---
title: "Best PoE Video Doorbell for Home Assistant (2026): Local, No Subscription"
description: "The best PoE doorbell for Home Assistant is the Reolink Video Doorbell PoE: local RTSP, 2K, bundled chime, no subscription. Aqara G400 and Frigate/VLAN setup included."
date: 2026-11-11
categories: ["self-hosting"]
tags: ["home-assistant","poe","frigate"]
---

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import Accordion from "@components/widgets/Accordion.astro";
import Button from "@components/widgets/Button.astro";
import AmazonProduct from "@components/widgets/AmazonProduct.astro";

For a local, no-subscription doorbell that works with Home Assistant, the answer is the Reolink Video Doorbell PoE ($119.99): 2K video, RTSP into Frigate and HA, on-device person detection, microSD recording, and a plug-in wireless chime in the box, with no cloud account required. The Aqara Doorbell G400 ($99.99) is the flexible alternative if you want HomeKit Secure Video alongside HA or need to power the doorbell from existing two-wire transformer wiring.

<Notice type="warning" title="Affiliate disclosure">
Some links below are Amazon affiliate links, including `/go/` redirects that land on Amazon. Buying through them pays me a small commission at no extra cost to you. Prices were checked on November 11, 2026 and move constantly, so always confirm on the product page.
</Notice>

## Quick picks

| Doorbell | Price (Nov 11) | Power & data | Local stream | Chime | Rating | Buy it if |
| --- | ---: | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| [Reolink Video Doorbell PoE](/go/reolink-doorbell-poe/) | $119.99 | PoE (802.3af) | RTSP/ONVIF | Plug-in Chime V2 included | 4.1★ | You want the HA/Frigate-native pick. **Most people.** |
| [Aqara Doorbell G400](/go/aqara-doorbell-g400/) | $99.99 | PoE or 8–24V transformer + Wi-Fi | RTSP + HomeKit | Chime hub + HomePod | 4.2★ (458) | You want HomeKit Secure Video or only have 2-wire transformer power. |
| [Reolink Chime Plus](/go/reolink-chime-plus/) | $24.99 | Wall outlet plug-in | — | Extra chime unit | 4.4★ (54) | You want a second or third chime upstairs or in the basement. |

## Wiring: the part everyone gets stuck on

A true PoE doorbell ignores your old low-voltage doorbell transformer and takes both power and data over a single Ethernet cable. That leaves you with two clean paths depending on what's inside your wall:

1. **Full PoE run (Ethernet to the door).** Pull Cat6 to the door frame, plug the other end into a PoE switch port or $15 PoE injector, and you're done. One cable delivers power and rock-solid wired data, with zero Wi-Fi dropouts when someone walks up to the porch. Most front doors share a stud bay or sill plate with an unfinished basement, crawlspace, or attic, making a 2-meter fish easier than it looks. Both the [Reolink Doorbell PoE](/go/reolink-doorbell-poe/) and the [Aqara G400](/go/aqara-doorbell-g400/) support PoE.
2. **Existing 2-wire doorbell transformer (no Ethernet run).** If brick or concrete makes pulling Cat6 impossible, the PoE-only Reolink is the wrong SKU. Either use the [Aqara Doorbell G400](/go/aqara-doorbell-g400/) (which accepts 8–24VAC/DC from your existing doorbell wires and falls back to Wi-Fi for video) or buy Reolink's separate Wi-Fi doorbell model, which powers off 12–24VAC transformer wires.

<Notice type="info" title="Mechanical chime reality check">
Unlike Ring or Amcrest doorbells, the **Reolink Video Doorbell does not trigger your existing in-wall mechanical chime** (even on the Wi-Fi version, you bypass the old chime box). Instead, Reolink **includes one plug-in wireless Chime V2 in the box** that pairs over RF and rings instantly even if Home Assistant or your network is rebooting. If you have a multi-story house, you can pair up to five [Reolink Chime Plus](/go/reolink-chime-plus/) ($24.99) units to one doorbell, or ring any HomePod/Sonos/ESPHome speaker through a Home Assistant automation.
</Notice>

## What a doorbell needs for Home Assistant

- **RTSP and/or ONVIF.** Frigate and HA's camera integrations need a local video feed; cloud-only doorbells (Ring, Nest) are dead ends for self-hosting.
- **A local button-press event.** The doorbell *press* needs to reach HA as a binary sensor or event in milliseconds so automations can flash lights, pop up a camera card on a wall tablet, or announce on smart speakers. Reolink exposes it locally via HA's native Reolink integration; Aqara exposes it via HomeKit Device / Matter / Aqara integrations.
- **Local storage.** A microSD slot in the doorbell itself, Frigate recording, or a local NVR, with zero monthly fees.
- **Person/package detection.** On-device detection gives HA immediate `Visitor` and `Person` binary sensors without waiting for a separate detector pipeline.

## The picks

### 1. Reolink Video Doorbell PoE: the HA-native answer

**$119.99** · 4.1★

The [Reolink PoE doorbell](/go/reolink-doorbell-poe/) is the closest thing to a purpose-built Home Assistant and Frigate doorbell on Amazon: a 2K+ (2560×1920) sensor with a 4:3 aspect ratio that shows the visitor and most of the porch steps, on-device person detection, two-way talk, and clean dual RTSP/ONVIF streams that Frigate ingests just like the cameras in our [Frigate camera guide](/best-cameras-frigate-home-assistant/). Home Assistant's core Reolink integration (Platinum quality scale) discovers it locally and exposes the button press, motion, person sensor, status LED controls, and chime ringtone selection.

The honest caveats: this SKU is **PoE only** (it has no Wi-Fi radio and no terminals to draw power from a 16–24VAC transformer), it won't strike your old mechanical wall chime (use the included plug-in Reolink Chime instead), and the 4.1★ rating reflects real complaints about IR night-vision glare if mounted recessed next to a brick wall (use the included 15° mounting wedge to angle it away from the wall).

<AmazonProduct
  productName="REOLINK Video Doorbell PoE (with Chime V2)"
  productDescription="2K+ PoE doorbell with 4:3 video, on-device person detection, two-way talk, microSD recording, bundled wireless Chime V2, and full local RTSP/ONVIF for Home Assistant and Frigate."
  productFeatures={["2K+ (2560×1920), 4:3 aspect, 180° diagonal FOV", "PoE (802.3af): one Ethernet cable for power and data", "Local RTSP + ONVIF + native Platinum Home Assistant integration", "Includes plug-in wireless Chime V2 + 15° mounting wedge"]}
  productLink="/go/reolink-doorbell-poe/"
  productImage="https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/31KusgdSMGL._AC_SL1500_.jpg"
  productRating={4.1}
  recommendedBadge="Best for HA & Frigate"
  importantConsiderations={["PoE only: requires an Ethernet run to the door, not transformer wires", "Does not ring existing mechanical chimes; uses the included plug-in Chime V2", "Use the included 15° wedge if a side wall causes IR glare at night"]}
  pros={["Fully local: no cloud account or subscription needed", "Bundled plug-in Chime V2 works out of the box", "Frigate and HA treat it like any other Reolink PoE camera"]}
  cons={["Requires pulling Cat5e/Cat6 to the door frame", "Doesn't actuate legacy in-wall mechanical chimes"]}
/>

### 2. Aqara Doorbell G400: HomeKit + PoE or transformer wiring

**$99.99** · 4.2★ from 458 ratings

If you also use Apple HomeKit (HomePod chimes, Apple TV picture-in-picture notifications, HomeKit Secure Video) or need a doorbell that can run on existing two-wire doorbell transformer wiring, the [Aqara Doorbell Camera G400](/go/aqara-doorbell-g400/) is the pick. Unlike the older battery-/Wi-Fi-only G4, the G400 supports **both PoE and 8–24VAC/DC low-voltage transformer power**, streams local RTSP for Frigate/HA alongside HomeKit Secure Video, and includes a separate indoor chime repeater box.

The trade-offs: initial setup still requires the Aqara app and an account before you hand it off to local HomeKit/RTSP, and if you wire it to a 2-wire transformer instead of PoE, video rides over Wi-Fi with the usual airtime caveats.

<AmazonProduct
  productName="Aqara Doorbell Camera G400"
  productDescription="2K smart doorbell supporting both PoE and 8–24V doorbell transformer wiring, with local RTSP, HomeKit Secure Video, and an included indoor chime hub."
  productFeatures={["2K head-to-toe sensor with on-device person/package/face AI", "Flexible power: PoE Ethernet OR existing 8–24VAC/DC doorbell wiring", "Local RTSP for HA/Frigate + Apple HomeKit Secure Video", "Included indoor chime hub + HomePod chime support"]}
  productLink="/go/aqara-doorbell-g400/"
  productImage="https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/413fvkmsBeL._AC_SL1500_.jpg"
  productRating={4.2}
  importantConsiderations={["Can use existing transformer wires (over Wi-Fi) or a full PoE cable", "Initial onboarding requires the Aqara mobile app once", "Verify RTSP is enabled in the app settings for Frigate"]}
  pros={["Works with or without an Ethernet run to the door", "Best option for Apple Home + Home Assistant households", "Indoor chime hub included in the box"]}
  cons={["Requires Aqara app account for initial setup", "Home Assistant integration is less direct than Reolink's native integration"]}
/>

### 3. Reolink Chime Plus: $25 extra chimes for other floors

**$24.99** · 4.4★ from 54 ratings

The Reolink PoE doorbell already ships with one plug-in chime in the box, which covers your main hallway. The [Reolink Chime Plus](/go/reolink-chime-plus/) is how you add a second, third, or fourth ringer for an upstairs office, basement homelab, or garage (up to five chimes can pair to a single doorbell). It plugs into a wall outlet, pairs directly to the doorbell over RF, and needs zero Home Assistant automation debugging to work when the button is pressed.

<Button text="Check Reolink Chime Plus ($24.99)" link="/go/reolink-chime-plus/" variant="outline" color="blue" size="md" icon="arrow-right" />

## Wiring it into Frigate and Home Assistant

The Reolink PoE doorbell exposes standard H.264 RTSP main and sub streams (`2560×1920` main and `640×480` 4:3 sub), so the `go2rtc` + detect/record split from the [Frigate camera guide](/best-cameras-frigate-home-assistant/) applies directly. Enable RTSP and ONVIF in the Reolink client (**Network > Advanced > Server Settings**) first:

```yaml
go2rtc:
  streams:
    doorbell_main: rtsp://admin:password@192.168.30.12:554/h264Preview_01_main
    doorbell_sub:  rtsp://admin:password@192.168.30.12:554/h264Preview_01_sub

cameras:
  doorbell:
    ffmpeg:
      inputs:
        - path: rtsp://127.0.0.1:8554/doorbell_sub
          input_args: preset-rtsp-restream
          roles: [detect]
        - path: rtsp://127.0.0.1:8554/doorbell_main
          input_args: preset-rtsp-restream
          roles: [record]
    detect:
      width: 640
      height: 480
      fps: 5
```

For two-way talk on a Home Assistant dashboard (via the `advanced-camera-card` / WebRTC), `go2rtc` also supports Reolink's backchannel audio. Meanwhile, the physical button press arrives in HA instantaneously via the native Reolink integration as `binary_sensor.doorbell_visitor`, which makes a reliable trigger for: press -> snapshot notification to phones + TTS announcement on smart speakers. All local, no cloud.

On the network side, put the doorbell on your **camera VLAN** with no internet access (and remember that a port on the exterior wall of your house is untrusted physical access, so lock that switch port to the isolated camera VLAN). The [2.5GbE switch guide](/best-2-5-10gbe-switch-homelab/) covers PoE switches; any standard 802.3af port runs this doorbell at ~5–8W.

## If you don't want to run Frigate

The [Reolink RLK8-410B4 NVR kit](/go/reolink-rlk8-410b4/) ($542.99) isn't a doorbell, but it's the turnkey answer if what you actually want is "record four outdoor cameras plus the Reolink PoE doorbell 24/7 with zero server maintenance." The NVR ingests the doorbell as another PoE channel on its built-in 2TB drive while Home Assistant still pulls events from it. Covered in the [camera guide](/best-cameras-frigate-home-assistant/).

## What I'd buy

- **Have (or can pull) Ethernet to the door:** [Reolink Video Doorbell PoE ($119.99)](/go/reolink-doorbell-poe/) (includes one plug-in chime), plus an extra [Chime Plus ($24.99)](/go/reolink-chime-plus/) if you want a ringer on a second floor.
- **Want Apple HomeKit Secure Video OR only have 2-wire transformer power:** [Aqara Doorbell G400 ($99.99)](/go/aqara-doorbell-g400/).
- **Already on UniFi Protect:** the UniFi G4 Doorbell Pro PoE, sourced from Ubiquiti. It's great inside Protect and pointless outside it.
- **Server to run HA + Frigate:** see the [Home Assistant hardware guide](/best-home-assistant-hardware/).

## FAQ

<Accordion label="Do PoE doorbells work without the internet?" group="faq" expanded="true">
Yes. The Reolink PoE doorbell records locally to microSD, rings its bundled wireless chime over RF, and streams RTSP/ONVIF + visitor events to Home Assistant and Frigate entirely on your LAN. On a VLAN with internet access blocked, it keeps working without a hitch; you simply use Home Assistant companion app notifications instead of Reolink's cloud push notifications.
</Accordion>

<Accordion label="Can a PoE doorbell use my existing 2-wire doorbell wiring?" group="faq">
The Reolink Video Doorbell PoE cannot: it requires an Ethernet cable for both power (802.3af PoE) and data. If pulling Ethernet to the door frame is impossible, either buy the [Aqara Doorbell G400](/go/aqara-doorbell-g400/) (which supports both PoE and 8–24V two-wire transformer power with Wi-Fi) or choose Reolink's separate Wi-Fi doorbell model.
</Accordion>

<Accordion label="Reolink doorbell vs Aqara G400: which is better for Home Assistant?" group="faq">
Pick the Reolink Video Doorbell PoE if you can run Ethernet and want the cleanest native Home Assistant + Frigate integration with zero cloud onboarding. Pick the Aqara G400 if you also use Apple HomeKit (HomePod chimes and Apple TV pop-ups) or need to power the doorbell from existing low-voltage doorbell wires.
</Accordion>

<Accordion label="What about UniFi or Ring PoE doorbells?" group="faq">
Ubiquiti's UniFi G4 Doorbell Pro PoE is excellent hardware, but it requires a UniFi Protect console (Cloud Key+, UNVR, or Dream Machine) and costs more than twice as much. Ring's PoE Elite doorbell is cloud-first and requires a Ring subscription for recording, which defeats the point of self-hosting with Home Assistant.
</Accordion>

<Accordion label="Will the Reolink PoE doorbell ring my existing mechanical chime?" group="faq">
No. Neither the PoE nor the Wi-Fi Reolink doorbell triggers legacy in-wall mechanical chimes. Instead, Reolink includes a plug-in wireless Chime V2 in the box with the doorbell, and you can add extra $24.99 [Reolink Chime Plus](/go/reolink-chime-plus/) plug-in units for other floors or trigger any smart speaker through Home Assistant.
</Accordion>