Reolink E331 Smart Security Camera Review


Verdict

The Reolink E331 is a budget camera that doesn’t feel like it’s cutting corners. For under £40, it delivers sharp 3K video, full 360° coverage, and a genuinely useful set of smart features that go well beyond what you’d expect at this price.

It’s clearly aimed at pet owners and parents, with things like auto-tracking and crying detection baked in, but it works just as well as a general indoor security camera. Add in local storage with no subscription pressure, solid app controls, and Wi-Fi 6 support, and it’s an easy recommendation.

  • Excellent value for money

  • Great video quality

  • Full 360° pan and tilt

  • No subscription required

  • Exposed microSD slot

  • App can feel overwhelming

  • Audio quality is a bit tinny

Key Features

  • Trusted Reviews Icon

    Review Price:
    £39.99

  • Pan-and-tilt

    Automatically tracks subjects

  • Cloud or SD recording

    Your choice of storage, with the same detection features available for both options

Introduction

Reolink has built a reputation on delivering feature-packed security cameras without locking you into a subscription, and the E331 might be its most compelling budget option yet, packing in a wealth of features you don’t normally see that this price.

At just £39.99 in the UK, where it’s an Argos exclusive, it undercuts much of the competition while quietly offering more in a few key areas.

Rivals like the TP-Link Tapo C220 and Wyze Cam v4 sit in the same price bracket but stick to 2K video, while stepping up to something like the Eufy Indoor Cam E30 means spending a little bit more.

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The E331 has a bunch of features you won’t find on those alternatives though. You’re getting a 5MP sensor, a fast F1.6 aperture, full pan and tilt control, and smart features like auto-tracking and crying detection, all wrapped up in a compact, decent-looking, indoor camera.

I’ve been using it as a general indoor security cam, keeping tabs on a home office space and the usual comings and goings.

Here’s how it held up…

Design and installation

  • SD Card slot
  • Works with the Reolink app
  • Optional ceiling mount

The Reolink E331 is about as unassuming as indoor cameras come.

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It’s small, lightweight (at just 171g), and has a rounded, almost playful design. It’s not quite as characterful as some of Aqara’s more whimsical efforts, but is still compact enough to blend into a shelf or desk without drawing attention.

The camera sits on an integrated base that handles the pan and tilt movement, giving you near full-room coverage. You can spin it almost entirely horizontally and tilt it vertically to catch different angles, which immediately makes it more flexible than fixed-position budget cams.

Reolink E331 Smart Security Camera Review SD card slot
Image Credit (Trusted Reviews)

If you tilt the camera unit upwards you’ll reveal the microSD slot and reset button. It keeps things tidy, but it’s not locked away, which means someone could technically remove the card if they had access to the camera.

Power comes via USB-C, with a 2m cable and plug included in the box. It connects at the back, right next to the QR code used for setup.

Reolink E331 Smart Security Camera Review USB-C port
Image Credit (Trusted Reviews)

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Installation is about as easy as it gets. Most people will just place it on a flat surface and be done in seconds, but there’s also a ceiling mount option included if you want a more permanent setup. If you do go that route, you’ll need to flip the image in the app.

Reolink E331 Smart Security Camera Review mount
Image Credit (Trusted Reviews)

Setup follows the usual Reolink routine. Simply plug it in, wait for the voice prompt, scan the QR code, and you’re up and running in a couple of minutes. You don’t even need to set up a Reolink account unless you want cloud storage or smart assistant integration.

When you first power up the E331 you’ll hear a voice say “Welcome to Reolink, please install the Reolink app” in an array of languages.

A big plus point for the E331, common across many of the brand’s cameras, is that it boasts dual band 2.4 and 5GHz Wi-Fi so you can tap into that faster 5GHz band, should you have an access point near enough to reach it. It’s also got Wi-Fi 6 on board as well.

If you do want those cloud features, or to make use of things like Home Assistant and other local connectivity you’ll not only need a Reolink account, you’ll also need to give the device itself a password.

Reolink E331 Smart Security Camera Review app installation
Image Credit (Trusted Reviews)

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The app actually prompted me to insert a microSD card during setup, which is something I haven’t seen on other Reolink cameras before.

Features and the app

  • People and pet detection
  • Auto tracking

Like the rest of Reolink’s lineup, the E331 lives inside the Reolink app, and there’s a lot going on.

You get an impressive level of control for a camera at this price.

You can tweak sensitivity, define detection zones, and even set schedules for when different types of alerts should come through.

If you turn on motion detection, the Reolink will start sending you push notifications when it has spotted movement. These can get a little overwhelming, so you can cut them down by using the object detection feature, with animal, person, and baby crying tracking available.

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Reolink E331 Smart Security Camera Review detection options
Image Credit (Trusted Reviews)

You can choose if you want to be notified about your combination of people, animals or all motion, and you can schedule when you want to get each type of alert – so you could have people and animal notifications during the day, but only people notifications at night.

It’s powerful, but it does take a bit of time to get your head around. There are layers of settings here, and it can feel a bit like a maze at first.

Reolink E331 Smart Security Camera Review events
Image Credit (Trusted Reviews)

The standout feature is auto-tracking. Once enabled, the camera will follow movement across the room, keeping people or pets in frame as they move. It’s not flawless, especially with fast or erratic movement, but it works well enough to make a real difference compared to static cameras.

You can also set preset positions and a default monitor point, so the camera snaps back to a specific view after tracking something.

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Recording options are flexible too. You can stick with motion-triggered clips, schedule recordings, or go for continuous recording if you’ve got the storage to support it.

And storage is where Reolink continues to stand out. Everything works locally via microSD with no subscription required. You can also hook it up to an NVR, FTP server, or Reolink’s Home Hub if you want something more robust.

Cloud storage is available, but it’s entirely optional and far cheaper than most rivals. Crucially, none of the core features are locked behind a paywall.

Should you choose to go down that route, it’s £3.49 or £6.49 a month. That gets you 30 days of history (60 days for the top tier), plus 10, 50 or 100GB of storage space respectively for 5 to 10 cameras. This is a fraction of the cost of the likes of Ring, Arlo or Nest.

But remember, none of these extra costs are required. All you are paying for is storage, there are no features cut if you don’t cough up unlike other brands that make you pay for full use of their cameras.

Reolink E331 Smart Security Camera Review app
Image Credit (Trusted Reviews)

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Playback is handled through a timeline view with thumbnails and filters for different event types, making it easy to jump to specific moments. Just make sure you switch download quality to “clear” if you want full-resolution clips.

On the clips, you can choose where to show the camera name, date and time and the Reolink logo, and you can also turn them all off too.

You’ve also got two-way audio, a built-in siren (via a small speaker on the back), and support for both Alexa and Google Assistant if you want to stream footage to a smart display.

Reolink E331 Smart Security Camera Review speaker for siren
Image Credit (Trusted Reviews)

There’s a simple but effective Privacy Mode as well. Simply tap a button and the camera physically turns away, disabling both video and audio without needing to unplug anything.

Performance

  • Clean daylight footage
  • Sharp black and white night footage

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For a sub-£40 camera, the E331 punches well above its weight.

The 5MP sensor captures video at 2880 x 1616 at 20fps, and it looks great. Daytime footage is sharp, detailed, and nicely balanced in terms of colour.

The wider F1.6 aperture helps pull in more light, which makes a noticeable difference indoors, especially in rooms that aren’t flooded with natural light.

Reolink E331 Smart Security Camera Review dat sample
Image Credit (Trusted Reviews)

Motion is handled well too, with enough clarity to make out faces and smaller details without everything turning into a blur.

The pan and tilt system is a big part of the appeal. Being able to cover an entire room with a single camera makes it far more versatile than fixed alternatives, and the auto-tracking adds another layer of awareness.

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Night performance relies on standard infrared rather than the more advanced colour night modes found on pricier models, but it’s still perfectly usable. The quoted 12-meter range held up fine in testing, with clear enough footage for general monitoring.

Reolink E331 Smart Security Camera Review night sample
Image Credit (Trusted Reviews)

The crying detection feature worked surprisingly well too. Even without a real baby on hand, it picked up simulated (from my 8 year old) crying reliably enough to feel like more than a gimmick.

Audio is decent but not amazing. The two-way talk feature works, but the speaker is a bit thin and lacks depth.

Should you buy it?

You want a brilliant value camera

High resolution video, no need for security fees and pan-and-tilt make this camera excellent value.

If you want a 4K camera or one with a slightly smarter interface, look elsewhere.

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Final Thoughts

The Reolink E331 feels like a bit of a no-brainer. It’s cheap, easy to set up, and packed with features that you’d normally expect from something much more expensive.

The combination of 5MP video, full-room coverage, and subscription-free local storage makes it a standout in the budget indoor camera space.

The app can take some learning but that’s a minor trade-off given everything else that’s on offer.

If you want an affordable indoor camera that doesn’t skimp on features or push you into a monthly plan, this is one of the best options out there right now. If you want a camera with 4K resolution or to fit in with an existing cloud subscription, read the guide to the best indoor security cameras.

How We Test

We test every security camera we review thoroughly over an extended period of time. We use industry standard tests to compare features properly. We’ll always tell you what we find. We never, ever, accept money to review a product.

Find out more about how we test in our ethics policy.

  • Used as our main security camera for the review period
  • We test compatibility with the main smart systems (HomeKit, Alexa, Google Assistant, SmartThings, IFTTT and more) to see how easy each camera is to automate
  • We take samples during the day and night to see how clear each camera’s video is

FAQs

Do you need a cloud subscription for the Reolink E331 Smart Security Camera?

No, all of the features are available whether you pay for the cloud feature or your record offline to an SD card.

Full Specs

  Reolink E331 Smart Security Camera Review
Manufacturer
Size (Dimensions) 73 x 73 x 114 MM
Weight 171 G
Release Date 2026
First Reviewed Date 11/06/2026
Model Number Reolink E331 Smart Security Camera
Resolution 2880 x 1660
Battery Length hrs
Smart assistants Yes
App Control Yes
Camera Type Indoor pan-and-tilt
Mounting option Bookshelf, ceiling
Recording option Cloud or SD
Two-way audio Yes
Night vision Yes (IR)
Light No
Motion detection Yes
Activity zones Yes
Object detection People,. pets
Audio detection Crying
Power source USB-C



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