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Ring continues to stay at the cutting edge of video doorbell technology, including the latest features like AI descriptions and voice assistants that can hold entire conversations for you. But picking a Ring doorbell can prove challenging: There are a lot of models, and it's hard to know which are the newest or offer the best value.
The latest Ring doorbell also features some of its best aspects, including a particularly wide field of view, an updated design and more AI features than any other doorbell I've seen, including video descriptions that are generated for every captured event and the ability to tailor your object recognition zones and types to only the things that matter.
Pros
- Very large field of view
- 4K resolution
- Color night vision
- Advanced AI video descriptions plus options for conversational AI greetings with Alexa Plus
- Can tweak all settings to enable or disable features as you see fit
- New, more durable design
Cons
- Expensive at $250
- Some detection features, like package detection, didn't perform well in my tests
Ring's newer doorbell is an excellent roundup of features from years past that's only $100 and frequently on sale for much less, making it easy to find this doorbell for about $50. Not only does it have an updated plug-in charging design that I really like (you have to bring the doorbell inside, but the structural design is far better), but there are new extras like a larger head-to-toe video field of view. The 1,440x1,440-pixel resolution is also a nice middle ground for capturing detail without getting too expensive.
Pros
- Affordable
- Wireless with an updated battery design
- Expanded head-to-toe video
- Color night vision
- Supports AI functions like video captions
- Great Alexa compatibility
Cons
- Misses out on some of the very latest Ring and Alexa Plus innovations
Ring's latest video doorbell, on sale in late 2025, features a significant upgrade to 4K resolution and more intelligence than ever before. That includes Retinal Vision, which helps sharpen important details when examining video footage and clearer audio, as well as standbys like 3D Motion Detection.
Pros
- 4K resolution
- New Retinal view for enhanced detail
- Improved two-way audio
- Access to AI features like video descriptions and Alexa Plus greetings
- Low Light Sight and night vision
Those looking for a cheap video doorbell that will save them money -- while offering all the benefits of a Ring Protect plan and similar features -- can’t do much better than this wired model. It still includes all the essential basics, such as night vision, two-way audio and a good field of view. However, you will need to place it where your existing doorbell is, which can limit some of your options.
Pros
- Cheap model
- Good field of view
- Night vision
- Two-way audio
You don’t need to live in an apartment to use the Ring Peephole Cam, but it’s specially designed for people in apartments or those who don’t have room for a doorbell. It really can act as a digital doorway peephole in the traditional sense, but the real value comes from all the video doorbell features you get in such a compact package.
Pros
- Perfect for apartments without doorbells
- Battery power makes for easy installation
- Two-way audio
- Field of view similar to doorbells
- Knock sensor
Cons
- Made mostly for doors that have peepholes
- Subscription still locks some important features
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- Best Ring Video Doorbells of 2026: Ring's Newest AI and More
- What is the best Ring video doorbell?
- Best Ring video doorbells of 2026
- The best overall Ring video doorbell
- Best value for price Ring video doorbell
- Best AI Ring video doorbell with high resolution
- Best cheap Ring video doorbell
- Best Ring video doorbell for apartments
- Ring video doorbells compared
- Factors to consider when choosing a Ring video doorbell
- How we test Ring video doorbells
- Placement and installation for video doorbell cameras
- What we're currently testing
Fortunately, I've been testing Ring doorbells and cameras for years, so I've been keeping track of which models are the best. From budget Ring picks to models that do it all, I've chosen something for everyone.
What is the best Ring video doorbell?
Ring has returned to the slide-off battery case design here, which I don't like at all but allows you to swap battery packs.
Tyler Lacoma/CNETMy current top pick for the best Ring doorbell is the Ring Battery Doorbell Pro, offering bird's-eye views, custom motion zones and a solid battery life via a removable battery pack. It's also packed with AI features to experiment with, including automated greetings from Alexa Plus.
If you want to stick with your existing doorbell wiring and say goodbye to battery-powered doorbells, don’t worry -- Ring has you covered there, too. And while you're at it, take a look at our best video doorbell list and best outdoor cam guide to check out other brands like Nest and Arlo in addition to Ring.
Note: Ring has come under criticism for its privacy policies in the past. As a result, the company has removed an option that allowed police to request video footage from the company for any reason. Other controversies include Ring's attempt at partnering with surveillance company Flock, as well as its use of AI detection in the pet-finding Search Party. You can turn off features you may find too invasive using my guide here.
Best Ring video doorbells of 2026
Pros
- Very large field of view
- 4K resolution
- Color night vision
- Advanced AI video descriptions plus options for conversational AI greetings with Alexa Plus
- Can tweak all settings to enable or disable features as you see fit
- New, more durable design
Cons
- Expensive at $250
- Some detection features, like package detection, didn't perform well in my tests
The latest Ring doorbell also features some of its best aspects, including a particularly wide field of view, an updated design and more AI features than any other doorbell I've seen, including video descriptions that are generated for every captured event and the ability to tailor your object recognition zones and types to only the things that matter.
The Ring Battery Doorbell Pro also sports a 4K resolution (which not many doorbells have) and 10x zoom. Combined with the 140-degree field of view, this gives you a better look at your porch and front yard than most devices would.
Ring's app enables customization for nearly every feature, including its Bird's Eye view for tracking motion. I found some aspects could use improvement -- package detection proved unreliable, for example -- but if you want a doorbell that can do everything, this is still your best bet. Alexa Plus Greetings, in particular, were a fun, conversational addition if you have the AI subscription.
Pros
- Affordable
- Wireless with an updated battery design
- Expanded head-to-toe video
- Color night vision
- Supports AI functions like video captions
- Great Alexa compatibility
Cons
- Misses out on some of the very latest Ring and Alexa Plus innovations
Ring's newer doorbell is an excellent roundup of features from years past that's only $100 and frequently on sale for much less, making it easy to find this doorbell for about $50. Not only does it have an updated plug-in charging design that I really like (you have to bring the doorbell inside, but the structural design is far better), but there are new extras like a larger head-to-toe video field of view. The 1,440x1,440-pixel resolution is also a nice middle ground for capturing detail without getting too expensive.
Common features like two-way audio, smart alerts and object detection (with subscription) are all available here, and because it's a battery model, you can put this Ring doorbell nearly anywhere.
Pros
- 4K resolution
- New Retinal view for enhanced detail
- Improved two-way audio
- Access to AI features like video descriptions and Alexa Plus greetings
- Low Light Sight and night vision
Cons
- Expensive
- Wired only
Ring's latest video doorbell, on sale in late 2025, features a significant upgrade to 4K resolution and more intelligence than ever before. That includes Retinal Vision, which helps sharpen important details when examining video footage and clearer audio, as well as standbys like 3D Motion Detection.
AI tricks like Ring's video descriptions are available, and Ring has developed unique extras like Alexa Plus conversational greetings to answer the door for you in greater depth. And don't forget the expanded Search Party functionality to help local pet owners find their lost furry friends, an opt-in feature via the Ring Neighborhood app.
If you want the latest Ring with all the best features, this is the model for you. The biggest downside is that it's wired only, which doesn't work with every porch, so check your original doorbell wiring first.
Pros
- Cheap model
- Good field of view
- Night vision
- Two-way audio
Those looking for a cheap video doorbell that will save them money -- while offering all the benefits of a Ring Protect plan and similar features -- can’t do much better than this wired model. It still includes all the essential basics, such as night vision, two-way audio and a good field of view. However, you will need to place it where your existing doorbell is, which can limit some of your options.
Pros
- Perfect for apartments without doorbells
- Battery power makes for easy installation
- Two-way audio
- Field of view similar to doorbells
- Knock sensor
Cons
- Made mostly for doors that have peepholes
- Subscription still locks some important features
You don’t need to live in an apartment to use the Ring Peephole Cam, but it’s specially designed for people in apartments or those who don’t have room for a doorbell. It really can act as a digital doorway peephole in the traditional sense, but the real value comes from all the video doorbell features you get in such a compact package.
Those features include a surprisingly large field of view for such a small device, two-way audio communication and motion detection with adjustable motion zones. The HD cam is battery powered with Ring’s quick-release battery, which makes installation especially easy. There’s even a feature that detects knocks if you’re not at home to hear them.
Ring video doorbells compared
| $250 | $100 | $250 | $50 | $130 |
| 4K | 1440p | 2K | 1080p/HD | 1080p/HD |
| Battery or wired | Battery | Wired | Wired | Battery |
| Color night vision | Color Night Vision | Low light and night vision | Yes | No |
| Object detection and AI summaries with subscription only | Person and package with subscription only | Person and package plus Alexa Plus with subscription only | Person and package with subscription only | |
| Subscription only via Ring Protect | Subscription only via Ring Protect | Subscription only via Ring Protect | Subscription only via Ring Protect | Subscription only via Ring Protect |
| Amazon Alexa and Alexa Plus | Amazon Alexa | Amazon Alexa | Amazon Alexa | Amazon Alexa |
| 7/10 | N/A | N/A | N/A | 7.8/10 |
Ring's motion zones help increase accuracy, among other benefits.
CNET/Tyler LacomaWhen you're looking for a video doorbell, the most important question isn't "Which one is best?" so much as "Which one is best for me?" All of Ring's video doorbells perform well -- and all of them come from the same company, with the same troubling history of facilitating video sharing with police. Not all of them will be ideal for you.
Important Features
Video doorbells should have key features like night vision, two-way audio and motion detection. Those are more or vital parts of this type of security camera. Then several other features are also very important for doorbell management, including object detection to spot alerts about packages, and video storage so you can keep the recorded clips rather than just relying on live views.
Does it work with smart home platforms? If so, do the smart features work well together?
Amazon’s Ring is an Alexa-focused brand, which is great for those who have Echos or Echo Shows that let them look through the doorbells’ live views. However, you won’t have other smart home compatibility here outside of Alexa apps or devices.
Latency
Latency is particularly important for video doorbells because you want the doorbell to detect movement quickly and alert you in a timely way so you can check the door or retrieve a package ASAP. Object recognition is good, but it can often slow down reaction times for the doorbell. Speedy recording and alerts are important for overall quality of life.
Quality of the live view?
Doorbells are often exposed to direct sunlight but many others are installed under porches, near shady trees and in a variety of other settings. It's important that the camera has night vision and can handle any of these scenarios, so you don't get stuck with a nonfunctioning product that can't see faces under a porch.
Have an apartment? Ring's Peephole model still allows you to protect your front door.
RingTesting to determine the best of the best in video doorbells is similar to how we test any other home security camera. For this article, we went through setup, installation and performance of multiple Ring video doorbell models. That included many experiments to see how motion detection and object recognition work, as well as evening tests to experiment with the night-vision features. We also put features like two-way audio to the test to check on clarity and review video clips to see how storage and retrieval work, among other factors.
Unlike other home security cameras, placement for video doorbells is very limited. You can place it where your previous doorbell was located or pick a side of your door. Too far away from your door and the video doorbell loses much of its usefulness. You'll also need to follow the height direction. For most video doorbells including Ring, that means placing the doorbell about 4 feet from the base of the door so it gets a good view of people and packages alike.
I just finished testing Ring's latest 4K battery model released in spring 2026, which includes Ring's latest push into AI greetings and descriptions, a powerful package that still has some rough edges. I don't expect new models from Ring for some time.
If your Ring doorbell isn't hardwired, the battery charge will typically last between six and 12 months, depending on the frequency of use and motion activations. You will receive an alert via the Ring app when the battery is getting low.
When charging your Ring doorbell's battery, be sure to let it sit until fully charged, if possible, as doing so can help prolong the life of the battery.
A monthly subscription isn't required to use your Ring device, but there are three protection plans available if you'd like additional video storage and features. The lowest tier, which starts at $5 per month, adds important features like object recognition and video storage. The highest tier is designed more for whole Ring Alarm systems and won't be necessary if you're only getting a doorbell.
Most Ring doorbells are powered by a rechargeable battery or have a battery backup, so losing power to your home shouldn't disrupt power to your device. Still, a power outage may affect your Ring device if your router loses power and the Wi-Fi connection is lost.
Ring focuses on DIY devices and systems that don’t require any kind of monitoring to use. On their own, Ring video doorbells don't offer professional home monitoring. However, if you install a Ring Alarm system, you have the option of choosing the Ring Protect Pro plan, which includes 24/7 home monitoring as part of its services.
Neighbors is a separate Ring app that's connected to the Ring app you use to control devices like doorbells. It's more of a community-focused, social app. You can share videos with people in your community, get alerts from videos others share in return and similar activities. Some people like the extra assurance it provides because they can get notifications about residential crime or other happenings.
