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We review Ring home security cameras, assessing their performances, features and costs against others on the market.
Now one of the leading names in the smart home security system sector, Ring was founded in 2013 by Jamie Siminoff as Doorbot, a pioneering smart doorbell. This device enabled users to interact with visitors remotely via their smartphones.
Over time, Ring has broadened its offerings to include a variety of security gadgets, including video doorbells, security cameras, and Ring Alarm, a full-fledged home surveillance system.
Known for their easy installation and user-friendly design, Ring’s products cater to those who prefer a DIY approach to installation and security. The company’s acquisition by Amazon in 2018 further strengthened its foothold in the home security and smart home arenas.
Ring has designed a camera that’s ideal for comprehensive, customisable outdoor surveillance and is suitable for most homeowners.
The Outdoor Camera Pro Plug-in is the version of Ring’s Stick-up Cam Pro that requires being connected to a power source. It features 4K video recording, dual band Wi-Fi, 2-way audio options, and a remote-activated 85 dB siren. It also offers 3D motion detection, colour night vision, a bird’s eye aerial map view, and allows customised video zones of up to 9 metres. For example, the video can be configured to cover the front garden but not the pavement outside the property’s perimeter.
Ring’s standard features, such as instant notifications, live views, and 2-way talk, are free; however, a subscription to Ring Protect provides video storage, photo capture, and sharing options.
A standard electrical socket for DIY installation outside your home powers this camera. For £100 more, you can get a Power over Ethernet (PoE) adaptor that provides a reliable, always on connection for your camera.
The Outdoor Camera Pro Plug-in is available in black or white, measures 15.39 cm x 7 cm x 7 cm and, typical of Ring’s home security products, it is stylish and blends into most surroundings.
The adjustable angled mounting unit and a 6m USB-C power adapter are included in the box, and the unit can be freestanding or wall-mounted. Ring does recommend professional installation for this model as it might require wiring in to plug into the mains, but with a bit of DIY know-how, it is perfectly possible to do it yourself.
The 1080p HDR video provides clear, sharp footage, which continues after dark with the colour night vision, while 3D motion detection reduces false alarms by pinpointing movements. However, Ring’s camera also delivers innovative aerial map views, and by configuring its Bird’s Eye Zones, it allows specified-area alerts, such as the front drive, but avoids the neighbour’s garden.
The Outdoor Camera Pro Plug-in uses Wi-Fi connectivity and requires a minimum upload speed of 2 Mbps for the best performance.
Ring’s app is available on iOS, Fire OS, and Android. It has a clean, user-friendly interface that’s easily navigated, allowing you to manage your camera system and view live action. However, video storage is only available by subscribing to Ring Protect.
Select the Outdoor Camera Pro panel to access a live video and click the Go Live arrow. Below the video, the time, an End Live button, a microphone toggle, and a speaker mute button are displayed. For full-screen viewing, click the square icon at the bottom right. After the stream, a timeline of motion events appears below the video. Scroll through this timeline to view the event clip or the Bird’s Eye feed in the top left.
The gear icon at the top right controls the lights, activates the siren, and manages motion detection and alerts. Use the motion warning button to play a warning message through the camera’s speakers.
Mode settings include geofencing and options for Home, Away, and Disarmed states. Motion settings cover sensitivity adjustment, 3D Motion, Smart Alerts, and motion alert schedules. In the Device section, adjust light settings like brightness and zones, enable colour night vision, set video recording length, and manage notifications. Other options include linking with other Ring devices, configuring network settings, and updating firmware.
| Outdoor camera name | Resolution | DIY/Professional installation | Video storage options | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ring Outdoor Camera Pro Plug-in | 4K | DIY or professional | Storage only available with Ring Protect | £179.99 |
| SimpliSafe Outdoor Security Camera Series 2 | 1080p HDR | DIY or professional | Storage only available with Pro Premium | £199.99 |
| Arlo Pro 5 Outdoor Security Camera | 2K | DIY | Local storage via SD Card in base station (not included). Cloud storage only with Arlo Secure subscription | £179.99 |
| Swann CoreCam Wireless Security Camera | 1080p | DIY | Free local storage on the 32GB Micro SD card included, and cloud backup | £129.99 |
| Blink Outdoor 4 | 1080p | DIY | Local storage in Sync Module, or cloud storage with a subscription | £69.99 |
The Outdoor Camera Pro Plug-in from Ring offers an easily-configured home security solution for most homeowners. Priced at £179.99, there are more affordable options, including Blink outdoor cameras that don’t require a subscription for storing or sharing videos.
While our researchers found the aerial map view a valuable resource, it wasn’t considered enough to counter the cost, especially taking into account Ring’s poor Trustpilot score.
Ring’s second generation indoor camera hasn’t changed a great deal from the original model and, as such, is an affordable, well-designed plug-in camera.
The main novelty is its security shutter, which rotates into position, disabling the camera when engaged. In the locked state, the camera powers down, and the lens is fully obscured, ensuring privacy. When the shutter is unlocked, the camera is ready for operation.
Like other Ring products, this camera works best if you subscribe to Ring Protect. While standard features, such as instant notifications, live view, and two-way talk, are available without subscribing, video storage and sharing are not. The Indoor Camera 2nd Gen supports the Advanced Pre-Roll feature, which captures the six seconds preceding the motion trigger. However, without Ring Protect, you can only view Pre-Roll as a picture-in-picture in Live View.
The Ring Indoor Cam is a plug-in model, making installation simple. The included USB cable fits into the camera’s connector but, since the camera is quite lightweight, its weight can unbalance it.
Whether wall mounting or freestanding, the camera’s angle is easily adjusted using a fluid ball joint.
The Indoor Cam delivers clear 1080p HDR video and, although the nighttime colours appear dull, the black and white night vision demonstrates a good contrast.
Offering a 143 degree field of view, the camera can capture most of a room and, with optimisable motion zones, it can cover multiple vulnerable areas.
The camera connects via your home’s wifi and is manageable via Ring’s mobile app – available for iOS and Android users, as are Ring’s other products.
Our tests found the app easy to use, with the Indoor Camera settings very user-friendly and customisable. However, it should be noted that there is no ability to store or play videos without a Ring Protect subscription.
| Indoor camera name | Resolution | DIY/Professional installation | Video storage options | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ring Indoor Camera 2nd Gen | 1080p | DIY | Storage only available with Ring Protect | £39.99 |
| SimpliSafe Smart Alarm Wireless Indoor Security Camera | 1536p HD | DIY or professional | Storage only available with Pro Premium | £149.99 |
| Arlo Essential 2K Indoor Security Camera (wired) | 2K | DIY | Storage only available with Arlo Secure | £99.99 |
| Blink Indoor | 1080p | DIY | Local storage in Sync Module, or cloud storage with a subscription | £69.99 |
Although Ring’s second generation Indoor Camera comes with an affordable price point, as with other products, a Ring Protect subscription is required to access features that some competitors include for free, such as video storage and playback options.
However, this model ticks the box if you’re looking for a basic, simple-to-install, and easy-to-use indoor security camera.
The Spotlight Cam Pro from Ring is one step up from its older model, the Spotlight Cam Plus. It uses the same camera with some additional features such as 3D Motion Detection, Bird’s Eye View, and Pre-Roll Video Previews.
It can be bought with alternative power options – battery, wired and solar – and combines a 400 lumen (lm) spotlight with a 1080p camera, making the Spotlight Cam Pro ideal for dimly lit areas where a full floodlight might be excessive.
The 3D movement detection, combined with the aerial Bird’s Eye View, provides optimal coverage of your property and, by configuring the Bird’s Eye Zones, you can choose which areas are covered. However, unless you subscribe to Ring Protect, you can only access instant notifications, live motion-detection video, remote-activated siren, and two-way talk.
The design of the Spotlight Cam Pro is more refined than the older Spotlight Cam Plus, with the curved LED bars on either side of the compact body, available in either black or white.
Installation is simple, although an outdoor power socket is required for this plug-in model. Situated higher on a wall, the spotlight covers a broader area with a weaker, still perfectly adequate, spotlight, while a lower placement focuses the light across a smaller area.
The Spotlight Cam Pro captures 1080p HDR video with colour night vision and a comfortably wide 140-degree horizontal by 80-degree vertical view.
The first few seconds of video playback can appear a little blurred due to the Pre-Roll feature. This is designed to capture the 6 seconds before the motion detector is triggered.
Once that clears, the video is crisp and detailed, even when pointing into the sun, and while without the LEDs, the night vision is monotone, once they are activated, the full-colour video is impressively sharp.
The Spotlight Cam Pro supports 2.4GHz wifi. The camera uses the same mobile app as other Ring devices – available for Android or iOS. It’s well-designed, allowing you to configure and manage your camera settings, interact with alerts, and connect to other Ring smart products.
Unfortunately, there is no ability to store videos without subscribing to Ring Protect.
| Camera name | Resolution | DIY/Professional installation | Video storage options | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ring Spotlight Cam Plus Plug-in | 1080p | DIY | Storage only available with Ring Protect | £129.99 |
| Arlo Ultra 2 4K Outdoor Security Camera | 4K | DIY | Local storage via SD Card in base station (not included). Cloud storage only with Arlo Secure subscription | £159.99 |
| SimpliSafe Outdoor Security Camera Series 2 | 1080p | DIY or professional | Storage only available with Pro Premium subscription | £199.99 |
| Swann 2K Outdoor Wi-Fi Spotlight Security Camera | 2K | DIY | Free local storage on the 32GB Micro SD card included, and cloud backup. | £89.99 |
If you live in a rural area, or have dark corners that need coverage, Ring’s Spotlight Cam Pro Plug-in is a good option, despite its high price tag. The video and night vision options are clear and crisp, and when combined with the aerial mapping features and spotlight, provide a comprehensive solution to exterior security.
The newest generation of the Floodlight Cam Pro boasts Retinal 4K video, colour night vision, LED beams and a remotely controlled security siren. Its 3D Motion Detection technology and wide field of view offer a comprehensive perspective that can be optimised to target specific zones.
However, without a Ring Protect subscription, only some of its features, including live alerts, 2-way audio, and live video, are available.
Ring’s Floodlight Cam Pro suits those seeking a robust, detailed surveillance solution with added features for improved clarity and response in various lighting conditions. The company advises that this model should be professionally installed.
Virtually indistinguishable from the older Plus model, the Floodlight Cam Pro is a sleek and robust unit featuring two large 1,000lm floodlights positioned above. As a permanent fixture, its small size is generally not a concern, and its conspicuous presence can act as a deterrent, which many users find beneficial.
If you’re replacing an existing outdoor light or camera, the installation process is straightforward – turn off the power at the fuse box, remove the old fixture, and connect your Floodlight Cam Pro. However, if you’re setting it up in a spot without existing wiring, hiring a qualified electrician for the installation is required.
The Floodlight Cam Pro features a 4K camera with a broad 140-degree horizontal and 80-degree vertical field of view, offering ample coverage for most needs. The video quality is sharp and clear in daylight, although there can be some pixelation when streaming live from areas with weaker internet connections.
In darker conditions, the camera switches to infrared night vision, which provides a monochrome image. While there’s colour night vision, the colours are dull. However, this becomes less significant when the camera’s two floodlights are activated. Their powerful illumination greatly enhances the clarity of low-light footage, offering a well-lit view of the camera’s coverage area.
As with all of the featured cameras, this model uses wifi connections 2.4GHz and 5.0GHz, and Ring recommends upload speeds of 2Mbps.
The Floodlight Cam Wired Pro uses the same mobile app – available for Android and iOS – as every other Ring device. As with other models, the camera settings are easily configured through the app.
| Camera name | Resolution | DIY/Professional installation | Video storage options | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ring Floodlight Cam Wired Pro | 4K | DIY | Storage only available with Ring Protect | £249.99 |
| Arlo Floodlight 2K Camera | 2K HDR | DIY | Local storage via SD Card in base station (not included). Cloud storage only with Arlo Secure subscription | £259.99 |
| Nest Cam with Floodlights | 1080p | DIY | Up to 3 hours of free event history per month, and then requires a subscription | £269.99 |
| Swann 4K Floodlight Security Camera | 4K Ultra HD | DIY | Local and cloud storage | £169.99 |
Designed to cover large outdoor spaces, Ring’s Floodlight Cam Wired Pro uses mains power and, as such, may require a professional installation. This additional cost could limit its appeal for a camera that already has a high price point, especially when many features are only available with a Ring Protect subscription.
However, with radar-powered 3D motion detection, 1,000 lumen lights, and the camera’s crisp resolution, homeowners seeking premium-level security will find this ticks many boxes.
Ring’s flagship doorbell camera boasts a sleek, brushed metallic finish and offers features, including a higher resolution, 3D motion detection, and Bird’s Eye View, that its other models lack. However, it’s also one of its priciest doorbells and a Ring Protect subscription is necessary for certain features.
The Doorbell Pro 3rd Gen offers a wide 150-degree head-to-toe field of view, with an impressive 4K resolution, and can connect easily to Ring Chime or an Alexa-enabled device for home-wide alerts.
It features Quick Replies, which plays a pre-recorded message if you can’t answer the door, Two Way Talk with noise cancellation properties, colour night vision, and Ring’s Pre-Roll video. This allows you to view the few seconds prior to motion being detected. However, without Ring Protect, you can only view Pre-Roll as a picture-in-picture in Live View.
Considering the number of available features, the Wired Doorbell Pro, with its £219.99 price tag, would suit homeowners who place a high value on home security.
The Video Doorbell Pro 2 is available with a plug-in adapter or as a hardwired option, which may require professional installation.
The Video Doorbell Pro 2 uses dual-band wifi and is hardwired into your home’s electrical circuit. This may require a professional to carry out the wiring process. However, a plug-in adapter is available, which can be used if a socket is nearby.
Following the same sleek, contemporary design as other Ring products, the Doorbell Pro features a satin-finished casing with a choice of 4 different colours for the faceplate, a glowing blue LED doorbell button, and an ambient light sensor. The bottom edge of the faceplate houses an inconspicuous microphone and speaker.
Capturing 4K video, the camera has a 150-degree horizontal and 150-degree vertical field of view, providing a head-to-toe image of anyone at your door. With Ring’s Bird’s Eye View, 3D motion detection radar technology, and colour night vision, these features provide comprehensive doorstep, and beyond, security.
The video performance is impressively crisp, thanks to the higher-than-average resolution, and while the colour night vision is less vibrant, the daytime image quality is razor-sharp.
The Video Doorbell Pro 2 uses dual-band wifi, and an upload speed of 2Mbps is recommended for optimal performance.
The Ring app is available for iOS and Android devices and allows you to easily manage and customise your doorbell, or connect to other Ring products.
Unless you have a Ring Protect plan, there is no option for storing videos, and they can only be viewed as a live stream.
| Doorbell camera name | Resolution | DIY/Professional installation | Video storage options | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ring Wired Video Doorbell Pro 3rd Gen | 4K | Professional recommended | Storage only available with Ring Protect | £219.99 |
| SimpliSafe Wired Video Doorbell Pro | 1080p HDR | DIY or professional | Only available with Pro Premium subscription | £149.00 |
| Nest Doorbell (battery) | 1280p HDR | DIY or professional | Up to 3 hours of free event history per month, and then requires a subscription | £179.99 |
| Arlo Essential Wireless Smart Video Doorbell | 1536p HDR | DIY | Local storage via SD Card in base station (not included) | £89.99 |
Our researchers have all been impressed by the video quality of Ring’s Video Doorbell Pro 3rd Gen – it has the highest resolution of the featured cameras, while the motion detection is rapid and responsive, with radar technology reducing false alarms.
There is a lot to like about this stylish video doorbell, and even though a Ring Protect subscription allows access to more, the free features provide plenty of well-considered security measures.
The price tag may put some off, but the Video Doorbell Pro’s feature-packed performance will attract many homeowners looking for comprehensive property security.
As of February 2026, Ring has a Trustpilot score of just 1.3 stars out of 5, with 87 per cent of users giving it 1 star and only 6 per cent giving it 4 and 5 stars. On Amazon, the brand’s products are frequently rated 4 stars and above, and some customers report owning them for years.
However, it’s worth bearing in mind there are plenty of reviews that focus on poor customer service experiences, problems with connectivity, and faulty products.
“I’ve been a ring account holder for 5 years+, I’ve been having some issues with my Gen 2 doorbell recently, it showing as offline and not working after troubleshooting. When I contacted Ring I was told it’s out of warranty and to try something different, which did work for a while. Last night I got an email saying ‘We’ve noticed your doorbell isn’t working as it should and here’s a discount code to get a new one’. This discount code actually gave me a free replacement doorbell. Fantastic customer service.”
“Since my latest subscription renewal, with no advance notice, I have had to remove and troubleshoot by Ring doorbell almost everyday! Despite a strong wifi signal and no other issues with other items, the doorbell is constantly disconnecting therefore absolutely useless. I believe ring can create issues so that once you’ve subscribed for another year, no make it worthwhile you’ll buy another doorbell! Absolute waste of money people, don’t buy it!”
“Having installed doorbell and rear security camera you will find without a costly monthly subscription you will find you loose a lot of the units capabilities
In hindsight there are a lot of makes that offer the same without monthly costs”
