Home / Compare / Tapo C320WS vs Tapo C402
Head to head
Tapo C320WS vs Tapo C402
Same brand, same app, opposite philosophies. One is wired and always recording; the other runs for months on a battery and only wakes when something moves.
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The short call
- Choose the Tapo C320WS if
- you want a wired outdoor camera that records to its own card and never asks for a card number.
- Choose the Tapo C402 if
- the camera has to go somewhere a ladder only reaches twice a year.
Specifications side by side
Only what each listing states. Blanks are written as Not listed rather than filled in.
| Spec | Tapo C320WS | Tapo C402 |
|---|---|---|
| Resolution | 2K / 4MP | 1080p |
| Power | Wired | Not listed |
| Weather | IP66 | Not listed |
| Night | Spotlights + 850 nm IR | Color via spotlight |
| Storage | microSD or cloud | microSD up to 512 GB |
| Fee needed | No | No |
| Battery | Not listed | Up to 180 days claimed |
| Detection | Not listed | Motion / person / vehicle zones |
| Price band | $50 to $100 | $30 to $50 |
| Listing rating | 4.4 (7,630) | 4 (872) |
The case for the Tapo C320WS
The case for it in any matchup is the same: mains power means continuous recording, and a card slot means the footage never depends on a plan. It is the least exciting camera here and the one that keeps working.
- Skip it if
- You cannot get mains power to the spot. This one needs a cable.
The case for the Tapo C402
It goes where the other camera cannot, and that is usually the whole comparison. Accept 1080p and event-only clips in exchange for a camera you mount once and ignore for months.
- Skip it if
- You want detail at distance. 1080p is the floor and it shows on a wide scene.
How to decide
Where the listings actually differ: resolution, 2K / 4MP against 1080p; night, Spotlights + 850 nm IR against Color via spotlight; storage, microSD or cloud against microSD up to 512 GB.
The Tapo C320WS sits a price band above the Tapo C402 ($50 to $100 against $30 to $50).
The Tapo C320WS has 7,630 ratings behind its score; the Tapo C402 has 872, which is an early signal rather than a track record.
Read the full reviews
Updated October 27, 2026 by Henrik Halvorsen. Specifications were checked against the Amazon listings on that date. Prices are shown as bands because they change week to week; the listing shows today's.