How to shop for the right smart doorbell camera

TAMPA, Fla. (FOX 13) - Smart doorbells are gaining popularity: The worldwide market is expected to grow by more than 61% over the next five years. With more brands on store shelves, it's important to know what features matter most.

So which doorbell camera rings right for your needs? We took viewer suggestions to Best Buy to learn more.

The Ring got the most Facebook responses, ranging from $169 for the standard model to $249 for the Ring Pro's higher-quality video. 

You can add video recording storage packages for $30 to $100 a year. Nearly every brand includes an option to pay extra for cloud storage to review footage.

"The prices are going to be very similar between the Nest and the Ring," Best Buy manager Jim Marshall said.

The August and Honeywell Skybell cost about $200. The Nest is $229 with 24/7 streaming video. 

Lakeland resident Jim Golumbuk is one of a rapidly growing group of people using the cameras to monitor their doors.

"This is the camera here and it works during the day and has an infrared beam at night," he explained, showing his Nest camera at work.

"It's actually recording us right now," Golumbuk said, demonstrating how the Nest doesn't require someone to come up and ring the bell to roll.

Compatibility is key when picking a camera. It allows you to control various smart elements from one app on your phone.

Make sure it works with other smart devices in your home.

"We have a Google infrastructure. We have a Nest thermostat. We have a Google home. We've got the little mini-pucks so we kind of wanted to stay in that family," Golumbuk said.

The higher the resolution, the sharper the image. Buyers should check for night vision, motion sensors and broad field of vision.

The power source could be battery or hardwired, and some offer two-way audio as an option.

Each camera can have unique perks.

Ring has a "neighbors" app to share suspcious activity, from porch pirates to panthers.

One viewer shared her Neighbors app video with us showing a Florida panther strolling by.

Nest on the other hand, features facial recognition.

Another option: Use an Arlo security system, which doesn't have a camera built into the doorbell. Instead, the system comes with three cameras three you can mount at other angles, but you can talk to someone through the doorbell from your smartphone.