Walmart is extending the reach of its budget Onn brand into smart home security, announcing that it’s adding an Onn Indoor Camera Wired for about $23 and an Onn Video Doorbell Wired for around $50. Both devices are compatible with Google Home and stream at 1080p, rendering them wrenchingly affordable substitutes for the latest cameras and doorbells, which usually run two to four times more expensive.
What the Onn devices offer within Google Home
Both Onn models plug directly into Google’s ecosystem as part of a new partner-device class designed to supplement Nest hardware. Straight out of the box, you get 1080p live view and control inside the Google Home app experience that combines with other compatible devices and Assistant technology available. Features like smarter alerts and event history are unlocked for people who subscribe to Google’s Home Premium plan, which narrows the capabilities of more premium systems.
Both products are wired, which has practical advantages and disadvantages. An indoor wired camera isn’t waylaid by battery upkeep and can stream a live feed without interruption, but it does rely on a nearby outlet and some careful cable management. A wired doorbell generally needs an existing chime circuit and may involve do-it-yourself installation or hiring an electrician. Entry-level gear in this tier tends to maintain some spec discipline — standard 1080p video instead of 2K or 4K, basic night vision and less lavish build materials — but for most home users those basics handle the primary use case.
How the prices compare with rival smart devices
Walmart’s pricing is the headline. The Onn indoor cam beats out top value picks like Wyze Cam and Blink Mini, often priced around the $30 to $40 mark. The Onn wired doorbell comes in well beneath Ring’s mainstream wired model and well below Google’s own wired Nest Doorbell — which is positioned at a premium tier. That delta will appeal to first-time buyers and renters outfitting multiple rooms, and anyone for whom coverage takes precedence over high-end optics or advanced analytics.
Google recently updated its Nest lineup, with cameras and doorbells that range in price from about $100 to $180. These products offer better resolution sensors, wider fields of view, sharper HDR processing and the best hardware. On the other hand, the Onn pair seems to be aiming directly at “affordable,” while keeping some of the convenience of Google Home control in hopes that pairing could grow that smart security user base instead of eating Nest’s top end.
Why Google Is Getting Behind Budget Gear
For Google, partner devices like Onn help to widen the funnel into its home platform. The company has invested heavily in Google Home as the central command center for routines, presence detection and device automation. Low-cost cameras and doorbells bring more households into that app, where optional subscriptions and features across devices can later draw users further in. Industry analysts at Parks Associates have long said that price sensitivity is one of the biggest barriers to smart home adoption, so pushing out cheap, reliable options is a direct response to that friction.
This strategy echoes what we’ve observed in streaming hardware: Walmart’s Onn TV boxes became known for their outsized punch at a given price point, bringing in customers who might not otherwise buy into the platform. The home security playbook, applied to multitouch surfaces in the home, could hasten the adoption of multi-devices if for no other reason than setup, control and notifications would live in one familiar app.
Who these budget-friendly devices are best suited for
The Onn Indoor Camera Wired is a good fit for simple watching — kids’ rooms, pets, doorways in and out — where 1080p clarity and easy alerts will do. If you require detailed forensic video or advanced object detection, the higher-end models are still a step ahead. The wired doorbell is best for homeowners with chime wiring in place who are looking for a simple way to see and speak to visitors without shelling out premium-brand rates.
Renters need to think about what is possible around installation.
An inside cam is plug-and-play, but a wired doorbell can become quite the hassle or simply impossible without landlord approval or existing wiring. Battery-powered options may work better for those limitations, but at a higher price point. As ever, scrutinize data practices and privacy controls — Google offers account-level settings for video history and notifications, while retailer-branded devices usually post their own privacy policies and support terms.
Early takeaway on Walmart’s new Onn security gear
If you need to cover more rooms, entry points or an outdoor area for well under a hundred dollars, Walmart’s Onn camera and its wired doorbell push deeper into the budget end of the Ring’s and Google Home ecosystem. You’ll get fewer bells and whistles than Nest or Ring offer, but for no-nonsense 1080p monitoring and simple app control you can’t ignore the value. As the smart home market continues to mature, this sort of ultra-affordable gear is exactly what might win a one-camera household over to a whole-home system.
