Best Doorbell Cameras in 2021: Ring, Nest and Skybell
If you have been shopping around for a video doorbell camera then you have probably seen the countless different doorbell cameras on the market! In this post, we’ll look at the top 3 and help you make your mind up!
Ring Doorbell Camera
The first doorbell camera we will be taking a look at is Ring’s Video Doorbell Camera. This is the first generation of Ring Video Doorbell Cameras, and it is packed full of features. This camera is battery operated and connects your home via Wi-Fi. The camera has a video resolution of 720p with 180-degree field of view. This camera also includes night vision technology which will allow you to capture video even in the dark. It also has 2-way audio with noise cancellation which will allow you to directly communicate with the people who are around your doorbell camera. The Ring Video Doorbell also has motion sensors that will allow you to customize the areas in front of the camera where you want it to detect motion.
Ring Video Doorbell Camera 2
Ring released a new version of the above doorbell camera called the Ring Video Doorbell 2. This camera includes a rechargeable battery but also can be installed to AC power for continuous powering. It connects to your home’s internet via Wi-Fi. This camera has a video resolution of 1080p with a wide field of view of 160-degree horizontal and 90-degree vertical. The Ring Video Doorbell 2 has infrared night vision along with motion sensors. It also includes 2-way audio that is HD quality with noise cancellation. Just like the Video Doorbell, this camera will allow you to set custom motion zones.
Ring Video Doorbell Pro
If you are looking for a video doorbell that solely runs off the power from your existing doorbell wiring then the Ring’s Video Doorbell Pro is for you. Ring’s Video Doorbell Pro requires existing wiring from a doorbell setup to work. It connects easily to your home’s network via Wi-Fi. It has advanced video technology for sharper images with a video resolution of 1080p with a 160-degree field of view. The camera includes advanced infrared night vision that will allow you to see crystal clear images even with there is little or no light. This camera also includes advanced 2-way audio with motion detectors that will allow you to customize the motion zones.
Ring Video Doorbell Elite
If you are looking for a super deluxe video doorbell camera then you should check out Ring’s Video Doorbell Elite. This is Ring’s most advanced doorbell camera so it will require advanced DIY (do it yourself) knowledge to install, or to save yourself some trouble you can contact someone in your area to have it professionally installed. The camera is made from high-quality materials that will give you an extra layer of protection from someone damaging it.
It is powered a little differently then the other cameras ring has to offer. The Video Doorbell Elite is powered via Ethernet, so you do not have to have existing wiring for this camera to work. With Ring powering the camera via Ethernet they have eliminated the need for you to connect the Video Doorbell Elite to your Wi-Fi, so basically your Ethernet cable will power and connect your camera at the same time.
This camera has a video resolution of 1080p with a 160-degree horizontal and 90-degree vertical field of view. The Video Doorbell Elite also includes advance infrared night vision and 2-way audio technology. Just like all of the other Ring video doorbell cameras, the Ring Video Doorbell Elite has motion detectors that will allow you to customize your motion zones.
Ring Door View Cam
The last camera, and Ring’s newest video doorbell camera, that we will be taking a look at is Ring’s Door View Cam. This camera is designed to replace the peephole in your door. This camera has not been released yet, but is due to come out soon. The Ring Door View Cam has HD video and HD 2-way audio technology. It is battery operated and connects to your home’s Wi-Fi network. Ring currently does not have a lot of information about this camera out yet due to the fact that it hasn’t been released. These are just the basics of what this camera will offer, and we are sure the specifications will be released soon. When they are, we’ll add them here in this post.
App
You can view live video from the Ring app which is free to downloaded at no costs, and the app works with iOS and Android devices. The Ring app also allows you to control motion zones, lighting, and other settings for whichever camera you decide to go with. The Ring App will also send you push notifications any time an event has been triggered. If you are looking to view recorded video clips, there is a fee for that. The fee is only $3 dollars per month for one video camera, or you can upgrade the services to a $10 a month plan for unlimited cameras, and it also includes Ring’s 24/7 professional monitoring services.
Arlo Doorbell Camera
Doorbell video cameras are all the rage, and there are several of them to choose from. Nest, we will look at the all-new Arlo doorbell camera.
We all wish that we could be in multiple places at once so that we can always make sure we are keeping an eye on things we care about. We know that is impossible, but with recent technology we can be in one location while watching another due to video surveillance cameras. There are many reasons to invest in a video surveillance camera, but the most important reason is that video surveillance cameras provide you with some security protection for your home or office. Doorbell cameras take this one step further. Rather than solely providing security and peace of mind, doorbell cameras put your front door in your front pocket. Now from anywhere in the world you can see who is at your doorstep, and communicate with them as well.
Before we go over the features of the Arlo Video Doorbell Camera let us first take a look at Arlo’s evolution of doorbell products. Arlo has been making video surveillance equipment for some time now. Their first doorbell product was the Arlo Audio Doorbell. The Arlo Audio Doorbell had mixed success because it lacked a video camera. Arlo decided to move forward by designing a doorbell product that had a camera - they called it the Arlo Video Doorbell Camera.
Features
The Arlo Video Doorbell Camera is packed full features. It has a slim modern design that would go great with any style of home. It is made from weather-proof material which can withstand all kinds of weather conditions. It works by connecting to your home’s WIFI network wirelessly and is powered by being directly wired into your home’s power source through your existing doorbell wiring. You will need existing wiring for a previous doorbell setup for you to be able to use this camera.
The Arlo Video Doorbell Camera can capture and stream video in HD, and it has a field of view of 180-degrees. You can use the Arlo Video Doorbell Camera ‘s zoom feature to zoom in on images up to 12x which will give you highly crisp and detailed images. The Arlo Video Doorbell Camera also includes night vision technology that allows you to capture images even when there is no light. It has a 2-way audio feature that allows you to hear and directly communicate with whomever is around your Arlo Video Doorbell Camera and you can also use it to record messages that can be played to the visitor at your door when they trigger the doorbell. The Arlo Video Doorbell Camera also includes a motion sensor that will trigger it to start to record once motion has been detected. Lastly, it includes a built-in siren that can be customized to go off when you want it to.
Our take: The Arlo Video Doorbell Camera has a lot of features that we really like. We like that the Arlo Video Doorbell Camera has a 2-way audio feature with pre-recorded messages. We also really like the fact that the Arlo Video Doorbell Camera has a 12x zoom feature because many other video doorbell cameras do not have this feature. The one thing that we didn’t like is that the Arlo Video Doorbell Camera is that it needs existing wiring for you to be able to use it, but this is actually a pretty standard requirement when it comes to video doorbell cameras.
App, Storage and Pricing
You can control all of the features for your Arlo Video Doorbell Camera right through the Arlo app that works for Apple and Android devices. The Arlo app allows you to view and stream live and recorded videos right from your smartphone. You will also receive instant alerts any time your Arlo Video Doorbell Camera detects motion and starts to record. You can also use the Arlo app to access the Arlo Video Doorbell Camera’s 2-way audio feature and use it through the app.
One really standout feature that we loved about the Arlo app is that it actually allows you to make a video call with whomever is in front of your Arlo Video Doorbell Camera. The video clips that are captured from your Arlo Video Doorbell Camera are stored via the cloud, and they can be accessed for 30 days. You can access all of your video clips right from the Arlo app. If you are looking to purchase an Arlo Video Doorbell Camera you will pay around $150 for it.
Ring vs Arlo
To give our readers a good idea of how the Arlo Video Doorbell Camera stacks up against other popular video doorbells cameras that out on the market, we will first compare it the Ring Video Doorbell Camera. Ring is a trusted maker of video surveillance equipment, and they make several different video doorbell cameras, but today we will only be looking at the Ring Video Doorbell and comparing it to the Arlo Video Doorbell Camera.
Both the Arlo and Ring video doorbell cameras record video in HD quality. They both also include 2-way audio, motion sensing technology, and both cameras have a 180-degree viewing angle. The Arlo Video Doorbell Camera and the Ring Video Doorbell are wireless cameras that work by connecting to your home’s WIFI network. How they are powered varies slightly. The Ring Video Doorbell has to versions: a powered by wire version and a battery-operated version. The Arlo Video Doorbell Camera however only comes in a powered by wire version.
SkyBell Doorbell Camera
The last doorbell camera that we will be taking a look at today is Alarm.com’s doorbell camera. Out of the other four doorbell cameras that will review next, we tend to like this one the best because of its features, and the fact that it uses Alarm.com monitoring services. At Link Interactive, we use Alarm.com, and this very same SkyBell doorbell camera with our monitoring plans - check them out. The SkyBell doorbell camera by Alarm.com has a video resolution of 720P with a 180-degree field of view. The video itself is really clear and has been highly rated from Alarm.com users, and our users here at Link Interactive as well. The camera includes advanced night vision technology that will allow you to see captured video up to 8 feet away in the dark. SkyBell’s doorbell camera also includes a 2-way omni-directional audio which will allow you to clearly hear and communicate with the people in front of your door. This camera, like the others, is powered through your existing doorbell wiring. Most doorbell cameras connect via Wi-Fi and this camera is no different.
The video can be viewed through the Alarm.com app. We really like the features that Alarm.com allows you to use with their video surveillance cameras (which is why we power all of our systems and monitoring plans here at Link Interactive with Alarm.com). You can set custom alerts, receive push notifications, and customize the settings with the Alarm.com app. Also, Alarm.com ties in perfectly the features of your security system which allows for one cohesive security system.
The Winner: Skybell Doorbell Camera
Arlo offers a decent video doorbell camera designed to fit your specific need, but if you are looking for a more affordable but evenly matched video doorbell camera then you should check out Link Interactive’s SkyBell doorbell camera with Alarm.com services. Our SkyBell doorbell camera is packed full of features. We also offer security systems that tie in perfectly with the SkyBell doorbell camera. This is one of the main reasons why consumers go this route. Alarm.com is the gold standard in connected-home services. Alarm.com is an app that lets you control your security system, doorbell camera, indoor and outdoor cameras and home automation equipment all from one place. If you would like more information on our Alarm.com powered SkyBell doorbell camera and home security options, please visit see our offer for more information.
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