Blink Basic is Blink's free tier for camera owners

Blink Basic is the no-cost subscription option for Blink security cameras. It gives you live view, motion alerts, and the ability to arm and disarm your system through the Blink app. You do not pay a monthly fee, but the service comes with limits on video storage and some features that cost extra.

Blink is owned by Amazon and makes indoor and outdoor security cameras. The Basic tier is designed for people who want the camera itself to work without committing to a paid plan. If you buy a Blink camera, you get Basic automatically — there is no separate sign-up step.

Key Takeaways

  • Blink Basic costs nothing per month and includes live view, motion alerts, and system control through the app.
  • Video clips from motion events are stored for 24 hours on Blink's servers, then deleted unless you pay for cloud storage.
  • You can save clips manually to your phone, but you cannot set up automatic recording or scheduled recording without a paid plan.
  • Blink Plus and Blink Subscription Plus are the paid tiers that add longer storage, person detection, and other features.

What you get with Blink Basic at no cost

Live view lets you watch your camera feed in real time through the Blink app on your phone or tablet. You can open the app, select a camera, and see what is happening right now. This works as long as your camera is powered and connected to your home Wi-Fi.

Motion alerts notify you when the camera detects movement. The app sends you a notification, and a short video clip of the motion event is saved. You can watch that clip in the app to see what triggered the alert. These clips are stored for 24 hours, then removed unless you save them or pay for extended storage.

System control means you can arm and disarm your Blink system from the app. Arming turns on motion detection; disarming turns it off. This is useful if you are leaving home and want alerts, or if you are home and do not want constant notifications.

How video storage works on the Basic plan

Blink Basic stores motion event clips on Blink's servers for 24 hours at no charge. When you get a motion alert, a short video is recorded and held for one day. After 24 hours, that clip is deleted permanently unless you have taken action.

To keep a clip longer, you can save it manually to your phone. Open the clip in the app and select the save or read option — the exact wording depends on your device and app version. Saved clips stay on your phone indefinitely, but they take up phone storage space.

If you want clips to be stored longer on Blink's servers automatically, you need to pay for Blink Plus (covers one camera) or Blink Subscription Plus (covers all cameras in your account). These paid plans keep clips for 60 days instead of 24 hours.

What features require a paid subscription

Person detection identifies whether motion was caused by a person or just an animal or moving branch. On Basic, you get motion alerts but cannot filter them by person. With Blink Plus or Subscription Plus, the app tells you whether a person was detected, so you can ignore alerts from pets or weather.

Continuous recording is not available on Basic. You can only see clips from motion events. If you want the camera to record all the time or on a schedule, you need a paid plan. This is useful if you want to review footage from a specific time window even if no motion was detected.

Local storage to a USB drive or external hard drive is a feature on some Blink cameras, but it requires a paid subscription to set up. Basic does not include this option.

Blink Plus versus Blink Subscription Plus

Blink offers two paid tiers. Blink Plus covers one camera and costs a monthly fee set by Blink (the exact amount varies by region and changes over time). Blink Subscription Plus covers all cameras on your account for a higher monthly fee.

Both paid plans include 60-day cloud storage, person detection, continuous recording, and local storage options. The choice between them depends on how many cameras you own. If you have one camera, Blink Plus is cheaper. If you have two or more, Subscription Plus is usually the better value.

Some retailers and Amazon offer promotional pricing on paid subscriptions when you buy a new camera bundle. Check the product listing to see if a discount is included.

How to manage your Blink Basic subscription

You do not need to do anything to keep Blink Basic active. It is the default tier for all Blink camera owners. Your account stays on Basic unless you choose to upgrade to a paid plan.

To upgrade, open the Blink app, go to your account settings, and look for the subscription or plans section. You will see options to add Blink Plus for a single camera or Blink Subscription Plus for your whole account. You can cancel a paid subscription at any time and return to Basic — no penalty or early termination fee applies.

If you have multiple cameras, you can mix subscriptions. For example, you could pay for Blink Plus on your front door camera and keep your back patio camera on Basic. The app lets you manage each camera's plan separately.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use Blink Basic without paying anything?

Yes. Blink Basic is free. You pay nothing per month. The only cost is the camera hardware itself. You get live view, motion alerts, and 24-hour clip storage at no charge.

Will my video clips be deleted if I do not pay for storage?

Motion event clips are stored for 24 hours on Blink's servers, then deleted. You can save clips manually to your phone to keep them longer. If you want automatic storage beyond 24 hours, you need Blink Plus or Subscription Plus.

What happens if I upgrade to a paid plan and then cancel?

Your account returns to Blink Basic when ready. You lose access to paid features like person detection and 60-day storage, but your camera keeps working. Any clips stored beyond 24 hours are deleted when your paid plan ends, so read them first if you want to keep them.

Can I have Blink Basic on one camera and a paid plan on another?

Yes. If you own multiple cameras, you can pay for Blink Plus on some and keep others on Basic. The app lets you manage each camera's subscription separately. This is useful if you want to save money by only paying for the cameras that matter most to you.

Do I need internet for Blink Basic to work?

Yes. Your camera needs a Wi-Fi connection to your home network. Without internet, you cannot use live view, receive motion alerts, or access the app. The camera itself stores some data locally, but you cannot view it without connecting to the internet.