Skybell vs Ring – Which Doorbell Camera is Best?

If you closely watch the current home security systems, they are far more secure than the original door-lock arrangement. Using smart technology, these systems show impressive capabilities. From several home security products, smart doorbells are the most versatile gadgets that offer both safety and peace of mind to the user. Even when the market is crowded with various brands, SkyBell and Ring have grabbed the attention of consumers.

Both Ring and SkyBell are known for their security products, especially smart doorbells. Their smart doorbells are similar to regular doorbells but come equipped with additional features like two-way voice communication, live feed, app connectivity, and many more. Sometimes choosing between Ring and SkyBell becomes difficult as both brands offer the best features in a smart doorbell.

To minimize this confusion, this article will put Ring vs SkyBell. We will explore the similarities and differences between both brands to help you decide the suitable option for your home.

SkyBell Doorbell: An Overview

SkyBell has a short presence in the home security market compared to its competitors. However, it has quickly risen to become a popular brand thanks to the video streaming capabilities of its systems. Features like free video recording and high-definition videos of these systems are praised by the consumers. Add app-connectivity for these features and the security system becomes a versatile unit.

Like any brand, SkyBell also had some issues with its system. But with the consumer feedback, they were quick to address these issues. This not only satisfied the users but also helped in upgrading SkyBell’s current product line. It ensures all types of users get a suitable security solution and hence offers a wide range of products.

Ring Doorbell: An Overview

Ring was the first brand to develop and introduce smart doorbells in the market. The invention of the smart doorbell happened out of necessity, and the rest is history. Being the pioneer of smart doorbells, Ring has expertise in crafting the best units. It has upgraded the smart doorbells into one of the most efficient security products. These units have efficient batteries, better monitoring, and other important features.

The products are designed to promote DIY installations at the user end. With special screws, the Ring doorbells are strongly secured on the doors. Ring also includes professional features like motion sensors, two-way communication, etc. which makes its products unique from their competitors. Besides this, the subscription plans are aggressively priced to ensure every user gets to secure their homes.

Skybell vs Ring: Key Similarities

Both Ring and SkyBell offer feature-rich doorbell cameras. Since most of these features are a standard norm of the security industry, it is common for both brands to share similarities. We will discuss these similarities below:

1. Video Resolution

Video resolution is the most crucial feature for smart doorbells. Whenever the doorbell rings, the user can check who is at the door. Due to the live feed of the camera, users won’t have to compromise their safety by opening the door. The video resolution must be high enough to help the user differentiate between friends and intruders. The camera units on both SkyBell and Ring doorbell cameras can record and stream in 1080p HD resolution. This quality remains constant at the user end, resulting in crisp, clear details.

2. Night Vision

All cameras perform better during the daytime thanks to the well-lit conditions. It is in the darkness where the true abilities of the doorbell camera are tested. Since low light conditions can trouble cameras in capturing the data, users might find it difficult to distinguish between friends and threats. The night vision sensor improves the capturing ability of the doorbell camera. The sensor is capable of turning low-light feed into a clear one. This feature is found in even the base models of Ring and SkyBell cameras.

3. Motion Detection

Intruders can deceive the doorbell camera by hiding from its field of view. Motion detection feature becomes crucial when the camera cannot trace a subject. When the motion sensors detect even the slightest motion, they will alert the user via the app or other modes of notifications. The motion detection sensor has a limited range within which any type of movement will be detected. For Ring and SkyBell doorbells, this range lies between 15 to 30 feet from the sensor. To prevent false detection, the sensitivity of the motion sensor can be changed.

4. Audio

Audio also plays an important role in the smart doorbells. Being a doorbell, the unit must have an appropriate chime to alert the user. The chimes are also customizable to change as per the user’s preferences. Two-way voice communication is another audio-related feature for the doorbells. The audio clarity must be good enough so that the user as well as the visitor gets to hear clearly. The alert audio must be strong enough to notify the user irrespective of their location in the house.

5. Alerts And Notifications

When the motion sensors of the camera catch something, they will instantly relay the message to the user. This message comes in the form of alerts and notifications. The alerts are sent to the user via push notifications or alarm sounds. The alerts and notifications are crucial for the user to further take necessary actions like calling the police. Both brands offer customization of the alerts and notifications as per the user’s preferences. A working internet connection is required to share the alert and notification with the users.

6. Smart Home Integration

With smart home integration, the ability of a doorbell boosts incredibly. Users can control these smart doorbells with voice commands thanks to the smart home integration. The doorbell can be paired with other smart home devices, making an ecosystem within the house. Both brands support smart home integrations like Google Nest, ADT Pulse, Wink, Wemo, etc. Both brands have pushed the smart home compatibility feature in their recent models.

7. App

SkyBell and Ring offer a dedicated smartphone app to the users. The app is tuned in a way to work as a centralized system for doorbell-related activities. With this app, users can view a live feed of the doorbell camera. Some of the basic and advanced controls are also performed via this app. Similarly, web apps are also offered by both brands. Users can run these apps on their MacOS or Windows-operated systems. All these apps offer activity history to the user, which makes it easy to monitor door activity from the past.

8. Connectivity

Connectivity becomes an important factor when the connection between the doorbell and the user is established. With various connectivity technologies, the doorbell transfers data to the user’s system. The technologies vary from wired to wireless but smart doorbells usually use wireless ones. WiFi connectivity is the popular choice for smart doorbells where users can pair the unit with their home’s WiFi network. Similarly, some of the units use the cellular connection as a backup option (in case WiFi fails due to a power outage).

Skybell vs Ring: Key Differences

1. Ease Of Installation

Installation of the doorbell is crucial for its functioning, as the correct placement will affect the camera’s capturing ability. Both Ring and SkyBell cameras have robust mountings making them safe against theft. Since SkyBell units are powered with wires, the installation is done by a professional. For the sole reason, additional installation charges are included with SkyBell products.

Ring products are DIY-friendly and wireless. Users themselves can install these units without needing prior knowledge of electrical circuits since absolutely zero hardwiring is involved. As users can mount these units, there are no additional installation fees for Ring products.

2. Field Of View

The field of view is an important factor for any type of camera. It tells us how much of the area can be captured by the camera lens. A larger field of view will eventually record more details from the surroundings. A larger viewing angle helps in reducing blind spots for the camera. The Ring cameras come with a 160-degree viewing angle. Some models can reach up to 180 degrees with special arrangements. SkyBell camera offers 180 degrees of view, capturing maximum area at a given time.

3. Power Requirements

The doorbells are electrical devices and hence require a continuous power supply to operate efficiently. The power sources are usually connected with the doorbell camera via power cables. The wire connection limits the placement of the doorbell camera from the power source. The majority of the SkyBell doorbells are cable-powered units. It also offers battery options for selective models. The majority of the Ring cameras are powered with rechargeable batteries. It also offers wired connectivity to the wires of the existing doorbells.

4. Operating Conditions

The smart doorbell units are mounted on the door where it experiences almost every weather. With changing weather, the doorbell unit is attacked with heat, dust, moisture, and other environmental elements. It should endure these attacks and continue working even in harsh conditions. The Ring camera can operate between -5 degrees to 120 degrees Fahrenheit temperature. The SkyBell camera operated between -40 degrees to 150 degrees Fahrenheit temperature. Both brands claim their models as splash or rain-resistant (not resistant to submersible conditions).

5. Subscription Plans

To access additional features of the smart doorbell, the brands offer subscription plans to the users. According to the subscription plan, the list of features changes. For both brands, a free subscription plan is available for the users where limited features like live feed are included. The subscription plans for Skybell start from $5 to $10 per month. For Ring, the subscription plan starts from $3 and goes up to $10 per month. Users can also opt out of annual subscription plans. Ring stores over 60 days of video recording with subscription plans, while SkyBell stores them for free for 7 days.

6. Equipment Options and Price

When buying a smart doorbell for your home, the selection process sometimes comes down to the pricing of the equipment. Every user wants to buy a reliable security product without making a dent in their pockets. SkyBell offers two different models in its doorbell range. The maximum price of a SkyBell doorbell goes up to $200. On the other hand, Ring offers a great variety of options in the doorbell range. The pricing of these units is kept between $100 to $360. Some of the models go up to the $500 range with add-ons.

Skybell vs Ring: Which Doorbell is Best?

To decide which brand is the best one for a doorbell camera, we should understand the plus-points of Ring and SkyBell. SkyBell offers only two models in the door camera range. This makes it simple for the users to choose from only 2 models. The base subscription plans for the SkyBell camera come with more features than the Ring camera subscription plans. Besides this, if you have a faster internet connection, the SkyBell products operate efficiently.

Similarly, if you love a high level of customization, the long list of Ring cameras will suit you. The annual subscription plans for Ring doorbell cameras are value for money. These units are also known for their durability and reliability. Ring also offers more days of storage for video recording, compared to SkyBell. In the end, both brands offer good doorbell cameras.

Skybell vs Ring – FAQs

Conclusion

Smart doorbells are a much-needed upgrade from the traditional doorbells. Mounted on the door, they act as the first line of defense against intruders or burglars. These units offer incredible features like a live view of the door, voice communication, push notifications/alerts, and video storage. Brands like SkyBell and Ring are popular due to their durable, high-quality, and innovative doorbell cameras. This article explores the similarities and differences between the doorbells offered by both brands. The discussion can be used to select an ideal doorbell for your home.