Ring Vs. Blink: Which Amazon-Owned Home Security Ecosystem Is Better?
Our editors independently select the products we recommend. We may earn a commission on items bought through our links.
Home burglaries are far more common than you might think. But a home security system goes a long way in protecting your home from becoming a part of a burglary statistic. In fact, according to a study done from the University of North Carolina in Charlotte, 60% of convicted burglars say the presence of an alarm system (cameras, sensors, etc) would steer them away from a house.
Today's Top Deals
Some of the most popular options for home security systems are Ring and Nest, but these systems can become pricey as you build them. Another option that is becoming popular is Blink, which also happens to be an Amazon-owned security system like Ring, but is considered a more budget-friendly option to home security. But how does it compare to Ring? Is home security a place where you really want to cut costs? We answer these questions and more as we compare the two Amazon-owned security systems, Blink and Ring, below.
Ring vs. Blink: What To Know
Many of Blink’s products are more affordable than Ring’s
Blink has three main cameras, each with various add-ons to give them more features
Local storage option is available with both, but Blink’s option is priced much less
Ring has more expensive devices, but better software and hardware
Ring incorporates more smart home products in its lineup
Ring has a complete professional alarm system product ecosystem
Although both security companies are owned by the same company, each offers a different variety of home security products and services. Blink is more on the DIY and affordable side with a limited amount of home devices, while Ring offers a complete home security solution with multiple home security camera options for both indoor and outdoor as well as complete security system packages and monitoring.
Ring Vs. Blink: Ring Protect Subscription Cost
One of the big differences between Blink and Ring is professional monitoring. Ring offers professional monitoring of your home security devices for $20 a month courtesy of Ring Protect Pro. This means someone is looking after your home and possessions, even when you don’t have your phone with you and can dispatch emergency services in the event of a break-in. You can even recoup some of that subscription money with discounts from your home insurance.
But what if you don’t want professional monitoring, do you still have to pay $20 a month for Ring? No. In fact, you don’t need a subscription at all to use Ring products. You can still see the livestream from your cameras and get real-time notifications. But if you want access to recordings of events, you will need to subscribe to Ring Protect, which starts at $3/month.
That being said, you don’t have to sign any long-term contracts, and you can cancel your subscription at any time.
Find a full breakdown of the subscription comparisons and the available features of each Ring plan here.
Ring Vs. Blink: Blink Subscription Plans
So, what about Blink? Blink operates in much of the same fashion minus the professional monitoring. Without a subscription to the Blink Basic or Plus plans, you have access to a livestream of your cameras as well as notifications when something triggers the camera’s motion sensors. But for other features, like access to video recording and cloud storage, you’ll need to pay for a subscription which starts out at $3 a month. Or, you can save yourself two months of costs by paying for a year in full, which costs $30.
Find a full breakdown of the subscription comparisons and the available features of each Blink plan here.
Here’s a quick rundown of the plans and costs for Ring and Blink:
Ring Basic: $3 a month with video recording for one camera
Ring Plus: $10 a month with video recording for all devices at your home
Ring Pro: $20 a month with video recording and 24/7 professional monitoring
Blink Basic: $3 a month/$30 a year with video recording for one camera
Blink Plus: $10 a month/$100 a year with unlimited number of devices per account
Ring Vs. Blink: Hardware Costs
When it comes to the sheer number of options for home security devices, Ring outmatches Blink. Although Blink device options may seem limited compared to Ring, the offerings provide an affordable way to build a home security system comparatively.
As of this writing, Blink offers:
Indoor plug-in camera for $34.99
Outdoor Wireless Camera for $99.99
Video Doorbell for $49.99
Indoor wireless camera for $79.99
Floodlight camera for $139.98
The Ring line of doorbell cameras alone includes more available options than all Blink camera offerings total. Needless to say, Ring has a more extensive list of home security devices. These include:
7 video doorbell options ranging from $59.99 – $349.99
Indoor Stick up camera (indoor and outdoor) for $99.99
Indoor Cam for $59.99
Spotlight Cam for $199.99
Floodlight Cam Wired Pro for $249.99
Ring Security Systems ranging from $249.99 – $299.99
Smart Lighting ranging from $29.99 – $139.99
Ring vs. Blink: Who Has the Better Indoor Security Cameras?
Ring Indoor Cam
Buy Now On Amazon
$60 at home depot
The Ring Indoor Cam is the company’s primary indoor offering, although it does require to be continuously plugged in. It can record in 1080p, detect motion, and has color night vision. It can also be outfitted with a base that allows it to rotate.
Ring Stick Up Cam
Buy Now On Amazon
$100 at Bestbuy
The Ring Stick-Up cam is a battery-operated security camera. It can technically work indoors and out but is primarily an indoor camera. Nevertheless, it has all the same features as the Ring Indoor camera.
Blink Mini
Buy Now On Amazon
$35 at Target
The Blink Mini is the company’s entry-level indoor-only camera. It can be outfitted with a pan and tilt mount to give it moving functionality. It records in 1080p, has 2-way audio, and night vision.
Ring Vs. Blink: Who Has the Better Outdoor Security Cameras?
Ring Spotlight Cam Pro
Buy Now On Amazon
$230 at best buy
The Ring Spotlight Cam Pro is the company’s latest offering and has an integrated light that activates with motion. In addition, it features birds-eye tracking and impressive motion detection. The Spotlight Cam Pro can be powered via AC, battery, or solar.
Ring Floodlight Cam Wired Plus
Buy Now On Amazon
$200 at home depot
The Floodlight Cam Wired Plus is another outdoor security camera made by Ring and offers two 1000-lumen powered spotlights to peer through the darkness. While it doesn’t feature all the advanced features the Spotlight Cam does, it does have expert motion tracking and can be powered by similar means.
Blink Wired Floodlight Cam
Buy Now On Amazon
$100 at best buy
The Blink Wired Floodlight Cam is the company’s latest offering and is a standalone product rather than just a shell for the Blink Outdoor camera. It features 2600-lumen lights, 2-way audio, and an integrated siren.
Ring Vs. Blink: Who Has the Better Smart Video Doorbells?
Ring Video Doorbell 4
Buy Now On Amazon
$160 at bestbuy
One of the most popular smart video doorbells on the market is the Ring Video Doorbell 4. The battery-powered doorbell offers color pre-roll, quick replies, and a wide-angle camera. In addition, it can notify visitors via your phone, a hardware accessory chime, or by existing wiring.
Ring Video Doorbell Pro 2
Buy Now On Amazon
$250 at home depot
Although a bit expensive, the Ring Video Doorbell Pro 2 offers Ring’s latest Birds-eye and motion detection features. Unfortunately, it must be powered by existing wiring, so you’re unlikely to be able to use this in an apartment. On the other hand, its design is sleeker and smaller than the general Ring doorbells.
Blink Video Doorbell
Buy Now On Amazon
$50 at Target
Blink’s Video Doorbell is very budget-friendly, but with that comes caveats. For example, it is battery-powered and features motion detection, but you can’t view a live feed without buying an extra accessory.
Ring Vs. Blink: Add-Ons
By now you might be asking yourself, if Amazon owns both Blink and Ring, can I mix and match systems? Well … yes and no. There’s nothing stopping you from having a Ring video doorbell and a Blink indoor camera — you’ll just need to use separate apps to control each device, so you lose most of the smart home interconnectivity by doing that. But there is a workaround. When both sets of devices are connected to Alexa, you can control both of them through Alexa Routines.
Even though you can mix and match systems, both Ring and Blink have a handful of great additions to make your home security system fluid and robust.
Ring Vs. Blink: Final Verdict
If you are looking for an affordable DIY option, Blink is worth consideration. Sure, there aren’t many product options, but that is part of the appeal — simple choices, easy to install wireless cameras, all at a relatively low cost.
But for someone looking for more features, especially a professional monitoring option, as well as more add-on options and home automation via Alexa integration, Ring is the way to go. Overall, Ring is your best bet to future-proof your home and home security system.
More Top Deals from SPY
