Ring Doorbell Subscriptions Cost Between $3 and $10 Per Month
Ring offers two subscription tiers for doorbell cameras. 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 home — doorbells, cameras, and alarm systems.
You do not have to buy a subscription to use your Ring doorbell. Without one, you can still see live video, receive motion alerts, and answer the door through the app. The subscription unlocks video recording and storage, which is the main feature most people pay for.
Ring also sells a Ring Protect Pro plan for $20 per month, but this is only for customers with Ring Alarm systems and includes 24/7 professional monitoring. If you have just a doorbell, you will not see this option.
Key Takeaways
- Ring Protect Basic is $3 per month and records video for one doorbell; Ring Protect Plus is $10 per month and covers all Ring devices in your home.
- Without a subscription, your doorbell still works — you get live video and motion alerts, but no video recording or cloud storage.
- You can pay monthly or annually; annual plans save you money if you know you will keep the subscription for a full year.
- Video storage lasts 60 days with a subscription; after that, older recordings are deleted automatically.
What Video Recording and Storage Actually Means
When Ring records video, it stores the footage in the cloud — Ring's servers, not on your doorbell or in your home. This is why you need the subscription: the company charges for the storage space and the servers that keep the video available to you.
With a subscription, Ring keeps 60 days of video history. If your doorbell records a package theft on a Monday, you can still watch that video 59 days later. On day 61, Ring deletes it to make room for new recordings. You can read individual videos to your phone or computer before they expire if you want to keep them longer.
Without a subscription, you lose this storage. You can still watch live video in real time through the app, but once the moment passes, it is gone. You also still get notifications when motion is detected, so you know something happened — you just cannot see what.
When You Might Not Need a Subscription
If your doorbell is mainly a convenience — you want to see who is at the door when you are not home, or you want to talk to delivery drivers — you may not need to pay. Live video and two-way talk work without a subscription.
You also do not need a subscription if you have another security camera system that already records your front door. Many people use a separate outdoor camera and treat the Ring doorbell as a doorbell only, not a security recorder.
Some homeowners use Ring's free tier for a few months to see whether they actually use the doorbell, then decide whether the $3 per month is worth it. There is no penalty for canceling or starting a subscription later.
How to Choose Between Basic and Plus
Choose Ring Protect Basic if you have one Ring device — just the doorbell, or just one camera. At $3 per month, it is the cheapest way to get video recording. If you add a second Ring device later, you will need to upgrade or buy a separate Basic subscription for that device.
Choose Ring Protect Plus if you have more than one Ring device or plan to add more. At $10 per month, it covers your doorbell, any Ring cameras, Ring alarm sensors, and any other Ring products you own. If you have two cameras and a doorbell, Plus costs less than paying Basic for each one separately.
You can also mix and match: run Plus on your main account and add a Basic subscription for a second property or a device at a family member's house. Ring lets you manage multiple subscriptions from one account.
How to Cancel or Pause Your Subscription
You can cancel a Ring subscription at any time through the Ring app. Open the app, go to the menu, select your subscription, and choose "Cancel Subscription." Ring does not charge you for the rest of the month — your subscription ends when ready, and you lose access to video storage right away.
Ring does not offer a pause or freeze option. If you want to stop paying temporarily — for example, if you are traveling for three months — you have to cancel and restart later. When you restart, you will begin a new billing cycle at the current price.
If you paid for a full year upfront and want to cancel, Ring will refund the unused portion. The refund goes back to the payment method you used, and it can take a few business days to appear.
Comparing Ring to Other Doorbell Subscriptions
Other doorbell brands charge different amounts. Nest Hello (Google) costs $6 per month for one camera or $12 per month for all cameras. Logitech Circle View costs $3 per month for one camera or $10 per month for unlimited cameras. Wyze charges $1.99 per month per camera.
The difference often comes down to what features are included and how long video is stored. Ring stores 60 days; Nest stores 30 days; Wyze stores 14 days. A cheaper subscription might mean shorter storage or fewer features, so compare what you actually get, not just the price.
Some doorbell cameras offer free cloud storage for a limited time — usually 30 days — after you buy the device. This gives you a chance to try video recording before you commit to a subscription.
What Happens If You Do Not Pay
If your subscription expires and you do not renew, your doorbell stops recording video. You keep live view and motion alerts, but no new video is stored. Any video from before the subscription ended stays in the cloud for 60 days after your last payment, then disappears.
Ring does not lock you out of the doorbell or charge you a reactivation fee if you restart a subscription later. You can turn it back on whenever you want, and it will work exactly as it did before.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use my Ring doorbell without paying for a subscription?
Yes. You get live video, motion alerts, and two-way talk for free. You just cannot record and store video in the cloud. If you only want to see who is at the door in real time, you do not need to pay.
Does Ring charge a setup fee or set up fee?
No. There is no setup fee, set up fee, or hidden charge. You only pay the monthly or annual subscription price if you choose to buy one.
Can I share my Ring subscription with family members?
Yes. You can add family members to your Ring account, and they will see the same video and recordings you do. They do not need their own subscription — one subscription covers everyone on your account.
What if I have a Ring doorbell but no internet at home?
Your doorbell needs Wi-Fi to work at all. Without internet, you cannot see live video, get alerts, or talk through the doorbell, whether you have a subscription or not. A subscription does not change this requirement.
Is there a free trial for Ring Protect?
Ring sometimes offers a free trial period — usually 30 days — when you first set up a new doorbell. After the trial ends, you will be charged the subscription price unless you cancel. Check your Ring app to see if a trial is active on your device.