Home security has come a long way in the past few years, with easy-to-install products more readily available than ever before.
However, with so many options to choose from across multiple brands, it can be a challenge to know which to go for. That’s where we come in.
As our experts have rated and reviewed numerous home security products from companies like Blink and Ring, we have a good understanding of what to look out for when shopping around.
We’ve compared key features from Blink and Ring’s respective ranges, including their prices and subscription fees, as well as the products they offer and how well they perform in everyday life, below. Once you’re finished here, make sure you visit our best outdoor security camera, best video doorbell and best indoor security camera guides to find your next purchase.
Price
When it comes to affordability, there’s no denying that Blink boasts the upper hand here. In fact, at the surface, Blink’s entire product line ranges from £34.99/$39.99 for the indoor Mini 2 camera up to just £124.99/$129.99 for the Outdoor 4 Floodlight Camera.
Comparatively, as Ring has a wider catalogue of products, there’s a broader price range starting from £39.99/$39.99 for the Indoor Camera (2nd Gen) up to £199.99/$199.99 for the Video Doorbell Elite model.
Keep in mind, however, that these broad price ranges are solely for the products and do not include either Blink or Ring’s accompanying subscription plan. That said, Blink’s plan is also cheaper than Ring’s, starting at just £2.50/$3 a month compared to Ring’s £4.99/$4.99.
Subscription
Although we touched upon both Blink and Ring’s respective subscription plans above, let’s take a closer look at what they offer. It’s worth noting that although neither is technically a necessity, we’d recommend opting for the subscription as it allows you to make the most of your devices.
That out of the way, Blink’s subscription plan comes with two choices: Basic or Plus. Basic is £2.50/$3 per device per month or £24.99/$30 per year, whereas Plus covers an unlimited number of Blink devices for either £8/$10 per month or £80/$100 per year.
Both subscriptions offer 90 minutes of continuous live streaming, up to 60 days of cloud recording storage (or 30 days if you’re in the UK or EU), photo capture, video sharing, and more. Essentially, the only difference is that Plus covers more devices than Basic.
Ring’s subscription plan is slightly different, offering three tiers: Basic, Standard, and Premium.
Basic, naturally, is the cheapest of the three at £4.99/$4.99 per month or £49.99/$49.99 per year, and offers up to 180 days of video event history, video previews and person and package alerts. However, the Basic plan covers just one doorbell or camera.
The Standard plan is Ring’s mid-tier plan, priced at £7.99/$9.99 per month or £79.99/$99.99 annually, and includes everything from Basic, but also offers unlimited device coverage, extended live view, doorbell calls, and a daily event summary.
Finally, Premium offers all the features found in Standard, alongside the benefit of 24/7 recording and a continuous live view of all your devices. This comes at a slightly higher cost of £15.99/£159.99 or $19.99/$199.99.
Products
Despite having a slightly more limited range than Ring, Blink covers the basics of entry-level home security with video doorbells, as well as indoor, outdoor, and floodlight cameras. However, when it comes to versatility, Ring undoubtedly takes the lead here.
Ring’s collection consists of multiple iterations of devices, enabling consumers to choose a specific product based on their personal needs.
For example, if you just want an easy way to communicate with delivery drivers or visitors, then the Video Doorbell should be sufficient. On the other hand, if you’d prefer to keep a more detailed look at your property when you’re away, then the more premium Battery Video Doorbell Plus is better suited for you.
Not only that, but Ring’s collection also includes devices such as alarms and intercoms, which are security appliances that would once have required a specialist to install.
Apps
Naturally as smart home devices, both Blink and Ring come equipped with an iOS and Android smartphone app which allows you to keep an eye on your devices and communicate with anyone at your property instantly.
We found the Blink app, although generally easy-to-use, does sport some quirks. For example when setting activity zones on the Blink Mini 2, which enables the camera to only monitor a select area, you have to select the grid squares you don’t want to monitor, which “feels backward”.
In comparison, the Ring app is arguably more intuitive, allowing you to set activity zones and adjust motion sensitivity by setting certain areas instead.
Otherwise, both Blink and Ring apps allow you to control your devices easily and control the number of notifications, speak to people at your home and more.
Image and Video Quality
The exact image quality of each device, regardless of whether it’s from Blink or Ring, will depend on its individual specs. For example, Ring offers an affordable Battery Video Doorbell with 1440 x 1440 resolution, whereas its pricier alternative Battery Video Doorbell Pro delivers 1536×1536 and HDR recording too.
Even so, image quality during the day with most Ring devices are clear and at least reasonably detailed. However, we have noticed that to get the best image quality from a Ring product, you may need to opt for the more expensive counterparts. For example, the Ring Indoor Camera (2nd Gen) may be affordable but we found it offers a “so-so video quality” and struggles in certain lighting conditions.
Blink, on the other hand, offers a simpler approach. As its prices might suggest, you can expect a decent picture quality from Blink cameras which does struggle in low-light situations. For example, while the Blink Mini 2 copes well outside during the day, quality drops significantly at night with the camera unable to pick up much detail.
Battery life
For convenience, Blink and Ring offer both wired and battery-powered devices to best suit all types of households. For the latter, the battery life depends on the device and battery type used.
For example with Blink, Amazon claims its battery-operated devices which use two AAs should last for up to two years, however this will depend on the usage.
On the other hand, the Ring Battery Video Doorbell Pro’s battery is removable and needs to be recharged via USB port or wall outlet. Ring states that these batteries should offer up to three months of charge before needing to be topped up, but again this will depend on the usage.
Even so, both the battery-powered Blink Video Doorbell and Ring Video Doorbell can also be hardwired which means the devices can receive a trickle charge. Having said that, Amazon does disclaim that you may still need to occasionally recharge its battery to ensure consistent performance.
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Final Verdict
Overall, you should opt for Blink’s range if you don’t necessarily need the best possible image resolution and just want an easy and affordable way to keep an eye on your home.
Not only are Blink’s devices and subscription plan inexpensive, but we are still impressed with the features and quality of the devices, with many awarded at least four-star ratings.
However, if you need more from your security devices and want better picture quality, more variety, and the option for 24/7 recording (with the Ring Premium Subscription plan), then Ring is a better fit for you.
With many of its security products making their way into our best lists, including the Video Doorbell Pro 2, hailed as our best video doorbell, you can’t go wrong with a Ring device. Just be prepared to pay for the privilege.
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