Ring subscription plans and their monthly prices

Ring offers two subscription tiers for camera monitoring. Ring Protect Basic costs $3 per month or $30 per year and covers one camera or doorbell. Ring Protect Plus costs $10 per month or $100 per year and covers all cameras and doorbells at your address, plus includes 24/7 professional monitoring for Ring Alarm systems if you have one.

These are the only two plans Ring currently offers. You do not need a subscription to see live video from your camera — you can view the feed through the Ring app at any time without paying. The subscription determines whether Ring stores video recordings and for how long.

Ring also sells Ring Protect Pro in some regions, which adds professional alarm monitoring and costs $20 per month or $200 per year, but this is only available where Ring's monitoring service operates. Check your address on Ring's website to see if Pro is available to you.

Key Takeaways

  • Ring Protect Basic costs $3 monthly or $30 yearly and covers one device; Ring Protect Plus costs $10 monthly or $100 yearly and covers all devices at your address.
  • Without a subscription, you can still watch live video from your camera but recordings are not saved.
  • With a subscription, Ring stores video for 60 days (Basic) or 180 days (Plus), depending on your plan.
  • Ring Protect Pro ($20 monthly or $200 yearly) adds professional alarm monitoring and is only available in certain areas.

What you get with each subscription tier

Ring Protect Basic saves video recordings for 60 days. You can download and share clips, receive motion and person detection alerts, and access a searchable video history. If you have multiple cameras, you can only subscribe to Basic for one device — additional cameras need their own subscriptions or you must upgrade to Plus.

Ring Protect Plus saves video for 180 days and covers every camera and doorbell you own at the same address. It includes the same motion and person detection alerts as Basic, plus 24/7 professional monitoring for Ring Alarm systems (if you have one installed). The longer storage window means you can look back further if something happens weeks after the event.

Ring Protect Pro adds professional alarm response — if your Ring Alarm is triggered, Ring's monitoring center can contact emergency services on your behalf. This plan is only sold in areas where Ring operates a monitoring service, which does not include all states or regions.

How the annual payment option saves money

Paying yearly instead of monthly reduces your cost by about 17 percent on both Basic and Plus. Basic costs $36 if you pay monthly for a year ($3 × 12) but $30 if you pay the annual fee upfront. Plus costs $120 if you pay monthly for a year ($10 × 12) but $100 if you pay annually.

The annual option requires you to pay the full amount at once rather than spreading payments across 12 months. If you cancel before the year is up, Ring's refund policy varies — some users report prorated refunds, while others report no refund. Check Ring's current cancellation terms before committing to annual payment.

Devices that need separate subscriptions

Ring Protect Basic covers only one device. If you have two Ring doorbells or a doorbell plus an outdoor camera, you need either two Basic subscriptions (one per device) or one Plus subscription (which covers all devices). The math usually favors Plus if you own more than one device.

Ring Protect Plus covers all cameras and doorbells at a single address. If you own property at multiple addresses, you need a separate Plus subscription for each location. Ring does not offer a multi-property discount.

Devices purchased as part of a Ring Alarm system sometimes come with a trial subscription included, usually 30 to 60 days. After the trial ends, you must pay for a subscription or lose video storage.

What happens if you cancel or let your subscription lapse

If your subscription ends, your camera continues to work and you can still view live video through the Ring app. You simply lose the ability to store and review recorded video. Any recordings stored during your subscription period are deleted after a grace period (usually 24 hours), so download any important footage before your subscription ends.

You can pause or cancel your subscription at any time through the Ring app or website. There is no contract or cancellation fee. If you cancel and later want to resubscribe, you can turn it back on immediately at the same price.

Comparing Ring subscriptions to other camera brands

Other camera brands charge differently. Wyze charges $1.99 per month per camera or $14.99 per year for unlimited cameras. Arlo charges $2.99 per month per camera or $27.99 per year for one camera, with higher tiers for multiple devices. Google Nest cameras include free video storage for some models but charge $6 per month for 24-hour event video history on others.

Ring's pricing sits in the middle of this range. If you own multiple cameras, Ring Protect Plus ($10 per month for all devices) is often cheaper than paying per-device subscriptions elsewhere. If you own only one camera, cheaper single-device options exist, but the difference is usually just a few dollars per year.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I have to pay for a Ring subscription?

No. You can use your Ring camera without a subscription and still watch live video anytime. You simply will not have recorded video saved. A subscription is only necessary if you want to review what happened when you were not watching.

Can I share my subscription with someone else?

You can share access to your Ring camera with other people through the Ring app, but the subscription is tied to your account and address. Each person you invite can view live video and recordings, but you pay for the subscription, not them.

Does Ring offer a free trial?

Ring sometimes includes a free trial (usually 30 to 60 days) with new camera purchases or alarm system bundles. After the trial ends, you must pay for a subscription. Check your order confirmation or the Ring app to see if a trial is active on your account.

What if I only want to record when I'm away from home?

Ring does not offer a part-time or conditional subscription. You pay the full monthly or yearly rate regardless of how often you use the recording feature. You can turn recording on and off manually through the app, but the subscription cost stays the same.

Can I get a refund if I paid for a year and want to cancel early?

Ring's refund policy for annual subscriptions is not clearly stated on their website and varies by situation. Contact Ring's support team with your cancellation request to learn whether a prorated refund is available for your account.