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

Ring, owned by Amazon, offers two main subscription tiers: Ring Protect Basic at $3 per month (or $30 per year) and Ring Protect Plus at $10 per month (or $100 per year). The difference is what gets stored and for how long. Basic covers one camera and stores video for 30 days. Plus covers all your Ring cameras at one address and stores video for 60 days. Neither plan is required to own a Ring camera — you can use one without subscribing — but without a subscription, you won't be able to watch or save video recordings.

The choice between these two plans depends on how many cameras you have and whether 30 days of storage is enough for your situation. If you have one doorbell camera and mainly want to see who rang the bell, Basic may be sufficient. If you have multiple cameras or want longer video history, Plus makes more sense. Some people skip both plans entirely and rely only on live view, which works without a subscription.

Key Takeaways

  • Ring Protect Basic ($3/month) covers one camera with 30 days of video storage; Plus ($10/month) covers all cameras at your address with 60 days of storage.
  • Without a subscription, you can still use your Ring camera to see live video, but you cannot record or save footage.
  • Ring also offers a professional monitoring add-on for $10 per month that dispatches emergency services if your alarm is triggered, separate from the camera subscription.
  • You can cancel either subscription at any time with no penalty, and the cost is charged monthly or annually depending on which billing option you choose.

What you can and cannot do without paying

A Ring camera without a subscription still lets you see live video on your phone or through the Ring app whenever you want. You can also receive notifications when motion is detected or someone rings the doorbell. What you lose is the ability to record that video or watch it later — the footage straightforward does not save anywhere.

This matters more for some people than others. If you mainly want to see who is at your door in real time and answer them, you do not need a subscription. If you want to review footage from yesterday or last week, or if you want to keep a record of package deliveries or suspicious activity, you need one of the paid plans.

Ring Protect Basic: one camera, 30 days of storage

Basic is the entry-level option at $3 per month or $30 per year. It covers a single Ring camera — typically a doorbell or one outdoor camera — and stores video for 30 days. After 30 days, the oldest footage is automatically deleted to make room for new recordings.

This plan works well if you have one camera and want to keep a month of history. Thirty days is usually enough time to notice a package theft or review a visitor you did not recognize. The annual billing saves you $6 per year compared to paying monthly, which is a small discount but worth taking if you know you will keep the subscription.

Ring Protect Plus: all cameras, 60 days of storage

Plus costs $10 per month or $100 per year and covers every Ring camera you own at a single address. Video is stored for 60 days instead of 30. If you have a doorbell camera, a side-yard camera, and a garage camera, one Plus subscription covers all three.

The longer storage window is useful if you do not check your footage regularly or if you want to keep a two-month record for insurance or security purposes. The annual plan saves $20 per year. Plus also includes 24/7 emergency backup in case your internet goes down — the camera will still record to Ring's servers even if your home network is offline, which Basic does not offer.

Professional monitoring and alarm add-ons

Ring also sells a separate professional monitoring service for $10 per month. This is different from the camera subscription. Monitoring means that if you have a Ring Alarm system and it is triggered, a monitoring center is alerted and can dispatch police or fire to your address. You have to confirm the emergency, but the service handles the call.

This add-on is only useful if you have a Ring Alarm (a separate product from the cameras) and want professional response. Many people use Ring cameras without any alarm system at all, so this cost does not explore to them. If you do want monitoring, you can add it to either Basic or Plus.

How to decide which plan fits your situation

Start by counting how many Ring cameras you own or plan to own. If you have one camera, Basic is cheaper. If you have two or more, Plus is the better value because you pay $10 for all of them instead of $3 per camera.

Next, think about how long you need to keep video. Thirty days covers most common situations — package theft, visitor disputes, or checking on a repair person. Sixty days is useful if you travel frequently, do not check your footage often, or want a longer record for insurance claims. If you rarely review footage and mainly want live view, skip the subscription entirely.

Finally, consider whether you have a reliable home internet connection. If your internet drops regularly, the 24/7 backup feature in Plus is worth the extra cost. If your connection is stable, Basic is sufficient.

Billing, cancellation, and what happens to your video

Both plans renew automatically each month or year depending on which billing cycle you choose. You can cancel at any time through the Ring app under account settings — there is no contract or early termination fee. Cancellation takes effect at the end of your current billing period.

If you cancel a subscription, your stored video is deleted within 30 days. Ring does not keep it after your plan ends. This means if you cancel Basic and want to keep footage, you need to read it to your phone or computer before the cancellation date. Ring's app lets you read individual videos, but there is no bulk read tool, so this is time-consuming if you have months of footage.

Frequently Asked Questions

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

Yes. You can see live video and get notifications without a subscription. You just cannot record or save video. If live view is all you need, you do not have to pay anything beyond the camera itself.

If I have two Ring cameras, do I need two subscriptions?

No. Ring Protect Plus covers all cameras at one address for $10 per month, which is cheaper than buying two Basic plans at $3 each. If you only want to record one camera, you can buy Basic and leave the other camera without recording.

What happens to my video if I cancel my subscription?

Your stored video is deleted within 30 days of cancellation. read any footage you want to keep before your plan ends. Ring's app lets you read videos one at a time, but there is no bulk read option.

Does Ring Protect include professional monitoring for emergencies?

No. The camera subscription only covers video storage. Professional monitoring is a separate $10 per month add-on that only works if you have a Ring Alarm system. Many people use Ring cameras without any alarm or monitoring service.

Is there a discount if I pay annually instead of monthly?

Yes. Basic costs $30 per year (versus $36 monthly) and Plus costs $100 per year (versus $120 monthly). The annual option saves you $6 to $20 per year depending on the plan.