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There’s no getting around the fact that Ring makes some of the best smart video doorbells on the market. It’s also true that the Amazon-owned brand has been subject to many privacy and security issues and subscription price hikes. The good news is one of the best alternatives is on sale for Prime Day.
What’s Wrong With Ring Doorbells?
Let’s backtrack a bit and talk about why I—and maybe you, too—might be interested in ditching your Ring doorbell. First, Ring is indeed owned by Amazon. That in itself may not be a problem, but much of the controversy surrounding Ring’s privacy and security issues popped up after it was acquired by Amazon in 2018.
Some particularly troublesome incidents in the past include strangers accessing camera feeds and even speaking to their children, sharing personal information with third parties without a way to opt out, a questionable relationship with law enforcement, and a lack of end-to-end encryption until 2021.
On top of all that, Ring has raised the price of its “Basic” subscription plan twice in two years. It went from $2.99 per month to $3.99 to the current $4.99. Without this plan, you can’t do much more than open the app and see a live view. There’s no ability to see past events without a subscription.
How is the Ecobee Video Doorbell Better?
As a long-time Ecobee Smart Thermostat owner, I was immediately curious when the company launched a video doorbell in late 2023. I begrudgingly use a Ring Video Doorbell Wired, and I love the idea of being able to consolidate my smart home devices and get away from Amazon a bit more.
The first thing to note is Ecobee’s standard Smart Security plan is the same price as Ring Protect Basic: $4.99 per month/$49.99 per year. They feature many of the same features as well. However, if you opt for 24/7 professional monitoring, Ring costs $25 per month, while Ecobee will only set you back $10.
The Ecobee excels when it comes to field of view. You get 187 degrees on the diagonal and 175 degrees vertically. This makes for a 3:4 portrait aspect ratio that can see things that are nearly directly underneath it without any fisheye distortion. Other video doorbells struggle to see this much of the area.
All of that is great, but it’s all just icing on the cake when you consider Amazon or Google does not own the Ecobee. The company has sneakily created a pretty nice ecosystem of devices on its own. If you’re sitting in your living room, you can easily see who’s at the door on the screen of the Ecobee Smart Thermostat. The company also offers security cameras.
If you’re ready to take the plunge like me, the Ecobee Video Doorbell is on sale for $132 (usually $159) for Prime Day. It typically doesn’t go any lower than $135, so this is a great time to snag one if you’re interested.
Ecobee Smart Video Doorbell
$139 $160 Save $21
The ecobee Smart Video Doorbell Camera offers sharp video quality, two-way audio, and advanced motion detection to enhance home security. Its sleek design and integration with smart home systems make it a versatile and convenient option for monitoring and communicating with visitors at your door.
