REASONS TO BUY
Affordable
Easy to install
REASONS TO AVOID
Subpar video quality
Limited field of view
Blink Video Doorbell Review
A doorbell camera with average image clarity available at a budget-friendly price
Credit: Matt Lighthart
By Sentry Kelly ⋅ Senior Review Analyst ⋅ June 13, 2025
Contributions From: Kolby Anderson
RELATED: The Best Security Cameras of 2025
Our Verdict
The Blink Video Doorbell is an entry-level doorbell camera that's great for seeing and speaking to visitors at your door, all captured in adequate 1080p HD video resolution. Unfortunately, you're only able to see the live view and utilize two-way audio for 60 seconds after receiving a notification on your phone unless you also purchase the Blink Sync Module, which allows access to those features on-demand anytime. The Blink Video Doorbell is affordable, but when it comes to image quality and features, it's outclassed by many other security cameras I tested, with sharper details and clarity, and ultimately offers less value. All told, there are better options with higher-detail images.
Our Analysis and Test Results
The Blink Video Doorbell is a battery-powered camera that captures 1080p HD video and allows you to see and speak to visitors at your door using two-way audio through the Blink app or even through Alexa-compatible devices. This unit is very weather resistant, with a rating of IP-54, meaning it is designed to operate in rain, dust, heat, and cold, within typical limits.
Up close, the Blink Video Doorbell image quality looks okay, but further away in the image, a lot of detail is lost due to overexposure.
Credit: Matt Lighthart
Video Quality
The Blink Battery Doorbell struggled to produce high-quality and detailed images in our video quality testing. In daytime conditions, the clarity up close allowed me to read the first two lines of the Snellen Chart , with the third line being somewhat legible.
The nighttime performance of the Blink Video Doorbell struggles to capture crucial details, and the image is incredibly fuzzy.
Credit: Matt Lighthart
The color accuracy comes across as flat and faded, and that, mixed with the clarity quality, results in lots of distortion of the overall image quality. Anything that appeared much further away than our test charts was blown out, and the overexposure caused a lot of detail to be lost. Nighttime video capture is tough sledding for the Blink Battery Doorbell, and trying to grade the image for clarity felt like taking an eye exam after polishing off a bottle of tequila.
Motion zones are created within the Blink app using a grid selection system.
Credit: Matt Lighthart
Monitoring Performance
Unfortunately, I found the Blink Battery Doorbell to be lacking in features, only being capable of recognizing motion and having two-way audio. For motion zones, the Blink app allows users to create motion zones using a grid system where they select squares to define the zone space. This is a common method many apps use, but within the Blink app, you have to select each square individually, and it can be quite tedious.
You'll never need to charge this unit.
Credit: Matt Lighthart
Ease of Use
The Blink Battery Doorbell is powered by AA lithium batteries but can also be powered by a hard-wired connection. Blink claims that when paired with a Blink Sync Module, the Battery Doorbell can achieve up to two years of battery life on default settings and normal use. Blink cameras do not provide a battery percentage, so I measured the starting and ending voltages to test their battery life. The only indication in the app is “battery okay” or “battery low,” which is disappointing. Testing revealed a voltage loss of approximately 3% per day, so I think it's probably more realistic to expect a little over a month's battery life from the Blink Battery Doorbell, nowhere near Blink's claim and worse than most other battery-powered cameras I tested.
The Blink app is simple to use and intuitive, albeit quite basic compared to others I tested. My main gripe is that when you enter the home screen, you are presented with a thumbnail view of the camera, not a live view, and it isn't updated very often. The Battery Doorbell is usable without a Blink Sync Module or a monthly subscription, but you'll be limited to only using the live view and two-way audio capability within 60 seconds of receiving a notification on your phone.
Installing the Blink Battery Doorbell is a pretty straightforward process.
Credit: Matt Lighthart
Should You Buy the Blink Video Doorbell?
The Blink Video Doorbell can grant you peace of mind on a tight budget. It has basic features that allow it to recognize motion and will enable you to use two-way audio. It can be used without a monthly subscription but has limited capabilities and captures footage in 1080p HD. I was less than impressed with both its daytime and nighttime image quality, which lacked the clarity required to capture important details. All told, I wouldn't recommend Blink's doorbell camera.
What Other Security Cameras Should You Consider?
When it comes to doorbell security monitoring, the Wyze Duo Cam Doorbell is one of my favorites and has some useful features like package detection and dual cameras, so you don't miss a beat. It performed measurably better than the Blink Video Doorbell, delivering clearer image quality and a more user-friendly app experience. For those more interested in better video quality, more features, and are less worried about cost, the Eufy Video Doorbell E340 delivers extremely detailed image quality and has some cool, high-tech features like package theft detection and facial recognition.
Side-by-Side Comparison
Compare Blink Video Doorbell versus top competing products:
—Sentry Kelly and Kolby Anderson
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