No matter how far you are from home, making sure it's protected by more than just a lock and key will give you the peace of mind that all your belongings are safe.
Some of the best home security cameras - opens in a new tab and video doorbells - opens in a new tab - are now more affordable than you might think. They're also much simpler to install than a full CCTV setup, which is probably a bit overkill for what you're looking for anyway.
As we expected, Amazon announced some new devices at this year's annual Amazon event in September. The Ring Spotlight Battery Cam Plus (opens in a new tab) is a wireless outdoor security camera with 1080p HD video, two-way audio, motion-activated spotlights, customizable motion zones, and color night vision. The Ring Spotlight Battery Cam Pro (opens in a new tab) is similar but also features aerial mapping, 3D motion detection, and dual-band Wi-Fi for even better range.
But who are you going with: Blink or Ring? Both are owned by Amazon, and both are highly credible. Keep scrolling to see our comparisons between range, performance, and ongoing subscription costs.
Cyber Monday Blink and Ring Deals
As holiday shopping continues with Cyber Monday deals, we're seeing great deals on Cyber Monday Ring and Blink at Amazon (opens in a new tab). Both are owned by Amazon, of course, so it's nice to see them at a discount.
Below, we've selected some of the best deals we've seen (so far) on video intercoms. Hurry, we don't know how long these offers will last.
Today's best Blink and Ring deals
range and prices
Blink has a much smaller offering than Ring when it comes to home security cameras. It's also worth noting that while Ring cameras and video doorbells are available worldwide, Blink products are currently only for sale in the US and UK.
The Blink Mini is the brand's entry-level home security camera. This compact device is mains powered so can only be used indoors and is priced at €34,99 / €34,99. If you're looking for a battery-powered camera that offers more flexibility in where it can be placed, then the Blink Indoor is worth considering. It's not quite as compact as the Blink Mini but considerably smaller than most Ring offerings, it has the same square-shaped monochrome design, and it'll make you step back. € 79.99 / € 79.99. It's a battery-powered camera, though, rather than mains, and uses two AA batteries that Blink claims will last up to two years before needing to be replaced.
Blink's third and final home security camera is a weatherproof version of the Blink Indoor, unsurprisingly called the Blink Outdoor. This home security camera has a glossy black design and costs € 99.99 / € 99.99.
Unlike Ring, however, the brand doesn't have a large number of video intercoms, it only has one model. The Blink Video Doorbell was announced in September 2021 and is currently on sale for €49.99 / €49.99.
Ring is best known for producing some of the best video doorbells around, so their range of doorbells is understandably broader than their range of home security cameras.
However, in terms of security cameras; Ring offers the entry-level indoor camera, which is mains-powered and costs €59.99 / €49 / AU$99while you can bring an outdoor camera, the Ring Stick-Up Cam, which is available in battery or mains versions for €99.99 / €89 / AU$179.
Ring Spotlight Cam is another outdoor security camera that comes in battery-powered and AC-powered variants. It features a reflector that turns on when motion is detected and is priced at $199,99 / £179,99 / A$289,99while Ring Floodlight Cam Pro has two 1000 lumen floodlights (average floodlights are around 800 lumens) instead of a single floodlight and will set you back €249.99 / €219 / AU$379. However, it is a network powered camera.
All Ring battery-powered security cameras last between three and six months before needing a recharge, although this depends on how often motion is detected, how many times the camera feed is viewed in real time, and, for those with lights, how often the LEDs are on. The batteries are also interchangeable, so as long as you buy extra batteries, the cameras won't be out of commission when the batteries need to be replaced.
Ring offers five Video Doorbells in total, from its most affordable option; Ring Video Doorbell with cable, at a price of €59.99 / €49 / AU$119up to Ring Video Doorbell 4 with battery for €199.99 / €179 / AU$329 and the higher-end Ring Video Doorbell Pro 2, which will set you back €249.99 / €219 / AU$399.99.
Another thing Ring Blink doesn't offer is a smart alarm system that includes door/window sensors, motion detection PIRs, and even an optional outdoor siren and assisted monitoring that will automatically call three emergency contacts if the alarm is triggered. cost € 199.99 / € 219 but not available in Australia.
PS: Check out our list of the best DVRs for CCTV
Subscription fee
When it comes to storing video so it can be reviewed post-capture, Blink is the most cost-effective option, offering the ability to store images locally, so there are no ongoing costs for using security cameras.
To do this, you'll need the Blink Sync 2 module, which comes with the Blink Indoor and Blink Outdoor. Unfortunately, it's not included with the Blink Mini, but it's available for purchase on its own for €34.99 / €34.99. You'll also need a 256GB USB flash drive, which you can pick up for about € 25 / € 25if you don't have one available.
However, this method has drawbacks. If you ever use live view (where you see the camera feed through the app in real time), there won't be any recordings stored unless you have an active Blink subscription plan.
The Blink subscription plan, which is priced at €3 / €2.50 per month for a single camera, and €10 / €8 for unlimited number of cameras is also available. All Blink devices come with a free trial of the service.
Ring, however, does not have a local storage option. Instead, you'll need to sign up for Ring Protect, which costs from €3 / €2.50 / AU$4 per month for one camera or €10 / €8 / AUD15 for an unlimited number of cameras: both guarantee that video clips are saved for 30 days after recording. Most new Ring devices come with a free 30-day trial of Ring Protect.
video and audio
Blink and Ring security cameras are generally about the same quality in terms of video and audio quality.
We've reviewed most of the products offered by both brands, and in our tests, video has always been clear and detailed, and audio has always been extremely consistent.
All Blink and Ring cameras record Full HD footage when motion is detected, which is in color during the day. Some Ring home security cameras, namely those with built-in lights, are also capable of recording color video at night, as long as the light has been set to turn on when motion is detected. Unfortunately, this is not available on any of Blink's current offerings.
Despite the similarities, there are a few other areas where Ring's cameras outperform Blink's devices. The first is the field of view. All of Blink's cameras have a narrow 110-degree field of view, and while Ring's indoor cameras are identical in this regard, their outdoor cameras offer a wider 140-degree field of view. This means the cameras cover a wider area, ensuring you don't suffer from blind spots.
Second, Ring cameras feature a People Only mode, designed to reduce unwanted alerts by only notifying you when motion detected is caused by a person. This isn't something Blink's security cameras can do, they just offer more basic sensitivity settings.
Smart apps and integrations
The Ring and Blink apps are easy to use and offer a way to view the camera feed in real time, as well as view previously captured footage (assuming you're a Ring Protect subscriber in Ring's case).
Both platforms also send detailed notifications to your smartphone, so you can quickly see if it's an alert you need to worry about or not.
Both brands are owned by Amazon, so it's no surprise that they offer Alexa integration. Alexa-enabled smart speakers can be set to play audio when one of the cameras detects motion or used to chat with anyone in the camera's field of view, while if you have one of Amazon's smart displays, like the Amazon Echo Show 5, in your home: the transmission of both cameras can be seen on the screen of the device. However, as expected, Google Assistant or HomeKit are not supported.
Verdict
Blink and Ring proved to be effective and easy-to-use home security camera systems in our tests. Blink is more affordable and offers more compact devices, and the addition of local storage will be music to the ears of anyone looking for a security camera without ongoing costs.
Meanwhile, Ring's cameras are generally more feature-rich. You can better tune alerts so you're not disturbed as often, and cameras with built-in LEDs provide better image clarity at night. For this reason, they are more expensive and bulky than those offered by Blink and are an ongoing cost if you want to save and store images in the cloud.
They're pretty similar, so if you already have Ring or Blink cameras in your home, we recommend sticking with that brand. But if you're starting your home security journey, you'll need to decide whether to value the cheaper options (Blink) or those with enhanced utility (Ring).
More Frequently Asked Questions about Blink and Ring
Is Blink owned by Ring?
Not too much. Blink and Ring are Amazon brands, which means they have their own brand identity but benefit from Amazon's vast resources for product development, marketing, and distribution.
Which is better, Ring or Blink?
It really depends on what you want your security system to do. Blink is generally cheaper and simpler; Ring is the more premium option and the only brand of the two to offer 24/7 professional monitoring as an option. Ring cameras generally have more features than Blink models, and there's a wider range of products to choose from.