Amazon’s Ring is raising the price of its cheapest Basic subscription after similar strikes by Google and others, the company said in a report. Frequently asked questions seen by The Verge. As of March 11, it’s going from $4 to $5 a month (or $40 to $50 a year), a 25 percent increase.
Last time Ring increased the basic plan tariff June 2022 ($3 to $4 per month), added several features, such as additional cloud storage, larger bulk video downloads, and access to exclusive discounts on future Ring products. Although the price has increased this time, no additional benefits are added.
While that’s more than a few Starbucks Flat White coffees a year, the bump may be more significant for some users. The basic plan includes only one camera, and each requires a sub-camera to store and record videos. That means users with two or more cameras may be better off with the Ring Protect Plus plan (which covers all Ring doorbells and home cameras in one place), now $10 a month, or more than double the $100 a year . (Without a plan, you can only watch live streaming and receive traffic alerts.)
Ring’s move follows Google lifted the cheapest Nest Aware plan From $6 to $8 a month last September ($60 to $80 a year), though that option covers every camera on your account. This makes Google a better option for new users who have not bought any hardware yet.
If you want to spend less, Blink and Wyze both offer single-camera cloud plans for $3 a month, and both companies also support local storage. Another option is to purchase devices that support Apple HomeKit Secure Video if you have an iCloud+ subscription.
