Trail cameras, maybe more than any other type of gear, have a real buyer’s sweet spot. Go too cheap, and you’re likely to regret it when you’re looking at blurry images that all seem to be taken as your animal walks out of frame. Go too expensive, and the dollar-to-performance ratio doesn’t really justify the purchase. As a solution, we’ve compiled the best trail cam deals, so you can get quality trail cams at prices that are a bit easier on your wallet.
Before any sales, most of our favorite trail cams and, now ubiquitous, cellular trail cams land in that $100-$200 price range. Most of the on-sale models we find here are in that price range, so you’re looking at closer to $100 with a discount. Any of these well performing cameras for less than $150 will be a great buy.
Just barely under $100 but $40 off retail, Browning’s Strike Force HD MAX Plus is a great deal. The camera shoots 20MP images and 1600 x 900 HD video. Your trigger is adjustable between .135 seconds and .7 seconds, with a .5-second recovery time between photos. It’s got all the customization you’ll need—multi-shot images, rapid fire, picture delay, timelapse, or video between .5 seconds and 2 minutes. To store all your high quality footage, the trail cam can support SDXC memory cards up to 512 GB.
If you’re looking for cellular trail cams, there’s plenty of great options in this list, all at good prices. This Moultrie Mobile EDGE two-pack gets you two solid cameras with decent specs. Each camera is capable of shooting 33MP images, 720p video with sound, has an 80-foot detection and flash, and a .85 second trigger. Besides the sale, the real plus is that they’re simple to set up. Moultrie uses Auto Connect, which connects you to the strongest signal from the big nationwide providers. No need to fool around checking service and switching out SIM cards.
Tactacam’s Reveal X was our favorite cellular trail cam because it’s just great for the money it costs and incredibly easy to set up. Its specs won’t blow you away—16MP photos, sub .5-second trigger, 96-foot detection range and infrared flash—but it gets the job done with incredible ease.
The main downside now is that you’re limited to the Verizon model, because the AT&T one is out of stock. If AT&T is better for where you’re hunting, or you want to switch between networks, the Reveal X Gen 2 isn’t on sale, but it’s only $20 more. But if you wait until after next spring or summer, the Gen 2 will likely go on a similar discount.
If cell coverage is your concern, don’t worry. The SpyPoint Link-Micro LTE has stock of both AT&T and Verizon models at near half-off. The Link-Micro does everything well, but nothing great. As with a lot of these trail cams around $100, it’s similar specs: 10MP photos, .5-second trigger, 80-foot detection and flash. What you’re getting from the Link-Micro is solid images sent directly to your phone—everything you need!
To make the Link-Micro a bit more of a standout, SpyPoint also has a solar charging version. All the same specs, but instead of 8 AA batteries, the camera has a rechargeable lithium battery. If you set it up in full sunlight, it’ll theoretically have an unlimited battery. If not, the battery can be recharged separately.
On the more expensive side of the spectrum is Stealth Cam’s G42NG, which typically retails at around $190. However, in this two pack on Amazon, you can pick them up for $110 a piece. With that higher price point, the specs on this cam are just a step above the others on this list. You get 32MP images, 1080P or 720P video, .4-second trigger, and 80-foot range.
Another great deal on the G42NG is also on Amazon. You can pick up one camera, an SD card (around $40 value), and a USB adapter for $120. Everything you’d need in one purchase.
