Ring's subscription plans cost $3 to $10 per month, depending on which cameras you own and what features matter to you

Ring offers three subscription tiers: Basic ($3/month), Plus ($10/month), and a free option with no subscription at all. The main difference is video storage — how long Ring keeps your recordings before they disappear. Without a subscription, Ring stores video for only a few hours. With Basic, you get 30 days of cloud storage. Plus gives you 60 days and adds some extra features like person detection and package alerts.

The catch is that Ring's pricing structure is tied to your camera type. Some older Ring cameras (like the original Ring Video Doorbell) work with Basic but not Plus. Newer models like the Ring Video Doorbell Pro and Ring Stick Up Cam work with all three options. Before you commit to a plan, check which tier your specific camera supports on Ring's website or in the Ring app.

You can also buy a Ring Protect Plan Plus for $100 per year (about $8.33/month) if you want to lock in a lower rate, though you still pay upfront. Ring also sells a "Ring Protect Plan" for $30 per year ($2.50/month), which is cheaper than the monthly Basic plan but only covers one camera and offers the same 30-day storage.

Key Takeaways

  • Ring's monthly plans range from $3 to $10 per month, with the main difference being how many days of video storage you get and which detection features are included.
  • Without any subscription, your Ring camera still works but only stores video for a few hours before it deletes automatically.
  • Older Ring cameras may not support the most expensive Plus tier, so check your camera model before choosing a plan.
  • Annual plans cost less per month than paying monthly, but you pay the full year upfront.

What each subscription tier includes

Basic ($3/month or $30/year) gives you 30 days of cloud video storage, so you can go back and watch what happened over the past month. You get motion alerts and live view, which means you can open the Ring app and watch your camera in real time. Basic works on most Ring cameras, though some older models are limited to this tier only.

Plus ($10/month or $100/year) doubles your storage to 60 days and adds person detection, which means Ring's software tries to tell the difference between a person, an animal, and a car. It also includes package detection (alerts when a package arrives) and rapid ring detection (alerts when someone presses your doorbell). Plus only works on newer Ring cameras like the Video Doorbell Pro, Video Doorbell Pro 2, and Stick Up Cam Pro.

No subscription means you pay nothing but get almost nothing in return. Your camera still records and sends you motion alerts, but Ring only stores video for a few hours. If you want to save a video permanently, you have to manually download it to your phone or computer while it still exists. This option makes sense only if you want live view and motion alerts but don't care about reviewing past footage.

How to figure out what you actually need

The real question is not what Ring offers, but what you would actually use. If you have a doorbell camera and you want to know whether a package arrived or who rang the bell yesterday, you need at least Basic. Thirty days of storage is usually enough to catch a delivery or a visitor you missed. Person detection (in Plus) is useful if you get a lot of motion alerts from animals or passing cars and you want to filter those out, but it is not perfect — it sometimes misses people and sometimes flags shadows as people.

If you have multiple cameras, the math changes. Ring charges per camera for monthly plans, so two cameras on Basic costs $6/month. However, Ring also sells a "Ring Protect Plan" that covers all your cameras for $100 per year, which is cheaper if you have more than one device. Check the Ring app to see how many cameras you own and calculate which plan saves you money.

Package detection and rapid ring detection (both in Plus) are nice-to-haves. Package detection tells you when something arrives, but you can also just check your camera when you expect a delivery. Rapid ring detection is useful if you have a doorbell and you want to know immediately when someone presses it, but motion alerts already tell you someone is at your door — the difference is just a few seconds.

What Ring does not store and why it matters

Ring stores video in the cloud, which means on Ring's servers, not on your camera or in your home. This is convenient because you can watch your footage from anywhere, but it also means Ring has access to your video. Ring's privacy policy says they do not sell your video to third parties, but they do use it to improve their detection software and they can share it with law enforcement if they receive a warrant or a valid emergency request.

If you want video stored only in your home where Ring cannot access it, you would need a different camera system — one with local storage on a hard drive or SD card. Ring cameras do not offer this option. Some Ring cameras have an SD card slot, but it only works if you have a Ring Protect subscription, and Ring still stores a copy in the cloud.

How to cancel or change your plan

You can cancel your Ring subscription at any time through the Ring app. Open the app, go to Control Center, select your camera, tap Protect Plan, and then tap "Manage Plan." From there you can downgrade to a cheaper tier, switch to no subscription, or cancel entirely. If you cancel mid-month, you lose access to cloud storage immediately, but you do not get a refund for the rest of the month.

If you switch from Plus to Basic, you keep only 30 days of video instead of 60, and any footage older than 30 days disappears. If you switch to no subscription, your video storage ends immediately and only a few hours of footage remains. Ring does not warn you before this happens, so if you have video you want to keep, download it first.

Comparing Ring to other doorbell cameras

Other doorbell cameras have different pricing models. Logitech Circle View charges $3/month for 24-hour rolling storage or $12/month for 30-day storage, which is similar to Ring. Google Nest Aware costs $6/month for 30-day storage or $12/month for 60-day storage, which is more expensive than Ring Plus. Wyze charges $1.99/month for 14-day storage, which is cheaper but gives you less history.

The real difference is not just the price but what you get for it. Ring's person detection is decent but not perfect. Google Nest's detection is generally more accurate, but Nest cameras are more expensive upfront. Wyze is the cheapest option overall, but the camera quality is lower and the app is less polished. If you already own a Ring camera, the subscription cost is usually worth it for the peace of mind of having 30 or 60 days of footage, but if you are choosing a camera system from scratch, compare the total cost of the camera plus the subscription over a year.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use a Ring camera without paying for a subscription?

Yes. Your camera will still record and send you motion alerts, but Ring only keeps the video for a few hours. You can watch live video anytime, but you cannot review what happened yesterday or last week unless you manually download the video while it still exists.

Do I have to pay for each camera separately?

With monthly plans, yes — each camera costs $3 to $10 per month depending on the tier. But Ring also sells an annual "Ring Protect Plan" for $100 per year that covers all your cameras, which is cheaper if you have more than one device.

What happens to my video if I cancel my subscription?

Cloud storage stops immediately. Any video older than a few hours disappears. If you have footage you want to keep, download it through the Ring app before you cancel.

Does Ring share my video with police?

Ring can share video with law enforcement if they have a warrant or if Ring determines there is an emergency. Ring's privacy policy allows this, and you cannot opt out. If you want complete control over who sees your footage, you need a camera system with local storage only.

Is person detection worth the extra cost?

It depends on your situation. If you get many false alerts from animals or shadows, person detection helps filter those out. If you have a quiet doorway, the extra $7 per month may not be worth it.