Which brand should you buy?
Quick verdict
- A PoE doorbell: the Video Doorbell PoE runs on PoE or 12-24V AC / 24V DC power.
- Recording to a Reolink NVR as well as microSD, as on the Video Doorbell PoE and WiFi; Tapo’s D260 can also record to a Tapo hub.
- A wired Wi-Fi doorbell with an Ethernet port and a Reolink chime in the box: the Video Doorbell WiFi.
- IFTTT and Home Assistant support, which the Battery Video Doorbell (2nd Gen) lists.
- A 4K doorbell: the D260 records 3840 x 2160.
- Solar charging: the D205 and D210 take an optional panel.
- A battery doorbell with a chime in the box: the D210 and D235 include a Tapo chime, and the D230S1’s H200 hub rings as the chime.
At a glance
Recording and subscriptions
Both brands record to microSD. Reolink’s Battery Video Doorbell (2nd Gen) takes cards up to 512GB and works with a Reolink Home Hub and Reolink Cloud; the Video Doorbell PoE and WiFi take cards up to 256GB and add a Reolink NVR or Home Hub Pro. Reolink lists no subscription needed for local recording on the PoE and WiFi models.
Tapo doorbells record to microSD up to 512GB, in the doorbell or the D230S1’s hub, with Tapo Care as optional cloud storage.
Wiring and chimes
Reolink’s Video Doorbell PoE runs on PoE or 12-24V AC / 24V DC, and the Video Doorbell WiFi on 12-24V AC, 24V DC or its included adapter; both come with a Reolink chime in the box. The Battery Video Doorbell (2nd Gen) runs on battery, trickle-charges from 8-24V wiring or uses Wired Power Mode; it has no chime in the box but works with the Chime Plus or an existing mechanical or digital chime.
Tapo’s D130 is hardwired with a Tapo chime included, as it does not ring an existing chime. The D235 runs on battery or wiring with a chime in the box, the D235L and D260 work with an existing chime using the jumper, and the D205 and D210 are battery models that take optional solar, the D210 with a Tapo chime in the box.
Smart home and apps
Every Reolink doorbell lists Google Assistant, and the Battery Video Doorbell (2nd Gen) adds IFTTT and Home Assistant. Every Tapo doorbell except the D205 lists Google, and the D260 adds SmartThings. Neither brand lists Apple HomeKit for these doorbells.
Model-by-model comparisons
Each of these compares one Reolink model with one Tapo model, with a spec table, pros and cons, and which to buy.
PoE vs wiredReolink Video Doorbell PoE vs Tapo D130Compare →
Wired doorbellTapo D130 vs Reolink Video Doorbell WiFiCompare →
Wired vs battery or wiredReolink Video Doorbell WiFi vs Tapo D235Compare →
Wired vs 4KReolink Video Doorbell WiFi vs Tapo D260Compare →
Battery doorbellTapo D205 vs Reolink Battery Video Doorbell (2nd Gen)Compare →
Hub kit vs battery or wiredTapo D230S1 vs Reolink Battery Video Doorbell (2nd Gen)Compare →
4K vs head-to-toe batteryTapo D260 vs Reolink Battery Video Doorbell (2nd Gen)Compare →
Frequently asked questions
Which has a PoE doorbell?
Reolink: the Video Doorbell PoE runs on PoE (IEEE 802.3af) or 12-24V AC / 24V DC, and records to microSD, a Reolink NVR, Home Hub Pro or FTP/NAS. Tapo’s doorbells run on battery, doorbell wiring or both.
Do I need a subscription?
Every Reolink and Tapo doorbell here records to microSD. Reolink lists no subscription needed for local recording on the Video Doorbell PoE and WiFi, and Tapo Care is Tapo’s optional cloud storage.
Which comes with a chime?
Reolink’s Video Doorbell PoE and WiFi include a Reolink chime; the Battery Video Doorbell (2nd Gen) has none in the box but works with the Chime Plus or an existing chime. Tapo includes a chime with the D130, D210 and D235, and the D230S1’s H200 hub rings as the chime.