Video doorbell vs peephole camera: which fits an apartment

How the two are built

A video doorbell is a weatherproof camera with a button, mounted outside. It sees the doorstep, the walkway and often the hallway, sends alerts when it detects motion or a press and works with a chime. A peephole camera replaces the optical viewer in the door with a small camera lens on the outside and a unit on the inside, often with a screen and sometimes an app. It sees whatever is directly in front of the lens and does not need a place on the wall.

Because it uses an existing hole, a peephole camera often needs less mounting hardware than a doorbell. A new hole is another matter: Home Depot’s guide notes that most peephole assemblies need a door at least 1-3/8 inches thick at the point of installation, and tells you to check the viewer’s packaging for the bore size before drilling.

Fire-rated apartment doors

Entry doors in many apartment buildings are fire-rated. The Steel Door Institute’s summary of NFPA 80 says that holes beyond the approved repair methods are treated as field modifications, and that a modification beyond what NFPA 80 allows means contacting the testing laboratory that lists the door and consulting the door manufacturer. In practice: before changing a peephole or drilling anything, ask management whether the door is fire-rated and what is allowed. Do not widen an existing hole on your own.

Lease, building and hallway rules

Almost every lease limits changes to the door, the frame and the hallway. A peephole camera that replaces the viewer is a change to the door; a doorbell on the wall is a change to the building. Ask in writing and keep the reply. Read cameras outside an apartment door for the typical answers, and smart apartment intercoms if the building has a buzzer system. Rules vary by state and city; ask a local tenant organization or attorney if you are unsure.

Privacy: hallway, audio and neighbors

A video doorbell’s wide view may include a neighbor’s door. A peephole camera has a narrower view, but it can still record audio. Turn off audio recording unless you need it, and read the FTC’s advice on securing internet-connected devices: use two-factor authentication, do not reuse passwords and keep firmware updated. Read what the law allows with neighbors.

Which one to choose

• Choose the doorbell if you want the widest view, a visitor button and a view that can include packages on the doormat: use the mounting height guide and the no-wiring guide.
• Choose the peephole camera if the building bans outside mounting, the hallway is shared or you only want to see who is at the door from the inside.
• Choose neither if the lease forbids both. An indoor camera with privacy shutters or a door sensor with a chime still tells you when someone enters. See indoor camera privacy.