The Best Ring Video Doorbells In 2024

Video doorbells have become more and more popular in recent years, with many consumers lured in by the home security and remote communication features they offer and the peace of mind those bring.

Ring is one of the biggest and most well-established brands in home security. Founded in 2012, and bought by Amazon in 2018, its video doorbells and security cameras are extremely popular, and with good reason; however, with multiple models to choose from, ranging in price and functionality, it can be difficult to know which is the best Ring video doorbell for you.

To make deciding a little bit easier, we’ve summarized the reasons to buy each of the current crop of video doorbells from Ring in our mini-reviews below. After our recommendations you’ll find our buying guide, which should demystify some of these differentiating features.

Best Ring video doorbells: At a glance

The best Ring video doorbells to buy in 2024

1. Ring Battery Doorbell Plus: Best Ring doorbell for most people

Price when reviewed: $150 | Check price at Amazon

Our new favorite doorbell is the latest generation Ring Battery Doorbell Plus and it brings with it a number of improvements over the previous iteration. Chief among these is its ability to capture a taller, so-called “head-to-toe” image of your visitors than before. You can see a vertical field of view of about 150 degrees, which means that not only can you see their shoes but you should also be able to see if they’ve left you a package on your doorstep. Not only that, but the resolution is also improved, from 1080p to 1,536p, while it’s still just as easy to use and as responsive as the last version. Other improvements include the introduction of color night vision and package detection (subscription required).

You can use the Doorbell Plus as a battery powered doorbell or mains powered, and you can connect it to an existing mechanical/electrical chime if you want. The only real caveat is that it doesn’t have some of Ring’s more advanced features, like video pre-roll that captures the lead-up to an event, or 3D Motion detection – you would have to opt for the Doorbell Pro for those features – and the Doorbell Plus also only works over a single-band Wi-Fi connection, but that shouldn’t affect its performance unduly.

In our view, and notwithstanding the missing advanced features, the improved camera makes the Ring Battery Doorbell Plus the best Ring doorbell for most people.

Key specs – Camera: 1,536p; Field of view: 150-degrees (horizontal and vertical); Installation: Battery/wired; Dual-band internet: No

2. Ring Battery Doorbell Pro: Best wired-in Ring doorbell

Price when reviewed: $230 | Check price at Amazon

As with the Ring’s other battery-powered video doorbells, the Pro can be powered either by a rechargeable battery pack or it can be hardwired to your home’s power supply. It also benefits from the same head-to-toe video capture and color night vision.

However, where this model really steps apart from the cheaper models is by offering advanced pre-roll, where those first few seconds of footage from before motion is detected are also recorded. It also offers a “bird’s eye view”, a feature that plots out the route your visitor took across your property as a series of colour-coded dots on an aerial map in the app.

Design-wise, the Pro is sleek and built to sit flush against any surface it’s mounted on, being noticeably less bulky than some other rival video doorbells.

Key specs – Camera: 1,536p; Field of view: 160-degrees; Installation: Battery/wired; Dual-band internet: Yes

3. Ring Doorbell Elite: Best high-end Ring doorbell

Price when reviewed: $350 | Check price at Amazon

With such a hefty asking price, the Elite doesn’t come cheap, but it benefits from a sleek design – with a choice of interchangeable faceplates – and far superior internet stability thanks to the way the device is installed. Instead of using Wi-Fi connectivity for video and data (although it supports this too), the Elite is designed to hook up to your home or business network via Ethernet cable – a 50m Ethernet cable is included in the box – though professional installation is recommended. It can even be powered via Ethernet using PoE (Power over Ethernet), although you need a PoE switch of your own to supply the power.

Other than this, the Elite offers much the same feature set as other premium Ring doorbells, including advanced motion tracking with customizable motion zones, noise-cancelling microphones, and dual-band Wi-Fi for those who prefer wireless data connectivity to Ethernet. It only offers 1080p resolution video, which is a step down from some of the more recent generations of other Ring doorbells, but this is an incredibly professional choice.

Key specs – Camera: 1,080p; Field of view: 160-degrees; Installation: Power over Ethernet (PoE); Dual-band internet: Yes

4. Ring Battery Doorbell: Best affordable Ring doorbell

Price when reviewed: $100 | Check price at Amazon

This, the 2024 model of the standard battery-powered Ring video doorbell, is an excellent entry-level option for those interested in trying home security systems. It can be either hardwired directly into existing doorbell wiring, a compatible transformer, or can run completely off a built-in rechargeable battery. This does mean, though, the whole unit needs to be removed to be recharged.

While it lacks the premium features of the more expensive models – like dual-band Wi-Fi connectivity or pre-roll recording capability – this video doorbell still has everything you need to keep your home safe and give you peace of mind: color night vision, head-to-toe video capture, adjustable motion tracking, 1080p HD video conferencing, smartphone notifications, and Amazon Alexa baked in. All this and it’s still much cheaper than so many of the other Ring models.

Key specs – Camera: 1,440 x 1,440; Field of view: 155-degrees; Installation: Battery/wired; Dual-band internet: No

How to choose the best Ring video doorbell for you

What can I do with a Ring video doorbell?

The main selling point of a Ring video doorbell is the ability to respond to a visitor at your door from your mobile devices, providing you with some extra home security. For many, Ring doorbells also give them peace of mind as they can act as a deterrent to would-be thieves.

They can give you access to a live video feed of what’s happening right outside your door and, with a subscription to Ring Home, the doorbell will be able to record what’s happening (triggered by motion) and store that footage in the cloud.

What is Ring Home and how much does it cost?

You don’t have to subscribe to Ring Home to use a Ring video doorbell. You can view the video feed and take advantage of the remote two-way communication without paying any extra – but if you want to use any of the doorbell’s more advanced features, like video clip storage or motion zones, you will have to pay the monthly fee.

The cost of this subscription varies depending on how many Ring devices you own and how many features you want, but it’s worth bearing in mind how much the price has risen in the last two years, so consider the ongoing cost before you take the plunge.

At the time of writing, the Basic plan starts at $4.99/mth, or $50 per year paid up front. Then the Standard plan costs $9.99/mth, or $100 for the year, and the Premium plan costs $20/mth, or $200 annually. The Basic plan only covers one doorbell or camera, while the Standard and the Premium plans cover up to ten Ring devices in a household – so don’t go Basic if you want to have a video doorbell and, say, one of Ring’s outdoor security cameras.

Every tier grants users access to up to 180 days’ worth of recorded footage in the cloud – that’s every doorbell ring, motion-detected event, and Live View interaction captured by the camera – on top of person and package alerts. Standard and Premium also offer features like picture-in-picture and multi-camera live views, as well as daily event summaries and extended warranties. Premium goes even further and bundles in 24/7 video recording, smart video searching, and SOS emergency response to connect you to the emergency services at just a tap of a button. And both Standard and Premium let you add on professional monitoring or a virtual security guard for an extra $10/mth or $99 per month, respectively.

None of these plans tie you into lengthy contracts. You are free to cancel at any time and, on an annual subscription, you may be eligible for a refund on any months you haven’t used.

What features should I look for?

When considering which Ring video doorbell to purchase there are a few things to consider. These include the ease of installation (for example, some doorbells need a hardwired power source, while others use a removable battery pack), the doorbell’s compatibility with other smart home devices (such as Amazon Alexa), and the extent to which you require motion detection coverage.

Wired or wireless: What’s the right choice for me?

Ultimately, this will come down to user preference and, potentially, what’s already in place in your home. In our opinion, a wired doorbell is the better choice because you won’t have to worry about recharging batteries and you can connect the doorbell to a regular wired chime, giving you the best of both worlds.

If you’re a confident DIYer and you already have a normal doorbell powered by a mains transformer, you may be able to simply connect up your new video doorbell using the existing wiring.

On the other hand, if your current doorbell is battery powered, or if there are no existing wires, you’ll need a professional electrician to fit the doorbell – certainly adding to the cost. In which case, you may want to consider a battery-powered Ring doorbell instead. These can easily be fitted with just a few screws, and you needn’t worry too much about recharging the batteries as it doesn’t need to be done very often – Ring quotes battery life as being anywhere between six months and a year, depending on use.

What is a Ring Chime and do I need one?

Normally, notifications are delivered through the Ring app on your smartphone; however, in order to have your Ring unit be heard throughout the house, you will need a Ring Chime.

These are speakers that plug into any wall socket of your home and, as the name would suggest, chime when the doorbell is rung. The Ring Chime is configured and managed the same way as all Ring’s video doorbells are, through the companion app.

There are currently two versions of the Ring Chime on the market: a basic model and a pro model. The key difference between the two is the Chime Pro’s ability to act as a Wi-Fi extender for Ring devices.

The Ring Chime is available for $35, whereas the Ring Chime Pro is a little pricier at $60, but you can find savings with certain Ring video doorbell models that come bundled with a Ring Chime, either directly from Ring or on Amazon.

What other differences are there?

Although some Ring doorbells are battery powered and others are “wired”, all of the video and audio data is normally sent over your home Wi-Fi network, and there are some differences between how the various models connect.

The cheaper models only support single-band 2.4GHz Wi-Fi and may struggle for a connection in areas of particularly high Wi-Fi congestion. The more expensive models support dual-band connectivity and can be more reliable.

While every Ring video doorbell has some level of motion tracking, the newer – and more expensive – models give you more options and more adjustability.

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