One important question you may need answered before investing in a serious home security camera system from Blink is whether or not you’ll need a subscription. Will Blink camera work without a subscription? The short answer is YES.
According to Blink’s FAQs page, you don’t require a subscription plan to use your Blink camera. It’s all because Blink cameras offer their standard features without a subscription.
For example, your camera’s Motion Alerts, Two-Way Audio, and Live View will still work regardless of whether or not you’ve paid for a subscription plan. Notably, those who created their Blink account on or prior to April 15th, 2020, will still continue to have access to free cloud storage up to 2 hours and other features for any devices (including all future ones) set up in the account.
Additional Features on the Subscription Plan
However, if you want to get the most out of your Blink camera system and enjoy additional features, you’ll need to purchase a subscription plan. For example, you’ll get access to even more exciting features such as Live View Recording, Unlimited Cloud Video Recording, Extended Live View (allows you to receive images and sound directly from your camera to your Blink app for up to 90 minutes at a time without user intervention), and 60-Day Unlimited Cloud Storage.
Additional features you’ll get when you pay for a subscription include Photo Capture 5 (lets your camera capture a thumbnail photo every hour, once a day, and later converts them into a brief video clip you can view in your Blink app) and Person Detection.
Blink Subscription Plans
As you can see, getting the best value for money from Blink home security camera products requires having an active subscription plan. The company offers two types of subscription plans, any of which you can purchase on its Amazon page; Basic and Plus subscription plans. They cost $30 and $100 a year, respectively.
Should I Really Purchase a Blink Subscription Plan?
Let’s face it, not everyone can afford to keep up with the subscription plans offered by Blink no matter how little they might seem to someone else. It’s especially true if you are tight with money or on a tight budget. Consequently, you might ask yourself, “Should I really purchase a subscription plan when I can actually use my product without one?”
To answer your question, the advantages of using your Blink camera with a subscription plan far outweigh those of using it without one (e.g saving some money). For example, since a subscription plan will give you access to additional features unlike a no subscription plan, it means that your home’s security will increase significantly.
As such, you and your family will be safer from criminals who otherwise would find it easier to break in, causing harm. Similarly, your properties and belongings will be more safeguarded from them. Think about your jewelry, fine artwork, antiques, electronics, car, and money you may have at home. The value of these items by far outweighs the amount of money you’ll be able to save both in the short-term and long-term by not opting for a subscription plan.
What’s more, the Plus subscription plan gives you an extended warranty subject to certain terms and conditions. For example, if you purchase the subscription plan when your Blink camera is still within its original warranty period, the plan will automatically extend your warranty coverage once the initial warranty expires. Remember that this will be for as long as your Plus subscription plan remains active.
Taking into consideration the benefits of buying a subscription over those of not buying one if you have a Blink home security camera, you’ll realize that it’s wiser to purchase a subscription plan. Not only will you be able to keep your family and valuables safer, but you’ll also be able to enjoy extended warranty coverage on your product.
Final Thoughts
Blink is one of the top brands in North America for home security products, including cameras. The brand has grown tremendously in popularity due to its affordability and the fact that it allows you to use its products without necessarily needing to purchase a subscription plan. This is unlike other brands whose products you can’t use without separately purchasing a subscription plan. However, as you can see, the advantages of using your Blink home security camera with a subscription plan are simply enormous.
