Ring Doorbell Subscriptions Have Two Main Pricing Tiers
Ring offers two subscription plans: Ring Protect Basic at $3 per month (or $30 per year) and Ring Protect Plus at $10 per month (or $100 per year). The main difference is what devices the plan covers. Basic protects one device — usually your doorbell or one camera. Plus covers all Ring devices at your address, which matters if you have multiple doorbells, cameras, or other Ring products.
Both plans include video recording and storage in the cloud, motion alerts sent to your phone, and the ability to review footage from the past 60 days. Without a subscription, your Ring doorbell still works — you can see live video and talk through the speaker — but it will not record or save video automatically.
Ring also sells a more expensive plan called Ring Protect Pro for $20 per month, but this is designed for professional monitoring services and is rarely what a homeowner needs. Stick with Basic or Plus unless you are paying for professional 24/7 monitoring.
Key Takeaways
- Ring Protect Basic costs $3 per month or $30 per year and covers one device; Ring Protect Plus costs $10 per month or $100 per year and covers all Ring devices at your address.
- Both plans store video for 60 days and send motion alerts to your phone, but without a subscription your doorbell records nothing.
- Paying yearly instead of monthly saves you money — Basic saves $6 per year and Plus saves $20 per year.
- Ring Protect Pro exists but is for professional monitoring and costs $20 per month; most homeowners do not need it.
- Some internet providers and security companies bundle Ring subscriptions, so check your existing services before paying separately.
What You Get With Basic Versus Plus
Ring Protect Basic records video from one device and stores it for 60 days. If you have a Ring Video Doorbell and nothing else, Basic is enough. You will see motion alerts on your phone, can review footage from the past two months, and can read clips to your phone or computer. The video quality is the same as Plus — the difference is only the number of devices covered and whether you get professional monitoring (which Plus does not include either).
Ring Protect Plus covers every Ring device you own at that address. If you have a doorbell, a stick-up camera, a floodlight camera, and a Ring Alarm system, Plus covers all of them with one subscription. The video storage is still 60 days per device, and the alerts work the same way. The real advantage of Plus is cost per device — if you have three cameras, Plus at $10 per month is cheaper than three Basic subscriptions at $9 per month combined.
Neither plan includes professional monitoring or emergency dispatch. If you want someone to call 911 on your behalf when motion is detected, you need Ring Protect Pro or a separate security monitoring service.
How to Check What You Already Have
Open the Ring app on your phone and tap the menu (three horizontal lines) in the top left. Select "Subscriptions" or "Account" depending on your app version. You will see what plan you currently have, when it renews, and what devices it covers. If you see "No active subscription," your doorbell is recording nothing.
Check your email for any Ring receipts from the past year. Some people forget they set up a subscription and then think they are not paying for one. Search your email for "ring.com" or "Ring subscription" to see if there is an active charge.
If you bought your Ring doorbell through Amazon, check your Amazon account under "Your Subscriptions" — some Ring plans are billed through Amazon instead of directly to Ring. If you bought it through a security company like Vivint or Frontpoint, the subscription may already be included in your service plan, and you should not pay Ring separately.
When You Do and Do Not Need a Subscription
You need a subscription if you want video saved automatically. Without it, your Ring doorbell will show you live video when you open the app or when someone rings the bell, but the moment you close the app, nothing is being recorded. If someone steals a package or breaks into your home while you are away, you will have no footage because nothing was saved.
You do not need a subscription if you only want to see live video when you are home and actively watching. Some people use Ring this way — they open the app to check who is at the door before answering. This works fine without paying, but you lose the security benefit of having a record.
You also do not need a subscription if your homeowner's insurance or security system already includes Ring monitoring. Some home security packages bundle Ring subscriptions, and some insurance companies offer discounts if you have a Ring doorbell. Call your insurance agent or security company before signing up separately.
Comparing Ring to Other Doorbell Cameras
Nest Hello (made by Google) charges $6 per month for video storage and costs more upfront than Ring. Logitech Circle View charges $3 per month for one camera or $10 per month for unlimited cameras, which matches Ring's pricing but requires a Logitech account instead of Amazon. Wyze charges $1.99 per month for one camera, which is cheaper than Ring but has less reliable cloud storage and fewer features.
The trade-off is usually between price and ecosystem. Ring integrates with Amazon Alexa, so if you already use Alexa speakers and smart home devices, Ring fits naturally. Nest integrates with Google Home. Wyze is the cheapest but has the smallest feature set. None of these differences matter much if you only care about recording doorbell video — they all do that adequately at their price point.
Before switching from Ring to another brand, remember that you will lose all your existing footage when you remove the Ring app. read any videos you want to keep before canceling.
How to Cancel or Change Your Subscription
Open the Ring app, tap the menu, and select "Subscriptions." Tap the plan you want to change, then look for "Manage Subscription" or "Cancel Subscription." Ring will ask why you are leaving and may offer a discount to stay. If you want to downgrade from Plus to Basic instead of canceling entirely, that option is usually on the same screen.
If you are billed through Amazon, go to Amazon.com, sign in, and go to "Your Subscriptions." Find Ring Protect and select "Manage Subscription," then "Cancel Subscription." The change takes effect when ready, but you will keep access to your footage until the current billing period ends.
If you cancel mid-month, Ring does not refund the unused portion. If you paid yearly and want to cancel, you will lose the remaining months with no refund. This is why many people choose the monthly plan if they are unsure whether they will keep the service.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use Ring without any subscription?
Yes. Your doorbell will show live video when you open the app or when someone rings the bell. You just will not have any automatic recording or footage saved for later. If you want a record of who visited or what happened while you were away, you need a subscription.
Do I have to pay for Ring Protect Plus if I have multiple cameras?
No, but it is usually cheaper. Three Ring cameras with Basic subscriptions cost $9 per month total. One Plus subscription covering all three costs $10 per month. If you have two cameras, two Basic plans cost $6 per month, while Plus costs $10, so Basic is cheaper. Do the math for your situation.
What happens to my videos if I cancel my subscription?
Your existing footage stays in the cloud for 60 days after you cancel, then disappears. read any videos you want to keep before the subscription ends. After 60 days with no active subscription, Ring deletes everything.
Is Ring Protect Pro worth it for a home?
Probably not. Ring Protect Pro is designed for professional security monitoring and costs $20 per month. It includes 24/7 emergency dispatch, which means Ring can call 911 for you. Most homeowners do not need this — they can call 911 themselves if something happens. If you want professional monitoring, a traditional security company like ADT or Vivint is usually a better choice.
Can I share my Ring subscription with family members?
Yes, if they are on the same Wi-Fi network and you add them to your Ring account. They can see the same footage and get the same alerts. If they live in a different house, they cannot share your subscription — each address needs its own plan.