Ring home security system review

Homeowners can choose from a variety of packages (image credit: Ring)

The Ring home security system offers starter kits and more comprehensive packages to suit various surveillance requirements. The system is user-friendly, with quick response times. 

Ring supports free DIY monitoring, but additional services, including rich notifications and assisted monitoring, are available through its paid subscription plans – Ring Protect Plus and Basic. 

Our experts examine Ring’s home security catalogue, comparing it to other popular security systems in terms of installation, performance, reliability, and price points. This allows you to decide the best way to protect your home and family.

Rating: ★★★1/2

The Ring home security system is suited to most properties, from small apartments to bigger homes as the packages can be expanded and customised to suit. The flexible packages and plan means that it’s ideal for anyone on a budget who also wants some degree of professional monitoring.

Installation is a simple DIY job, as is customising your setup with additional video doorbells, cameras and sensors. Ring is also well-suited to smart home aficionados – especially if you use Amazon Echo or Alexa – and pet-owners will be happy as motion detectors should ignore roaming furballs to avoid false alarms. 

Although you can trigger emergency buttons on the keypad, including Panic, Fire and Medical alarms, other monitored services are able to intervene with emergency services, if an intruder is detected and confirmed, as standard. Ring, however, will only call the main contact and, if unavailable, the listed emergency contacts to inspect the property. 

Additionally, while Ring has added glass break sensors to its suite of components, the home security system was clearly designed for the US market. Some of Ring’s UK competitors offer much-needed flood, temperature, fire and even gas leak detection sensors that most local homeowners would require. What’s more, Ring is not ideal to use if you are not in the Amazon smart home ecosystem. Google Assistant command capabilities are very limited, for example.

Ring is simple to set up and discreet (image credit: Ring)

The Ring home security system can be purchased as a complete pack or as individual components. There are currently three packages available: 

• Alarm Pack: The basic 5-piece starting pack includes Ring’s 2nd generation alarm keypad, a base station, one contact sensor, one motion detector, and a range extender.
• Alarm + Camera Pack: This pack contains an additional indoor security camera. Ring suggests adding a siren for enhanced outdoor security.
• Alarm + Camera + Doorbell Pack: A video doorbell kit is included in this pack for outdoor monitoring.

Each Ring Alarm Pack contains the base station (17cm x 17cm x 3.7cm) that operates on ethernet, wifi, and Z-Wave (plus cellular backup with Ring’s Protect Plus subscription). 

The alarm can be disarmed with the keypad or by using the Ring app. You can also purchase contact and motion sensors that can be paired with the Ring app and attached to walls or doors with sticky pads. 

• Installation type: DIY
• Price range: From £219.99; monitoring costs an additional £3.49 – £8 per month
• Number of packages: Three
• Monitoring: Self-monitoring or professional monitoring

Ring’s most popular feature is its doorbell camera. (image credit: Ring)

Highlights: Homeowners can install a comprehensive home security pack themselves for comprehensive protection at an affordable price. 

Service: There are two Ring service plans to choose from: Protect Basic (£3.49/m or £34.99/y per device) and Protect Plus (£8/m or £90/y for unlimited devices). The Protect Basic plan covers just one Ring video doorbell or Ring security camera (good for smaller homes with a single entrance) while Protect Plus will cover all of your Ring devices at a single location, which is better for a more complicated array. You can review and download videos to review later on both plans, however, the Protect Plus plan also gives you the option for Assisted Monitoring, enabling Rich Notifications when your alarm detects a security issue, as well as extended warranties across your devices. 

Warranty: There is a standard one-year limited warranty included with all Ring devices. 

Key benefit: You can install the system yourself and all several other monitoring features according to your needs and preferences.

As with any home security system, there are pros and cons to consider. Here are a few reasons why Ring’s home security system is a good option:

• Price: The Ring home security system is one of the most affordable out there, with an optional 24/7 professional monitoring service that is also among the cheapest on the market.
• Flexibility: You can customise your Ring home security system with various additional sensors, cameras and alarms to suit your home.
• Motion-activated notifications: All users are able to receive notifications to the Ring app should one of the sensors detect motion.
• DIY installation: The Ring home security system can be set up without using tools of any kind. Installation is as simple as peeling and sticking components to the wall. All components bought in a kit have been synced; additional components are set up by simply scanning a QR code at the back of each component using the Ring app.
• Doorbell camera: The Ring home security system includes a doorbell camera which enables you to monitor your front door via a remote app. 
• Hassle-free cancellation: Should you want to go back to basic coverage, Rings paid-for plans can be on a month-by-month basis.  Plus, Ring often runs offers such as a free 30-day trial of one of the payable plans so that you can see whether it’s a good option for you or not.

There are a few disadvantages to consider as well: 

• Privacy concerns: Ring has faced class-action lawsuits in the US from homeowners who were concerned that their Ring cameras were being hacked. Ring has introduced two-step authentication to combat this, but it remains a concern.
• Connectivity issues: Ring home security systems rely on wifi and can be prone to connectivity issues. However, you can purchase additional range extenders to help resolve the problem. Alternatively, you can purchase the Ring Protect Plus plan, which comes with cellular back-up.
• Low Trustpilot rating: Reviews can help shape your decision and unfortunately Ring hasn’t proved that popular on Trustpilot and it holds a rating of 1.3 out of five stars. However, it should be noted that Ring, an Amazon-owned brand, sees most users leaving reviews on Amazon rather than Trustpilot. Most Ring products receive between four and five stars on the E-commerce platform.

Motion sensors will alert you as soon as someone enters the room (image credit: Ring)

The Ring Alarm System has three modes: Away, Home and Disarmed. Home will keep a selection of sensors active (eg, your glass break sensors), Away arms all sensors, and Disarmed disables all sensors. Users change the mode by pressing the mode button on the keypad and entering the pin. You can add shared and guest users (although how many additional users isn’t specified) to provide them with full or timed access. For example, if you have a cleaner or a neighbour feeding your cat that needs to use the system during set times, you can give them limited access. 

As Ring is an Amazon product, you can integrate your alarm with Alexa and use the Ring Alarm to trigger events, like turning off your lights whenever the alarm is set to Away mode. You can also install a loud outdoor siren that lights up at night, which can be hardwired or used with a battery pack. However, Google Assistant is incompatible and other IoT devices, like Philips Hue can’t be used alongside Ring. 

Ring’s home security system is affordable, customisable and easy to set up. SimpliSafe is a close competitor to Ring as one of the more cost-effective home security systems on the market. Like Ring, SimpliSafe installation is a simple DIY job, taking roughly an hour and they offer the option to self-monitor or subscribe for professional monitoring with no contractual lock-ins. Both systems allow you to add several components, including cameras, outdoor sirens and motion sensors to your setup at any time. Similarly, both brands operate on wifi and have cellular data backup so that you don’t get disconnected. 

Signing up for 24/7 monitoring with SimpliSafe comes in a little more expensive than Ring at £15.99 a month for the basic plan and £24.99 for the full plan, which includes app control and emergency service call outs. In terms of home security package pricing, the five-piece set from SimpliSafe costs more also at £315.00 versus Ring’s £219.99. However, although slightly more expensive, it’s arguable that Simplisafe offers more in terms of quality for a more thorough home security setup. 

On SimpliSafe’s Pro Premium plan, if an incident is confirmed, the professional monitoring centre can call out emergency services if needed whereas Ring will simply send automated phone calls to your emergency contacts. SimpliSafe is now compatible with Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant so it’s easier to integrate into your home’s smart setup. 

Verisure is another alternative to Ring. Home security packages are designed by individual quote so it is customised to individual homes and needs. It’s also a good choice if you would rather have free professional installation within 24 hours of your order.

The initial purchase from Verisure may be more costly for a six-piece kit – coming in at around £599. The monthly service costs £32.90, but you can cancel anytime as with Ring and Simplisafe.

Ring is fairly affordable and its professional monitoring service is one of the cheapest on the market at £80 per year (or £8 per month) for the Protect Plus package, or £34.99 per year (or £3.49 a month) for the Protect Basic plan. Here’s how Ring compares to its competitors:

All you need is a power outlet and you can get started (image credit: Ring)

The Ring home security system doesn’t require a lot of maintenance, but routine maintenance is recommended to ensure your system is working as it should. Make sure that all your security devices are securely attached and do not appear to have been moved or tampered with. Check the battery life of your various devices via the Ring app. Recharge or replace low batteries in your Ring doorbell wireless camera or contact sensors whenever necessary. You should also review your emergency contact list regularly to make sure it’s up to date.

Ring has several easy DIY home security solutions to choose from (image credit: Ring)

“When it launched a couple of years ago, the Ring Alarm soon became my favourite DIY smart alarm system. Today, there’s the Ring Alarm (2nd Generation), which maintains the title of best DIY alarm system, adding in better sensors, a neater control panel and an outdoor siren. What’s particularly clever about the new system is that it maintains the same base station, so users of the existing alarm system can add the new sensors or sirens into their existing system without being forced into upgrading everything. It’s nice to see a company do that for once.”

• TrustedReviews.com review

“As a household name in the industry, Ring has come a long way to providing a multitude of security products that are as affordable as they are effective in protecting homes. With contract-free plans and low-cost monitoring subscriptions, our wallets didn’t hurt too much, allowing us to entertain the thought of ordering more Ring accessories to add to our Ring Alarm security system. Beyond the minor hiccup with connecting our base station to our wifi, we recognised the improvements from the first gen. Ring really took customers’ feedback to heart! It’s because of this that they landed a spot on our best home security system list.”

• Security.org review 

“The Ring Alarm Home Security System offers an easy and relatively affordable way to make sure your home is safe and secure. The system can be installed in as little as 20 minutes and can be self-monitored using your mobile device or desktop system. Or you can have it professionally monitored by subscribing to the very affordable Ring Protect Plus Plan, which also includes unlimited cloud storage for any Ring camera you may own. If you already own or are considering investing in any of Ring’s security cameras, doorbells, and/or smart lighting devices, the Ring Alarm works with all of them to provide a seamless home security solution, making it one of our top picks.”

• UK PCMag.com review

“Absolutely amazing customer service. They answered the phone quickly, and I got through to a lovely chap who is sending me a new device. My camera is 2 years old and stopped working- I wanted technical support after trying everything I’ve read online to revive it. I have another camera and a ring doorbell and these devices are fantastic, versatile and reliable. Well done ring for giving the best customer service I’ve experienced in a LONG time!” 

• JoPlane, via Trustpilot

“Surprised at the reviews on [Trustpilot]. Had such good experiences lately. American support staff patient, friendly and helpful. Had faulty appliances, they took me through troubleshooting but it didn’t work and got sent new appliances. Cannot fault them. Tech breaks down, but they sorted it out both times. Feel good feedback is deserved here.” 

• Helen Gittins, via Trustpilot

“I’m invested in the Ring/Amazon ecosystem, so I was familiar with Ring service and products. We purchased a new-build property, and the Ring alarm was over half the price of what the builder was offering to install. I set up and installed this full system, including four motion detectors and three contact sensors, in less than 40 minutes. So easy to add the different devices and configure them. An oversight, in my opinion, is the Ring monitoring solution; this will call up to three people if the alarm is activated or the medical/fire buttons are pressed on the keypad, great except if you have fallen down the stairs, you have to make your way to the keypad to activate.” 

• David O’Boyle, via Amazon.co.uk

When choosing the best smart home security system for your property, carefully consider your home’s security needs, your budget and how hands-on you want to be. If you want an affordable but still fairly thorough home security system, Ring could be a great option. Ring is ideal for those new to home security, with an friendly price tag and small starter packages that can be expanded as required. 

Rating: ★★★1/2

Our methodology 

While compiling this Ring home security system review, we consulted hundreds of customer opinions, media articles, technical documentation and professional forums. We then scored the Ring home security system against others for a maximum score of 100 points, consisting of:

We considered the following factors:

• Reputation, including customer reviews
• Variety of packages available
• Security features and functionality
• Upfront and contract pricing
• Usability

For more information, read our article on how we review home security systems.