Best Ring Video Doorbells of 2024
There are plenty of Ring doorbells out there, but which is the perfect one for you?
Our Experts
- Macy has been working for CNET for coming on 2 years. Prior to CNET, Macy received a North Carolina College Media Association award in sports writing.
What to consider
Important features
Latency
Live view
Smart home
Our Picks
What to consider
Important features
Latency
Live view
Smart home
Home security is an essential part of everyday life. Whether you live in a rental or own your house, almost everyone you know has some security measures to keep their home safe. A video doorbell camera is a good entry point for those looking to get started on their security setup.
Ring is one of the biggest names in home security thanks to its lineup of security cameras and doorbells. And the company has significantly expanded its portfolio over the years, offering many more options than before. We've been on top of the ever-growing list of the latest doorbell products from Ring, tracking all the upgrades and differences.
We've put together a great roundup of Ring options for you. You'll find some affordable choices and even those living in apartments will have an option or two to pick from, as well. Our current top pick is the Ring Battery Doorbell Pro, offering bird's eye views, custom motion zones and a solid battery life via a removable battery pack. If you're looking to stick with your existing doorbell wiring and want to say goodbye to battery-powered doorbells, don’t worry -- Ring has you covered there, too. Whether you want to get a Ring video doorbell for your own home or as a tech holiday gift for a new homeowner or renter, you'll find an option below. And while you're at it, take a look at our best video doorbell list and best outdoor cam guide to check out other brands like Nest and Arlo in addition to Ring.
Note: Ring has come under criticism for its privacy policies in the past. As a result, the company has now removed an option that allowed police to request video footage from the company for any reason. It's a privacy improvement that makes Ring's policy more similar to Google and other security companies.
Best Ring video doorbells of 2024
- Very large field of view
- HD+ resolution
- Color night vision
- Advanced motion detection
- Quick replies
- Battery or wired
- Expensive
- Bulkier than comparative doorbells
- Battery case could be sturdier
The Ring Battery Doorbell Pro prior to our full installation.
The latest Ring doorbell also has some of its best features, including a particularly large field of view and built-in options to manually charge the slip-out battery or connect the doorbell to a constant source of power. The motion detection is backed by the best Ring video features too, including 3D detection and Bird’s Eye Views that, when set, provide tracked paths that moving objects took while in view. It also has extra features like Quick Replies you can set for premade instructions as well and standards like two-way audio and night vision (in color for this model).
The resolution is also an interesting upgrade that only the latest Ring doorbells have, offering “HD+” 1536p video for a bit of extra detail. The traditional Ring caveats still apply: Smart home compatibility is primarily limited to Alexa, and object recognition or video storage will require a Ring Protect plan.
Our review also found that the doorbell is a bit bulkier and lacking some of the compact durability of similar models like the Google Nest doorbell. But in all, this large, powerful cam is Ring’s best option, especially for those looking for excellent video that captures a broad area in the front of their home.
The Ring Battery Doorbell Pro prior to our full installation.
Best value for price Ring video doorbell
Ring Video Doorbell (2nd-gen)
This older Ring doorbell combines affordability with a nice array of features. Like our top pick, it can be used either as a battery model or wired into existing doorbell power depending on your placement. The HD video is very competent with a field of view that’s great for a doorbell without reaching the broad angles of our top pick.
Once again, object detection and video storage are supported with a Ring Protect plan, and quick reply options are included if you’d rather not use the two-way audio at all. It’s a great middle-of-the-road pick for a Ring doorbell with a price low enough to help those looking to save money.
Best well-rounded Ring video doorbell
Ring Battery Doorbell Plus
The Plus model is an effective combination between the expensive new Battery Pro and the older, more affordable second-gen Video Doorbell. It includes the high-end features like HD+ resolution and an extra large field of view while keeping the price low by cutting features like the Bird’s Eye view.
The result is a very well-rounded video doorbell for people who want something more than a budget model but don’t want to spend too much.
Best cheap Ring video doorbell
Ring Video Doorbell Wired
Those looking for a cheap video doorbell that will save them money -- while offering all the benefits of a Ring Protect plan and similar features -- can’t do much better than this wired model. It still includes all the important basics like night vision, two-way audio and a healthy field of view. However, you will need to place it where your existing doorbell is, which can limit some of your options.
Best Ring video doorbell for apartments
Ring Peephole Cam
You don’t need to live in an apartment to use the Ring Peephole Cam, but it’s specially designed for people in apartments or those who don’t have room for a doorbell. It really can act as a digital doorway peephole in the traditional sense, but the real value comes from all the video doorbell features you get in such a compact package.
Those features include a surprisingly large field of view for such a small device, two-way audio communication and motion detection with adjustable motion zones. The HD cam is battery powered with Ring’s quick-release battery, which makes installation especially easy. There’s even a feature that detects knocks if you’re not at home to hear them.
Ring video doorbells compared
| Best Ring Video Doorbells | Ring Battery Doorbell Pro (2024) | Ring Video Doorbell (2nd-gen) | Ring Battery Doorbell Plus | Ring Video Doorbell Wired | Ring Peephole Cam |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price | $230 | $53 | $150 | $50 | $130 |
| Resolution | 1536p/HD+ | 1080p/HD | 1536p/HD+ | 1080p/HD | 1080p/HD |
| Power | Battery or wired | Battery or wired | Battery or wired | Wired | Battery |
| Night vision | Color night vision | Yes | Color night vision | Yes | No |
| Object recogniton | Person and package with subscription only | Person and package with subscription only | Person and package with subscription only | Person and package with subscription only | |
| Storage options | Subscription only via Ring Protect | Subscription only via Ring Protect | Subscription only via Ring Protect | Subscription only via Ring Protect | Subscription only via Ring Protect |
| Voice assistant | Amazon Alexa | Amazon Alexa | Amazon Alexa | Amazon Alexa | Amazon Alexa |
| Review score | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | 7.8/10 |
Factors to consider when choosing a Ring video doorbell
Ring's motion zones help increase accuracy, among other benefits.
When you're looking for a video doorbell, the most important question isn't "Which one is best?" so much as "Which one is best for me?" All of Ring's video doorbells perform well -- and all of them come from the same company, with the same troubling history of facilitating video sharing with police. Not all of them will be ideal for you.
Important Features
Video doorbells should have key features like night vision, two-way audio and motion detection. Those are more or vital parts of this type of security camera. Then several other features are also very important for doorbell management, including object detection to spot alerts about packages, and video storage so you can keep the recorded clips rather than just relying on live views.
Does it work with smart home platforms? If so, do the smart features work well together?
Amazon’s Ring is an Alexa-focused brand, which is great for those who have Echos or Echo Shows that let them look through the doorbells’ live views. However, you won’t have other smart home compatibility here outside of Alexa apps or devices.
Latency
Latency is particularly important for video doorbells because you want the doorbell to detect movement quickly and alert you in a timely way so you can check the door or retrieve a package ASAP. Object recognition is good, but it can often slow down reaction times for the doorbell. Speedy recording and alerts are important for overall quality of life.
Quality of the live view?
Doorbells are often exposed to direct sunlight, but many others are installed under porches, near shady trees and in all sorts of other settings. It's important that the camera has night vision and can handle any of these scenarios so you don't get stuck with a nonfunctioning product that can't see faces under a porch.
How we test Ring video doorbells
Have an apartment? Ring's Peephole model still allows you to protect your front door.
Testing to determine the best of the best in video doorbells is similar to how we test any other home security camera. For this article, we went through setup, installation and performance of multiple Ring video doorbell models. That included plenty of experiments to see how motion detection and object recognition work, as well as evening tests to experiment with the night vision features. We also put features like two-way audio to the test to check on clarity, and review video clips to see how storage and retrieval work, among other factors.
Placement and installation for video doorbell cameras
Unlike other home security cameras, placement for video doorbells is very limited. You can place it where your previous doorbell was or pick a side of your door. Too far away from your door and the video doorbell loses much of its usefulness. You'll also need to follow the height direction. For most video doorbells including Ring, that means placing the doorbell about four feet from the base of the door so it gets a good view of people and packages alike.