Part of TP-Link’s new line of smart home devices, the Tapo C110 ($29.99) is a super affordable indoor security camera that offers sharp 2K video, intelligent motion detection, and both local and cloud video storage. It works with Alexa and Google voice commands and will stream video to Alexa and Google Assistant smart displays, but third-party integrations are otherwise limited. Aside from that, it also doesn’t offer nearly as many features as our top pick for affordable indoor security cameras, the $51.99 Eufy Indoor Cam 2K Pan & Tilt P24.
Low Price, Few Frills
The Tapo C110 uses a white enclosure with a black camera face and measures 3.9 by 2.7 by 2.1 inches (HWD). It has an adjustable stand that can be placed on a flat surface or mounted on a wall. On the right side of the enclosure are a Reset button and a microSD card slot that can accommodate media of up to 256GB, which according to Tapo will give you 21 days of locally stored recorded video. However, you’ll have to supply your own media.
The C110 is a 3-megapixel, 2,304-by-1,296 camera that captures 2K video in addition to 1080p and 720p. The face of the camera contains the lens, a status LED, three infrared LEDs for night vision, a small white LED warning light, and a microphone. When the motion alarm is enabled the white LED will flash and a siren will sound. The status LED glows solid red when the camera is starting up, blinks red and green when ready for setup, blinks red when connecting to Wi-Fi, and is solid green when connected to the internet. There’s a small speaker around the back and a power port on the bottom of the camera.
When it detects motion, the C110 will send a push alert and record video, but you’ll have to supply your own SD card media to store the video locally. Alternately, you can subscribe to a $3.49 per month/$34.99 per year Tapo Care plan that gives you 30 days of video storage for one camera and also unlocks a handful of features including rich notifications with snapshots, Smart Sort video cataloging, and custom privacy zones. A two-camera plan goes for $6.99 per month or $69.99 per year, a three-camera plan will set you back $10.49 per month or $104.99 per year, and a 10-camera plan costs $11.99 per month or $119.99 per year.
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The C110 works with Alexa and Google voice commands and will stream video to Amazon and Google smart displays, but it doesn’t work with Apple HomeKit. Tapo has an IFTTT channel that allows most Tapo devices to interact with third-party devices, but as is the case with the Tapo C210 camera, the C110 doesn't support this service. However, you can create Alexa and Google routines to have the camera interact with select devices.
You control the C110 using the same mobile app as the Tapo C210 pan and tilt camera and the Tapo C320WS outdoor camera; the c110 gets its own panel on the app’s home screen. Tap the panel to view a live stream that can be viewed in full-screen mode by turning your phone sideways or by tapping the four-arrow button located below the video panel. Other buttons allow you to split the screen for multi-camera viewing, take a snapshot, manually record video, and adjust the microphone level.
There are more buttons located below the video panel including a Talk button for initiating two-way communications, a Voice Call button that lets you communicate with the camera without having to press and hold the Talk button, a Privacy Mode button that disables streaming and recording, an Alarm button that sounds the camera’s siren, a Playback & Memory button that displays thumbnails of video clips stored on the SD card, and a Tapo Care button that displays subscription plan pricing information.
Tap the gear button in the upper right corner to access the Camera Settings screen where you can configure Detection and Alerts settings, turn on Rich Notifications and Activity Notifications, enable the siren, format the SD card, and select a video quality setting. Back at the home screen, there are three buttons at the very bottom: the Home button takes you to the home screen, the Smart Actions button is used to create routines and automations for compatible Tapo devices (the C110 camera doesn't support these features), and the Me button opens a screen where you can update the device's firmware, subscribe to a Tapo Care plan, access local and cloud recordings, and share management access with friends or family members.
Easy Installation, Solid Performance
Installing the C110 is quick and easy. I already had the Tapo app installed, but if this is your first Tapo device you’ll have to download the mobile app and create an account to get started. I opened the app, tapped the plus button in the upper right corner of the home screen, and selected the C110 from the list of devices.
Following the on-screen instructions, I powered up the camera and waited around 30 seconds for the LED to blink red and green. I tapped Next and used my phone’s Wi-Fi setting to connect to the camera and returned to the app to select my home Wi-Fi SSID and enter my Wi-Fi password. After a few seconds, the camera informed me that it was connected to my network so I gave it a name and a location to complete the installation.
The C110 delivered crisp 2K video in my tests. Color quality was excellent and black-and-white night video showed good contrast and appeared sharp out to around 25 feet. Motion notifications arrived quickly, with accurate person alerts, and streaming video to an Amazon Echo Show worked without a hitch. The internal siren isn't blaring, but is certainly loud enough to be heard throughout my home.
2K Video for Less
At just under $30, the Tapo C110 offers a very affordable way to monitor the inside of your home. It provides sharp, colorful 2K video with accurate motion detection and person alerts and is easy to install. That said, it doesn't do much beyond this, unlike many other cameras that offer far more interaction with third-party devices. If you want to see what’s going on in all corners of a room, consider our Editors’ Choice winner for affordable indoor security cameras, the Eufy Indoor Cam 2K Pan & Tilt P24. It offers mechanical pan and tilt with 360 degrees of panning and 96 degrees of tilt mobility, as well as support for Apple's HomeKit platform. And for a similar price, the $49.99 Wyze Cam V3 Pro doesn't support HomeKit, but it works indoors or outside and has a built-in spotlight to shine a light on intruders.
The Tapo C110 is a wallet-friendly indoor security camera that delivers 2K video and offers voice control, but it doesn’t interact with many third-party smart home devices.
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Sign up for other newslettersAbout John R. Delaney
Contributing Editor
