Ring Video Doorbell 2 vs Ring Video Doorbell Pro

Editor’s Note: Ring has changed the name of the Video Doorbell Pro. It’s now called the Wired Doorbell Plus. Additionally, the Ring Video Doorbell 2 was discontinued. On November 10, 2020, the manufacturer determined that the battery can overheat if it’s incorrectly installed, which can create a fire and burn hazards.

At one point, the Ring Video Doorbell 2 and Ring Video Doorbell Pro were two of Ring’s most popular doorbells. Both are cost-effective, and both pack a lot of smart features.

The Ring Video Doorbell 2 can both tap into its batteries for power or be hardwired to an existing doorbell setup. The Ring Video Doorbell Pro, on the other hand, is a wired doorbell. Both are great, but which one is better? We put them head-to-head against each other, and here’s what we found out.

Key Similarities of Ring Video Doorbell 2 vs. Ring Video Doorbell Pro

The similarities with these Ring video doorbells far outweighed their differences. For example:

• Temperature range: Both video doorbells worked in temperatures from negative five to 120 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Video quality, fields of view, audio, night vision, storage, smart platform integrations, and artificial intelligence: The cameras had the same specs for almost all of our Necessary Features Test.
• App: We were able to control both video doorbells through the Ring— Always Home app.

Key Differences of Ring Video Doorbell 2 vs. Ring Video Doorbell Pro

Despite their many similarities, we also identified some key differences between Ring Video Doorbell 2 and Ring Video Doorbell Pro.

• Installation: While the Ring Video Doorbell Pro required a hardwired connection, the Ring Video Doorbell 2 functioned using both hardwiring and batteries.
• Activity zones: Only the Ring Video Doorbell Pro had Advanced Motion Detection in the form of activity zones.
• Price: The Ring Video Doorbell Pro was cheaper, costing only $149.99. The Ring Video Doorbell 2, before it was replaced by the Video Doorbell 3, cost $199.99.

Ring Video Doorbell 2 vs. Ring Video Doorbell Pro Design

Surface level, the RIng Video Doorbell Pro and the Ring Video Doorbell 2 look very similar. The only significant difference that you can immediately pick out is that the Pro model is slightly smaller, and the camera is oriented a little differently. The real differences between these two doorbells are on the inside.

Both of the video doorbells have a similar temperature range and are water-resistant. As long as they are not completely submerged in water, they will continue to function normally.

The main difference between the two models has to do with their power source. The Ring Video Doorbell 2 can be powered by either hardwiring or a battery, whereas the Ring Video Doorbell Pro can only be hardwired.

The advantage of hardwiring is that you never have to worry about the battery running out of power. However, installation can be a bit trickier. It’s important to consider whether the requirement for hardwiring is worth it, as the battery on the Ring Video Doorbell 2 only needs to be replaced every six months.

The Ring Video Doorbell Pro and the Ring Video Doorbell 2 both recorded whenever their bells were pushed or they detected motion, and both connected with the Ring— Always Home app via Wi-Fi.

Top Video Doorbell for Design

Since each doorbell presented extremely similar designs except for their power sources, we had to give the design award to the Ring Video Doorbell 2 for having two options, hardwired or battery. Next, we evaluated the features of each doorbell.

Ring Video Doorbell 2 vs. Ring Video Doorbell Pro Features

To evaluate each doorbells’ features, we used our Necessary Features Test, which included a deep dive into each camera’s abilities in video, audio, night vision, and more. Again, these video doorbells had really similar cameras in terms of technical specifications, but there were a few differences we wanted to point out.

Video

In terms of video, both cameras had the industry standard of 1080p HD plus wide fields of view of 160 degrees. The only difference was the Ring Video Doorbell Pro had digital zoom capability, and the Ring Video Doorbell 2 did not. So, for video, the Pro won by a hair.

Audio

Both cameras had two-way audio, which allowed us to speak to our visitors and see them through the Ring— Always Home app at the same time.

Night Vision

Ring Video Doorbell 2 vs. Ring Video Doorbell Pro Night Vision

After audio, we compared the cameras’ night vision. Both had infrared night vision, which was our preference over color night vision.

Infrared night vision was our preference because the bright white light with color night vision had a history of causing glares and making it alarmingly obvious (no pun intended) that we were recording. When it came to our doorbell camera, we liked to keep it on the down-low.

Storage

Feature	Free	Protect Basic Plan	Protect Plus Plan
Coverage	No	One Ring Doorbell or Security Camera	All Ring Devices at One Address
Ring and Motion Alerts	Yes	Yes	Yes
Custom Motion Detection	Yes	Yes	Yes
Interact with Visitors Remotely	Yes	Yes	Yes
Livestream	Yes	Yes	Yes
Warranty	1 Year	1 Year	Extended Warranty
Length of Cloud Storage	No	60 days	60 days
Review, Share, and Save Ring Videos	No	Yes	Yes
Professional Monitoring for Ring Alarm	No	No	Yes
Exclusive Discounts at Ring.com	No	No	10% Off Ring Products
Contract Terms	No	None, Cancel Anytime	None, Cancel Anytime
Monthly Price	$0	$3	$10
Annual Price	$0	$30	$100
Annual Savings	$0	$6	$20

Although Ring did not provide any free or local storage options, their subscription prices were very affordable starting at just $3 per month for each device. That’s the Ring Protect Basic plan, which gives 60 days of video history to one Ring camera.

Since we have other Ring cameras, however, we opted for the slightly more expensive Ring Protect Plus plan, which costs $10 per month. The main difference between Basic and Plus is that the latter covers all Ring cameras, whereas the former covers only one.

Although there was no free storage available, we were satisfied with the storage options offered for both the Ring Video Doorbell 2 and the Ring Video Doorbell Pro.

Smart Platform Integration

Since Amazon owns Ring, we weren’t shocked to hear that both video doorbell cams integrated with Amazon Alexa. Because of this, we were able to tell our doorbell to record using voice command, which was super convenient when our hands were full.

Artificial Intelligence

No longer the stuff of science fiction, many security cameras, including video doorbells, used artificial intelligence to achieve things such as person detection or facial recognition. The use of these A.I. additions created stronger and more specific notifications, which helped cameras ignore movement from animals, cars, and other inanimate objects. Cameras with these features focused only of what mattered, movement from humans. Unfortunately, neither the Ring Video Doorbell 2 nor the Ring Video Doorbell Pro had any A.I. features, so we definitely received some unnecessary notifications from animals and sidewalk joggers.

Extras

The main feature that set the Ring Video Doorbell Pro apart from the Ring Video Doorbell 2 was activity zones, or what Ring called Advanced Motion Detection. Activity zones let us tell our camera what to focus on and what to ignore. It was as if we had marked our property as important and the street as unimportant. This led to more helpful notifications and usually only alerted us if someone was actually on our property.

FYI: The Ring Video Doorbell 3, which replaced the Video Doorbell 2, also offers activity zones.

Top Video Doorbell for Features

Features-wise, the only difference between the two video doorbells was that the Ring Video Doorbell Pro had digital zoom and activity zones which the Ring Video Doorbell 2 lacked, so the crown went to the Pro again, just by a hair.

Installing the Ring Video Doorbell 2 vs. Ring Video Doorbell Pro

While the Ring Video Doorbell 2 could be hardwired or battery-operated, the Ring Video Doorbell Pro could only power on through hardwiring. We installed both doorbells in two places— at a house in Austin, Texas with an existing chime and doorbell setup, as well as in my Brooklyn apartment, which lacked an existing setup.

Installing the Ring Video Doorbell 2

We installed the Ring Video Doorbell 2 in Texas using video tutorials from Ring, which were very straightforward. The only blip occurred when we realized we had to add a range extender, as our router was too far away from the door to connect to Wi-Fi. In Brooklyn, we used the Chime Pro as both a chime and range extender for my Ring Video Doorbell 2. Installation at either location took no more than 30 minutes, which was really impressive.

Installing the Ring Video Doorbell Pro

Using the Ring Video Doorbell Pro required a 16-24 VAC transformer or a power adapter, but it was something we could do ourselves. The process worked exactly the same way as the Ring Video Doorbell 2 did in Austin, as we hardwired it the exact same way. It worked the same way in Brooklyn, where we installed the Chime Pro as well.

Top Video Doorbell for Installation

These two doorbells have nearly identical installation processes, so we had to call it a tie.

The Ring— Always Home App

The Ring— Always Home app was where we could see and speak to visitors, access cloud and local storage, set up activity zones (with the Pro), receive notifications, and even receive crime and safety alerts about our neighborhood. The app was rated a 3.3 out of five on both the Apple and Google Play stores, which was good but not amazing.

“I like the Ring app (especially the timeline view). I use the original Ring Video Doorbell. After several months, I lost my Ring notifications (even though my events continued to be recorded)… and could not fix it with Ring or Android settings…but uninstalling and reinstalling the app fixed the issue,”

wrote Android-user James Champion in a recent four-star review.

Recap of Ring Video Doorbell 2 vs. Ring Video Doorbell Pro

Overall, the Ring Video Doorbell Pro has more wins than the Ring Video Doorbell 2, but the real winner is really up to you. If you want flexible installation, go with the Ring Video Doorbell 2 (or the newer Ring Video Doorbell 3). It has an interchangeable battery, making battery changes a breeze, and you can also hardwire it if needed.

If you want advanced features, go with the Video Doorbell Pro, as it has motion zones and the ability to zoom. If you want even smarter features, though, the Video Doorbell Pro 2 is a significant upgrade to the Video Doorbell Pro. It offers 3D motion detection, a head-to-toe viewing angle, and even person detection. It is, however, significantly pricier at $249.99.

Want to explore other options? Check out the best video doorbells of 2024.