Ring Doorbell subscriptions cost $3 to $10 per month depending on which plan you choose

Ring offers three subscription tiers for doorbell cameras. The Basic plan costs $3 per month and covers one device. The Plus plan costs $10 per month and covers an unlimited number of Ring devices in your home. There is also a free tier with no subscription, though it comes with significant limitations on video storage and features.

You can pay monthly or annually. Annual plans cost $30 for Basic (saving you $6 per year) and $100 for Plus (saving you $20 per year). Ring also offers a trial period — typically 30 days free — when you first set up a doorbell, so you can test the paid features before committing.

The subscription is optional. Your Ring doorbell will still work without one, but you will lose access to video recording and cloud storage. Without a subscription, you can only view a live feed when someone rings the doorbell or triggers motion detection, and only while you are actively watching.

Key Takeaways

  • Ring's Basic plan costs $3 per month per device, while Plus costs $10 per month for unlimited devices.
  • Without a subscription, your doorbell shows live video only while you are watching, and does not record or store footage.
  • Annual billing saves you money — $30 per year for Basic and $100 per year for Plus.
  • Ring includes a free trial period when you first activate your doorbell, so you can test features before paying.
  • The subscription covers video storage in Ring's cloud servers, not local storage on your device.

What each subscription tier includes

The free tier gives you live view only. When someone rings your doorbell or motion is detected, you get a notification and can watch the video in real time through the Ring app. Once you close the app, nothing is saved. You cannot review what happened while you were away or sleeping.

The Basic plan ($3/month) adds 30 days of cloud video storage. Every video — from doorbell rings, motion events, and manual recordings — is saved to Ring's servers for 30 days. After 30 days, old videos are deleted automatically. This plan covers one Ring device only. If you have a Ring doorbell and a Ring camera, you need a separate Basic subscription for each, or you can upgrade to Plus.

The Plus plan ($10/month) extends storage to 60 days and covers unlimited Ring devices. All your Ring doorbells, cameras, and other Ring devices share the same subscription. You also get access to Ring's AI features: person detection (distinguishes people from animals or cars), package detection (alerts you when a package is delivered), and motion zones (lets you ignore motion in certain areas, like a street or tree).

None of these plans include professional monitoring or emergency response. They are for recording and reviewing video only. If you want Ring to contact emergency services on your behalf, that requires a separate Ring Protect Plus plan, which costs $20 per month and is less common.

When you actually need a subscription

If you only care about live view — checking your doorbell camera while you are home or actively using your phone — you do not need a subscription. The free tier is enough. You will get notifications and can watch in real time, but nothing is recorded.

If you want to know what happened while you were away — a package delivery, a visitor, motion at night — you need at least Basic. Most people choose Basic because $3 per month is low cost and 30 days of storage covers most situations. You can always review the last month of video if something goes wrong.

If you have multiple Ring devices, Plus becomes cheaper than buying Basic for each one. Two devices on Basic costs $6 per month; Plus costs $10 per month and covers both. The AI features (person detection, package detection) are also only available on Plus, so if those matter to you, Plus is the only option.

How to check your current subscription and billing

Open the Ring app and tap the menu icon (three horizontal lines) in the bottom right. Select "Subscriptions" or "Account" depending on your app version. You will see your current plan, renewal date, and billing method. If you are on a free trial, the app shows how many days remain.

To change your plan, go to the same Subscriptions menu and select "Change Plan" or "Manage Subscription". You can upgrade or downgrade at any time. If you downgrade mid-month, the change takes effect at your next billing date, and you are not charged for the remainder of the current month. If you upgrade, you are charged a prorated amount for the rest of the current billing period.

To cancel, go to Subscriptions and select "Cancel Subscription". Ring will ask why you are canceling but does not require a reason. Your subscription remains active through the end of your current billing period, then stops. You can reactivate a subscription at any time.

Alternatives to Ring's subscription

Some doorbell cameras offer local storage instead of cloud storage. Wyze Video Doorbell and Logitech Circle View Wired can save video to a local device (a hub or microSD card) without a monthly subscription. The trade-off is that local storage is limited — usually 32 GB to 256 GB depending on the card — and you cannot access video remotely if your internet goes down.

Other cameras like Nest Hello and Logitech Circle View Wired offer free cloud storage for a limited time (usually 3 hours of rolling video) without a subscription. This is less useful than Ring's free tier because you cannot review old events, only the most recent 3 hours.

If you want to avoid subscriptions entirely, a wired doorbell camera with local storage and a microSD card is your best option. These cameras cost more upfront ($150 to $300) but have no monthly fees. Ring doorbells cost less upfront ($100 to $200) but add up to $120 per year in subscription costs.

Frequently Asked Questions

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

Yes. Without a subscription, you can still see live video when someone rings the doorbell or motion is detected. You just cannot record or store that video. Once you close the app, the footage is gone. Most people find this limiting if they are away from home often.

Does Ring's subscription include professional monitoring?

No. Ring's Basic and Plus plans only record and store video. They do not include emergency response or professional monitoring. Ring does offer a separate Protect Plus plan ($20/month) that includes professional monitoring, but it is rarely purchased and not necessary for most users.

What happens to my videos if I cancel my subscription?

Your stored videos are deleted when your subscription ends. Ring gives you a grace period of a few days to download any videos you want to keep before they are permanently removed. After that, they cannot be recovered.

Can I share my Ring subscription with family members?

Yes, if they are on the same account or invited as a shared user in the Ring app. A single Plus subscription covers all Ring devices on that account and all invited users can view the cameras. Each person needs their own Ring app login, but they share the same subscription.

Is Ring's subscription worth the cost?

That depends on how you use your doorbell. If you check it daily and want to review what happened while you were away, Basic at $3 per month is inexpensive. If you have multiple Ring devices, Plus at $10 per month is cheaper than buying Basic for each one. If you rarely check your doorbell or only want live view, the free tier is sufficient.