Furbo 360° Dog Camera: Review and What the Subscription Question Means
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The Furbo 360° is a treat-tossing dog camera, and the first thing to know before buying one is that Amazon.co.uk carries it under two listings that say opposite things about subscriptions. One is titled "No Subscription Required". The other is titled "Subscription Required at Setup to Activate". They look like the same product at a glance, and that is exactly why they deserve a careful read.
The two listings side by side
| No subscription listing | Subscription-at-setup listing | |
|---|---|---|
| Title says | No Subscription Required | Subscription Required at Setup to Activate |
| Listing rating | 4.4 out of 5 from 5,029 ratings | 4.1 out of 5 from 3,469 ratings |
| Colour field | Subscription Optional | Subscription Required |
| Item weight listed | 1.04 kg | 0.75 kg |
| Resolution | 1080p | 1080p |
Ratings are as shown on Amazon.co.uk at the time of writing. The weights differ between the two listings, which is one more reason not to assume they are identical.
The second listing says the camera arrives locked and needs a paid Furbo Nanny plan to activate, purchased during app setup, with a minimum commitment of three months. After that it says you can cancel and keep the standard features: live view, treat tossing, bark alerts and two-way audio. The first listing makes no such condition, and says smart alerts beyond the barking sensor come from a subscription called Furbo Dog Nanny, sold separately.
We cannot tell from the listings which one you will actually receive, or whether the difference is down to the seller, the bundle or the batch. So, before you order, read the title, the bullet points and the colour or style line on the exact page you are buying from, and check that the cancellation terms are shown in the app before you commit to a plan.
What the camera does
Both listings describe a 1080p camera with a 360-degree rotating view and 4x zoom, two-way audio, and colour night vision using infrared. You operate it through the Furbo app on iOS or Android. The listings say setup is three steps: plug in the USB cable, install the app and connect to home Wi-Fi. A stable connection is recommended.
The treat toss is the headline feature. You fire a treat across the room from your phone, and the first listing says the size can be adjusted to suit your dog. The second says it holds more than 100 small treats of about 1 cm. Both describe dry treats, so soft, sticky or large ones are not a match.
There is a barking sensor that sends push notifications. The listings present the treat toss and the audio as a way to distract a dog showing signs of separation anxiety, such as pacing, barking or licking. That is the maker's framing. A camera can help you see what is going on, but it is not a treatment, and a dog that is seriously distressed needs a vet or a qualified behaviourist rather than a snack.
What the subscription adds
According to the listings, the Nanny plan adds things like dog activity and person alerts, smoke and CO alarm alerts, glass-break alerts, multi-dog recognition and automatic tracking. The second listing also describes "Calm My Pet", which plays soothing sounds or your recorded voice when it hears continuous barking and then tosses a treat. These are subscription features by the listings' own account, so if they matter to you, count the plan as an ongoing cost. Work it out by dividing the plan price by the months you expect to use it.
Things to be careful about
- The subscription ambiguity. Covered above. It is the main uncertainty with this camera.
- Not water resistant. Both listings say so, so keep it indoors and away from spills.
- It is built for dogs. The second listing says the model is optimised for dogs and points cat owners to a different Furbo camera.
- Dry treats only. If your dog needs a restricted diet, check the treat size and ingredients before filling the hopper.
- A camera in your home. The listing mentions bank-level encryption and two-step verification, which are the maker's claims. Switch on two-step verification, and see our pet camera privacy and security tips.
When another product makes more sense
If you want recording and AI alerts without a plan, a general-purpose camera may suit you better, and the TP-Link Tapo C220 is one example with no treat toss. If you want to compare treat cameras directly, Furbo against Petcube Bites 2 Lite covers it. For help deciding between treat-tossing and basic cameras, see treat camera or basic pet camera.
Where we land
With 4.4 and 4.1 out of 5 across thousands of ratings on the two listings, this is an easy-to-set-up camera whose main appeal is the treat toss and two-way audio. Buy it if you want those two things and you are comfortable paying for a plan, at least for the first three months, if your listing requires one. The no-subscription version is the one to pick if you can confirm that is what you are getting, and the subscription-at-setup version makes sense only if you have read the terms and still want it. Check the current price on Amazon, and treat the listing wording as the starting point for your own check.
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