Ring Doorbell Comparison: Which One Should You Buy?

After hours of research and hands-on testing, we bring you our honest take on the Ring doorbell series.
Best overall
Ring Video Doorbell 4
4 out of 5 stars
4
  • pro
    Battery or wired
  • pro
    160º view
  • pro
    Pre-roll feature
Best value
Ring Video Doorbell (2nd gen)
Ring Video Doorbell (2nd Gen)
4 out of 5 stars
4
  • pro
    Battery or wired
  • pro
    155º view
  • pro
    Renter-friendly
Best for budgets
Ring Video Doorbell Wired
3.8 out of 5 stars
3.75
  • con
    Wired only
  • pro
    155º view
  • pro
    Super affordable
Best video quality
Ring Video Doorbell Pro 2 product image
Ring Video Doorbell Pro 2
3.8 out of 5 stars
3.75
  • con
    Wired only
  • pro
    150º view
  • pro
    Excellent resolution
Best for new construction
Ring Elite Doorbell product images
Ring Video Doorbell Elite
3.5 out of 5 stars
3.5
  • con
    Wired only
  • pro
    160º view
  • pro
    Pro install recommended
pro

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Of all the Ring security video doorbells—from the original to the Elite—our top pick for Ring doorbells is the Ring Video Doorbell 4. It’s easy to install, easy to use, and under $200.

It’s the same price as its predecessor, the Ring 3 Plus, and it features a few subtle upgrades like longer-lasting batteries and a "quick reply" feature. But a different Ring doorbell might be a better choice for you based on your budget and expectations.



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Compare Ring doorbells

Doorbell
Best for
Price
Power source
Installation type
Video quality
Field of view
Learn more
Best overallBattery, wiredDIY1080p160º
Best value

Battery, wired

DIY

1080p

155º

Best for budgetsWired onlyDIY1080p155°
Best video quality

Wired only

DIY

1536p

150º

Best for new construction

Wired (Power over Ethernet)

Professional recommended

1080p

160º

*Amazon.com list price as of publish date. Read full disclaimer.

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Ring video doorbell reviews

1. Ring Video Doorbell 4: Best overall

Best overall
Ring Video Doorbell 4
$179.99
pro Dual power options
pro Mounting wedges
pro Pre-Roll feature

Amazon.com list price as of publish date. Read full disclaimer.

The newly released Ring Video Doorbell 4 is basically the Ring Video Doorbell 3 Plus with an even better battery pack and a new "quick reply" feature. The Ring 4 is even in the same price range as the Ring 3 Plus, so you might as well get the latest and greatest version and go with the Ring 4. 

One of our favorite features on the Ring 4 is the Pre-Roll feature, which saves four seconds of video from before motion triggers the camera to record. This is great for catching the whole event instead of capturing the back of a porch pirate's head as they make a getaway.

The camera on the Ring 4 has 1080p HD video with better night vision than other Ring video doorbells, and you can adjust the camera angle by adding one of the included mounting wedges to tilt it left or right. The Ring Video Doorbell 4 also includes a corner kit.

You can also adjust the motion sensor sensitivity so you’re not getting constant motion-activated alerts.

2. Ring Video Doorbell (2nd Gen): Best value

Best value
Ring Video Doorbell (2nd gen)
Ring Video Doorbell (2nd Gen)
$99.99
pro Wide field of view
pro Custom motion zones
pro Easy installation

Amazon.com list price as of publish date. Read full disclaimer.

The Ring Video Doorbell (2nd Gen) is a peculiar product. It's a long-overdue update to the original Ring Doorbell (which released in 2014), but it's also not the Ring 2, which is no longer available.

One big improvement in this new version is crisp 1080p video quality and a more polished design. But it still doesn't have a removable battery. Charging the battery on this Ring is a bit of a hassle (since you have to pretty much take the whole doorbell off). But if you hardwire it to your old doorbell, you won’t have to worry about the battery dying.

It also lacks the fancy Pre-Roll feature that captures video from before motion events, which is Ring 4's biggest draw.

If you still want a Ring doorbell but you’re on a budget, those little concessions are worth the $130 you save on the purchase price compared to the Ring 4.

But just because it’s budget-friendly doesn’t mean it’s without perks. The Ring 2nd Gen still has all the other bells and whistles we enjoy with pricier versions, including custom motion zones, motion-activated alerts, and a wide 155º field of view.

3. Ring Video Doorbell Wired: Best for budgets

Best for budgets
Ring Video Doorbell Wired
$64.99
pro Night vision
pro Two-way talk
pro Motion alerts

Amazon.com list price as of 10/08/2021 at 4:46 p.m. (MT). Read full disclaimer.

The Ring Video Doorbell Wired costs just under $65, making it the most affordable Ring doorbell to date. But there's a catch: you can only use this version if you already have existing doorbell wiring. There's no battery pack.

Even though it's not a wireless camera, it still has all the perks you expect from a video doorbell: two-way audio, motion alerts, 1080p recording, and a Wi-Fi connection.

4. Ring Video Doorbell Pro 2: Best video quality

Best video quality
Ring Video Doorbell Pro 2 product image
Ring Video Doorbell Pro 2
$249.99
pro Slender design
pro Two-way talk
pro Motion detection

Amazon.com list price as of publish date. Read full disclaimer.

The Ring Video Doorbell Pro 2 is the device for people who want a subtler, sleeker video doorbell to greet their visitors. The Ring Doorbell Pro 2 is narrower than its bulkier cousins with a profile that resembles a standard doorbell. The lack of bulk is because there’s no battery, which means you have to hardwire it to your old doorbell.

It has 1536p resolution, which is higher quality than other Ring doorbell cameras, and it still manages to fit a motion detector and two-way audio into its space-saving design.

5. Ring Video Doorbell Elite: Best for new construction

Best for new construction
Ring Elite Doorbell product images
Ring Video Doorbell Elite
$349.99
pro Ethernet connection
pro Two-way talk
pro Motion alerts

Amazon.com list price as of publish date. Read full disclaimer.

The Ring Video Doorbell Elite is Ring’s top-of-the-line option with a top-of-the-line price to match. It’s hardwired to your ethernet connection, so you never have to worry about its proximity to Wi-Fi.

But since most homes probably don’t have an ethernet cable running to the doorbell box, the Elite is a better fit for new construction.

Ring recommends professional installation for this device due to the required ethernet connection and because it’s flush-mounted to your outer wall. On the plus side, the flush-mount design makes it a lot less bulky after installation than other Ring video doorbell models.

Bell
Ring plans and pricing update

Ring has changed its monthly subscription plans. Here are the nuts and bolts:

  • Ring Basic: $4.99/mo.
  • Ring Standard: $9.99/mo.
  • Ring Premium: $19.99/mo.
  • Professional monitoring: $10/mo. add-on (cannot add to Basic plan)
  • Virtual Guard: $99/mo. add-on (cannot add to Basic plan)


You can still get live video, real-time alerts, and keypad arming/disarming (for Ring Alarm) without a monthly subscription. We’re working to test and learn more about the changes, but we wanted to let you know while we work on updating our articles.

Other Ring video doorbells

Ring sells three other video doorbells that we no longer recommend. They're not bad products by any means; Ring has simply released better doorbell cams for the same or similar price, which makes these versions obsolete. (Though the original Ring Video Doorbell Pro is still a compelling alternative to the Pro 2.)

Which Ring doorbell should I buy?

The Ring Video Doorbell 4 is the most advanced and newest Ring doorbell model. Its dual power options, mounting wedges, and innovative Pre-Roll feature help it easily capture a top spot among Ring's doorbells (even though the cheaper Ring Video Doorbell (2nd Gen) is our favorite video doorbell overall).

What to expect with Ring video doorbells

Before we go into the nitty-gritty details, here are six things every Ring Video Doorbell has in common:

  1. A video camera
  2. Motion detection
  3. A doorbell
  4. Two-way audio
  5. Night vision
  6. A live video feed from the Ring app

Learn more about how Ring doorbells work.

Notepad
How many Ring doorbells are there?

We discuss nine Ring doorbell models that you can still buy in this review. But it’s important to note that different Ring doorbell versions target specific needs beyond a what a single model could handle, like a doorbell for an apartment, or with a less bulky size.

Installation

A big difference between Ring doorbells is installation. Pretty much anyone can install the Ring 2nd Gen, the Ring 4, and the Ring Peephole Camera since they require only a few screws. If you’re on the handy side and feel comfortable with simple wiring (or are willing to learn to hardwire a Ring doorbell), then you might consider the low-profile, battery-free Ring Pro 2.

Need help with set up? Check out our step-by-step guide to installing a Ring doorbell or our Ring doorbell troubleshooting guide.

Notepad
Laggy Ring app

Overall, we’ve found the Ring app to be a little bit on the slow side. The app gives you access to your live camera feed, but since it’s a bit laggy, we recommend adding a subscription to Ring Protect Plus (only $10 a month) so you can use cloud storage and review feeds later.

Field of view 

Depending on the area at your front door, choosing the wrong field of view could limit how useful your video doorbell is. If your front door is recessed, like many apartment doors, then a flat-mounted doorbell with a narrower field of view is fine.

But if you have a larger front porch or area you want your camera to cover, you might want to consider Ring doorbell options with mounting wedges, like the Ring 4.

Power source 

With the exception of the Peephole Cam, all other Ring doorbells have a hardwire option so you never have to worry about changing a battery.

If you do decide to go the battery-powered route, we recommend purchasing an extra battery for power while the other is charging.

Internet connection 

Finally, think about internet speeds. For a fast, reliable connection, the Ring Elite is your best bet since it works with ethernet rather than Wi-Fi.

Bell
Wi-Fi extender

If you want to go the Wi-Fi route (as most DIYers do), remember that you may need a Wi-Fi extender, depending on how far your front door is from your router.

FAQ

Ring video doorbells use standard motion detection with passive infrared (PIR) sensors. PIR sensors have the benefit of using less power than more advanced motion sensors, so they’re ideal for saving battery life on battery-powered devices like the Ring Video Doorbell.

Since Ring hit the market, many other companies have gotten in on the doorbell cam action:

The Nest Hello even has high-tech features like facial recognition and prerecorded messages you can use for visitors when you’re not available to answer the door.

Check out our other video doorbell reviews to learn more.

A Ring Protect Basic subscription costs $3 a month for one video doorbell device. Your subscription gets you 60 days of rolling cloud storage for your doorbell camera video so you can save and share video recordings.

Ring Protect Plus is $10 a month and gets you the same video recording and cloud storage as the Basic but for unlimited devices. It comes with an extended warranty and 10% off products at Ring.com.

Learn more in our guide to Ring camera storage plans.

You'll need Ring Protect Pro for 24/7 professional monitoring on a Ring Alarm system.

Ring has had trouble with some privacy issues with people gaining unauthorized access to customers’ camera feeds which put a microscope on the company’s privacy policies. But the company is working to improve privacy for its customers in a number of ways:

  • It's added end-to-end encryption on wired doorbells that users can turn on in the lastest version of the Ring app.
  • It added a Control Center to the Ring app so customers can easily adjust privacy settings.
  • It now requires two-factor authentication on all user accounts for additional security.

Wired Ring doorbell models with a battery will still function when the power’s out:

  • Ring Video Doorbell (Gen 1 and Gen 2)
  • Ring Video Doorbell 2
  • Ring Video Doorbell 3
  • Ring Video Doorbell 3 Plus
  • Ring Video Doorbell 4

But even if they work, your Wi-Fi probably won’t. The Ring Wired, Ring Pro, Ring Pro 2, and Ring Elite don’t have a backup battery.

Ring discontinued the Peephole Cam in April 2021.

Read answers to more Ring FAQs.

How we reviewed Ring doorbells

As a Ring Doorbell 2 user, I’ve probably spent dozens of hours over the last few years using my Ring, and despite the sluggish app, I’m a happy customer.

To compare Ring 1 and Ring 2 and learn more about the other Ring video doorbell products, I spent about three hours combing the Ring website, researching each device. I also watched about half a dozen installation videos and talked with a security pro to better understand the ins and outs of installing each. Our full methodology gives more info on how we evaluate products.

Related articles on SafeWise


Disclaimers

Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product. Safewise.com utilizes paid Amazon links.

Certain content that appears on this site comes from Amazon. This content is provided “as is” and is subject to change or removal at any time.

Kasey Tross
Written by
Kasey is a trained Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) member and a freelance writer with expertise in emergency preparedness and security. As the mother of four kids, including two teens, Kasey knows the safety concerns parents face as they raise tech-savvy kids in a connected world, and she loves to research the latest security options for her own family and for SafeWise readers.

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