Ring doorbells and cameras are a top choice for home security, but to make it fully functional, you will need a subscription called ‘Ring Protect‘.
While, some wouldn’t want to spend more on getting another subscription, which can restrict Ring users a bit when it comes to functionality, it doesn’t make Ring cameras and doorbells useless.
Ring Protect Subscription Plans
Ring offers three subscription plans under their ‘Ring Protect’;
- Basic: This plan is available for $4 per month or $40 per year, which covers one ring camera or doorbell.
- Plus: This plan is available from $10 per month or $100 per year, covering unlimited cameras and doorbells in one location.
- Pro: This plan is available from $20 per month or $200 per year, offering cellular backup and 24/7 professional monitoring.
Features of Ring Doorbell Without Subscription
You can still use Ring Doorbell without a Ring Protect subscription. But, you can only use it as a live camera. You won’t have access to the features such as:
- Video Recording: You won’t be able to record or save videos, you will need a subscription to do it.
- Saving videos: You won’t be able to save videos or see past recordings.
- Person alerts: You won’t receive alerts when a person is detected.
- Notifications: You won’t get notified if you don’t have a subscription.
Ring Doorbell can still be usable but it will lose its 90% functionalities if you don’t get a subscription. Without a subscription, a Ring Doorbell is just a peephole camera, which allows you to see people in real time, but you won’t be able to record, get alerts, or save videos to cloud storage.
The functionality of Ring Doorbell is very limited if you use it without a subscription. Alternatively, you can use low-budget wifi cameras that you can use for free without having to buy any subscription, you can even use low-budget cameras with a micro SD card. But a ring doorbell without a subscription is just a digital peaking hole.