Amazon Blink Subscription Basics

Blink Subscription is a paid add-on to Amazon's Blink home security cameras that stores video recordings in the cloud and unlocks advanced features. Without a subscription, your Blink camera records only to local storage (if your device supports it) or does not save footage at all. The subscription tier you choose determines how long videos stay accessible, whether you get person detection, and what other tools become available.

Amazon offers two subscription tiers for Blink: Basic and Plus. Both are optional — you can own and use a Blink camera without either one, though you will lose cloud storage and some features. The subscription applies to all Blink cameras on your account, not to individual devices.

Key Takeaways

  • Blink Basic costs $3 per month or $30 per year and stores 30 days of video in the cloud across all your cameras.
  • Blink Plus costs $10 per month or $100 per year and stores 60 days of video plus adds person detection, package detection, and other advanced features.
  • Without a subscription, most Blink cameras do not save video to the cloud, though some models support local storage to a USB drive or Sync Module.
  • You can cancel your subscription at any time, and your account will revert to free features immediately.
  • The subscription is tied to your Amazon account, not to individual cameras, so one subscription covers all Blink devices you own.

Blink Basic vs. Blink Plus: What You Get

Blink Basic provides 30 days of cloud video storage for all your cameras and costs $3 per month or $30 per year if you pay annually. This tier covers the core need: your videos stay accessible for a month, and you can download them if you need them as evidence or for another reason. Basic does not include person detection, which means motion alerts will not distinguish between a person, an animal, or a moving tree branch.

Blink Plus adds person detection, package detection, and animal detection — these use computer vision to filter alerts so you only get notified when the camera sees a person or a package, not every motion. Plus also extends cloud storage to 60 days and costs $10 per month or $100 per year. If you have multiple cameras, one Plus subscription covers all of them.

Both tiers include live view, two-way talk, motion alerts, and the ability to arm and disarm your system from the Blink app. The difference is storage length and detection filters.

What Happens Without a Subscription

If you do not pay for a subscription, your Blink camera will still record and send live video to your phone when you open the app. However, it will not store video in Amazon's cloud servers. This means you cannot watch a recording of what happened while you were away — you can only watch live.

Some Blink models (like the Sync Module 2 and Blink XT2) support local storage to a USB drive or microSD card inserted into the Sync Module. If your camera supports this, you can record locally without paying for a subscription. Check your camera's specifications to see if local storage is an option. Blink Video Doorbell and some other models do not support local storage and require a subscription if you want any recorded footage.

How to Start or Change Your Subscription

To add or change a Blink subscription, open the Blink app on your phone, tap the menu icon, and select "Subscription." From there you can choose Basic or Plus, or view your current plan. Amazon will bill you through the payment method linked to your Amazon account. If you chose annual billing, you will be charged once per year on the anniversary of your signup date.

You can switch between Basic and Plus at any time. If you downgrade from Plus to Basic mid-cycle, Amazon will prorate the refund to your account. If you upgrade from Basic to Plus, you will be charged the difference for the remainder of your billing period.

Cancellation is also done through the app. Once you cancel, your subscription ends at the end of your current billing period, and you will lose cloud storage and advanced features. Your camera will continue to work for live view and two-way talk.

Video Storage and Retention

With Blink Basic, videos are stored for 30 days from the date they were recorded. With Blink Plus, they are stored for 60 days. After that time, Amazon automatically deletes them. You can manually download any video to your phone or computer before the retention period ends if you want to keep it permanently.

Storage is per account, not per camera. If you have three Blink cameras and a Blink Video Doorbell, all their videos count toward the same 30-day or 60-day window. There is no limit on how many videos you can store during that window — you can have hundreds of clips as long as they fall within the retention period.

Blink Subscription and Other Amazon Services

Blink subscription is separate from Amazon Prime and does not come with a Prime membership. If you are a Prime member, you do not get Blink storage for free. However, some Blink bundles sold by Amazon include a discounted first month or year of subscription.

Blink is owned by Amazon but operates as its own service with its own billing. Your Blink subscription will appear as a separate charge on your Amazon account statement, labeled as "Blink Subscription" or "Amazon Blink."

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use Blink cameras without paying for a subscription?

Yes. You can use Blink for live view and two-way talk without a subscription. You will not be able to watch recorded video from when you were away, unless your camera model supports local storage to a USB drive or Sync Module. Check your camera's manual to see if local storage is available.

Do I need a separate subscription for each camera?

No. One Blink subscription covers all cameras on your account. If you have five Blink cameras, you pay for one Basic or Plus plan, and all five cameras use the same cloud storage and features.

What if I cancel my subscription mid-year?

If you paid for an annual subscription and cancel before the year is up, Amazon will refund the unused portion to your account as an Amazon credit. The refund is prorated based on how many days remain in your subscription period.

Can I download videos after my subscription ends?

No. Once your subscription ends, you lose access to all cloud-stored videos. If you want to keep any footage, download it before your subscription expires. Videos stored locally on a USB drive or Sync Module will remain accessible even after your subscription ends.

Does Blink subscription work outside the United States?

Blink is available in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom. Subscription pricing and features may vary by country. Check the Blink app in your region to see current pricing and availability.