Ring Camera Storage Plans

Why you can trust SafeWise
products considered
250+
research hours in 25+ in-home tests
10k+
years of combined experience
176+
homes and people protected
10M+

For over 11 years, SafeWise experts have conducted independent research and testing to create unbiased, human reviews. Learn how we test and review.

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.

Ring video doorbells are some of the most affordable and flexible options you can buy. But that's not where Ring makes most of its money. Instead, Ring ties video storage to a subscription plan, so you'll pay a fee to save videos for later. Ring doorbells and security cameras just aren't as good without it. Let's explore how much Ring's plans cost, their features, and which one we recommend for most folks.



Video: What's Ring Protect and do you really need it?

Play Video

Subscribe to our YouTube channel and learn how to protect your home, loved ones and, belongings.


Compare Ring Protect camera plans

Plan
Price
Number of cameras
Cloud storage
Basic features Icon Tooltip  Dark
Advanced features Icon Tooltip  Dark
Extended warranty
Learn more
RingWithout a plan
UnlimitedNone
Icon Yes  LightYes
Icon No  LightNo
Icon No  LightNo
RingRing Protect Basic
160 days
Icon Yes  LightYes
Icon Yes  LightYes
Icon No  LightNo
RingRing Protect Plus
Unlimited60 days
Icon Yes  LightYes
Icon Yes  LightYes
Icon Yes  LightYes

Amazon.com price as of post date. Read full disclaimer.

Ring Protect features

Without a plan

You can still use your camera if you skip the monthly plan, but you'll miss out on video storage and person detection. Ring cameras aren't as useful without cloud recording, and you'll need to watch your notifications like a hawk so you don't miss anything. Here's what's available without a plan:

  • Watch live video feed: You can watch a live view from your cameras but can't save any footage.
  • Motion notifications: You'll receive a notification when your camera spots motion, making it easier to know when to view the live feed or use two-way talk.
  • Two-way audio: You can use the Ring app and your camera to talk to people on the live view. This is helpful for speaking with visitors when you can't come to the door.
  • Doorbell Quick Replies: You can tell your Ring video doorbell to play a pre-recorded message when someone's at your door. This gives you a quick way to tell people to leave a package or wait for you to come to the door.
  • Alexa compatibility: You can watch live footage from your Ring cameras on Amazon Echo smart displays. Learn how to connect Ring with Alexa.

Ring Protect Basic

Ring Protect Basic is the best option if you want video recording for a single camera. It costs around $3 a month, which is average for most single-camera cloud storage plans. Ring Protect Basic includes every free feature above, plus the following:

  • Event-based recording for one camera: Your Ring camera saves short video clips when it detects motion. Clips are between 15 and 120 seconds long, depending on your settings and whether you're using a wired power cord. These recordings stay in Ring's cloud video history for up to 60 days, and you can download them to keep them permanently.
  • Rich notifications: Ring shows includes photos in alert notifications so you don't need to open the app every time. This is great for times when your cat triggers the motion sensor.
  • Snapshot capture: Your Ring device takes a photo at set intervals—even when there's no motion detected—providing a visual record like a timelapse of each day. These photos stay online for only 7 days compared to the 60 days available for video storage.
  • Person detection: Your camera sends a custom alert when it detects people so you know when someone enters your yard.

Ring Protect Plus

If you're storing video for more than two cameras, Ring Protect Plus is one of the better deals on the market. It builds on the Ring Protect Basic plan by adding coverage for an unlimited number of cameras and comes with a handy extended warranty.

The plan costs around $10 a month, which is similar to what Arlo offers, though it’s a bit more expensive than the Nest Aware cloud storage plan. Here's what Ring Protect Plus brings to the table:

  • Storage for unlimited cameras: 60 days of video storage for unlimited cameras is incredibly generous and keeps you from shelling out extra monthly fees whenever you add a new camera to your home.
  • Extended warranty: Most Ring cameras come with a one-year warranty, but the Ring Protect Plus plan adds lifetime coverage as long as you're a paying subscriber. This is the best warranty for any smart home security brand.
  • 10% discount: Ring gives you a discount on select products when you buy from Ring or Amazon.
Light Bulb
Ring Protect Pro

Ring's top-tier plan, Ring Protect Pro (about $20 a month), doesn't add any new features to your cameras. It's mostly useful for folks wanting to use a Ring Alarm security system with professional monitoring and cellular backup.

Learn more in our full Ring security system review and Ring FAQ.

Which Ring plan should I get?

We think Ring Protect Plus is the ideal Ring camera plan for most people since it covers an unlimited number of cameras and offers extra warranty protection for your Ring devices.

Pros and cons of paying for Ring Protect

pro
Pros
pro 60-day cloud storage
pro Unlimited cameras
pro Person detection
pro Extended warranty
con
Cons
con No free video storage
con Monthly fees

Head over to our reviews of the best wireless security cameras and best video doorbells to see how Ring stacks up with other popular home security camera brands.

Are you renting? Check out our top Ring doorbell picks for renters.

Ring Protect FAQ

Do I need a Ring Protect plan?

We recommend it. Without the plan, you can view live video feeds, change camera settings, receive basic motion alerts, and talk with people via two-way audio. But these aren't very useful without long-term video storage.

For cameras that offer better functionality than Ring without a subscription, consider looking at Eufy cameras, Wyze cameras, and Google Nest Cams.

Does Ring record without a subscription?

Ring doesn’t support video recording without a Ring Protect subscription—there's no local storage or free cloud storage option for nonsubscribers.

Do Ring cameras record all the time?

None of Ring's security cameras supports continuous video recording, but records clips only upon detecting motion. If you want continuous recording, we recommend going with Nest or Arlo.

How many Ring devices can you have on one account?

There's no limit to the number of Ring devices you can connect to your account. Ring's only restrictions relate to features on paid plans.

If you pay for the entry-level Ring Protect Basic, you can record videos for a single camera, while Ring Protect Plus supports unlimited devices at a single physical address. This means you need a separate Ring Protect plan if you want to record cameras at a secondary residence.

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.

John Carlsen
Written by
John is a technology journalist specializing in smart home devices, security cameras, and home security systems. He has over a decade of experience researching, testing, and reviewing the latest tech—he was the Smart Home Editor for Top Ten Reviews and wrote for ASecureLife before joining SafeWise as a Staff Writer in 2020. John holds a Bachelor's degree in Communications, Journalism emphasis from Utah Valley University. In his spare time, he enjoys hiking, photography, cooking, and starting countless DIY projects he has yet to complete.

Recent Articles

woman adjusting thermostat in bright home
The Best Home Security Systems and Alarm Companies of 2024
After thousands of hours of tests and research, we picked Vivint and SimpliSafe as the...
""
The Best Home Security Systems in Canada 2025
Learn about 2025's best home security systems for Canada with research from SafeWise experts. From...
Neighbourhood homes in the United Kingdom
The Best Home Alarm Systems in the UK in 2024
After testing 25+ of the best home alarm systems in the UK and evaluating over...
small yellow single family home
Abode vs Ring: Which security system is better?
Abode reigns over Ring in this DIY system face-off, but it’s not a clean sweep....