3 Ring Video Doorbell Alternatives

1. Lorex Video Doorbell

Editors Rating:

7.5 /10

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How We Review

The Lorex Video Doorbell is a solid option for simple, straightforward security.

Lorex doesn’t include a lot of extras. For instance, it doesn’t have any AI, such as person detection.

It doesn’t integrate with any smart platforms, like Google Assistant or Alexa, so we couldn’t control the camera with just our voices. It doesn’t offer cloud storage either. However, it came with a 16 GB micro-SD card for local storage and could handle up to a 64 GB card.

Lorex met our overall requirements for a video doorbell. It gave us 1080p HD resolution and a 160-degree field of vision. It also had two-way audio, which made it easy to chat with our mail carrier about a late piece of mail.

Best of all, it had a $129 price tag, which puts it at the low end of the market average ($129 to $169). For that price, we were satisfied with how well the Lorex let us keep an eye on our front porch.

2. Vivint Doorbell Camera

Editors Rating:

9.2 /10

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How We Review

What did we get when we ordered Vivint’s $229 doorbell camera? For one thing, we got the widest possible field of view, 180 degrees. We also got two-way audio, and digital pan and zoom. The camera included two LED sensors for infrared night vision — clear enough to make out the two raccoons helping themselves to our trash cans.

All of these capabilities almost made up for the fact that it only had 720p HD video resolution, a bit below the industry standard of 1080p HD.

That being said, we were pleased to find that we could use our voice to control the camera, through either Alexa or Google Assistant. We had the choice of hardwiring the camera or using a battery with a three- to five-year lifespan. We also had the choice to record 24/7 or just when someone approached the door.

You should know that the Vivint Doorbell Camera requires professional installation, as you can see on our Vivint pricing page.2 Leaving that aside, we felt that the Vivint Doorbell Camera gave us more options than a lot of other doorbell cameras on the market.

3. SimpliSafe Video Doorbell Pro

Editors Rating:

9.4 /10

How We Review

The SimpliSafe Video Doorbell Pro is a great low-priced alternative to Ring doorbells. For just $169.99, we got a high-quality camera with a number of useful features.

Not only was the resolution (video quality) 1080p, the industry standard, but it was HDR rather than HD. HDR eliminates shadows and glare for a sharper image. In addition, the field of view was a healthy 162 degrees, so we could see packages on our porch even when the delivery person left them in unusual places.

We also had optical zoom, two-way audio, and clear infrared night vision. We signed up for the Interactive Plan, which costs $24.99 a month, and got 24/7 professional monitoring and 30 days of cloud video storage. Otherwise, we could have paid $4.99 per camera per month for 30 days of cloud storage.

The SimpliSafe Doorbell Pro probably isn’t for everyone. It requires a hardwired connection, for example, so it’s not particularly easy to install.

Also, this isn’t a doorbell for cold climates. Its lowest temperature rating is 14 degrees.

On the plus side, the SimpliSafe Video Doorbell Pro is a fantastic investment for Apple users like us. We found the Apple version of the app intuitive and incredibly responsive. It’s no wonder users have rated it 4.8 out of 5.1 The SimpliSafe Pro gave us everything we needed and more.