Ring Camera Storage Plans

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.

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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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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