Compiled by SmartHomeWorkflow Research · Arlo · Cameras & Doorbells · ~$349.99 (us.arlo.com listed the 2-camera kit (VMS5250-100NAS) at $349.99 on 2026-09-23, read from the storefront's own product listing data. No sale was running on that variant that day: the listing's compare-at price was the same $349.99. The previous $279.99, read on 2026-08-14, was a sale price that has since ended. Never treated as a live price — check the vendor before buying.)
⚠ Similar names, different products: Arlo sells the Ultra line as several distinct SKUs under one storefront name, and the difference decides whether the camera works at all. VMS5250-100NAS is the 2-camera kit recorded here and it INCLUDES the required SmartHub. VMC5050-100NAS is sold as an 'Add-on Camera' at $199.99 and does NOT include one — bought alone it has nothing to connect to. VMS5350/VMS5450 are 3- and 4-camera kits. 'Ultra 2' also remains on the same storefront as a separate product line.
Compatibility at a glance
Does it work with your platform?
Choose your platform to see its setup and functions. Your choice carries across product pages.
Choose a platform above for its connection. A hub can be optional for the device itself and required for a platform or automation.
Required for the device
Arlo hub or bridge
Setup and sources
Arlo states the dependency in its own product copy, twice and without qualification: '(SmartHub required)' in the description and 'SmartHub Required' in the feature list. The SmartHub is proprietary, so no third-party bridge substitutes. It IS included in this SKU — Arlo's what's-in-the-box list reads '1x SmartHub w/ it's own power adapter and ethernet cable' — which is precisely why the add-on-camera SKU (VMC5050-100NAS, $199.99) is the trap: it is the same camera with no hub in the box.
Yes, an Arlo SmartHub — and Arlo says so twice on its own page, ending the product description with '(SmartHub required)' and repeating 'SmartHub Required' in the feature list. The hub is proprietary, so no third-party bridge substitutes for it. The good news is that it is IN THE BOX for this SKU: Arlo's what's-in-the-box list reads '1x SmartHub w/ it's own power adapter and ethernet cable', and it takes power and ethernet, so it needs a spot by the router. The trap is the SKU next to it — Arlo sells the identical camera as an 'Add-on Camera' (VMC5050-100NAS) for $199.99 with no hub included, so a buyer comparing that $199.99 against this $349.99 kit is comparing a component against a complete system.[2][18]
Apple Home · Doesn't work
This connection does not work
No supported connection
Arlo Ultra (3rd Gen)×Apple Home
The record does not support a connection to this platform. Read the explanation below.
Arlo's compatibility strip for this camera is a closed row of badges — 'Works with Alexa', 'Works with Google Home', 'Works with SmartThings', 'Works with IFTTT' — and Apple Home is not among them. The same badge row on Arlo's own Video Doorbell page does carry 'Works with Apple Home', so Arlo puts Apple on the row when Apple applies, and for this camera it does not. Plan on running this camera through Alexa, Google Home or SmartThings rather than the Apple Home app.[6][18]
Google Home · Works per the maker; details unconfirmed
Equipment needed for this connection
Connection setup needs a check
Arlo Ultra (3rd Gen)?Google Home
Compatibility is named, but the connection method is not documented here. A working path cannot be drawn yet.
Needed for this connection
Arlo hub or bridge
Setup and sources
Arlo states the dependency in its own product copy, twice and without qualification: '(SmartHub required)' in the description and 'SmartHub Required' in the feature list. The SmartHub is proprietary, so no third-party bridge substitutes. It IS included in this SKU — Arlo's what's-in-the-box list reads '1x SmartHub w/ it's own power adapter and ethernet cable' — which is precisely why the add-on-camera SKU (VMC5050-100NAS, $199.99) is the trap: it is the same camera with no hub in the box.
Arlo's page for this camera says it works with Google Home and says nothing more: it does not say how the camera connects to Google Home or which of its features, such as live view or two-way talk, come across.[5][18][19]
Amazon Alexa · Works per the maker; details unconfirmed
Equipment needed for this connection
Connection setup needs a check
Arlo Ultra (3rd Gen)?Amazon Alexa
Compatibility is named, but the connection method is not documented here. A working path cannot be drawn yet.
Needed for this connection
Arlo hub or bridge
Setup and sources
Arlo states the dependency in its own product copy, twice and without qualification: '(SmartHub required)' in the description and 'SmartHub Required' in the feature list. The SmartHub is proprietary, so no third-party bridge substitutes. It IS included in this SKU — Arlo's what's-in-the-box list reads '1x SmartHub w/ it's own power adapter and ethernet cable' — which is precisely why the add-on-camera SKU (VMC5050-100NAS, $199.99) is the trap: it is the same camera with no hub in the box.
Arlo's page for this camera says it works with Alexa and says nothing more: it does not say how the camera connects to Alexa or which of its features, such as live view or two-way talk, come across.[5][18][19]
SmartThings · Works per the maker; details unconfirmed
Equipment needed for this connection
Connection setup needs a check
Arlo Ultra (3rd Gen)?SmartThings
Compatibility is named, but the connection method is not documented here. A working path cannot be drawn yet.
Needed for this connection
Arlo hub or bridge
Setup and sources
Arlo states the dependency in its own product copy, twice and without qualification: '(SmartHub required)' in the description and 'SmartHub Required' in the feature list. The SmartHub is proprietary, so no third-party bridge substitutes. It IS included in this SKU — Arlo's what's-in-the-box list reads '1x SmartHub w/ it's own power adapter and ethernet cable' — which is precisely why the add-on-camera SKU (VMC5050-100NAS, $199.99) is the trap: it is the same camera with no hub in the box.
Arlo's page for this camera says it works with SmartThings and says nothing more: it does not say how the camera connects to SmartThings or which of its features, such as live view or two-way talk, come across.[5][18][19]
Home Assistant · Inconclusive
This connection is not confirmed for this model
Connection not confirmed
Arlo Ultra (3rd Gen)?Home Assistant
There is not enough model-specific evidence to draw a supported connection. Read the evidence and limits below.
Arlo names no Home Assistant support on this page, and no Arlo statement was found declaring it either supported or unsupported. Recorded as unknown rather than none: unofficial community integrations for Arlo are well known to exist, but a community project is not vendor support and its presence says nothing about what Arlo will do next.[6][18][19]
One device can provide more than one role. These are setup requirements, not a shopping list of separate purchases.
What could you do with this?
Put its functions to use.
Research, not hands-on testing
Start with a documented control or event. The selected connection shows what is confirmed for that platform.
↔Device control
Documented device function
Camera stream
The device supports this control.
Compare its platform availability in the table below.
Arlo's compatibility strip for this camera is a closed row of badges — 'Works with Alexa', 'Works with Google Home', 'Works with SmartThings', 'Works with IFTTT' — and Apple Home is not among them. The same badge row on Arlo's own Video Doorbell page does carry 'Works with Apple Home', so Arlo puts Apple on the row when Apple applies, and for this camera it does not. Plan on running this camera through Alexa, Google Home or SmartThings rather than the Apple Home app.
Google Home · Works per the maker; details unconfirmed
Camera stream
This device supports camera stream.
Control
Not stated
Automation
—
Setup: Maker’s hub or bridge
Setup and sources
Maker’s hub or bridge. Arlo states the dependency in its own product copy, twice and without qualification: '(SmartHub required)' in the description and 'SmartHub Required' in the feature list. The SmartHub is proprietary, so no third-party bridge substitutes. It IS included in this SKU — Arlo's what's-in-the-box list reads '1x SmartHub w/ it's own power adapter and ethernet cable' — which is precisely why the add-on-camera SKU (VMC5050-100NAS, $199.99) is the trap: it is the same camera with no hub in the box.
Arlo's page for this camera says it works with Google Home and says nothing more: it does not say how the camera connects to Google Home or which of its features, such as live view or two-way talk, come across.
Maker’s hub or bridge. Arlo states the dependency in its own product copy, twice and without qualification: '(SmartHub required)' in the description and 'SmartHub Required' in the feature list. The SmartHub is proprietary, so no third-party bridge substitutes. It IS included in this SKU — Arlo's what's-in-the-box list reads '1x SmartHub w/ it's own power adapter and ethernet cable' — which is precisely why the add-on-camera SKU (VMC5050-100NAS, $199.99) is the trap: it is the same camera with no hub in the box.
Arlo's page for this camera says it works with Alexa and says nothing more: it does not say how the camera connects to Alexa or which of its features, such as live view or two-way talk, come across.
SmartThings · Works per the maker; details unconfirmed
Camera stream
This device supports camera stream.
Control
Not stated
Automation
—
Setup: Maker’s hub or bridge
Setup and sources
Maker’s hub or bridge. Arlo states the dependency in its own product copy, twice and without qualification: '(SmartHub required)' in the description and 'SmartHub Required' in the feature list. The SmartHub is proprietary, so no third-party bridge substitutes. It IS included in this SKU — Arlo's what's-in-the-box list reads '1x SmartHub w/ it's own power adapter and ethernet cable' — which is precisely why the add-on-camera SKU (VMC5050-100NAS, $199.99) is the trap: it is the same camera with no hub in the box.
Arlo's page for this camera says it works with SmartThings and says nothing more: it does not say how the camera connects to SmartThings or which of its features, such as live view or two-way talk, come across.
Arlo names no Home Assistant support on this page, and no Arlo statement was found declaring it either supported or unsupported. Recorded as unknown rather than none: unofficial community integrations for Arlo are well known to exist, but a community project is not vendor support and its presence says nothing about what Arlo will do next.
Automation availability for this model is not established.
✓ Documented for this connection. × A stated limit. ◐ A partial function. ? Not established. A listed device function does not establish a complete routine, its other equipment or any plan requirements.
Setup and sources
Apple Home
Arlo's compatibility strip for this camera is a closed row of badges — 'Works with Alexa', 'Works with Google Home', 'Works with SmartThings', 'Works with IFTTT' — and Apple Home is not among them. The same badge row on Arlo's own Video Doorbell page does carry 'Works with Apple Home', so Arlo puts Apple on the row when Apple applies, and for this camera it does not. Plan on running this camera through Alexa, Google Home or SmartThings rather than the Apple Home app.[6][18]
Google Home
Arlo's page for this camera says it works with Google Home and says nothing more: it does not say how the camera connects to Google Home or which of its features, such as live view or two-way talk, come across.[5][18][19]
Alexa
Arlo's page for this camera says it works with Alexa and says nothing more: it does not say how the camera connects to Alexa or which of its features, such as live view or two-way talk, come across.[5][18][19]
SmartThings
Arlo's page for this camera says it works with SmartThings and says nothing more: it does not say how the camera connects to SmartThings or which of its features, such as live view or two-way talk, come across.[5][18][19]
Home Assistant
Arlo names no Home Assistant support on this page, and no Arlo statement was found declaring it either supported or unsupported. Recorded as unknown rather than none: unofficial community integrations for Arlo are well known to exist, but a community project is not vendor support and its presence says nothing about what Arlo will do next.[6][18][19]
Some functions may need a paid plan. Plan requirements are shown below.
Listed device functions are established from vendor documentation. An ability missing here is unestablished, not necessarily absent.
Connection details and setup sources
Ecosystem
Support
The catch
Amazon Alexa
◐Works per the maker; details unconfirmedWorks per the maker; details unconfirmed — see the catch[5][18][19]
Arlo's page for this camera says it works with Alexa and says nothing more: it does not say how the camera connects to Alexa or which of its features, such as live view or two-way talk, come across.In Amazon Alexa you also need: the maker's own hub
Google Home
◐Works per the maker; details unconfirmedWorks per the maker; details unconfirmed — see the catch[5][18][19]
Arlo's page for this camera says it works with Google Home and says nothing more: it does not say how the camera connects to Google Home or which of its features, such as live view or two-way talk, come across.In Google Home you also need: the maker's own hub
Apple Home
✗Doesn't workVerified: does not work with this ecosystem[6][18]
Arlo's compatibility strip for this camera is a closed row of badges — 'Works with Alexa', 'Works with Google Home', 'Works with SmartThings', 'Works with IFTTT' — and Apple Home is not among them. The same badge row on Arlo's own Video Doorbell page does carry 'Works with Apple Home', so Arlo puts Apple on the row when Apple applies, and for this camera it does not. Plan on running this camera through Alexa, Google Home or SmartThings rather than the Apple Home app.
SmartThings
◐Works per the maker; details unconfirmedWorks per the maker; details unconfirmed — see the catch[5][18][19]
Arlo's page for this camera says it works with SmartThings and says nothing more: it does not say how the camera connects to SmartThings or which of its features, such as live view or two-way talk, come across.In SmartThings you also need: the maker's own hub
Home Assistant
?InconclusiveWe researched this and the evidence doesn't settle it — the catch explains why[6][18][19]
Arlo names no Home Assistant support on this page, and no Arlo statement was found declaring it either supported or unsupported. Recorded as unknown rather than none: unofficial community integrations for Arlo are well known to exist, but a community project is not vendor support and its presence says nothing about what Arlo will do next.
? Inconclusive means we researched that ecosystem and the evidence doesn’t settle it — the catch says why, and the sources are listed below. It is a statement about the available evidence, never a verdict on the product. A Setup Check researches your exact setup where the official sources don’t answer.
◐ Works without a subscription: Yes, but some features need a plan.
Free: Live video feed, Motion-detection notifications
Behind a plan: Video Cloud Storage, Interactive Notifications, Video Object Detection, 60-Day Video History, Smart Activity Zones, 24/7 Emergency Response (from $9.99/mo)
5-year cost if you add the plan: ~$599 at $9.99/mo — price verified 2026-08-14
Vendor account required: Inconclusive — we read the vendor's own setup material and it does not say either way. Treat it as unanswered rather than as a no.[9]
Arlo answers this itself in the product page's own FAQ, and the answer is worth reading closely: 'Is a subscription required for my Ultra Security Camera (3rd Gen) to work after the trial ends? No. A subscription is not required... Without a subscription, you will continue to receive notifications when motion is detected and be able to view your camera's live video feed. However, a subscription is required to maintain premium features like Video Cloud Storage, Interactive Notifications, Video Object Detection, and more.' The camera ships with a one-month trial of an Arlo Secure Early Warning System plan. PRICING IS RECORDED PARTIALLY AND DELIBERATELY: the plans page sells by camera count and billing period — $9.99 billed monthly or $7.99/mo billed annually for a single camera, $19.99 monthly or $17.99/mo billed annually for unlimited cameras, with higher unlimited tiers at $29.99 monthly and $24.99/mo billed annually. The monthly price we list is the single-camera monthly entry price. We list no annual price on purpose: Arlo advertises a per-month rate billed annually and never states an annual total, so any yearly figure here would be our multiplication rather than Arlo's price. Which named tier (Plus vs Premium) each figure belongs to could not be resolved from the page, because the tier table renders client-side — so the ladder is recorded without asserting the tier mapping.
Batteries: rechargeable, swappable — manufacturer-stated 6 months per set
Works without the internet: Inconclusive — we read the vendor's own material and it does not answer this either way. It does not mean the product fails without the internet.[9]
Arlo states '6 months' battery life against an asterisked footnote, so treat it as a vendor figure under vendor conditions rather than a promise. Charge time to full is given as 4.5 hours (5V, 2A, at room temperature) and the operating range as -20°C to 45°C. The camera connects through the included SmartHub rather than straight to the router; Arlo's own accessory copy for the Pro SmartHub says a hub 'provides longer range' and 'stores videos locally', which is the practical argument for a design that otherwise adds a box to the setup.
Arlo publishes no security-update support date for this model. That is a gap in what the manufacturer has published, not evidence either way — some makers declare a support period and some say nothing at all.
The catch
Two things decide whether this camera is what you think you bought. First, it does not work on its own: Arlo says '(SmartHub required)' twice on its own page. The 2-camera kit recorded here includes that hub — the $199.99 'Add-on Camera' SKU does not, and a buyer comparing prices across Arlo's own storefront is comparing a complete system against a component. Second, the subscription line is honest but narrow: without a plan you keep live view and motion alerts, and that is genuinely more than some rivals offer — but you do not keep recordings. Video Cloud Storage is a paid feature, so the un-subscribed camera tells you something happened without keeping what happened. The price shown is Arlo's regular price for this kit; the earlier sale has ended.
Who it's for
Households that want 4K outdoor coverage inside Alexa, Google Home or SmartThings, are willing to run Arlo's hub as part of the system, and have decided in advance whether they are paying for a plan — because without one this camera notifies but does not record. Apple Home households should not assume the brand's doorbell support carries across: Arlo lists Alexa, Google Home, SmartThings and IFTTT for this camera, and Apple Home is not among them.
This opens Arlo's own website. We earn nothing from this link.
Sources & method
Numbered sources below back the facts marked with the matching number above. This is a research profile: compiled from manufacturer documentation, certification registries, and published testing — we state facts, not verdicts, and we have not physically tested this unit. How we work →
19 numbered sources· read them in the source's own words
[8] Record created 2026-08-14 from Arlo's own US storefront: the store listing data behind it for identity, SKUs and prices; the product page as a browser sees it (read with our declared reader, after an anonymous read was turned away) for the hub requirement, box contents, specs, platform badges and the subscription FAQ; and the Arlo Secure plans page for the plan ladder. Two integration cells were left calibrated unknown rather than resolved, and the plan tier mapping was left unattributed, because the evidence did not support closing them. — Read on the maker's own site, verified 2026-08-14
Backs: Research status
[9] Arlo's product page states neither whether the camera keeps working without internet nor whether an Arlo account is mandatory, and gives no security-update horizon. The SmartHub accessory copy says a hub 'stores videos locally', which is suggestive of local retention but is written about the Pro SmartHub accessory rather than this kit's included hub — not close enough to record as this product's local-operation behaviour. The power source is recorded as battery on the vendor's own 'Battery-Powered Camera' product type and 'Battery Life 6 months' spec. Install effort is not characterised by the vendor and is not inferred from the mount list., verified 2026-08-14
Backs: Works without the internet, Vendor account required, Installation, Security-update support period, Power source
[15] Looked on 23 September 2026 for another Arlo page carrying what this camera can do in an automation. The list rests on Arlo's help-library questions page for this camera, which no longer lets our reader in, so it was not asked for any page. Arlo's own US store, which does open for us, was searched through its own index, and its product page for this kit was read. It confirms three of the five things on the list: you can watch the live video, talk both ways through its two microphones, and get alerts when motion is detected. It says nothing about the built-in siren or about the camera reacting to sound, and those are the parts only the help page carried. A page that confirms part of a list does not re-check the whole of it, so the list keeps its earlier source and date. Five requests were spent on Arlo's store. No page carrying the siren and sound details was found., verified 2026-09-23
Backs: Product identity, Certification and product IDs, Price, Market availability, Subscription, Batteries, Power source, Wi-Fi bands it can use, Required hub or bridge, Amazon Alexa compatibility, Google Home compatibility, SmartThings compatibility, Apple Home compatibility, Home Assistant compatibility, Research status
Backs: Amazon Alexa compatibility, Google Home compatibility, SmartThings compatibility, Home Assistant compatibility
Compatibility and lifecycle information reflects the last-verified date above and can change without notice (firmware updates, cloud-service changes, discontinuations). It is provided as-is, for information — verify with the manufacturer before purchasing. Spot an error? Tell us and we'll fix it. Full terms: Terms of Service.
Check Arlo Ultra (3rd Gen) with your setup.
Your platform, exact hub and the functions you need determine the answer. A Setup Check researches how they fit together.