Best of · Security
Best video doorbells of 2026: Ring, Nest, Eufy, and the real 3-year cost
The cheapest doorbell to buy isn’t the cheapest to own. We ranked Ring, Nest, and Eufy on three years of hardware plus subscription.
Our pick: Eufy E340 if you hate subscriptions; Ring Battery Doorbell Pro if you live in Alexa; Nest Doorbell for Google homes
Eufy
Video Doorbell E340
8.8About $120–$180
The best doorbell to own without a subscription: dual 2K cameras and about 60 days of local storage.
Pros
- • Dual 2K cameras watch the porch floor for packages
- • 8 GB local storage (about 60 days)
- • No monthly fees required
Cons
- • Eufy app is busier than Ring’s
- • Battery life varies with traffic
Ring
Battery Doorbell Pro (2nd gen)
8.7$249.99
The best Ring: 4K video, 10x zoom, radar 3D motion, and a removable battery.
Pros
- • 4K video, 10x zoom
- • Radar-powered 3D motion detection
- • Battery or wired
- • Strongest Alexa/Echo Show integration
Cons
- • Saved video requires a Ring plan
- • Search Party is on by default
Nest Doorbell (wired, 3rd gen)
8.5$199.99
The best doorbell for Google Home: a tall 2K head-to-toe view, HDR, and Gemini features.
Pros
- • 2K, 1:1 head-to-toe view, 166° diagonal
- • HDR day and night
- • IP65, -4°F to 104°F
Cons
- • Event history needs Google Home Premium ($10–$20/mo)
- • Wired version needs a doorbell transformer
Ring
Battery Doorbell (2nd gen)
8.1$99.99
The cheapest good Ring, with 2K video. It’s the doorbell Amazon discounts every sale.
Pros
- • 2K video
- • Battery or wired
- • Frequent sale price
Cons
- • Battery isn’t removable
- • Plan needed for recordings
onn (Walmart)
onn Video Doorbell
7.6About $50
The budget Google Home doorbell, sold at Walmart.
Pros
- • Very cheap
- • Works in the Google Home app
Cons
- • Fewer features
- • History still tied to Google’s plans
The best video doorbell for you depends less on resolution than on what you’ll pay every month to keep your recordings. Ring is the most-searched smart home brand in America, but Ring and Google both charge for saved video. Eufy doesn’t. We ranked the best video doorbells of 2026 on video, power options, smart home fit, and three-year cost of ownership.
| Doorbell | Video | Power | Local storage | Plan needed to save video | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eufy E340 | Dual 2K | Battery or wired | 8 GB (~60 days) | No | ~$120–$180 |
| Ring Battery Doorbell Pro | 4K, 10x zoom | Battery or wired | No | Yes ($4.99+/mo) | $249.99 |
| Ring Battery Doorbell Plus | 2K | Battery (removable) or wired | No | Yes | $179.99 |
| Ring Battery Doorbell | 2K | Battery or wired | No | Yes | $99.99 |
| Ring Wired Doorbell (2nd gen) | 2K | Wired (needs plug-in chime) | No | Yes | $79.99 |
| Nest Doorbell (wired, 3rd gen) | 2K, 1:1, HDR | Wired | No | Yes (Home Premium $10–$20/mo) | $199.99 |
| onn Video Doorbell | See listing | See listing | No | For history | ~$50 |
Three-year cost: the number that matters
| Doorbell | Hardware | 36 months of plan | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eufy E340 | ~$150 | $0 | ~$150 |
| Ring Battery Doorbell | $99.99 | $179.64 ($4.99/mo) | ~$280 |
| Ring Battery Doorbell Pro | $249.99 | $179.64 ($4.99/mo) | ~$430 |
| Nest Doorbell (3rd gen) | $199.99 | $360 ($10/mo Standard) | ~$560 |
Ring’s entry plan covers one device. If you add cameras, the all-devices plan at $9.99/month is the realistic number. Google Home Premium Standard ($10/month or $100/year) also unlocks Gemini features across your Google home, so its cost is shared with speakers and displays.
Best without a subscription: Eufy E340
The E340 pairs a 2K main camera with a second downward-facing 2K camera that watches packages on the porch. It stores about 60 days of clips on 8 GB of built-in storage, so you never need a plan. Community threads consistently recommend Eufy, Reolink, and Tapo as the alternatives to Ring when you want no subscription.
Best Ring doorbell: Battery Doorbell Pro (2nd gen)
Ring’s March 2026 lineup brought 4K to a battery doorbell. The Pro adds 10x zoom and radar 3D motion detection, which plots a visitor’s path on a map, and its battery is removable for charging. It shows live video on Echo Show displays and Fire TV, and it’s the doorbell Amazon discounts hardest on Prime Day.
Best for Google Home: Nest Doorbell (3rd gen)
Google’s 2K Nest Doorbell uses a square 1:1 sensor for a head-to-toe 166° view, adds HDR for day and night, and is rated IP65 from -4°F to 104°F. Saved event history (30 or 60 days) and AI event descriptions require Google Home Premium.
Ring privacy: what changed in 2026
- Ring’s Super Bowl ad for Search Party, which uses neighbors’ cameras to find lost dogs, drew criticism, including from Senator Ed Markey.
- Within a week, Ring cancelled its planned integration with police-tech company Flock Safety.
- Search Party launched on by default. Turn it off in the Ring app if you don’t want to share.
- Consider Ring’s optional end-to-end encryption, which disables some cloud features.
How we compared
We used manufacturer spec pages (Ring, Google Store, Eufy), launch coverage from Tom’s Guide and SafeWise, and subscription prices as listed in October 2026. We did not install these doorbells ourselves. Scores weigh video, reliability of power options, smart home fit, privacy controls, and three-year cost.
Questions we get
What is the best video doorbell without a subscription?
The Eufy Video Doorbell E340. It records to 8 GB of built-in storage (about 60 days) with no monthly fee, and its second camera watches the porch for packages. Ring and Nest both need a paid plan to save video history.
How much does a Ring subscription cost?
Ring’s plans start at $4.99/month for one device, $9.99/month covers all your Ring devices, and the top tier is $19.99/month (needed for professional monitoring with Ring Alarm). Without a plan you get live view and motion alerts but no saved recordings.
Ring vs Nest doorbell: which is better?
Ring is better if you use Alexa and Echo Show and want 4K. Nest is better in Google Home homes and has the taller head-to-toe view. Both need a subscription to save video. See our full Ring vs Nest doorbell comparison.
Can I turn off Ring’s Search Party feature?
Yes. Search Party, which lets neighbors’ Ring cameras help find lost pets, launched switched on by default and drew a privacy backlash after Ring’s February 2026 Super Bowl ad. You can turn it off in the Ring app’s settings.
Battery or wired doorbell?
Wired if you have doorbell wiring. It never needs charging and usually reacts faster. Battery models install anywhere but need charging every few weeks to months, depending on traffic. Most Ring models do both.