Kasa Care plans add 30 days of cloud event history, snapshot notifications, downloading, and sharing to compatible Kasa cameras. However, the subscription is not required for live viewing, basic alerts, or local recording on models with a microSD slot. I use Kasa cameras both indoors and outside, and the best choice depends less on the cloud feature list than on whether your camera can record continuously to a card.
Quick answer: Is Kasa Care worth it?
Kasa Care is worth considering when off-site backup and snapshot notifications matter, especially for an outdoor camera that could be damaged or stolen. For a camera such as the KC420WS or EC70, however, a high-endurance microSD card is the better value when your main goal is continuous 24/7 recording without a recurring bill. In most cases, the best coverage comes from using local recording and cloud event clips together.
Table of Contents
What Is Kasa Care?
Kasa Care is TP-Link’s cloud service for Kasa cameras. When a compatible camera detects activity, it can upload a video clip to the cloud and associate that recording with your Kasa account. As a result, paid plans retain event history for 30 days and add snapshot previews to notifications. Clips can be reviewed in the Kasa app, downloaded to a phone or tablet, and shared.
The word event matters here. Kasa Care does not provide an uninterrupted 24/7 cloud timeline. Instead, it stores activity clips generated when the camera detects motion or sound. Compatible plug-in cameras can, in addition, record continuously to a microSD card at the same time, giving you a full local timeline plus off-site copies of detected events.
Kasa Care Plans and Pricing
TP-Link offers two paid tiers in the United States: Kasa Care Plus for one camera and Kasa Care Premium for as many as 10 cameras on the same Kasa account. The published prices below were current when this article was updated in September 2026. Therefore, confirm the amount shown in your Kasa app before subscribing, since app-store pricing and regional availability can change.
| Plan | Camera coverage | Cloud features |
|---|---|---|
| No paid plan | Each compatible camera | Live view and local features; free cloud history exists only on certain older models and may be time-limited |
| Kasa Care Plus $2.99 monthly or $29.99 annually |
One camera per subscription | 30-day event history, snapshot notifications, downloads, and sharing |
| Kasa Care Premium $9.99 monthly or $99.99 annually |
Up to 10 cameras on one Kasa account | The same paid cloud features across the enrolled cameras |
Plus is the sensible plan for one camera. Paying annually, for example, reduces the effective cost compared with twelve monthly payments. At two or three cameras, separate annual Plus subscriptions remain less expensive than Premium. Premium, however, becomes the better value at four cameras and can cover up to 10.
Subscriptions renew automatically unless canceled. TP-Link manages enrollment, billing, and payment details under Me → Kasa Care in the Kasa Smart app. Cameras can be added to or removed from an eligible account plan there.
What Do You Get With Kasa Care?
Thirty Days of Cloud Event History
Paid Kasa Care plans retain detected activity clips for 30 days. As a result, a cloud copy can remain available if someone removes the camera or takes the microSD card. This is the strongest reason to subscribe for an outdoor camera covering an entrance, driveway, or other accessible location.
The cloud history contains clips, not continuous footage. If motion detection starts late, misses an event, or stops recording too soon, the missing period will not appear in the cloud. In contrast, a compatible camera recording continuously to microSD provides the context before and after the detected activity.
Rich Notifications With Snapshots
Without Kasa Care, a supported camera can still alert you that motion or a person was detected. However, you may need to open the app to see what happened. A paid plan adds a snapshot of the detected activity to the notification, which lets you distinguish a delivery from an unknown visitor without first loading the live view or local timeline.
Downloading and Sharing Clips
Cloud clips can be downloaded to a phone or tablet and shared from the Kasa app. Local microSD recordings can also be reviewed and exported on supported models. Cloud history, however, is easier to reach if the camera is offline or no longer present.
Can You Use a Kasa Camera Without a Subscription?
Yes. Both Kasa cameras I tested remain useful without Kasa Care. The Kasa KC420WS outdoor camera records continuously to a microSD card up to 256GB and provides free person alerts. The Kasa Spot Pan Tilt EC70 also supports subscription-free local recording, motion tracking, and activity zones.
Neither model receives free cloud history merely because it has a microSD slot. TP-Link’s documentation specifically lists the EC70 among the cameras with no included cloud recording and states that SD-card models require a paid plan for cloud storage and snapshot notifications. Additionally, some older Kasa cameras received rolling 12-hour or two-day cloud history for a limited number of years after setup, so old descriptions of “free Kasa cloud storage” do not apply uniformly across the lineup.
For continuous recording, use a card designed for constant rewriting. The SanDisk 128GB MAX Endurance microSDXC card is a strong match for compatible Kasa cameras. It is rated for security-camera and dash-camera workloads, in contrast to a basic consumer card intended mainly for photos and occasional file storage. For the EC70 specifically, the Kasa Spot Pan Tilt EC70 is still worth a look if you want a second camera on the same subscription-free setup.
Kasa Care vs. MicroSD Storage
| Consideration | Kasa Care | MicroSD card |
|---|---|---|
| Recording type | Detected event clips | Event or continuous recording, depending on camera |
| Ongoing cost | Monthly or annual subscription | One-time card purchase |
| If the camera is stolen | Uploaded event clips remain in the cloud | The card and its footage may be lost with the camera |
| Before-event context | Limited to the uploaded activity clip | Available on a continuous local timeline |
| Snapshot notifications | Included with paid plan | Not supplied by the card itself |
I would not treat cloud and local storage as mutually exclusive. For an important outdoor view, simultaneous microSD and cloud recording provides the better setup: the card preserves the full timeline while Kasa Care protects detected clips away from the camera. For an indoor camera in a low-risk location, however, local recording alone will be enough for many households.
Kasa Care vs. Tapo Care
Kasa and Tapo are both TP-Link brands, and supported Kasa devices can now appear in the Tapo app. That does not, however, merge their cloud services. Kasa Care and Tapo Care remain separate subscriptions, and Kasa cloud recordings cannot be viewed inside the Tapo app.
I confirmed this while testing both the KC420WS and EC70. Each camera could be controlled from the Tapo app, but neither could be added to my Tapo Care subscription. Instead, the app reported that Kasa cameras were not currently compatible and might be supported later.
This separation is, most importantly, the biggest weakness in Kasa Care for a household already buying newer Tapo cameras. A Kasa subscription may still make sense for an existing Kasa installation, but I would not start a mixed Kasa and Tapo system expecting one cloud bill or one cloud-history screen.
Which Kasa Care Plan Should You Choose?
- Choose no paid plan if the camera is in a low-risk location, supports microSD recording, and you do not need snapshot notifications or off-site event backup.
- Choose Kasa Care Plus for one camera when cloud clips and rich notifications are worth the recurring charge.
- Use separate Plus plans for two or three cameras when the annual pricing remains below Premium.
- Choose Kasa Care Premium at four or more cameras, assuming every camera is eligible and attached to the same Kasa account.
If you want a fixed outdoor camera that can preserve a full local timeline without Kasa Care, the Kasa KC420WS is still available here. Its 24/7 microSD recording is, in my experience, the main reason I continue to recommend it despite the increasingly awkward split between the Kasa and Tapo ecosystems.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Kasa Care record continuously?
No. Kasa Care stores activity clips triggered by detected events. Continuous 24/7 recording is instead handled locally by compatible plug-in cameras with a microSD card.
How long does Kasa Care keep recordings?
Paid Plus and Premium plans provide 30 days of cloud event history. Some older cameras received limited free cloud history, but the duration and eligibility depend on the model and when it was activated.
Does Kasa Care work without a microSD card?
Yes. Kasa Care uploads detected event clips to the cloud without requiring a card. A microSD card is needed only for local recording on a supported camera.
Can I use Kasa Care and a microSD card at the same time?
Yes, on compatible models. The microSD card can maintain local event or continuous recording while Kasa Care stores detected clips in the cloud.
Can Kasa cameras use Tapo Care?
Not currently, based on my own testing. Supported Kasa cameras can appear in the Tapo app, but Kasa Care subscriptions and recordings remain in the Kasa app. Tapo Care does not enroll the KC420WS or EC70.
Does canceling a Kasa Care plan disable the camera?
No. Canceling removes the paid cloud benefits after the applicable subscription period. The camera can still continue using live view, its included detection features, and compatible local microSD recording.
For more hands-on information, see my Kasa KC420WS outdoor camera review and Kasa Spot Pan Tilt EC70 review. For the broader storage comparison across TP-Link’s other camera line, our Tapo Care vs. microSD storage guide covers that in detail, and our security-camera microSD card guide explains what card ratings matter.
Final Verdict: Useful Cloud Backup, Not a Replacement for Local Recording
Kasa Care is most valuable as insurance against losing the camera and its microSD card. The 30-day event history and snapshot notifications are convenient, and Premium is reasonably structured for a larger all-Kasa installation.
For the KC420WS and EC70, I would start with a high-endurance microSD card and add Kasa Care only when off-site event backup and rich notifications justify the recurring cost. The larger concern, however, is the ecosystem split: Kasa cameras may work in the Tapo app, but Kasa Care still does not join Tapo Care.
