Reolink vs Amcrest: Best Budget IP Cameras for Frigate NVR

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Reolink and Amcrest are the two most popular budget IP camera brands in the Home Assistant/Frigate community. Both support RTSP streaming, and both offer PoE models that work reliably with Frigate NVR. But they have different strengths. Here is a detailed comparison based on real-world Frigate usage.

Reolink

Reolink has become the go-to recommendation for Frigate beginners. Their cameras are well-documented, competitively priced, and have excellent Frigate community support.

Key Models for Frigate

  • RLC-810A (4K, PoE, ~$40): The most recommended Frigate camera. 4K resolution, reliable RTSP streams, good night vision, spotlight option for color night video.
  • RLC-510A (5MP, PoE, ~$35): Lower bandwidth option for multi-camera setups.
  • RLC-823A (8MP with spotlight, PoE, ~$65): Color night vision via spotlight.

RTSP URLs

Main stream: rtsp://admin:PASSWORD@IP:554/h264Preview_01_main
Sub stream:  rtsp://admin:PASSWORD@IP:554/h264Preview_01_sub

Strengths

  • Excellent price-to-performance ratio
  • Consistent RTSP implementation across product line
  • Good default firmware with minimal cloud phone-home behavior
  • Large Frigate community, extensive configuration documentation

Weaknesses

  • Less configurable than Amcrest/Hikvision
  • Some models have limited exposure control

Amcrest

Amcrest produces rebranded Dahua cameras with Amcrest firmware. Dahua is a professional CCTV manufacturer, and Amcrest cameras offer more configuration depth than Reolink at comparable price points.

Key Models for Frigate

  • IP8M-2493EW (4K, PoE, ~$70): Excellent low-light performance, comprehensive API, reliable RTSP.
  • IP5M-T1179EW (5MP, PoE, ~$55): Strong mid-range option with good night vision.

RTSP URLs

Main stream: rtsp://admin:PASSWORD@IP/cam/realmonitor?channel=1&subtype=0
Sub stream:  rtsp://admin:PASSWORD@IP/cam/realmonitor?channel=1&subtype=1

Strengths

  • More configurable — detailed exposure, WDR, and stream settings
  • Dahua-grade image quality and low-light performance
  • ONVIF compliance for wider compatibility
  • Better WDR handling in mixed lighting

Verdict

Choose Reolink if you are building your first Frigate setup and want well-documented, community-supported cameras at the lowest possible price.

Choose Amcrest if image quality is your priority (especially in challenging lighting), you want more granular stream configuration, or you are building a more advanced Frigate installation where the extra configurability matters.

Many Frigate users run both — Reolink for standard coverage areas, Amcrest for locations with difficult lighting (facing windows, mixed indoor/outdoor).