Ring subscription costs depend on which plan you choose and what devices you own
Ring offers two main subscription tiers: Ring Protect Basic costs $3 per month or $30 per year for a single device, while Ring Protect Plus costs $10 per month or $100 per year and covers all Ring devices at your home. A third option, Ring Protect Pro, runs $20 per month or $200 per year and adds professional monitoring for Ring Alarm systems. You can also use Ring devices without any subscription, but you'll lose video recording and cloud storage features.
The subscription you need depends on what you want to do with your Ring device. If you only want live view access when someone rings your doorbell or triggers motion, you don't need a subscription. But if you want the camera to record video clips and save them so you can watch them later, you need one of the paid plans. Most people choose Basic if they have one device, or Plus if they have multiple cameras or a doorbell.
Key Takeaways
- Ring Protect Basic covers one device for $3 monthly or $30 yearly and includes video recording and 30 days of cloud storage.
- Ring Protect Plus covers unlimited devices at one location for $10 monthly or $100 yearly and is the most common choice for households with multiple cameras.
- Ring Protect Pro adds professional alarm monitoring for $20 monthly or $200 yearly if you have a Ring Alarm system.
- You can use Ring devices without a subscription for live view only, but recorded videos won't be saved to the cloud.
- Paying annually instead of monthly saves you money — Basic saves $6 per year, Plus saves $20 per year, and Pro saves $40 per year.
Ring Protect Basic: single device coverage
Ring Protect Basic is designed for people with one Ring device — usually a video doorbell or a single outdoor camera. At $3 per month, it's the cheapest option. You get 30 days of cloud video storage, meaning Ring keeps your recorded clips for a month before they disappear. You can also download clips to your phone if you want to keep them longer.
Basic includes motion alerts, so your phone will notify you when the camera detects movement. You can watch live video anytime through the Ring app. If you have a Ring Alarm system, Basic does not include professional monitoring — you'd need Pro for that. If you buy the annual plan at $30 per year instead of paying monthly, you save $6 over twelve months.
Ring Protect Plus: all devices at your home
Ring Protect Plus costs $10 per month or $100 per year and covers every Ring device you own at a single address. This includes video doorbells, outdoor cameras, indoor cameras, and floodlight cameras. If you have two or more devices, Plus is usually cheaper than buying Basic for each one separately. You get the same 30 days of cloud storage and motion alerts as Basic, just for all your devices instead of one.
Plus also includes a few extra features that Basic doesn't. You get advanced motion detection, which lets you set up zones so the camera only alerts you to movement in certain areas — useful if you have a driveway you want to monitor but not the street beyond it. You also get video quality improvements and the ability to create custom activity zones. Like Basic, Plus does not include professional alarm monitoring.
Ring Protect Pro: alarm system monitoring
Ring Protect Pro is the most expensive option at $20 per month or $200 per year. You only need this if you have a Ring Alarm system and want professional monitoring. Professional monitoring means that if your alarm is triggered, a monitoring center is alerted and can contact emergency services on your behalf. Without Pro, your alarm will sound and send you a notification, but no one else will know about it.
Pro also includes everything in Plus — all your Ring cameras and doorbells are covered, with 30 days of cloud storage and advanced motion detection. If you have a Ring Alarm but don't want professional monitoring, you can use Plus instead and save $10 per month. The monitoring service itself is what you're paying for with Pro, not additional camera features.
Using Ring devices without a subscription
You can set up and use any Ring device without paying for a subscription. You'll be able to see live video whenever you open the Ring app, and you'll get notifications on your phone when motion is detected or someone presses the doorbell. The catch is that Ring won't save video clips to the cloud, so you can't go back and watch what happened earlier.
This works fine if you only care about being alerted in the moment. But if you want to review footage from last night or last week — to show police after a theft, or to see who left a package — you need a subscription. Some people use this no-subscription approach as a trial to see if they like the device before committing to a monthly cost.
How to choose between plans
Start by counting how many Ring devices you have or plan to buy. If you have just one doorbell or camera, Ring Protect Basic at $3 per month is the cheapest way to get video recording. If you have two or more devices, Ring Protect Plus at $10 per month usually costs less than buying Basic for each device separately — Basic for two devices would be $6 per month, but Plus covers unlimited devices for $10.
Next, decide whether you need professional alarm monitoring. If you don't have a Ring Alarm system, or you have one but don't want monitoring, stop at Plus. If you have a Ring Alarm and want a monitoring center to contact emergency services if it's triggered, you need Pro. Finally, consider paying annually instead of monthly if you're confident you'll keep the subscription — you'll save between $6 and $40 per year depending on which plan you choose.
Canceling or pausing your subscription
You can cancel your Ring subscription anytime through the Ring app without penalty. Go to your account settings, find the subscription section, and select cancel. Your subscription will stay active until the end of your current billing period — if you pay monthly and cancel on the 15th, you'll have access until the end of that month. After cancellation, you'll lose cloud video storage and won't receive motion alerts, but you can still use live view.
If you want to pause your subscription temporarily — for example, if you're traveling and don't need monitoring — you can cancel and restart it whenever you want. There's no fee to restart, and you'll only be charged when you turn it back on. Some people cancel during winter months when they're away and restart in spring.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use the same subscription for Ring devices at two different addresses?
No. Ring Protect Plus covers all your devices at one location only. If you have devices at a second home or rental property, you need a separate subscription for that address. Ring Protect Basic also covers one device regardless of location, so you could use Basic at multiple addresses if you only have one device at each.
What happens to my videos if I cancel my subscription?
Videos stored in Ring's cloud will be deleted 30 days after you cancel. If you want to keep them, download them to your phone before your subscription ends. Videos you've already downloaded stay on your phone. After cancellation, new videos won't be recorded to the cloud, though you can still watch live video.
Do I need a subscription to get notifications when someone rings my doorbell?
No. You'll get a notification on your phone when someone presses the doorbell or motion is detected, even without a subscription. You just won't be able to watch the video clip later. You need a subscription only if you want Ring to save and store video recordings.
Is there a discount if I buy multiple subscriptions?
No. Ring doesn't offer bulk discounts. However, Ring Protect Plus at $10 per month covers all your devices at one address, so it's usually the better value than buying Basic multiple times. If you have devices at different addresses, you'll need separate subscriptions for each location.
Can I switch from Basic to Plus mid-year?
Yes. You can upgrade or downgrade your subscription anytime through the Ring app. If you paid for a year of Basic and upgrade to Plus, Ring will prorate the difference — you'll pay the difference between what you already paid and what Plus costs for the remaining months. The exact amount depends on how much time is left on your current plan.