Amazon wants you to buy a Ring Doorbell, so much so that it can make it difficult to track down other brands through the online retail giant. But don’t let that convince you there’s only one option. If Ring doorbells don’t offer the features you need, or if you aren’t comfortable diving into Amazon’s hardware ecosystem, plenty of high-resolution, user-friendly video doorbells exist.
Not only do the many Ring competitors offer varying features, they often cost less and provide more freedom outside a dedicated ecosystem. Plus, some are as intuitive to set up and manage as Amazon’s, even for those just starting with smart home technology. These are the best doorbells from prominent, experienced smart home brands that aren’t Ring.
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7
Don’t skip the refined and capable Ecobee
As long as you’re OK with a monthly fee
Similar to Ecobee’s class-leading thermostat, its Smart Video Doorbell shows you don’t need an extensive lineup to make some of the best products. Despite being the company’s first and only model, we and other experts have rated it highly. It’s easy to install and set up, isn’t bulky or awkward-looking, and sports a wide set of features that work consistently well.
Ecobee Smart Doorbell Camera (Wired): Overall excellence with one limitation
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The motion zones, alerts, and notifications are easy to manage, and package detection performs as well as any on the market. The Ecobee’s only notable drawback is the $5 or $10 monthly subscription required to access the best features, although the upper tier includes professional monitoring and unlimited 30-day storage. Other features it lacks, including color night vision and Google Home support, won’t make as much of a difference for most users.
The subscription commitment might be the biggest obstacle to most people choosing the Ecobee, but it’s worth it if you want the best. It’s also one of the few that works flawlessly with the Apple HomeKit platform and compatible devices.
Ecobee Smart Video Doorbell
Ecobee’s smart doorbell offers a ton of features, plus user-friendly setup and management, in addition to generally excellent image quality.
6
Arlo is part of a premium home security ecosystem
A potentially big investment, but a good one
Arlo security cameras set a high standard for visual fidelity, and that reputation carries over to the Arlo Video Doorbell 2K. Its 1,944 × 1,944 resolution results in a crystal-clear image, day or night, with competent motion detection and a powerful app. It’s built to withstand the elements and boasts an IP65 rating, along with loud and clear two-way talk and siren functions.
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Where it differs slightly from other Arlo units is its value. It’s not the cheapest video doorbell, but it isn’t as expensive as the brand’s cameras. Also, it delivers the user-friendly experience we expect from Arlo, plus the versatility of wired or battery power. Like some premium options, you’ll need a subscription to get the most out of its cloud storage.
Arlo Video Doorbell (2nd Gen 2K)
$40
The Arlo 2K isn’t quite as expensive as the brand’s devices normally are, but it performs every bit as well as you’d expect from such a well-known smart security brand.
5
Get the Eufy E340 for high-end versatility
It’s about as full-featured as they get
The brand’s EufyCam S3 Pro is one of our highest-rated security cameras.
Once known for budget-friendly electronics, Eufy has branched out to the premium range with devices like its E340 video doorbell. A pair of cameras cover people who approach your door and packages separately, ensuring consistent package detection notifications and minimizing the risk of theft. It’s one of the few options with color night vision, and the HD+ resolution makes video useful.
It has 8GB of internal storage for motion detection and doorbell events, and with the brand’s HomeBase 3 you can expand that by up to 16TB. Building such a network also enables Cross Camera Tracking for following individual subjects across your entire camera network (as long as it’s all Eufy devices). Facial recognition includes Familiar Faces settings for common visitors, and a slew of advanced package and motion detection options awaits users within the app.
It’s one of the more expensive choices, but few others offer the same wealth of features. It’s also not ideal for DIY enthusiasts due to its lack of IFTTT support. Still, if reliable package security is high on your list, don’t sleep on the Eufy E340.
Eufy E340
Few video doorbells offer the impressive feature set of the Eufy E340. Not only that, it gives you the freedom to manage your video and detection without needing a subscription.
4
The TP-Link Tapo D225 offers great value
Ultra-capable with no subscription
TP-Link and its sub-brand, Kasa, make a variety of no-nonsense smart home devices. The D225 video doorbell is one. Priced at $100 but often available on sale, it makes few compromises for something so affordable. The resolution is on par with models twice the price, and person, animal, and package detection work great, especially considering none require a monthly fee.
You can run the D225 on battery power, but it also supports wired power from 8 to 24V, a wider range than most alternatives. Plus, wired installation enables continuous recording to a microSD card up to 512GB — a significantly rarer feature than you might think. It can record color vision at night, thanks to a bright, integrated spotlight.
It’s not the sleekest option, so exterior design sticklers might find it doesn’t mesh well with fancy door frames or outdoor fixtures. The Tapo app offers a user-friendly experience, with clear evidence that the team behind it knows how to implement smart device control. For a range of features at a low price, it’s hard to beat Tapo’s latest video doorbell.
TP-Link Tapo D225
$20
Like many smart devices from the Tapo brand, the D225 doorbell boasts remarkably functionality and an intuitive interface that you might not predict from something so reasonably priced.
3
The Reolink doorbell lets you manage your video
With straightforward, useful onboard storage
Reolink gets less press than it should for its security cameras, which offer plenty of functionality and don’t lock users into a specific ecosystem or subscription. Its battery-powered doorbell is the same way. It lets you store videos on a microSD card, no hub needed. It provides customizable smart detection that lets you set zones, object sizes, and sensitivity separately for people, packages, and vehicles.
The Reolink Battery Doorbell is a tempting combo of quality video and local storage
A true contender for best video doorbell with local storage
Our biggest issue with the Reolink was questionable battery life, but some of that was due to our extensive testing. You can connect it to existing doorbell wiring if it’s a concern, and it’ll trickle-charge indefinitely. However, it won’t let you record indefinitely and doesn’t make the best use of an extensively equipped smart home, offering only minimal integration with Alexa and Google Home.
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If you want to maintain complete control over your video, the Reolink is worth a look. You won’t be subject to required monthly fees, and the app is intuitive and powerful. It also supports dual-band Wi-Fi, eliminating one common hassle with many smart devices. If you can find it at a discount (and you usually can), Reolink’s video doorbell is one of the best midrange options available.
Reolink Video Doorbell Wi-Fi Camera
$10
The midrange Reolink Wi-Fi doorbell gives users the option of storing video on a microSD card, with a surprisingly powerful app and clear picture, given how little attention the brand usually gets.
2
Google users love the 2nd-gen Nest doorbell
It’s ideal for Google-oriented smart homes
If you’re invested in the Google smart home ecosystem and like the way it works, the 2nd-gen Google Nest Doorbell might be perfect for you. If you base your smart devices on a different system, it’s not a great choice (although enterprising DIY engineers have made it work well with the open source Home Assistant platform).
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The newer Nest Doorbell, much like the battery-powered version before it, requires a subscription to use anything but the basic features. Users dedicated to Google’s streamlined smart home vision might not mind that, and it remains the best-looking of any smart doorbell. The later model also affords users continuous recording, thanks to the wired power.
The wired Nest Doorbell is the best in any category, except for user-friendly integration with Google smart homes. If that describes your use case, it’s well worth the investment.
Google Nest Doorbell (Wired, 2nd Gen)
$45
It doesn’t boast the most mind-blowing specs on paper, but the Google Nest Doorbell delivers a cleaner image and more consistent alert response in real-world use than almost anything else.
1
Save money with the Amazon Blink
A worthwhile battery-powered choice for renters
Those avoiding Ring doorbells due to cost and who aren’t concerned with Amazon’s practices or implementations should consider the bargain-basement Amazon Blink. It’s about as simple as video doorbells get, with little in the way of premium features. It’s also far from the clearest picture, but provides usable video and doesn’t demand monthly fees for normal operation.
It’s limited in situations outside the Alexa ecosystem, but within Amazon’s environment, setup and monitoring couldn’t be easier. It works best with a Sync Module, but you can usually find those bundled with it for as little as $10 more. While it isn’t new or fancy, it gets the job done at a lower price than almost anything else.
Amazon Blink
If you only need a small measure of video surveillance and don’t want to spend much, the Amazon Blink is worth a shot. It’s as cheap as they come, but works just fine as long as you’re OK with Amazon’s smart home ecosystem.
Don’t get railroaded into the wrong smart home ecosystem
A video doorbell’s platform compatibility might seem like an afterthought, but that couldn’t be farther from the truth. If you’ve been building an Amazon-based set of smart devices, even the best Google-supporting video doorbells might hardly work for you. Local storage vs. a cloud storage subscription is another important consideration for most security-minded users. Wired or battery power and the ability to record continuously make a difference for demanding buyers, as does the ability to monitor packages and mitigate porch piracy.
In some cases, installation is the trickiest part. Consumers who rent a home, or don’t want to mess with wiring, should stick to a battery-powered model for simplicity. If you know you want a wired smart doorbell but aren’t confident in your electrician skills, hire a professional, as working with electricity can be dangerous.
Ring Doorbell 4
$32
If you’re setting up a smart home (and not a smart apartment), having a connected doorbell can make it infinitely easier for visitors, delivery people, and everyone in between. The Ring 4 is easily your best option here, as the company has become synonymous with the device and has four iterations of its flagship product under its belt. This device records your front step in 1080p HD video, allows for remote communication between you and your potential visitor, and provides motion sensor tech so you always know what’s going on in front of your home. The downside is that it’s pretty expensive. However, the upgrade is pretty substantial from a standard doorbell, particularly considering how easy this Ring Doorbell is to install. Rather than wired to the building, as some older iterations were, the newest Ring Doorbell comes with a Quick-Release Battery Pack, so you won’t have to hire an electrician to get it installed. Plus, all the security features make it easily worth the cost.
