You'll find security company Ring on several of my best of lists, including security cameras and DIY security kits, where its features shine. Ring has done a particularly good job of integrating its video hardware with AI smarts, like video summaries and finding lost pets with Ring Neighborhood and Search Party (a feature showing up at the Super Bowl). All that starts with a device like a Ring video doorbell.
7.25/10 CNET Score
The latest Ring doorbell also features some of its best aspects, including a particularly wide field of view and built-in options to manually charge the removable battery or connect the doorbell to a constant power source. The motion detection is backed by the best Ring video features, including 3D detection and Bird’s-Eye Views, which, when enabled, 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).
Pros
- Very large field of view
- HD+ resolution
- Color night vision
- Advanced motion detection
- Quick replies
- Battery or wired
Cons
- Expensive
- Bulkier than comparative doorbells
- Battery case could be sturdier
Ring's newer doorbell is an excellent roundup of features from years past that's only $100 and frequently on sale for much less, making it easy to find this doorbell for about $50. Not only does it have an updated plug-in charging design that I really like (you have to bring the doorbell inside, but the structural design is far better), but there are new extras like a larger head-to-toe video field of view. The 1,440x1,440-pixel resolution is also a nice middle ground for capturing detail without getting too expensive.
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Pros
- Affordable
- Wireless with an updated battery design
- Expanded head-to-toe video
- Color night vision
- Supports AI functions like video captions
- Great Alexa compatibility
Cons
- Misses out on some of the very latest Ring and Alexa Plus innovations
Ring's latest video doorbell, on sale in late 2025, features a significant upgrade to 4K resolution and more intelligence than ever before. That includes Retinal Vision, which helps sharpen important details when examining video footage and clearer audio, as well as standbys like 3D Motion Detection.
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Pros
- 4K resolution
- New Retinal view for enhanced detail
- Improved two-way audio
- Access to AI features like video descriptions and Alexa Plus greetings
- Low Light Sight and night vision
Cons
- Expensive
- Wired only
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 essential basics, such as night vision, two-way audio and a good field of view. However, you will need to place it where your existing doorbell is, which can limit some of your options.
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Pros
- Cheap model
- Good field of view
- Night vision
- Two-way audio
Cons
- Wired only
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.
Pros
- Perfect for apartments without doorbells
- Battery power makes for easy installation
- Two-way audio
- Field of view similar to doorbells
- Knock sensor
Cons
- Made mostly for doors that have peepholes
- Subscription still locks some important features
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There's a small problem, though: Ring has a lot of doorbells, which makes it difficult to find the best and most recent ones. I'm clearing it up with this list of the top Ring doorbell favorites, including the newest, most powerful models for your entryway.
What is the best Ring video doorbell?
My current top pick for the best Ring doorbell 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 want to stick with your existing doorbell wiring and 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 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 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 home security companies.
Best Ring video doorbells of 2026
Pros
- Very large field of view
- HD+ resolution
- Color night vision
- Advanced motion detection
- Quick replies
- Battery or wired
Cons
- Expensive
- Bulkier than comparative doorbells
- Battery case could be sturdier
The latest Ring doorbell also features some of its best aspects, including a particularly wide field of view and built-in options to manually charge the removable battery or connect the doorbell to a constant power source. The motion detection is backed by the best Ring video features, including 3D detection and Bird’s-Eye Views, which, when enabled, 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 Plus” 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 lacks 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 front of their home.
... Show more
Pros
- Affordable
- Wireless with an updated battery design
- Expanded head-to-toe video
- Color night vision
- Supports AI functions like video captions
- Great Alexa compatibility
Cons
- Misses out on some of the very latest Ring and Alexa Plus innovations
Ring's newer doorbell is an excellent roundup of features from years past that's only $100 and frequently on sale for much less, making it easy to find this doorbell for about $50. Not only does it have an updated plug-in charging design that I really like (you have to bring the doorbell inside, but the structural design is far better), but there are new extras like a larger head-to-toe video field of view. The 1,440x1,440-pixel resolution is also a nice middle ground for capturing detail without getting too expensive.
Common features like two-way audio, smart alerts and object detection (with subscription) are all available here, and because it's a battery model, you can put this Ring doorbell nearly anywhere.
... Show more
Pros
- 4K resolution
- New Retinal view for enhanced detail
- Improved two-way audio
- Access to AI features like video descriptions and Alexa Plus greetings
- Low Light Sight and night vision
Cons
- Expensive
- Wired only
Ring's latest video doorbell, on sale in late 2025, features a significant upgrade to 4K resolution and more intelligence than ever before. That includes Retinal Vision, which helps sharpen important details when examining video footage and clearer audio, as well as standbys like 3D Motion Detection.
AI tricks like Ring's video descriptions are available, and Ring has developed unique extras like Alexa Plus conversational greetings to answer the door for you in greater depth. And don't forget the expanded Search Party functionality to help local pet owners find their lost furry friends, an opt-in feature via the Ring Neighborhood app.
If you want the latest Ring with all the best features, this is the model for you. The biggest downside is that it's wired only, which doesn't work with every porch, so check your original doorbell wiring first.
... Show more
Pros
- Cheap model
- Good field of view
- Night vision
- Two-way audio
Cons
- Wired only
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 essential basics, such as night vision, two-way audio and a good field of view. However, you will need to place it where your existing doorbell is, which can limit some of your options.
... Show more
Pros
- Perfect for apartments without doorbells
- Battery power makes for easy installation
- Two-way audio
- Field of view similar to doorbells
- Knock sensor
Cons
- Made mostly for doors that have peepholes
- Subscription still locks some important features
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.
... Show more
Ring video doorbells compared
| Best Ring Video Doorbells | Ring Battery Doorbell Pro (2024) | Ring Battery Doorbell (2025) | Ring Wired Doorbell Pro 4K | Ring Video Doorbell Wired | Ring Peephole Cam |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price | $230 | $100 | $250 | $50 | $130 |
| Resolution | 1536p/HD+ | 1440p | 2K | 1080p/HD | 1080p/HD |
| Power | Battery or wired | Battery | Wired | Wired | Battery |
| Night vision | Color night vision | Color Night Vision | Low light and night vision | Yes | No |
| Object recogniton | Person and package with subscription only | Person and package with subscription only | Person and package plus Alexa Plus 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 |
Ring's motion zones help increase accuracy, among other benefits.
CNET/Tyler LacomaWhen 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 a variety 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.
Have an apartment? Ring's Peephole model still allows you to protect your front door.
RingTesting 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 many 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.
Unlike other home security cameras, placement for video doorbells is very limited. You can place it where your previous doorbell was located 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 4 feet from the base of the door so it gets a good view of people and packages alike.
Ring's latest new 2K and 4K doorbells are in the pre-order stage. We're excited to test them out, specifically to try out features that will be rolling out in the upcoming months, like automatic greetings now powered by the new Alexa Plus, and Search Party in the Ring app for locating pets.
Right now, tech is all about AI, so it's no surprise that while Ring's newest doorbells have made sizable resolution upgrades, everyone is watching what its advanced software can do. For Ring, that means its new video description, which uses AI recognition to recognize objects in video clips and describe what's going on, so you get a brief summary ("a man in a white shirt puts down a brown package") instead of needing to watch the whole clip to learn what went on.
While Ring's new Search Party option sounds like a fun way to find lost pets, we're still thinking of ways to test it when it's released. I'm especially excited about the new Alexa Plus greetings -- the age of holding full conversations with a robot doorbell are quickly approaching.
If your Ring doorbell isn't hardwired, the battery charge will typically last between six and 12 months, depending on the frequency of use and motion activations. You will receive an alert via the Ring app when the battery is getting low.
When charging your Ring doorbell's battery, be sure to let it sit until fully charged, if possible, as doing so can help prolong the life of the battery.
A monthly subscription isn't required to use your Ring device, but there are three protection plans available if you'd like additional video storage and features. The lowest tier, which starts at $5 per month, adds important features like object recognition and video storage. The highest tier is designed more for whole Ring Alarm systems and won't be necessary if you're only getting a doorbell.
Most Ring doorbells are powered by a rechargeable battery or have a battery backup, so losing power to your home shouldn't disrupt power to your device. Still, a power outage may affect your Ring device if your router loses power and the Wi-Fi connection is lost.
Ring focuses on DIY devices and systems that don’t require any kind of monitoring to use. On their own, Ring video doorbells don't offer professional home monitoring. However, if you install a Ring Alarm system, you have the option of choosing the Ring Protect Pro plan, which includes 24/7 home monitoring as part of its services.
Neighbors is a separate Ring app that's connected to the Ring app you use to control devices like doorbells. It's more of a community-focused, social app. You can share videos with people in your community, get alerts from videos others share in return and similar activities. Some people like the extra assurance it provides because they can get notifications about residential crime or other happenings.