I just use a cheap VPS like Vultr [2] to terminate persistent ssh tunnels from the cameras and run a self-signed https gateway into them. It's under $5/mo for the cheapest VPS option.
It's a bit of work to get it set up, but nothing crazy hard if you know your way around something resembling a LAMP stack and ssh tunnels. There's no third parties integrated so you control the data and have a lot fewer privacy/safety concerns in general.
If there's no wifi available, at&t offers mobile hotspot prepay service for as low as $25/mo.
[0] https://www.adafruit.com/product/3414
Wireguard is somewhere on my mental todo list for possible replacement of these tunnels, but they do the job and SSH is going to be listening either way to admin the VPS.
The only thing I did to prepare them for that abuse was adding a small adhesive-backed aluminum heat sink [0] to the CPU. It only required some filing of the fins to fit in the tight packaging of the camera enclosure.
I never attempted running them without the heat sink, knowing it was going to be a rough desert life for them. So I can't even say if it was necessary.
It's also possible my software settings which are optimized to minimize wifi bandwidth and storage consumption are helping keep things cool. The `motion` process is only using around 15% CPU continuously, and the loadavg hovers around .27, FWIW.
Have a location that uses one of these on the inside plugged into a battery backup and a blinkxt wireless cam on the outside (can put these anywhere / wireless ) that needs fresh l-ion batteries every couple months.
no monthly fees, text alerts, apps with real time and recordings of what happened earlier / yesterday..
no idea where the data is sent for these for their cloud, but the Wyze also has on board sd card for secondary backup data..
or how long they will last or the cloud will do the video for free basically.. my samsung indoor cam lasted about 3 years before it bricked and these a replacing that.. at that price if they last that long it works for me.
They say that continuous video can be saved to a microSD and played back in Wyze app. Do you know if this playback works remotely or would I have to be on the same WiFi?
For continuous - I used an offline completely ,swann wired security system outside, and a secondary wired system from nightowl that has an app they say after setup never touches their servers, for remote access, also now has Human detection technology. - around $250 More expensive on the front end, and have to deal with wires, but keeps days worth of recordings, keeps it local - have not tried the app / remote access setups yet because I see a rabbit hole of getting into router settings for private network setup and all that. One of these days when it's more needed.
I get real time motion clips for peace of mind to monitor his nurse caregivers and can watch latest clips in a timeline view.
No monthly cost and peace of mind you don't have up reboot a buggy Android app or raspberry pi solution.
I am using this setup for my mums rental property
My grandmother has dementia. We would like to install two cameras in her apartment; one in the hallway and another one in the kitchen to check if she got out of bed, took her meds, make sure she doesn't let strangers in, and doesn't wander out of her apartment. Cameras such as Ring and Nest would be ideal, but we can't afford them. If your app allowed us to both stream the video continously and store it for at least 48h for up $5 a month, we would use sign up instantly.