Ring makes a number of different home security cameras for both indoor and outdoor use. Below, we compare the most popular Ring camera models to help you decide the best camera for your home.
Best for Multi-Purpose Use
Flexible Indoor or Outdoor Surveillance
Ring Stick Up Cam
The Ring Stick Up Cam is available as battery powered, corded, and solar powered. With a cordless design, it makes it incredibly simple to install and move the camera around wherever you need it. We ran a performance test on video quality, audio quality, and Check PriceBest Doorbell
Great for Wired or Wireless Installs
Ring 3
The Ring 3 is the newest doorbell from Ring. It has all the features from previous Ring doorbells, but steps it up a level with advanced motion detection, new privacy modes, and a “near” motion detection that allows you to prioritize the 5-15′ range.Check PriceBest for Maximum Security
Camera + Bright Spotlight 2-in-1
Ring Spotlight Cam
The Ring Spotlight Cam is an all-in-one security device with a smart camera and motion activated spotlight. When motion is detected, the light turns on (optional) and a push notification is sent to your phone (customizable). During our tests we found the video quality to be great and the app easy to use. From there, you can speak directly through the camera using 2-way audio or turn on an audible alarm. With a subscription, video feeds can be saved for up to 60 days. The Ring Spotlight Cam is a good option for an outdoor security solution for simple, DIY surveillance. Check PriceThe name Ring is certainly not a new one to the home security market, first launching their doorbell cam in summer 2017 and expanding from there.
Today, the Ring lineup includes indoor cameras, outdoor camera, doorbell camera, and more.
Ring Camera Comparison Chart
Indoor Cam | Stickup Cam | Stickup Cam Elite | Spotlight | Floodlight | Doorbell Cam | Doorbell Cam 2 | Doorbell Cam Pro | Doorbell Cam Elite | Peephole Cam | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Type | Indoor | Indoor / Outdoor | Indoor / Outdoor | Outdoor | Outdoor | Doorbell | Doorbell | Doorbell | Doorbell | Doorbell |
Field of View | 115° horizontal; 60° vertical | 110° horizontal; 57° vertical | 110° horizontal; 57° vertical | 140° horizontal; 78° vertical | 140° horizontal; 78° vertical | 180° horizontal | 160° horizontal, 90° vertical | 160° horizontal, 90° vertical | 160° horizontal, 90° vertical | 155° horizontal, 90° vertical |
Finishes | White or Black | White or Black | White or Black | White or Black | White or Black | Bronze, Polished Brass, Antique Brass, Satin Nickel | Includes 2 faceplates: Satin Nickel, Bronze | Includes 4 faceplates: Satin Nickel, Satin Black, Dark Bronze, Satin White | Satin Nickel, Pearl White, Bronze, Satin Black | Black with Satin Nickel trim |
Power | Plug-in only | Plug in or Quick-release rechargeable battery | Plug in or Quick-release rechargeable battery | Quick-release rechargeable battery, hardwired, or solar panel | Quick-release rechargeable battery or hardwired | Rechargeable battery or hardwired | Quick-release Rechargeable battery or hardwired | Hardwired | Power over Ethernet | Quick-release Rechargeable battery |
Motion Zones | 3 standard zones | 3 standard zones | Custom zones | Custom zones | 3 standard zones | 3 standard zones | Custom zones | Custom zones | 1 standard zone | |
Video Resolution | 1080p HD | 1080p HD | 1080p HD | 1080p HD | 1080p HD | 720p | 1080p HD | 1080p HD | 1080p HD | 1080p HD |
Compatibility | 2.4 GHz | 2.4 GHz | 2.4 GHz or 5.0 GHz | 2.4 GHz | 2.4 GHz | 2.4 GHz | 2.4 GHz | 2.4 GHz or 5.0 GHz | 2.4 GHz or 5.0 GHz | 2.4 GHz |
Siren | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Live Video | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Light | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | No | No | No | No | No |
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Ring Indoor vs. Outdoor Cameras
Ring’s lineup includes a variety of security products, but the options can be broken down into three different categories:
- Indoor Cameras
- Outdoor Cameras
- Doorbell Cameras
Indoor Camera Comparisons
- Resolution: 1080p
- Location: Indoor Only
- Power: Plug-in Only
- Network: 2.4 Only
- Field of View: 115° horiz. 60° vert.
- Resolution: 1080p
- Location: Indoor / Outdoor
- Power: Plug-in, battery, or solar
- Network: 2.4 Only
- Field of View: 110° horiz. 57° vert.
Ring indoor cameras includes:
- Ring Indoor Cam
- Ring Stickup Cam
The biggest differences here are power, location, and price.
- Power: The Ring Indoor camera is plug-in only, while the Ring Stickup Cam has three power options—battery pack, plug-in, or solar powered.
- Location: The Ring Indoor camera can only be used indoors, but the Ring Stickup Cam can be used indoor or outdoor.
- Price: Due to the extra features, the Ring Stickup Cam is more expensive than the Ring Indoor Cam. Depending on what exactly you’re looking for, the extra price could be worth it.
Outdoor Camera Comparisons
- Resolution: 1080p
- Use: Indoor / Outdoor
- Power: Plug-in, battery, or solar
- Light: None
- FOV: 110° horiz. 57° vert.
- Resolution: 1080p
- Use: Outdoor Only
- Power: Wired Only
- Light: 300-375 lumens
- FOV: 140° horiz. 78° vert.
- Resolution: 1080p
- Use: Outdoor Only
- Power: Wired Only
- Light: 1800 lumens
- FOV: 140° horiz. 78° vert.
When it comes to outdoor cameras, Ring has three models:
- Ring Stickup Cam
- Ring Spotlight Cam
- Ring Floodlight Cam
The main differences between these models are light, brightness, and price.
- Light: The Ring Stickup Cam does not include a light. The Ring Spotlight Cam has a 270° spotlight and the Ring Floodlight Cam has a 270° pair of two floodlights.
- Brightness: The light on the Spotlight Cam is 300 lumens. By comparison, the lights on the Floodlight Cam has an output of 1800 lumens; that’s 5 times brighter than the Spotlight Cam.
- Price: The Ring Floodlight is over twice the cost of the Ring Stickup Cam, but the added cost is all relative because it also has the brightest light. Depending on what your needs are, any one of these cameras could be a good fit.
Ring Doorbell Comparisons
For doorbell camera, there are a quite a few different models. with various ranges of features and capabilities. There are base level models like the original Ring doorbell, or more advanced models that make home surveillance easier than ever.
- Resolution: 1080p
- Power: Wired or Wireless
- Privacy Zones: Advanced
- Network: 2.4 or 5.0 GHz
- Resolution: 1080p
- Power: Wired only
- Privacy Zones: Basic
- Network: 2.4 or 5.0 GHz
- Resolution: 1080p
- Power: Wired or Wireless
- Privacy Zones: Basic
- Network: 2.4 GHz only
Concerning doorbells, there are more differences between the models listed above. For the sake of simplicity, the table below highlights all of the major changes between the models.
Ring 2 vs. Ring Pro vs. Ring Comparison Chart
Specs | Ring 3 Plus | Ring 3 | Ring Pro | Ring 2 | Ring |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Resolution | 1080p | 1080p | 1080p | 1080p | 720p |
Power | Battery or Hardwired | Battery or Hardwired | Hardwired | Battery or Hardwired | Battery or Hardwired |
Field of View | 160° horizontal, 84° vertical | 160° horizontal, 84° vertical | 160° horizontal, 90° vertical | 160° horizontal, 90° vertical | 180° horizontal, 110° vertical |
Avg. Install Tile | 5 minutes | 5 minutes | 15 minutes | 5 minutes | 5 minutes |
Dimensions | 5.1" x 2.4" x 1.1" | 5.1" x 2.4" x 1.1" | 4.5" x 1.8" x 0.8" | 5.0" x 2.5" x 1.0" | 4.9" x 2.4" x 0.87" |
Wifi | 2.4 GHz or 5 GHz | 2.4 GHz or 5 GHz | 2.4 GHz or 5 GHz | 2.4 GHz | 2.4 GHz |
Video | On-Demand | On-Demand | On-Demand | On-Demand | On-Demand |
Audio | Two-Way | Two-Way | Two-Way | Two-Way | Two-Way |
Alerts | Advanced>Pre-Roll | Yes | No | No | No |
Faceplates | Yes; 2 included | Yes; 2 included | Yes; 4 included | Yes; 2 included | No |
Alexa Compatible | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Rechargable Battery | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | No |
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For a quick summary of each model to help decide which may be right for you, reference the following:
- Ring Video Doorbell: best for home security on a budget, most basic functions and average video quality (720p), can be hardwired or battery-powered
- Ring Video Doorbell 2: higher quality video (1080p HD) than the original Ring Video Doorbell with a quick-release battery and matching interchangeable faceplates (2 options)
- Ring Video Doorbell 3: the newest release of the Ring doorbell with 1080p video resolution and optional power between hardwired or battery-powered
- Ring Video Doorbell Elite: recommended for new construction builds as it requires an Ethernet cable for hardwired connection; includes 4 interchangeable faceplates and is the only POE (power over Ethernet) Ring doorbell option currently
- Ring Video Doorbell Pro: best for hardwired solutions without needing Ethernet. 1080p HD video quality and a slim design
- Ring Peephole Cam: best for installing on doors into existing peephole, it’s the only Ring doorbell camera that is only battery-powered (no wired option available) and also has the narrowest motion detection angle (only 130°)
For more information please see our in-depth Ring doorbell comparison.
Ring Video Quality
Overall, I’ve been very happy with the performance of the Ring cameras, whether it be for indoor or outdoor applications.
The video quality is consistently 1080p on most newer Ring cameras, which seems more than sufficient for most people’s needs. Video resolution higher than this could mean it will eat up more bandwidth or fill up your Cloud-based storage faster.
When used outdoors, Ring does have some variation. For example, in the image below the Ring Spotlight generates a night shot in full color.
In comparison, the Ring Stick Up cam has a grayscale screenshot. Both images have good clarity and distinction between figures.
The Ring App
All Ring cameras work with the Ring app, which you can download to any smartphone or tablet.
Depending on your device and membership plan, you may use the app to:
- Check the battery life
- Enable / disable motion and Ring alerts
- View of change chime sounds
- Talk with your guests
- Watch the doorbells’ footage
- Create a motion schedule
- Adjust motion sensitivity
- See all the recent activity
- Add other users
- Watch back recorded video
- Check the system status, Wifi signal, voltage, and more
- Set up motion zones
The Ring Subscription
If you don’t want any monthly fees, you can run any of the Ring devices without a subscription. The main feature you’re giving up is the ability to store, save, or share video footage.
But you will still receive push notification alerts when motion is detected from the cam. You would not have the ability to view past footage, for example from suspicious activity overnight.
For more features and setting, Ring users can opt into the Ring subscription which has two tiers:
- Ring Basic
- Ring Plus
Plan Similarities
With both plans, the biggest thing you’re gaining over the free plan is the ability to view, save, and share previously recorded video activity. The live-event viewing feature can store content for up to 30 or 60 days (varies by location).
Plan Differences
The Ring Protect Basic plan has the ability listed above and coverage for one Ring doorbell or security camera. If you want more features or have more than one Ring device, you can opt for the Ring Plus package.
The Ring Protect Plus plan offers the following bonus features:
- Coverage: covers all Ring devices at one address
- Ring Alarm: professional monitoring 24/7
- Additional Discounts: get 10% off Ring products from Ring.com
- Extended Warranty: extra coverage on all of your Ring devices (device must be within the original warranty period when you subscribe to Ring Protect Plus plan).
RELATED – What’s the best home security camera?
Which Ring is Right for You?
Here’s a quick highlights reel of the current Ring cameras and their top performance specs:
Ring Indoor Cam
The Ring Indoor Cam is a great budget option if you’re looking for a simple plug-in, indoor camera.
- Use: Indoor only
- Power: wired (plug-in)
- Video: 1080p HD
- Audio: detects audio from 30′ away; 2-way audio as well
- Connectivity: 2.4 ghZ
- Light: None
Ring StickUp Cam
The Ring StickUp cam is a good choice if you want the flexibility of battery power. The cordless design allows you to move it around with ease.
- Use: Indoor or Outdoor
- Power: wired or wireless (battery powdered, plug-in, or solar panel)
- Video: 1080p HD
- Audio: detects audio from 30′ away; 2-way audio as well
- Connectivity: 2.4 ghZ
- Light: None
Ring Spotlight Cam
Ring’s Spotlight cam is a budget friendly motion detection style camera for outdoor use. The light isn’t as powerful as the floodlight, but it’s less expensive and easier to install.
- Use: Outdoor only
- Power: wired or wireless (battery powdered, plug-in, or solar panel)
- Video: 1080p HD
- Audio: detects audio from 30′ away; 2-way audio as well
- Connectivity: 2.4 ghZ
- Light: 270° spotlight
Ring Floodlight Cam
The Ring Floodlight is ideal for outdoor use in an area where you need lots of light (for security or otherwise). Great on the front of a garage or your front porch. The install is more complex.
- Use: Outdoor only
- Power: wired or wireless (battery powdered, plug-in, or solar panel)
- Video: 1080p HD
- Audio: detects audio from 30′ away; 2-way audio as well
- Connectivity: 2.4 ghZ
- Light: 270° floodlight
How to pick a camera?
When selecting the best Ring device for your needs, there are a number of things you’ll want to consider. Here’s a quick list of some of the things we think are most important.
#1 – Choose a location.
Where do you plan on using the device? Indoor, outdoor? Maybe both? Deciding where the camera will be used is the first step in making the right selection.
For a budget, plug-in indoor camera, I’d recommend the Ring Indoor Cam. For a camera you can use indoor or outdoor as your needs change, I would recommend the Ring Stickup Cam.
#2 – Pick you power.
Power is another big factor you’ll want to decide on. Ring has a variety of options for power including battery packs, plug-in, hardwired using doorbell wiring or POE (power over Ethernet).
There is even an option for solar power.
Determine where the camera will go and then figure out how it will be powered. This can help you to eliminate options that won’t work for you.
#3 – Decide on features.
Are there certain features that are deal-makers or deal-breakers for you? Do you want custom motion zones? Need a bright outdoor light to go with your cam?
If you need any of these specific features, make sure the model you’re looking at has it. There’s not a ton of overlap when it comes to special features within the Ring collection.
For example, the Ring Spotlight Cam and Ring Floodlight Cam are the only two models that have a light (and the floodlight is 5 times brighter).
Related Ring Reviews & Tests
- Ring Doorbell Camera Comparison
- Ring Indoor Cam Review
- Ring Stickup Cam Battery Review
- Ring Spotlight Cam Battery Review
Final Thoughts
Overall, the Ring lineup has a lot to offer, whether you’re looking for a quick camera for the door to your apartment or a wired, integrated system for securing your whole property.
Still not sure what Ring camera is best for you? Drop us a comment down below. We do our best to respond within 24 hours and we’d be happy to help!