutions, and industries. The ever-growing demand for effective, feature-rich and easy-to-install CCTVs has given rise to many global CCTV companies.

Here, we will analyse and compare two prominent CCTV brands. They are Arlo and Swann.

The Arlo vs Swann comparison will help us select a more suitable brand based on features, budget, and capabilities. The sole purpose of this comparative study is to understand them better to get the best value for money.

Arlo vs Swann- Compare the Best Home & Business Security

We will uncover their different aspects in the following parts.

1- Brand Overview- Arlo vs Swann

2- Similarities & Differences- Arlo Brand and Swann Brand

3- Pros & Cons- Arlo & Swann CCTV Brands

4- CCTV Product Range

5- Image Quality & Night Vision

6- Smart AI Features

7- Price & Market Penetration

8- Storage Capabilities

9- Mobile App & UI

10- Subscription Plans

11- Installation & Configuration

We take these points one by one to analyse them comprehensively.

1. Brand Overview- Arlo vs Swann

Arlo Brand

Arlo began as a subsidiary of Netgear Company in 2014 in the networking and surveillance segments. In 2018, it became an independent identity 2018. It is an American brand, and its headquarters is in San Jose, California, USA.

The brand deals in smart home appliances like CCTVs, Access Systems, Doorbells and Floodlights.

Arlo is a popular surveillance company that has quality products. The brand targets the premium market segment and manufactures wireless, plug-and-play, battery or wired systems. All products are DOY-friendly.

Its CCTV devices are expensive but richly featured. The brand gives good value for money. High-resolution devices with smart AI features are the benchmark of this brand.

Swann Brand

The Swann brand is an old and tested brand. It was started in 1987 in Melbourne, Australia. It is known as a veteran brand in the CCTV world. The brand focuses on wired CCTV systems for homes and small businesses. Its products are DIY type.

The brand has wired CCTV systems, NVRs, PoE Cameras, wireless cameras, and battery cameras. The brand is known for its quality and affordability.

Its devices can record internally and also support Cloud Plans. In some latest models, advanced features open after subscribing to a Secure+ Plan.

2. Similarities & Differences- Arlo Brand and Swann Brand

Similarities- Arlo Brand and Swann Brand

• Both brands have wired and wireless cameras for homes and businesses.
• Both brands have resolutions between 1080p and 4k.
• Both brands have IR LEDs and floodlights. Their devices give clear images and colour night vision.
• Both brands are DIY-friendly and fall in the consumer-grade market segment.
• Both brands support two-way audio and voice commands through Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant.
• Both brands support smart features like motion and audio detection. Support alert notification and object classification.

Differences- Arlo Brand and Swann Brand

• The Arlo brand has primarily wire-free and wireless products. The Swann has wired products, NVRs, DVRs, and cameras along with wireless products.
• Arlo has wifi and 5G, 4G LTE connectivity. Swann has BNC, PoE and wifi options.
• Arlo cameras have wireless installation, no technical help required. Swann has wired cameras that require drilling, cabling and building centralised monitoring systems.
• Arlo has advanced AI, and Swann has basic AI features.
• Arlo has cloud-based data storage. The Swann brand has predominantly local storage.
• Arlo is an expensive brand compared to the Swann brand.

3. Pros & Cons- Arlo vs Swann CCTV Brands

Arlo Brand- Pros

• The Arlo brand is a premier CCTV brand with high-quality wireless cameras.
• The brand has high-resolution 1080p, 2k and 4k cameras with excellent image quality.
• It is an American company with advanced AI features and functions.
• The device records data on the Cloud and gives remote access from anywhere.
• Its devices detect motion and issue alert signals, sensing dubious movements. Higher-end devices have facial recognition and people, pets, vehicles, and packages differentiation.

Arlo Brand- Cons

• The Arlo brand is expensive.
• It doesn’t record internally. No local storage capability in general.
• Its battery cameras don’t last long. They have a shorter life span.

Swann Brand- Pros

• Swann is an Australian CCTV brand that has wired and wireless products. Its wired systems are highly appreciated around the globe. Its products are DIY type.
• The Swann brand is affordable. The brand is highly popular among mid-tier clients.
• Its cameras have resolutions between 1080p and 4k.
• Its NVRs and DVRs support up to 4k devices.
• The Swann brand records internally. Its devices record on NVRs, HDDs and SD Cards. HDDs supported up to 12TB, and SD cards supported up to 256 GB.
• Cloud plans are optional.
• The brand is ideal for larger properties and long-term storage.
• Supports smart and AI features.

Swann Brand- Cons

• Its smart and AI features are less advanced compared to Arlo devices.
• Its installation is a bit complex because of wired systems.
• Some models require a subscription plan to unlock advanced features.

4. Arlo vs Swann- CCTV Product Range

Arlo Brand

The Arlo brand has wireless, battery and LTE cameras.

• Arlo Ultra Series- This series of cameras has 4K resolution with advanced AI features.
• Arlo Pro Series- 2K videos with AI features.
• Arlo Essential Series- It is the affordable range. 1080p resolution with simple setup.
• Arlo Go Series- It supports 5G and 4G for its LTE-enabled cameras to access remotely.
• Video Doorbells- The Arlo brand has wired and wireless doorbell cameras with wide-angle coverage.
• Floodlight Cameras- This series of cameras is good for outdoors with clear, bright colour night vision.

Swann Brand

• DVR Camera Kits- It is the Analogue series.
• NVR Camera Kits– The PoE and IP cameras are supported.
• Wi-Fi Cameras- A wireless, indoor and outdoor camera
• Enforcer Series- Cameras with smart and AI features. It has alert sirens and colour night vision.
• Doorbells, Floodlights, Spotlight Cameras- Good for outdoor locations with smart features.
• PTZ, Dome, and Bullet Cameras- Use for professional purposes.

5. Arlo vs Swann- Image Quality & Night Vision

Arlo Brand

• The Arlo brand has a clear and bright image and video quality. It is a premium brand.
• The images and videos are captured in 1080p, 2k and 4k resolutions.
• The brand supports the High Dynamic Range (HDR) feature. It gives clean images in dim lights and darkness.
• Its Pro 4 and 5 models give colour night vision in the Ultra series.
• Its higher model devices have built-in spotlights.
• The Arlo brand devices can view up to 25 to 30 feet in colour and up to 100 feet in IR Lights.

Swann Brand

• The Swann brand has powerful wired systems and select wireless cameras.
• The brand offers 1080p, 2K and 4K resolution cameras that give clear images.
• TrueDetect sensors help improve clarity in movement-based events.
• Its devices are studded with IR LEDs. Some models have spotlights and floodlights.
• Its devices can view black and white infrared images up to 100 feet in the darkness. Its colour night vision capability is up to 40 feet at night.
• TrueDetect heat + motion for accurate night alerts

6. Arlo vs Swann- Smart AI Features

• The Arlo brand has smart features. Its devices detect motion and track movements. Any suspicious move sends alert messages to owners.
• It can differentiate between People, animals, vehicles and packages.
• Its higher-end models give facial recognition and people-counting features through the Arlo Secure subscription plan.  
• The Arlo brand works with Alexa, Google Assistant, Apple HomeKit, IFTTT, and SmartThings.

Swann Brand

• The Swann brand is known for its smart cameras with basic AI features.
• Higher AI features require
• It can detect motion and track objects. Receive alert notifications.
• The brand can differentiate between humans, pets and vehicles.
• Through the TrueDetect combined features, motion and heat sensors are used for precise alerts.
• Support Alexa and Google Assistant. Apple HomeKit is not supported.

7. Arlo vs Swann- Price & Market Penetration

Arlo Brand

• The Arlo brand is a premium CCTV brand that has predominantly wireless and battery-powered cameras.
• The brand is targeted at premium clients who are looking for quality products irrespective of higher prices.
• Its initial cost starts around $100 per camera, and its higher systems are around $1800.

Swann Brand

• The Swann brand is a mid-tier company with quality products. Its products are highly affordable.
• Its wired systems are more popular than its wireless cameras.
• The brand has affordable cameras and NVRs.
• It is an excellent brand for multi-camera setups.
• Its initial range of cameras begins with around $50, and its premium CCTV systems for 16 CH NVR and 16 cameras come at around $1500.

8. Arlo vs Swann- Storage Capabilities

Arlo Brand

• Arlo brands don’t store data internally. Its devices record data on SD cards.
• Recently, its latest series has cameras that can record internally on micro SD cards.
• It has Cloud-based storage via Arlo Secure.
• Limited local storage through SmartHub or base station.

Swann Brand

• The Swann brand supports local, DVR, NVR and SD card-based storage. It supports up to 2TB HDDs and 256 GB SD cards.
• It supports an optional cloud storage plan for wireless options.
• Continuous 24/7 recording is possible through HDDs and SD cards.

9. Arlo vs Swann- Mobile App & UI

Arlo Brand

• The Arlo App adds Arlo devices for remote surveillance.
• Its user interface is sleek, and it is easy to operate.
• It can detect motion and audio.
• It can differentiate packages, pets, people, and vehicles.
• It tracks objects and sends alert notifications.
• It supports live streaming in real time. Users can also operate devices from anywhere.
• The 2-way audio is supported.

Swann Brand

• The Swann Security App is a simple software that adds Swann CCTV devices for remote surveillance.
• The app is not as advanced as Arlo’s app.
• Its user interface is minimalistic and simple.
• It integrates well with NVRs, DVRs, and cameras.
• It detects motion and classifies humans and non-humans.
• Push alerts, video playback, and live stream.

10. Arlo vs Swann- Subscription Plans

Arlo Brand

• Arlo brand devices give basic features without the Arlo Secure Plan and advanced features with an Arlo Secure Subscription Plan.
• Its plan for a single camera is at $4.99/month per camera.
• Its unlimited plan is $12.99/month for unlimited cameras.

Swann Brand

• Swann has a Secure+ Cloud Plan, but it is optional, not mandatory.
• It’s optional plan starts at $2.99/month.
• Not mandatory for basic use. Only used for advanced AI features.

Conclusion- Which Brand to Choose? Arlo vs Swann

Choose Arlo

• If you want smart home integration with Amazon, Alexa, Apple HomeKit, and IFTTT.
• If you want premium wireless or battery cameras.
• If you want advanced AI features with ease of installation.
• If you want Cloud storage and mobile access

Choose Swann

• If you want reliable, durable, and budget-friendly CCTV Systems.
• If you want wired systems for large coverage.
• If you want local storage for longer periods.
• If you don’t want Cloud subscription plans.

The two brands, Arlo and Swann, are discussed and detailed here. It will guide users about their strengths and weaknesses. Users will be in a better position to understand the brand quality and usability.

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