Connected doorbells such as the Google Nest Hello and Ring offer security and smart home features that bring your front door into the 21st century. Nest Hello and Ring are two popular smart doorbells, so we compared capabilities and features to help you decide which is the best option for your home.
Overall Findings
Nest Hello and Ring offer basic smart doorbell features, such as video and two-way communication. Each has some unique features, as well. With Nest Hello, for example, HDR video is helpful for night vision, and the facial recognition feature is like caller-ID for your front door.
Connects to the mobile app via Wi-Fi.
Two-way communication to talk to people who are at your door.
HDR video improves what you see at night.
Captures video 24/7.
Has facial recognition via the optional Nest Aware feature.
Must be hardwired into existing doorbell wiring.
Only one model is currently for sale.
Video camera, Wi-Fi, motion detector, and 2-way audio.
Smartphone notifications when someone rings the bell.
Respond to visitors when you’re in the house or away.
Only records when the bell rings, or it detects motion.
The Ring Protect Plan saves videos to the cloud for later viewing.
Can be installed on a door without doorbell wiring.
Choose from various models.
The Ring smart doorbell can be installed on a door without doorbell wiring. This is essential if you live in an apartment or condo home. Ring can also be easily integrated into the Google smart home universe. Ultimately, the smart doorbell you choose may come down to preference or a feature you can’t live without.
Basic Smart Doorbell Features: Both Function Well
Nest Hello connects to a mobile app via Wi-Fi and includes two-way communication for talking to people who are at your front door. Unlike the Ring, there’s a single model of Nest Hello currently for sale. Its camera shoots HD video at 1600x1200 up to 30 frames per second. There’s no rechargeable battery. To install a Nest Hello, you need to hardwire it to existing doorbell wiring.
We used the Ring Video Doorbell 2 in these comparisons with the Nest Hello since that’s the commonly purchased version of the Ring.
1600x1200 camera resolution.
The power is hardwired only.
Recordings are stored online for 30 days.
Measures 4.6 x 1.7 inches.
Requires a house chime.
Two-year warranty.
1920x1080 camera resolution.
The power source can be hardwired or a rechargeable battery.
Recordings are stored online for 60 days.
Measures 5 x 2.5 inches.
Has a built-in chime.
One-year warranty.
Like Nest Hello, Ring doorbells are equipped with a video camera, Wi-Fi, motion detector, and two-way audio. Ring sends notifications to your smartphone to let you know when someone rings the bell or, optionally, when someone enters Ring’s field of view. Ring allows you to talk to visitors even when you’re away from home since the Ring app works like a video chat app.
Extended Features: Nest Has the Edge
The Nest optional Nest Aware cloud subscription service provides advanced features, such as facial recognition and package detection. The facial recognition feature allows the Nest to learn the identity of people who come over often and identify them by name. Other Nest Aware features include better alerts for motion and sound, the ability to set four activity zones to monitor, 24/7 continuous video stream recording saved to the cloud, the ability to save video clips if Nest has captured something special, and more.
Continuous recording.
The facial recognition feature tells you who’s there.
The package recognition feature tells you what’s arrived.
Ring has embraced community and has comprehensive crime reporting for neighborhoods.
With a subscription, it records 24/7.
HDR recording makes faces easier to see at night.
Connect to a home’s doorbell wiring or use the rechargeable battery.
A built-in chime if it isn’t wired into your home; position an optional wireless chime elsewhere in your home.
Protect Plan stores videos for up to 60 days in the cloud.
Review, share, and save ring videos.
Snapshot Capture shows what’s happening around your home.
Ring offers a Basic Protect Plan and Protect Plan Plus that unlock additional features. Both plans let you access Ring doorbell videos for up to 60 days, meaning you can review videos afterward to see why a motion alert went off or who rang your doorbell. You can also review, share, and save Ring videos. The Snapshot Capture feature gives you a good overview of what’s happening around your home between notifications.
Price and Model Options: Ring Has More Options
Nest Hello has only one model, which retails for $229. To get the most out of the smart doorbell, subscribe to Nest Aware. The basic plan is $5 a month (or $50 a year), while the next level is $10 a month.
Every new Ring comes with a free 30-day trial to the Ring Protect Plan. If you don’t subscribe, the Ring continues to work just fine, except you can only see video as it’s happening. Videos aren’t stored for later.
One model only.
Retails for $229.
Nest Aware subscriptions are $5 or $10 monthly.
Has three models retailing for $99, $199, and $249.
Protect Plans are $3 or $10 a month.
Ring has three models: the Ring Video Doorbell, which retails for $99; Ring Video Doorbell 2, which retails for $199; and the Ring Video Doorbell Pro, which retails for $249. Ring’s Basic Protect Plan and Protect Plan Plus are $3 and $10 a month, respectively.
Ring has more options and is the most inexpensive model. However, Nest may get the edge here, as its Nest Aware adds many great features for the price.
Final Verdict
Ring is a pioneer in the smart doorbell arena. Its doorbells are a great choice if you want a good, basic connected doorbell functionality. If you can’t hardwire a doorbell to your door, then get Ring.
The Google Nest Hello, however, has some compelling features that make it the best choice for some, especially when you factor in the Nest Aware add-ons, such as 24/7 video capture and facial recognition.
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