The best video doorbells

Ring started out as Doorbot, pitched on America’s Shark Tank in 2013 and bought by Amazon five years later. Its newest battery doorbell adds a sharper 2K picture and up to 6x zoom for checking a face or a parcel.

• Retinal 2K video with 6x zoom
• Head-to-toe 140° × 140° view
• Built-in battery, charges by USB-C
• Colour night vision
• Two-way talk and privacy zones

What owners say: Owners are impressed by the picture and say it makes them feel safer, though battery life and Wi-Fi reliability get mixed reports.

Heads up: Saving and replaying video needs a paid Ring Home plan; a 30-day trial is included.

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A closer look: The battery is built in, so the whole doorbell comes off the wall with the tool supplied to charge by USB-C. Set the motion zones to cover your path, not the pavement, so passers-by don’t set it off all day. Privacy zones blank out a neighbour’s window or garden.

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A sharp 5MP picture, a 180° view and a battery rated for up to 210 days, and it records to a microSD card, so there’s no subscription needed to watch clips back.

• 2K 5MP video, 180° view
• 10,000mAh battery, up to 210 days
• Or hardwire to an 8–24V doorbell
• Records to microSD (card not included)
• Free person, vehicle, pet and parcel alerts

What owners say: Owners find it easy to set up and say the 5MP picture shows visitors head to toe in sharp detail, though some report Wi-Fi drop-outs.

Heads up: Some owners report Wi-Fi drop-outs, so check the signal at your front door first.

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A closer look: Buy a microSD card with it (up to 512GB) to keep recordings without paying for cloud storage. If you already have a wired doorbell with a transformer, wiring it in adds 24/7 recording and pre-roll. Real battery life depends on how busy your door is.

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The same free alerts for people, vehicles, pets and parcels as Tapo’s pricier model, with a 2K picture and a 160° view, for much less.

• 2K 3MP video, 160° view
• 6,400mAh battery, up to 180 days
• Free person, vehicle, pet and parcel alerts
• Records to microSD (card not included)
• IP65, colour night vision

What owners say: Owners find it easy to set up, clear day and night, and good value with no running costs, though reliability and Wi-Fi get mixed reports.

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A closer look: It works with Alexa and Google, so it can show who’s at the door on an Echo Show or Fire TV. Add a microSD card for free local recordings. Charge it fully before mounting; a full battery is rated for about six months.

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It comes with a chime for inside the house, so everyone hears the bell even when your phone is in another room, and there’s no monthly subscription.

• 2K video in a 4:3 frame
• Quick-release 6,500mAh battery
• Or hardwire for 24/7 recording
• Chime included
• Quick replies and voice messages

What owners say: Owners find it easy to set up, clear day and night, and value not paying a monthly subscription, though the app connection and battery life get mixed reports.

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A closer look: The battery pops out to charge, so the doorbell itself stays on the wall. Hardwiring adds 24/7 recording and a 5-second pre-roll, but means bypassing your existing chime, so it’s a job for a confident DIYer. Add an SD card (not included) to store clips.

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An older Ring model with a quick-release battery and a square head-to-toe view: a cheaper way into the Ring app.

• 1536p HD video
• 150° × 150° head-to-toe view
• Quick-release battery
• Colour night vision
• Privacy zones and quick replies

What owners say: Owners find it easy to fit, with clear picture and sound, and like the privacy zones, though battery life varies a lot with how busy the door is.

Heads up: As with other Ring doorbells, recordings need a paid Ring Home plan.

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A closer look: The battery slides out to charge, so a spare means the doorbell is never offline. Recording every movement drains it much faster, so it’s worth tuning the motion settings. If you have other Ring cameras, it joins them in the same app.

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