Ring vs Nest: Comparison of Ring Video Doorbell 4 and Nest Doorbell (battery)

When buying a video doorbell, for many homeowners, the choice comes down to Ring vs Nest.

Ring literally invented video doorbells and currently offers seven models, ranging in price from $ 59 to $ 349. In addition, the company has spread to other devices, such as smart lights. Meanwhile, Nest, which debuted with the iconic Nest Learning Thermostat, now has two video doorbells you can choose from.

So which video doorbell is right for you? We’ll compare Ring and Nest video doorbells to help you choose the best one.

Ring vs Nest: pricing and options

Nest offers two video doorbells: the new Nest Doorbell (battery) for $ 179 and the old Nest Hello ($ 229), now called Nest Doorbell (wired).

Ring offers seven different models: Ring Video Doorbell Wired ($ 59), 2nd Generation Ring Video Doorbell ($ 99), Ring Video Doorbell 3 ($ 179), Ring Video Doorbell 4 ($ 199), Ring Video Doorbell Pro, the Ring Video Doorbell Pro 2 ($ 249), and Ring Video Doorbell Elite ($ 349).

For the purposes of this showdown, we’ll just compare the Nest Doorbell (battery) to the Ring Video Doorbell 4, as they are both the closest in price and have comparable specs. And while the Nest Doorbell costs $ 20 less than the Ring Video Doorbell 4, this round goes to Ring because it simply offers more options at lower prices.

Winner: Ring

Ring vs. Nest: Specifications

Ring vs. Nest: installation

Both the Nest Doorbell (battery) and the Ring Video Doorbell 4 can use a wired connection or run on internal batteries. This not only makes installation easier, but also gives you more options for where you can place it. However, if you need to recharge them, only Ring’s device allows you to swap out the battery; with the Nest Doorbell, you need to remove the entire unit to charge it.

Ring also offers the Ring Chime ($ 29) and Ring Chime Pro ($ 49) as an alternative to a traditional doorbell chime. Ring’s Chimes simply plug into an outlet and can be programmed to make different sounds depending on both motion detected and someone ringing. The Chime Pro also acts as a Wi-Fi repeater, handy if your front door is out of range of your home Wi-Fi network.

Nest does not offer a separate chime; instead, you’ll have to use something like the Nest Mini ($ 25) if you want to hear the bell ring.

The Nest and the Ring took about the same time to set up.

Winner: tie

FOLLOWING: How to install a Ring video doorbell

Ring vs Nest: video quality

One of the main concerns when buying a video doorbell is the quality of the video. The Nest Doorbell (wired) comes with a resolution of 960 x 1280. That’s lower than the Ring Video Doorbell 4 (1920 x 1080), but the resolution doesn’t say it all. We preferred the 3: 4 aspect ratio on the Nest Doorbell, which showed more front curvature than the Ring without needing to install a wedge to tilt the camera down.

The vertical field of view of the Nest Doorbell is comparable to that of the Ring Video Doorbell Pro 2 with a wider vertical field of view of 150 degrees.

Both cameras also support HDR, which we found useful when a visitor was in the shade (when standing on a covered porch, for example) and the background was well lit.

While it has a lower resolution camera than the Ring Video Doorbell 4, we appreciated that the Nest Hello could show a little more of our porch.

Extended video recording
Often times, with video doorbells, a person moves through the frame so quickly that by the time the camera detects movement and starts recording, you can only see the back of the person. Ring solves this problem by continuously recording a 4 second loop; when the camera detects motion, it then focuses on those few seconds before the event, so that you can hopefully see the whole person. Because it needs to be able to run on battery power only, Ring’s Pre-roll records this video in a lower resolution.

The Nest Doorbell (battery) does not have comparable functionality; However, the wired Nest Hello has full-resolution, full-resolution pre-roll, just like the Ring Video Doorbell Pro 2.

Winner: Nest

Ring vs Nest: features

The Ring Video Doorbell 4 and Nest Doorbell (battery) have a lot of comparable features, but in a few cases Nest’s are a bit more robust.

Custom movement zones
The dual video doorbells allow you to designate areas in the camera’s field of view that it should ignore if motion is detected. Both are easy to install and configure and allow you to create polygonal shapes.

People detection
Both video doorbells have person detection, which can drastically reduce the number of notifications you receive. With this feature enabled, you are only alerted when the camera detects a person. However, the Nest Doorbell takes facial recognition a step further and can send you a special alert when a friend or family member is at the door. This is only available with a subscription, however.

Parcel detection
Only the Nest Doorbell has this and can tell you not only when a package has been delivered, but also when one has been picked up.

Continuous video recording
Neither camera has continuous video recording; for this you would need the Nest Doorbell (wired), formerly known as Nest Hello.

Neighborhood alerts
Ring also has a Neighborhood Alert feature, where you can view incidents from other Ring users in your area, as well as post video from your own camera (s).

End-to-end video encryption
Ring introduced end-to-end video encryption for its video doorbells and home security cameras; Unfortunately, this feature is not available for its battery-powered devices, such as the Ring Video Doorbell 4.

Winner: Nest

Ring vs Nest: smart home compatibility

One of the great things about a smart doorbell is that you can link it to other gadgets on our list of the best smart home devices. So, for example, you could turn on your porch lights when someone approaches your door at night.

As two of the best Google Assistant commands and best Alexa skills, the Nest and Ring cameras will work with Alexa and Google Assistant to some extent. Using voice commands, you can request the status of the cameras. If you have the Nest Doorbell, Google Home devices can also announce visitors.

If you have an Alexa-enabled smart display (like the Echo Show) or a Fire TV device, you can view a live stream from Nest and Ring doorbells. This is handy if you are in your room and you cannot open the door as quickly as you would like. Plus, you can link Ring’s video doorbells to a plethora of other Ring products, such as its exterior lights and motion sensors, so the doorbell starts recording as soon as another device detects motion.

Ring also has a partnership with Lutron; When a Ring camera detects motion or a video doorbell button is pressed, you can program Lutron-controlled lights to turn on. You can also customize the interaction to only occur at night.

Currently, Alexa also lets you create more interactions between Ring cameras and other smart home devices than with Nest cameras and Google Assistant.

Winner: Ring

Ring vs Nest: subscription fees

To get the most out of Nest and Ring doorbells, you need to purchase a monthly plan. For example, to get continuous recording and smart alerts that let you know who’s at your doorstep, you need to subscribe to Nest Aware, the company’s cloud recording solution. Nest Aware starts at $ 6 per month (or $ 60 per year), you can store 30 days of event history from an unlimited number of cameras in one place; if you upgrade to Nest Aware Plus ($ 12 / mo, $ 120 per year), you get 60 days of continuous cloud storage, plus 10 days of 24/7 video history, which means which you can watch at any time during the last 10 days.

In comparison, Ring’s basic plan costs $ 3 per month ($ 30 per year) per device and gives you 60 days of recordings. Ring’s premium plan, which costs $ 10 per month, supports unlimited cameras and also gives you 60 days of event storage, but no 24/7 video history.

However, with the Nest Doorbell, you get three hours of continuous video storage for free, plus people, animal, vehicle, and parcel detection, plus custom motion zones.

For a more detailed look at the Nest, Ring, and Arlo plans, see our comparison of security camera storage plans.

Winner: Nest

Ring vs. Nest: overall winner

When it came to Ring vs Nest, the Nest Doorbell (battery) ultimately beat the Ring Video Doorbell 4. We preferred its video, as well as the features of the Nest Video Doorbell, such as facial recognition and parcel detection. , many of which are available for free. If you have three or more home security cameras, the Nest subscription is also more economical.

However, the Ring Video Doorbell 4 is no slouch. For starters, it’s easier to charge and has more smart home integrations. It’s also the best choice if you want a wider view, rather than a taller, narrower view from your porch.