Resource guide

Ring Subscription Cost: Monthly and Annual Plans Compared

See what Ring charges for each plan and its paid AI features, and what a Ring camera does with no plan.

Last updated October 05, 2026 1253-word guide Editor Ban the Bots

Ring lists three plans: $4.99 a month for one device, $9.99 for every device at one address, and $19.99 with professional monitoring. Ring's AI features need a paid plan. Ring Pro adds Video Descriptions and Familiar Faces, and the Pro Intelligence add-on costs $5 a month per camera on Ring Solo or Ring Multi. With no plan, a Ring camera keeps Live View, Motion Alerts and Two-Way Talk but none of these AI features.

Ring Subscription Cost by Plan

Ring lists its paid plans at $4.99 per month for Ring Solo, $9.99 per month for Ring Multi, and $19.99 per month for Ring Pro. On annual billing, Ring lists these plans at $49.99, $99.99, and $199.99 per year in an Internet Archive copy of ring.com/plans from July 12, 2026.

Ring also lists Virtual Security Guard at $99.00 per month. Prices may have changed since that capture, so confirm them on Ring's subscriptions page before you buy.

Ring says Ring Home plans were renamed Ring Protect plans in 2026, with no additional charge. Home Basic became Ring Solo, and Home Standard became Ring Multi. Home Standard with 24/7 Professional Monitoring became Ring Pro.

Plan	Monthly	Yearly	Video history	Devices covered	Key features
Ring Solo	$4.99	$49.99	Up to 180 days	1 device	Person, Package, and Vehicle Alerts, Extended Live View, Device Modes.
Ring Multi	$9.99	$99.99	Up to 180 days	All devices at 1 location	Everything in Solo, plus Extended Warranty.
Ring Pro	$19.99	$199.99	Up to 180 days	All devices at 1 location	Everything in Multi, plus 24/7 Professional Monitoring, Video Descriptions, and Active Warnings.
Virtual Security Guard	$99.00	Not stated by the company	Up to 180 days	All compatible devices at 1 location	Includes Pro features, plus Live Video Monitoring, Real-Time Intruder Deterrence, and Proactive Verified Dispatch Requests.

Each Ring plan covers one device or one location. Ring notes that you must subscribe to a separate plan for each physical address you want to protect.

Subscriptions renew automatically until canceled. Paid plans also grant a 10 percent discount on select products bought directly through the Ring online storefront.

9to5Mac reported in February 2024 that the basic tier would rise from $3.99 to $4.99 per month in March 2024, a 25 percent increase.

TechCrunch reported in October 2024 that Ring's top tier, then called Home Premium at $19.99 a month, would add 24/7 recording and AI-powered video search.

What Ring Does Without a Subscription

Ring devices work without a paid plan, but they cannot save footage.

Ring FAQ documentation confirms that users can view real-time video and answer doorbell rings as they happen without an active membership.

Ring published a breakdown of free features on July 16, 2026. The free tier includes Live View, real-time Motion Alerts, and Two-Way Talk.

Unsubscribed units also retain Customizable Motion Zones and Alexa integration. Certain indoor models maintain access to physical privacy covers.

Pet owners retain community tools. Ring support notes that Search Party for lost dogs can be started in the app without any subscription.

The primary restriction without a plan is video storage. A paid plan is required to save, review, or share recorded clips.

New hardware includes a free 30-day trial of Ring Protect. The trial starts when you first configure a doorbell, camera, or alarm system.

If you let the trial lapse without buying a plan, you lose all stored video recordings. Ring documentation confirms expired recordings cannot be retrieved.

What Each Plan Adds

Ring tiers add cloud video storage, extended hardware warranties, and software intelligence tools. Cloud history keeps events for up to 180 days.

Ring Solo costs $4.99 per month and covers one device. It provides Person, Package, and Vehicle Alerts alongside Extended Live View and Device Modes.

Ring Multi costs $9.99 per month and extends those exact video tools across every camera located at a single home address. It adds extended warranty protection.

Ring Pro documentation details advanced features included in the $19.99 per month plan. Ring Pro includes 24/7 Professional Monitoring and automated analysis tools.

These advanced tools encompass Video Descriptions, Unusual Event Alerts, Video Search, Single Event Alerts, and Active Warnings. Ring Pro also includes Familiar Faces, which Ring labels Beta.

Regional laws restrict specific capabilities. Ring documentation states that automated intelligence features are unavailable in Illinois due to state legislation.

Ring also says Familiar Faces is not available in Illinois, Texas, and Portland, Oregon.

Subscribers on lower tiers can purchase extra features separately. Ring sells a Pro Intelligence add-on for $5 per month per camera for Solo and Multi plans.

Continuous recording also requires extra payments. Ring charges $3 per month per camera for its 24/7 Continuous Recording add-on across supported plans.

Continuous recording on Ring Elite cameras is priced separately, from $6 a month for the Elite 140 to $18 a month for the Elite 360.

Ring says it does not own its monitoring center. Ring also warns that permits, false alarms, or guard response may carry extra local fees.

Is Ring Included with Prime?

Ring's plans page lists every Ring Protect plan as a paid subscription and does not mention Amazon Prime.

Neither Ring nor Amazon states that Prime includes a Ring plan on the pages we checked. If a Prime offer matters to you, confirm it on Ring's subscriptions page before you buy.

Is a Ring Subscription Worth It?

A Ring subscription is worth paying for if you rely on motion history to identify porch visitors, property damage, or neighborhood events after they happen.

Without an active membership, a Ring camera works mainly as a live viewer and intercom. If you miss a real-time motion alert on your phone, the event is gone.

For single-camera owners, Ring Solo at $4.99 per month provides affordable cloud backups. Two Solo plans cost $9.98 a month, about the same as Ring Multi at $9.99. With three or more devices at one address, Ring Multi costs less than separate Solo plans.

Ring recommends the Pro plan for Ring Alarm owners who want Alarm Professional Monitoring. Ring lists Ring Pro at $19.99 per month.

Do not subscribe to Ring if you only need a live video doorbell to see who rings while you sit at home.

Shoppers who refuse recurring monthly charges should look elsewhere, because Ring needs a plan to save recordings.

Buyers looking for local storage should consider subscription-free ecosystems instead. Compare our guides to security cameras without subscription and standalone Ring alternatives.

For two local-storage brands side by side, read our breakdown of eufy vs Reolink. Readers concerned about external data sharing can inspect our guide on Flock Safety data sharing and building a private dumb home.

What Would Change Our Verdict

Our verdict would change if Ring let its cameras save recordings without a paid plan.

We would also revise our recommendation if Ring introduces mandatory long-term contracts or raises single-device subscription fees above existing standalone alternatives.

Cheaper Paths

If you want to avoid monthly fees, local-storage cameras eliminate cloud subscriptions entirely. Devices with on-device memory cards retain recorded security video without ongoing service contracts.

Check current plan pricing directly on Ring subscription support pages before buying equipment.

Sources

Frequently asked questions

▸ Is Ring worthless without a subscription?

No, Ring hardware is not completely worthless without a subscription. Devices still provide Live View, real-time motion alerts, Two-Way Talk, and custom motion zones. However, hardware cannot save, download, or review past video clips without a paid plan.

▸ Is Ring subscription free with Prime?

Neither Ring nor Amazon states that Prime includes a Ring subscription on the pages we checked. Ring's plans page lists every Ring Protect plan as a paid subscription and does not mention Prime. Confirm on ring.com before you buy.

▸ Can Ring record without a subscription?

No, Ring cameras cannot record and store footage without a subscription. Ring requires an active Ring Protect plan to capture, save, and share video events. When an unsubscribed camera detects motion, you can only watch the live feed in real time.

▸ Is it worth paying for a Ring subscription?

Paying for a Ring subscription is worth it if you need evidence of deliveries, theft, or property incidents after they happen. Without a plan, missed alerts leave no video trace. It is not worth paying if you only use the camera as a real-time front-door intercom.

▸ How to avoid paying Ring subscription?

You can avoid paying a Ring subscription by using Ring devices purely for live video and real-time alerts. If you require recorded footage without recurring fees, you must switch to security cameras that offer local storage via on-device micro-SD cards.