Blink subscription pricing and what you get

Blink offers two subscription tiers: Blink Basic at $3 per month and Blink Plus at $10 per month, both billed annually. You can also pay monthly — Basic costs $4.99 and Plus costs $14.99 per month, but the annual option saves you money if you commit. Neither plan is required to use Blink cameras; you can view live feeds and receive motion alerts without paying anything. The subscription unlocks cloud video storage, which means your recorded clips stay on Blink's servers instead of disappearing after a short window.

The free tier stores video for only two hours. After that, clips are deleted unless you manually save them to your phone. This matters if you want to review what happened while you were away — you'll have a very narrow window to catch it. The paid plans extend this window significantly, which is the main reason people subscribe.

Key Takeaways

  • Blink Basic ($3/month annual or $4.99/month) stores video for 30 days; Blink Plus ($10/month annual or $14.99/month) stores for 60 days.
  • Without a subscription, your recorded video deletes after two hours, so you can only review recent events.
  • Both plans cover all your Blink cameras under one account, not per-camera pricing.
  • You can cancel anytime if you pay monthly, but annual plans do not offer refunds if you change your mind.

What each subscription tier stores and for how long

Blink Basic stores your video clips for 30 days in the cloud. This means if motion triggers a recording, that clip stays accessible for a month. Once 30 days pass, it's deleted automatically. For most people checking in on their home or property a few times a week, 30 days is enough to catch anything unusual that happened recently.

Blink Plus extends that to 60 days of storage. The extra month matters if you travel frequently or want a longer buffer before clips disappear. Both plans store an unlimited number of clips — you're not limited by clip count, only by the time window. One subscription covers all your Blink cameras on the same account, so adding a second or third camera doesn't increase the monthly cost.

How to check your current plan and billing

Open the Blink app on your phone and tap the menu icon (three horizontal lines) in the bottom right. Select "Account" and then "Subscription." This screen shows your current plan, when it renews, and your billing method. If you're on the free tier, you'll see an option to upgrade to either Basic or Plus from this same screen.

If you subscribed through the Blink app on iOS, you can also manage your subscription in the Apple App Store under "Subscriptions." The same applies to Android users through Google Play. Changing or canceling from these platforms takes effect on your next billing date.

When you might need a paid plan versus staying free

Stay on the free plan if you check your cameras multiple times a day and can review clips within two hours of them happening. This works well for people who are home frequently or work nearby. The free tier still sends you motion notifications instantly, so you know something triggered a camera — you just need to watch the clip soon after.

A paid plan makes sense if you travel, work long hours away from home, or want to review events from days or weeks ago. If you've ever missed something because you couldn't get to the app in time, or if you want a record of activity over a longer period, Basic or Plus will give you that peace of mind. The cost is low enough that many people subscribe just to avoid the stress of that narrow two-hour window.

How to downgrade or cancel your subscription

To downgrade from Plus to Basic, open the Blink app, go to Account > Subscription, and select "Manage Subscription." Choose Basic from the options shown. The change takes effect on your next billing date, and you'll be charged the lower amount going forward.

To cancel entirely and return to the free tier, follow the same path and select "Cancel Subscription." If you're on a monthly plan, cancellation is immediate — you'll lose access to cloud storage when your current month ends. If you're on an annual plan, you cannot get a refund for the unused portion, but you can cancel so it doesn't auto-renew next year. Some people cancel annual plans right after renewing if they realize they don't need it, accepting the loss rather than paying for a year they won't use.

Comparing Blink to other camera subscription models

Most security camera brands charge per camera or per location. Wyze, for example, charges $1.99 per month per camera for cloud storage. Ring charges $3.99 per month per location. Blink's model — one subscription for all cameras on your account — is simpler and cheaper if you have multiple cameras. A household with three Blink cameras pays $3 or $10 per month total. Three Wyze cameras would cost $5.97 per month, and three Ring cameras at separate locations would cost $11.97 per month.

Some cameras offer local storage as an alternative to cloud subscriptions. Eufy cameras, for instance, store video on a local hub without requiring a subscription. This avoids monthly fees but means you need to be home or on your network to access footage, and you lose access if the hub fails or is stolen. Cloud storage through Blink means your footage is backed up away from your home, which protects it if your camera or internet goes down.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use Blink cameras without paying for a subscription?

Yes. You can view live feeds, receive motion alerts, and watch clips for two hours after they're recorded without paying anything. The subscription only extends how long clips stay on Blink's servers. If the two-hour window works for your situation, you don't need to pay.

Does the subscription cover all my Blink cameras or just one?

One subscription covers all Blink cameras linked to your account. You don't pay per camera. If you have five cameras, they all get the same storage period under one Basic or Plus plan.

What happens to my videos if I cancel my subscription?

Clips stored in the cloud are deleted when your subscription ends. Any videos you manually saved to your phone stay on your phone. After cancellation, new clips record for two hours and then delete, just like the free tier.

Can I switch from annual to monthly billing?

You can cancel your annual plan and start a monthly one, but annual plans don't offer refunds for unused time. You'd lose the money you paid for the remaining months. It's usually better to wait for the annual plan to expire naturally before switching to monthly.

Is there a discount if I pay for a year upfront?

Yes. Blink Basic costs $36 per year ($3 per month) or $59.88 per year if you pay monthly ($4.99 × 12). Blink Plus costs $120 per year ($10 per month) or $179.88 per year if you pay monthly ($14.99 × 12). The annual option saves roughly 25 percent compared to paying month-to-month.