Ring Protect subscription: Do you need one, how much does it cost and what do you get?

Everything you need to know about Ring Protect subscription plans for its cameras, video doorbells and alarms

If you’ve been doing your research on home security, you will no doubt have come across the fact that many solutions not only require you to buy the cameras, alarm systems or video doorbells, but they also want you to sign up for a monthly subscription.

Usually, the monthly subscription isn’t a requirement to make the camera or doorbell work, but if you want all the features offered by the respective camera, doorbell, or security system, you will need to sign up. For Ring video doorbells and cameras, that subscription plan is called Ring Protect. This is everything you need to know, including what the Ring Protect subscription plans offer and whether you need one.

What is Ring Protect?

Ring Protect is Ring’s subscription plan for its video doorbells, security cameras, alarm system and dashboard security camera. It’s similar to Nest Aware that is the subscription service for Nest Cams and Philips Hue Secure, which is the subscription service for Hue’s Secure security range. Arlo also has a subscription service called Arlo Secure so it’s standard practice across user-installed security systems.

Like many of its competitors, the Ring Protect subscription has various different plans available – and these differ by country too. The one that you will need to select will therefore depend on which devices you own, how many and whether they are in one location or spread across a couple.

Do the Ring video doorbells and cameras need a subscription?

As with Nest Cams, Philips Hue Secure cameras and Arlo cameras, Ring security cameras and doorbells don’t need a subscription to operate. You can attach a Ring Video Doorbell to the front of your house and it will record footage, offer alerts through the Ring app and you will be able to speak to any visitors that appear at your door through the Two-Way Talk feature. The same applies for the company’s indoor and outdoor cameras. 

Functionality of the devices is reduced however. You won’t get person or package alerts on the Ring Video Doorbell for example, your notifications won’t offer a snapshot preview without a subscription and perhaps most crucially, you won’t be able to store, download or share footage.

When it comes to the Ring Alarm System, the Protect plan offers quite a substantial difference in features, with 24/7 professional monitoring added to the benefits for example, alongside protection if your internet fails so there are some key advantages to the monthly or yearly plan.

What do you get with a Ring Protect subscription?

In the US, there are four different types of Ring Protect subscription plans and it will depend on which Ring devices you have as to which is the right one for you to select. In the UK, there are two Ring Protect plans, and a separate plan for the alarm system.

Ring Protect Basic subscription plan

The Ring Protect Basic plan is available in both the US and the UK. It covers one Ring doorbell, home camera or essential digital features for one Ring Alarm. The following features are included within the Ring Protect Basic plan:

Video history for up to 180 days

The Ring Protect Basic plan offers access to recorded video of every motion and Live View event for up for 180 days for one of your Ring devices. Key word being ‘one’ there. That’s longer than many other competitors when it comes to video history however, with many offering 30 days as a base if not less.

Snapshot Capture

With the Protect Basic Plan, you can see what has happened in between motion-activated events with regular photo snapshots giving you a rundown.

Package and Person Alerts

The Ring Protect Basic plan allows you to refine notifications so you can choose to only be alerted if a person or package is detected, rather than every time motion is detected in front of your Ring Video Doorbell or camera.

Rich notifications

The Protect Basic Plan will show you a photo preview of a motion-triggered event in the notification on your device so you don’t always have to open the Ring app to see what has happened.

Link your Ring devices

It’s possible to link your Ring doorbell, camera or other compatible devices like a smart lock with your Ring Alarm to enable you to customise different automations if you have a Ring Protect Basic plan.

Arm or Disarm your Ring Alarm from the app

If you are signed up to the Ring Protect Basic plan, you can change modes for your Ring Alarm in the app, or through an Alexa-enabled device. That means you can Arm or Disarm your Alarm through the app rather than on-device.

Alarm Notifications

The Ring Protect Basic Plan will offer real-time notifications from the Ring app or email and you will be able to see up to 60 days of event history from your Ring Alarm in the app.

Download videos

With the Ring Protect Basic plan, you can download up to 50 videos at once when logged into your account on ring.com.

Ring Protect Plus subscription plan

The Ring Protect Plus subscription doesn’t just cover one Ring device, it covers all your Ring doorbells and home cameras at one location. Like Ring Protect Basic, this plan is available in the US and the UK, among other countries. In addition to all the features you get with Ring Protect Basic, as detailed above, you also get a couple of extras with Ring Protect Plus.

Advanced Video Features

With Protect Plus, you get Live View Picture-in-Picture, Snapshot Capture and Multi-Cam Live View.

Enhanced Notifications

Notifications also get slightly better with Ring Protect Plus, with the ability to customise how you keep up with alerts using a feature called Priority Alerts on iOS, as well as Event Summary.

Ring Protect Pro subscription plan

Ring Protect Pro is a plan available in the US but not in the UK. It’s designed as the company’s most advanced subscription to cover Ring home devices at one location and it includes all of the benefits of Ring Protect Basic and Plus, along with 24/7 Alarm professional monitoring.

You also get the following features with Protect Pro:

Alarm Cellular back up

If your home loses internet connection, your Ring Alarm system will stay connected and be able to send alarm signals if you opt for the Ring Protect Pro plan.

Backup Internet

You’ll also get 3GB of data every month to keep devices online in case of an internet outage.

Ring Edge and local storage

Smart Alerts and videos are processed locally and stored on a microSD that is inserted in the Ring Alarm Pro, though you have to buy the microSD card and have the Ring Alarm Pro so keep that in mind.

Ring Protect Go subscription plan

If you have the Ring Car Cam (US only), you can add a Ring Protect Go plan to add LTE connectivity to your dash cam. This will allow you to stay connected wherever you go, whilst unlocking a couple of extra features.

Without a Ring Protect Go plan, the Car Cam can still offering video recording, a security beacon that is always on to deter unwanted people near your car, and Traffic Stop, which allows you to ask Alexa to record up to 20 minutes of video.

With a Ring Protect Go plan, you will be able to access the above, as well as Live View and Two-Way Talk, Notifications and GPS Location. Those three features only work over Wi-Fi without a Protect Go Plan. The plan also offers video history for up to 180 days, rich notifications and the ability to download and share videos.

How much does a Ring Protect subscription cost and how to sign up?

Prices for the Ring Protect plans vary, as you would expect. We have broken down the prices into the US and UK to make it easier to find what you are looking for depending on where you are based.

• The Ring Protect Basic plan costs $4.99/£4.99 a month or $49.99/£49.99 a year.
• The Ring Protect Plus plan costs $10/£8 a month or $100/£80 a year.
• The Ring Protect Pro plan costs $20 a month or $200 a year. It is not an option in the UK.
• The Ring Protect Go plan costs $6 a month or $60 a year per Ring Car Cam. This one again isn’t an option in the UK.

To sign up for a Ring Protect plan, you will need to sign into your Ring account with the same email and password you use for the Ring app on a web browser. Tap on the Protect plan tab and select Unsubscribed devices. Select Subscribe and pick a plan. That’s it.