You have landed on the right post if you are searching for a home security system! We compare Wyze vs Ring, two home security brands. If you are undecided on which one to choose, keep reading this article because we will compare their most significant features.
Wyze vs Ring – Quick Comparison
Wyze is a US company based in Seattle, Washington. Former Amazon workers formed the company, which produces home security products like wireless cameras.
Founded by Jamie Siminoff, Ring is a well-known company in the home security industry. The company manufactures a vast range of indoor and outdoor cameras and sensors.
Most importantly, both companies offer many services to improve your security system. This article compares both their products and services to highlight the most significant features.
Wyze
Pros:
- Free subscription plan
- Reduced yearly plan fees
- Affordable storage monthly costs
- Continuous recording (a microSD card required)
Cons:
- Professional monitoring feature is charged extra
- Limited video history
Ring
Pros:
- 24/7 professional monitoring feature
- Wide fields of view
- 60-day video history in all packages
- 30-day free trial period
Cons:
- No yearly plan option
- No continuous recording
Wyze vs Ring: Key Features
Price and Value
Many manufacturers allow you to use their equipment without subscribing to their plans. However, you will only get access to basic features. However, if you want to enhance your home security system with premium functions, consider choosing a package. Each company in this comparison offers plenty of premium features.
Wyze has two subscription packages. The Basic plan is free and comes with basic features such as event recordings and app notifications. If you want to receive motion, sound, and smoke alerts, this package might be enough for you.
| Wyze Subscription Plans | Basic Plan | Cam Plus |
|---|---|---|
| Event Recordings | Snapshot | Unlimited |
| Cooldown Between Event Recordings | 5 minutes | Back-to-Back Recordings |
| Motion Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Sound Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Smoke + CO Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| 2x and 4x Event Fast-Forwarding | No | Yes |
| Person Detection | No | Yes |
| Package Detection | No | Yes |
| Vehicle Detection | No | Yes |
| Pet Detection | No | Yes |
| Wyze Web View | No | Yes |
| Exclusive Discounts | No | Yes |
| Monthly fee | Free | $1.99 per camera |
| Yearly fee | Free | $1.25 per camera |
But, the Cam Plus plan is for those who want more than the basic features. Firstly, the Cam Plus plan allows unlimited video recordings as long as the movement lasts.
Secondly, the plan supports person, package, vehicle, and pet detection. In short, you can set your system to send you notifications only when your camera detects people.
Last but not least, the price of the Cam Plus package is very affordable. The monthly fee is $1.99 per camera. However, you have the option to reduce this price by paying the yearly fee which is $1.25 per camera per month.
Ring doesn’t offer a yearly fee but does have interesting features. All features are split into three different packages.
The cheapest Ring package costs $3 a month. For this price, you can get the 60-day video history and person detection feature. You can also download, share videos and receive notifications via the app.
| Ring Subscription Plans | Protect Basic | Protect Plus | Protect Pro |
|---|---|---|---|
| Video Saving and Sharing | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Video History | 60 days | 60 days | 60 days |
| Person Detection | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Rich Notifications | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Extended Warranty | No | Yes | Yes |
| 24/7 Professional Monitoring | No | No | Yes |
| Alarm Cellular Backup | No | No | Yes |
| Alexa Guard Plus | No | No | Yes |
| Monthly Fee | $3 | $10 | $20 |
However, there are also two other packages. In addition to basic features, the Protect Plus package brings extended warranty options.
The professional monitoring feature, alarm cellular backup, and Alexa Guard Plus are available in the Protect Pro plan. The professional monitoring feature is for those who don’t want to monitor their system themselves.
A Ring base station comes with a 24-hour backup battery. So, if have problems with your internet connection, or with the power supply, the Alarm Cellular Backup feature might help.
In terms of the prices and number of features, Wyze is slightly better than Ring. But, the difference is minimal since these companies offer excellent features at affordable prices!
Winner: Wyze
Professional Monitoring
When the alarm is triggered and the emergency is confirmed, help is sent to your home. In short, this is the main benefit of having the professional monitoring feature as part of your system.
Wyze doesn’t include the professional monitoring feature in their subscription plans. However, the company offers an additional Wyze Home Monitoring service. For $5 a month, you can have the professional monitoring feature.
Ring doesn’t include this feature in their Basic and Plus plans. However, if you purchase the Protect Pro subscription plan, you can get a 24/7 Professional Monitoring feature.
Winner: Ring
Storage
Monthly Cost
The Wyze free plan supports snapshots. However, the Cam Plus plan costs $1.99 per camera and supports unlimited video event recordings.
Ring event video history lasts 60 days for all three packages. Therefore, the prices range from $3 to $20, depending on the package.
Winner: Wyze
Storage Retention Time
You should consider subscribing to the Wyze Cam Plus plan if you want unlimited event recording. The other option is the free plan that allows taking snapshots every 5 minutes.
Thanks to the Ring video history feature, you can access your videos for 60 days from the moment they are recorded. Make sure to download all important videos within these 60 days because the system deletes them to preserve memory space.
Winner: Wyze
Camera Options
It’s interesting that the cheapest Wyze camera can be used indoors and outdoors. The Wyze Cam v3 has an IP65 rating. In other words, the camera is resistant to dust and low-pressure bursts of water. If you haven’t decided where to place a camera, this model could be good for you.
| Wyze Cameras | MSRP | Indoor/Outdoor | Resolution | Current Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wyze Cam Outdoor | $59.99 | Outdoor | 1080p HD | Check Price on Amazon |
| Wyze Cam Pan v2 | $39.99 | Indoor | 1080p HD | Check Price on Amazon |
| Wyze Cam v3 | $35.98 | Indoor/Outdoor | 1080p HD | Check Price on Amazon |
Cameras from both brands support the same video resolution. But, when comparing these two tables, we can see the price difference. Wyze offers cheaper camera models, while Ring models are significantly expensive.
However, with higher prices come better performances. All Ring cameras can be used indoors or outdoors.
| Ring Cameras | MSRP | Indoor/Outdoor | Resolution | Current Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stick Up Cam Elite | $199.99 | Indoor/Outdoor | 1080p HD | Check Price on Amazon |
| Stick Up Cam Solar | $139.99 | Indoor/Outdoor | 1080p HD | Check Price on Amazon |
| Stick Up Cam Battery | $99.99 | Indoor/Outdoor | 1080p HD | Check Price on Amazon |
| Stick Up Cam Plug-In | $99.99 | Indoor/Outdoor | 1080p HD | Check Price on Amazon |
If you have decided to get an outdoor camera, Wyze might be a good option because their models are mostly designed either for indoor or outdoor use. Most importantly, the prices are affordable.
Winner: Wyze
Continuous Recording
Wyze offers the continuous recording feature with their cameras. You can use a microSD card to store all your recordings. It also includes the rolling feature meaning it will rewrite the oldest videos when the card becomes full.
Unfortunately, Ring systems and their cameras don’t allow continuous recordings. All they allow you to do is lengthen the video clips you record. They can be between 15 and 90 seconds.
Winner: Wyze
Power and Battery Features
The Wyze Cam Pan v2 is wired, so it has no replaceable battery. The Wyze Cam outdoor has a built-in battery, which can last for three to six months. But, you can charge the battery with a power cable.
| Camera Model | Power Method |
|---|---|
| Wyze Cam Outdoor | Battery |
| Wyze Cam Pan v2 | Wired |
| Wyze Cam v3 | Wired |
| Ring Stick Up Cam Elite | Wired |
| Ring Stick Up Cam Solar | Solar Panel |
| Ring Stick Up Cam Battery | Battery |
| Ring Stick Up Cam Plug-In | Wired |
However, Ring offers battery-powered, wired, or solar panel cameras. For instance, the Ring Stick Up Cam Solar uses the power from the solar panel to charge its battery.
This way, this camera is always supplied with power. If you plan to build a house far away from the city, this could be a good option.
Winner: Ring
Trial Period
When you purchase a Wyze camera, you get a 14-day free trial. In this period, you can use all the perks that the Wyze Cam Plus plan offers. Bear in mind that this subscription is automatically renewed after the trial expires. So, if you don’t want to use it, make sure to cancel it on time.
Ring offers a 30-day free trial. Remember that after the trial ends, all your videos will be deleted. Therefore, make sure to either subscribe to a plan or download your videos to an external drive before the trial ends.
Winner: Ring
Warranty
Wyze and Ring devices both come with a one-year limited warranty. But, there are some additional benefits that each brand offers. Wyze allows you to purchase an extended warranty but only before buying the product. Ring, on the other hand, offers lifetime theft protection.
Winner: Wyze
Technology Features
Image/Streaming Quality
There is no difference between Wyze cameras and Ring cameras since they all support HD resolution. If you want to further equip your home with 4K resolution cameras, you can check out other camera brands.
Winner: Draw
Night Vision
All Wyze cameras come with LED lights that provide the night vision feature. The Ring cameras also feature night vision.
Winner: Draw
Video Display: Fields of View
Wyze cameras have fields of view between 110 and 130 degrees. Ring is slightly better in this segment since it offers fields of view between 130 and 140 degrees.
Winner: Ring
Person Detection
Person detection is a valuable feature distinguishing persons from other moving objects. It can reduce the notifications you receive.
Wyze Basic plan doesn’t include this feature, but the Cam Plus plan does. Ring has this feature in all their plans. Therefore, Ring prevails in this section.
Winner: Ring
Wyze vs Ring: Types of Products
Floodlight
The Wyze Cam Floodlight comes with 1080p Full HD resolution, color night vision, motion detection, loud siren, and 2600 lumens LED lights.
The Ring Floodlight Cam also has color night vision and HD resolution. But, it has 2000 lumens lights.
Winner: Wyze
Doorbell Camera
Wyze has two video doorbells in their offering. Wyze Video Doorbell is hardwired, with 1080p image quality.
Wyze Video Doorbell Pro is battery-powered and can last for three to six months. It also supports Full HD resolution. Both of these have instant notifications, motion detection, smart alerts, and video recording.
Ring offers a wide range of different doorbell cameras. They come with HD resolution, two-way audio, night vision, and motion detection.
Ring doorbells have various power sources. So, you can invest in a hardwired or battery-powered camera. There is also an option to power a camera via an ethernet cable.
Winner: Ring
Conclusion
Let’s conclude this Wyze vs Ring comparison with the most significant facts from the article.
If you are looking for affordable products and services, Wyze definitely should be your first choice. The company offers a free plan for those who want to use Wyze equipment without monthly costs. In this case, the system provides live streams, snapshots every 5 minutes, motion and sound notifications.
All premium features are part of the Cam Plus package, which costs $1.99 per camera. However, if you prefer yearly payments, you have the option to pay a reduced yearly fee. In that case, the price is $1.25 per camera per month.
In addition to the basic features, you get unlimited video recordings, exclusive discounts, person, package, vehicle, and pet detection. Thanks to the unlimited video recording feature, your video clips can be stored in the cloud and available for download at any time.
If you would rather store your clips locally, you can invest in an SD card and expand your camera’s memory. In other words, the system allows continuous recording.
Above all, Wyze home security cameras are very affordable. The prices range between $35 and $60. All models support full HD resolution.
However, if you prefer professional monitoring instead of self-monitoring, Ring might be a better choice for you. Your house can be monitored 24/7. In case of any emergency, the alarm is triggered, and help will be sent to your home. This feature is part of the Protect Pro package, which costs $20 a month.
The cheaper Ring options are $3 and $10 a month. However, you get 60 days of video history and person detection, whichever package you choose. Also, you can use the app to download and share video clips with other people. Before subscribing to any of these plans, you can take advantage of a 30-day free trial.
Ring offers a one-year limited warranty. The Protect Plus plan allows extended warranty options which can cost you $10 a month.
All Ring cameras can be used indoors or outdoors. Most importantly, they support a variety of energy sources such as batteries, power outlets, and solar panels.
Hi Mel, Great article just one thing had me confused. Under the Ring section you listed “No yearly fee” as being one of the “Cons”.
Hi Andy– great catch. We really should have worded that differently. Instead of “No yearly fee” it should really say “No yearly plan option” as you can get a discount on a yearly plan with Wyze, unlike Ring. That is what Mel was trying to say there and in other parts of the post. I’ll let Mel know to update that “Con” verbiage to be more clear 🙂