Can you use Blink without a subscription?
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Blink says its cameras work without stored clips: live view, motion alerts and two-way audio stay available with no plan. To keep recordings without paying, Blink's own answer is local storage: clips save to a USB drive in a Sync Module 2 or a microSD card in a Sync Module XR, stay until you delete them, and stop recording new clips when the drive is full. The Sync Module Core has no local storage, and the legacy XT, XT2 and Indoor (1st Gen) cameras do not support it. 1
In the US, Blink's plans are Basic ($3.99 a month or $39.99 a year, one device), Plus ($11.99 a month or $119.99 a year) and the newer Basic ai ($6.99) and Plus ai ($19.99) tiers 2. Basic and Plus went up on October 8, 2025, from $3 and $10 a month 3. A plan adds up to 60 days of cloud storage in the US, person and vehicle detection and custom snooze 1.
Does Blink need a subscription to record?
No, if you add local storage. Without a plan and without a Sync Module 2 or XR with a drive, the camera does not save motion clips. 1
What do I lose without a plan?
Cloud storage, smart detection such as person and vehicle alerts, Blink Moments and custom snooze. 1
Can I watch local clips in the Blink app?
Yes, clips saved to local storage without a plan can be viewed in the app. Automatic backups of cloud clips to the drive (a plan feature) can only be viewed on a computer. 1
Does Blink work without internet?
No. Blink cameras need a 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi internet connection. See Does Blink work without internet? 4
Are Blink's face features available everywhere?
No. Blink says Known Faces is not available in Illinois, Texas or Portland, Oregon because of local laws, and its AI video descriptions are not available in Illinois. 2
Do I need a Blink account?
Yes. 5
| Device | Score | Offline | Local storage | Home Assistant | RTSP/ONVIF | Subscription | Account |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blink Outdoor 4Camera · Battery | 26 | No | Hub only | Cloud | No | Partly | Required |
| Blink Mini 2Camera · Plug-in | 26 | No | Hub only | Cloud | No | Partly | Required |
| Blink Video DoorbellDoorbell · Battery or wired | 26 | No | Hub only | Cloud | No | Partly | Required |
Informational only, not legal advice. Found an error? Tell us.
Sources
- Blink: Storage options · checked Oct 26, 2026
- Blink: Plans (United States) · checked Oct 26, 2026
- Blink: Subscription plan changes starting October 8, 2025 · checked Oct 26, 2026
- Blink: Wi-Fi guide (cameras need a 2.4 GHz internet connection) · checked Oct 22, 2026
- Blink: Creating and signing in to the Blink app (account required) · checked Oct 22, 2026