Are you planning to buy a Blink camera and connect it to a third-party app? Before you do, let’s take a closer look at Blink cameras and what you need to know about them.
Blink cameras are mainly designed for home security, so you’ll usually find them installed around places like porches, living rooms, kitchens, bedrooms, and TV rooms. They’re rarely used for more demanding applications, such as monitoring factories, mining sites, or other environments where cameras need to withstand water, heat, and dust. So, before buying a Blink camera, make sure to read the specifications carefully to ensure it meets your needs.
Get to Know Blink Cameras Better
I’ve opened the official Blink camera website.
I then browsed through the camera lineup on Blink’s website. Most of their cameras are designed for home use. Their minimalist designs make them a great fit for different corners of your home without clashing with your decor.
Here’s a look at the Blink camera lineup currently available.
- Mini 4K Plus
- Mini Pan-Tilt 2K Plus
- Spotlight 2K Plus
- Frontier XR Plus
- Outdoor 2K XR Plus
- Outdoor 2K Plus
- Mini 2K Plus
- Wired Doorbell 2K Plus
- Battery Doorbell 2K Plus
- Wired Floodlight Camera Mount
After reading through the product details, I found that Blink cameras don’t have a built-in memory card slot, so you can’t save recordings directly to a memory card. If you want to store footage locally, you’ll need to purchase an additional device called the Sync Module XR+.
Blink also offers cloud storage for your recordings through a subscription plan.
Can I Connect My Blink Camera to an NVR?
Blink cameras are Wi-Fi security cameras.
If you’re planning to install a Blink camera, you’ll need a Wi-Fi connection at home. The camera connects to your Wi-Fi network, and you can access it from your phone using the Blink app, which is available for both Android and iOS.
Unfortunately, Blink doesn’t offer a dedicated NVR for its cameras.
Blink doesn’t officially support connecting its cameras to other devices, so they don’t provide ONVIF support or RTSP streams. This means you can’t directly connect Blink cameras to third-party systems, including NVRs, using standard protocols. ONVIF and RTSP are essential standards for connecting cameras from different brands to compatible third-party systems.
Can I Connect Blink Cameras to Third-Party Apps Like iSpy Agent DVR?
The answer is no.
As I mentioned earlier, a camera needs to support ONVIF and RTSP to connect to compatible third-party devices or apps. Although Blink cameras use Wi-Fi, the manufacturer doesn’t officially support connecting them to third-party devices or apps from other brands.
I’ve tested Wi-Fi cameras that don’t support ONVIF or RTSP, and unfortunately, I couldn’t get them to connect.
iSpy Agent DVR detects cameras through RTSP streams and ONVIF support. In my test, I used a V380 Pro camera that doesn’t support either standard, and Agent DVR couldn’t detect it. The same limitation applies to other cameras that lack ONVIF and RTSP support, including Blink cameras. On the other hand, I also tested EZVIZ and IMOU cameras that support ONVIF and RTSP, and both connected to iSpy Agent DVR without any issues.
Will Blink Support ONVIF and RTSP for Its Cameras in the Future?
Generally, no.
Take Arlo cameras, for example.
Arlo doesn’t provide ONVIF or RTSP support for its cameras, and they don’t have a built-in memory card slot for local storage. To save and play back recorded footage, you’ll need to purchase an additional device or subscribe to a cloud storage plan, depending on your camera model.
Just imagine if Arlo or Blink cameras could connect to third-party devices. Users wouldn’t need to pay for a subscription service to store their video recordings anymore.
At the end of the day, that’s how they make their money.
Blink Camera Subscription Plans, by Country
To access additional camera features like motion detection, facial recognition, and other AI-powered capabilities, users may need a subscription. Blink offers AI-powered features and subscription plans with pricing that varies by country.
Here’s the list of countries where Blink subscription plans are available:
- United States
- Canada
- Cana (Francais)
- United Kingdom
- Deutschland
- France
- Italia
- Espana
- Nederland
- Belgique
- Belgie
- Ireland
There are four subscription plans to choose from:
- Basic AI
- Plus AI
- Basic
- Plus
Compare Blink Camera Plans
| Basic AI | Plus AI | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $8.99 per month $89.99 per year First year price plus applicable tax | $25.99 per month $259.99 per year First year price plus applicable tax |
| Number of covered devices | One Device | Unlimited Devices |
| Blink Video Descriptions |  | |
| Known Faces | | |
| Single Event Alerts | | |
| Unusual Activity Alerts | | |
| 20% off Blink devices | Annual plan only | Annual plan only |
| All features listed below | | |
| Basic | Plus | |
| Price | $5.00 per month $50.00 per year plus applicable tax | $15.00 per month $150.00 per year plus applicable tax |
| Number of covered devices | One Device | Unlimited Devices |
| Motion-activated notifications | | |
| Cloud video storage for up to 60 days | | |
| Extended live view | Up to 90 minutes | Up to 90 minutes |
| Live view recording | | |
| Person and vehicle detection | | |
| Blink Moments | | |
| Photo capture | | |
| Notifications Snooze | | |
| Auto-Update Thumbnail | | |
| Auto-local storage backup | | |
| 10% off Blink devices | | |
| Extended warranty coverage | | |
I checked Blink’s subscription prices on October 26, 2026. Keep in mind that prices may change at any time without prior notice.
Blink doesn’t specify a storage capacity for each subscription plan. By default, it provides 7,200 seconds of video storage, which is equivalent to two hours. Once that limit is reached, older recordings are overwritten by new ones. For more details, check out Blink’s guide to camera storage.
Conclusion
Blink cameras don’t support ONVIF or RTSP.
If someone asks whether Blink cameras can connect to an NVR or third-party apps, the answer is no, not directly through standard protocols like ONVIF or RTSP. If you’re planning to buy a Blink camera and want to connect it to an NVR, I’d recommend choosing another brand that supports both ONVIF and RTSP. Blink has its own business model, so you’ll need to subscribe to a cloud storage plan to save your recordings or purchase additional hardware for local storage, depending on your camera model.
I hope you found this article helpful!