The Ring Camera and Ring Doorbell are two of the most popular smart home products. But did you know that many Ring features require a Ring Subscription? Here’s what works and what doesn’t without paying for Ring Protect.
Do You Need a Ring Subscription?
You don’t need a Ring Protect Subscription for your Ring Video Doorbell or Ring Camera to function. However there are some features that do require a paid Ring Subscription. The doorbell and camera will still work and the subscription is entirely optional.
What can you do without a Ring Subscription?
Here is what your Ring Cameras can do without a paid subscription:
- Live Video – You’ll be able to watch a live video feed from the Ring Camera or Doorbell.
- Event Notifications – You’ll receive a notification on your phone or other smart device when your doorbell or camera detects an event. This could be a person, pet or package delivery.
- Two Way Audio – You’ll be able to speak to people and hear them using two-way audio
What Does a Ring Subscription Give You
With a Ring Subscription events that are captured by the doorbell or camera will be saved to the cloud so you can view them later. Without a Ring Protect subscription, recordings aren’t saved. You can view the camera live, but you won’t be able to see recordings of past events.
How Much is a Ring Protect Subscription
The cost of Ring Protect will vary based on which country you live in. In the U.S Ring Protect costs just $3.99 a month. A ring subscription is more expensive in Australia and plans start at $4.99 AUD.
Ring offers a more expensive plan if you have lots of Cameras. The basic Ring Protect plan limits you to just 1 device.
Is a Ring Protect Subscription Worth it?
If you’re using a Ring Video Doorbell or Ring Camera for security then having a Ring Protect subscription is definitely worth it. Without a subscription you won’t be able to see past recordings of motion events.
If you’re using the Ring Doorbell to just see who is at your door, then you might not even need the Ring Protect subscription. I find that I mainly just use live video, and two way audio, and I’m not really interested in having events recorded. You can always choose to subscribe at a later date. There are no contracts and you aren’t locked into the subscription.