Ring Review

Monday, December 5th

2022 Alarm System Company Reviews

Ring

• No long-term commitments or contracts
• DIY installation
• $20/month for monitoring (optional), available in all 50 states
• Can expand system to an unlimited number of paired Ring devices
• Free expedited shipping on all orders over $49

Ring is on a mission to make neighborhoods safer. From the flagship video doorbell (inspired by input from the inventor's wife, who called the idea "Caller ID for the front door" ) to the Neighbors by Ring app, these DIY alarm systems can be found just about everywhere you look.

2 basic equipment kits

While you can customize your equipment package as desired, there are two main kits sold by Ring: Alarm and Alarm Pro. The Alarm kit comes with a base station and keypad, four contact sensors, a motion detector and a range extender. On the product page, you'll also find packages that include a video doorbell, two-packs of floodlight or spotlight cameras, and an indoor camera. This kit starts at $249.99 and goes up to $949.97 for the Deluxe Pro Bundle that incorporates two video doorbells and two wired floodlight cameras.

Pro kit includes home network security

The Alarm Pro kit has a built-in eero Wi-Fi 6 router, giving you whole-home protection and network security at the same time - and it keeps your connected Ring devices online even if your primary internet connection goes down. This package starts at $249.99 (the rest of the alarm system components are the same as in the basic Ring kit) and goes up to $449.99 for a kit that includes the Amazon Echo Show 5.

What extras would you like?

Either as part of a kit or a standalone order, there are plenty of gadgets you can get from Ring. You may want to consider a flood and freeze sensor, electronic locks, smart wall switches/outlets/dimmers, or a smoke/CO alarm to add to your setup. You can also save a little more by shopping at the Certified Refurbished section of the Ring online store. Shipping is free on all Ring orders over $49.

Professional or DIY monitoring

You don't have to pay for 24/7 monitoring with a Ring system, if you just want a basic alarm setup that you monitor from your smartphone. Either kit can be set up with professional monitoring for just $20/month, and you can customize your system to minimize false alarms.

BBB rating in flux

At the time of this review, Ring's rating with the Better Business Bureau was under evaluation due to a couple of previously-closed complaints that had been reopened. That doesn't tell us much. There were around 400 complaints filed with the BBB against Ring in the year prior to this evaluation, but they didn't specify which ones triggered the pending status. That's not out of the ordinary for most alarm systems.

Many unsatisfied Ring customers

Unfortunately, looking at Ring's reputation elsewhere doesn't paint a pretty picture. 65% of the 3,000+ ratings we found give these home alarm systems an abysmal one-star rating; in contrast, only 16% would say Ring deserves five stars. Billing issues, failure to make warranty repairs, poor quality equipment (including doorbells that don't seem to work in cold weather), and lackluster response (or none at all) from Ring's customer service are just a small fraction of the litany of complaints stacked up against these alarm systems.

Big-time privacy concerns

And none of that even scratches the surface of the potential privacy risks involved with using Ring alarm system equipment. Just do a search for "Ring" and "hacked" or even "Ring" and "police" and buckle up, because the ride is going to be bumpy. The company has made strides to improve in that regard, but it's an issue they need to continue working on, both with their product and public perception.

Better choices available

Is Ring convenient? Yes - you can buy the system online or at many local hardware stores. Is it easy to seup? Sure - the app does a good job of walking you through the self-installation process. In fact, Ring used to be - and maybe still feels like - the only name on the market if you want DIY security, especially with the readily-available video doorbell that goes right to your smartphone. But not anymore. Check out any of the higher-rated alarm systems in our review and you'll probably find everything you wanted Ring to offer: affordability, security, and top-of-the-line equipment that works (and doesn't have any surveillance issues to speak of). In such a competitive marketplace, there are better choices than Ring for home alarm systems.