Which Arlo Camera Subscription Plan Do I Need?

Problem Description

You want to understand Arlo's subscription plans — what Arlo Secure and Secure Plus include, what works without a plan, and why some features stopped after a trial ended. Arlo cameras record to the cloud and run their AI detection (person, vehicle, package, animal) only with an active subscription, so a lapsed or missing plan is why recordings and smart alerts disappear while live view still works.

Why This Happens in Real Homes

Arlo is a cloud-first system, so a subscription does more than you might think: Arlo Secure is what stores your recordings and runs the AI that tags people, vehicles, packages, and animals. Without it you still get live view and notifications, but no saved clips and no smart alerts — which is exactly what people notice when a trial ends.

Start by matching the plan to your setup: Secure for a single camera, Secure Plus for unlimited cameras and 4K cloud recording. If features vanished, it's almost always a lapsed plan or a billing problem, not the camera; where supported, a microSD in the SmartHub gives local recording as an alternative.

Symptoms

• Unsure which plan you need
• Recordings stopped after a trial
• No person/vehicle alerts
• Live view works but no clips
• Charged but features off
• 4K recording unavailable
• Plan not covering all cameras
• Confused about free vs paid

Recognize these? Here's what usually causes it.

Common Causes

• No active Arlo Secure/Secure Plus plan
• Free trial expired
• Plan tier too low for the feature (4K needs Plus)
• Plan not covering all your cameras
• Payment failed or account mismatch
• Expecting cloud recording without a plan
• Local storage not set up as an alternative
• Region/plan availability differences

Tools & Requirements

Step-by-Step Solution

1

Understand the Arlo Secure plan tiers

Arlo offers Arlo Secure (single camera, about $5/month) and Arlo Secure Plus (unlimited cameras, about $18/month). Both include cloud recording, smart notifications (person, vehicle, animal, package detection), and 30-day cloud storage. The Plus plan adds 4K recording, 24/7 emergency response, and theft replacement. Without any plan, most newer Arlo cameras only support live viewing — no cloud recording.

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2

Check what your legacy plan includes

If you purchased Arlo cameras before 2024, you may be on an older plan like Arlo Smart or Arlo Smart Premier. These plans have been grandfathered in but are no longer sold. They include similar features to current plans but at different price points. Check your subscription page in the app to see exactly what plan you are on. Arlo has migrated some legacy plans automatically — verify nothing changed.

3

Decide if you need a subscription at all

Some older Arlo models (original Arlo, Arlo Pro, Arlo Pro 2) still have access to a free basic plan with 7-day cloud storage. Newer models (Pro 3 and later) require a paid plan for any cloud recording. If you only want live view and local recording (via USB on the SmartHub), you can skip the subscription on supported hardware. But you lose smart notifications, activity zones, and cloud backup.

4

Set up local storage as an alternative

Some Arlo SmartHub models (VMB4540 and newer) support a USB drive for local recording. Insert a USB storage device into the hub and enable local storage in settings. Clips are saved locally instead of (or in addition to) the cloud. This gives you recording without a subscription, but you lose cloud backup — if someone steals the hub, the recordings go with it.

5

Manage your subscription and billing

In the Arlo app, go to Settings, then Subscription. You can upgrade, downgrade, or cancel your plan. If you cancel mid-billing cycle, the plan stays active until the end of the paid period. Switching from monthly to annual billing saves about 30%. If you have a trial plan, set a reminder before it expires — Arlo automatically charges your card when the trial ends unless you cancel.

Quick Solutions

Still having issues? This is usually the deeper cause below.

Need More Help? Arlo Support

Note: The contact information below connects you directly to Arlo's official customer support team, not Trunetto. They can help with warranty claims, device replacements, and advanced technical issues.

How Does Arlo Compare?

Before replacing your Arlo device, see how it stacks up against alternatives in our full comparison guides.