Top pick
This system works with almost every type of security accessory, offers options for internet and power backup, and has a built-in Wi-Fi 6 router.
The original Ring system is easy to use and inexpensive to set up, and it has more camera add-ons than any of our other picks.
Compatibility: Amazon Alexa
The Ring Alarm Pro system is the most comprehensive DIY home security system we’ve tested. It’s easy to set up and use, it allows you to customize it with a large selection of compatible add-ons, and it features an affordable monitoring plan, starting at $20 per month or $200 per year (see below for more details). The Ring Alarm Pro system can’t integrate with as many third-party smart-home devices as our other picks can, but it does have a built-in Eero Wi-Fi 6 router (more on that below), which can replace your existing router or create a mesh network to improve your Wi-Fi’s speed. The Eero router also provides backup internet access via a cellular connection (as part of a Ring Protect AI Pro plan), should you have a power or internet outage.
However, if you already have a mesh Wi-Fi network, don’t want one, or don’t need backup internet, opt for the original Ring Alarm system instead; it performs almost exactly the same way but costs about $100 to $150 less, depending on your starter package.
They’re always on call. Ring is the only one of our picks to offer both 24/7 monitoring and 24/7 customer service, which is available over the phone. In contrast, SimpliSafe customer service is available only from 8 a.m. to 12 a.m. Eastern.
It works really well. Measuring a deafening 113 dB on my sound meter, the Ring Alarm system has the loudest siren of any system we tested. The Ring Alarm Pro came close, tying with the Abode system for second at 104 dB. Both Ring systems sent us smartphone alerts within 4 seconds of the alarm being triggered, with email alerts as an option, as well. You can configure the siren on the base station to go off from 0 to 180 seconds after a triggering event. If you dismiss an alarm within 30 seconds, the monitoring service will not call you. Ring also has a “customizable police response” option, which means you have to okay a police response versus the monitoring company just sending them.
The monitoring plan is optional but essential. Ring allows you to self-monitor and not sign up for a subscription. But going that route means that when your alarm is triggered, you’ll only get smartphone alerts and will need to contact emergency services, if needed. Professional monitoring is $20 per month, a bargain compared with our other systems we tested, and it includes cellular backup, 24/7 internet backup, and 180 days of video storage for cameras. Users can also opt for 24/7 video recording for select wired cameras for an extra $3 per month per camera.
It can get super-fast Wi-Fi. The Ring Alarm Pro has a built-in Eero Wi-Fi 6 router. That means the base station can both serve as the brains of your security system and replace your current Wi-Fi router, depending on your service. If your home is particularly large or has struggled with Wi-Fi coverage in the past, you can also set up the Eero router as a mesh Wi-Fi network, which can extend and improve your Wi-Fi’s range and performance with extra Eero 6 Extenders. Eero claims that its network covers 1,500 square feet and can support up to 75 connected devices at a time. Although I didn’t test that many devices, I did put an extender by the front door to ensure a strong connection with outdoor cameras. When connected to my home internet, the Eero router actually gave me speeds a little better than promised, up to 900 Mbps.
It’s the best security system when you’re without Wi-Fi or power. The base station has a built-in battery that provides 24 hours of backup power (confirmed by my testing), which is comparable to that of SimpliSafe’s system. However, with Ring Alarm Pro, you can also add up to three backup power packs for an additional 24 hours of power, depending on usage. The monitoring plan also includes 24/7 internet backup, which is powered by AT&T, in case your Wi-Fi goes down. Speeds on this backup connection are noticeably slower than normal, though I was able to live-view security cameras and even stream Netflix while connected to the Eero router. The backup connection includes 3 GB of data, which you’ll eat through quickly if you’re viewing cameras, watching movies, and doing anything else you normally do on the web — it’s really designed for short-term emergency situations. (Should you need, you can purchase additional data for a reasonable $3 per gigabyte.)
You have options for fire/CO alarms. Ring is the only one of our picks that works with hardwired smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, namely the Kidde Ring Smart Smoke Alarm and the Kidde Ring Smart Smoke and CO Alarm. Both models can be used with the Ring app and work with or without a Ring Alarm system. (They can also be used without a subscription, with a Ring Protect plan, or with the standalone $5-per-month 24/7 Smoke & Co Professional Monitoring plan.)
I swapped this for an existing Kidde smoke/CO detector, which uses the same bracket. However, I had to change the AC connector, which was redesigned to meet the newest UL standards (UL 217 9th Edition). Installation took maybe 5 minutes. An especially nice feature is that the Kidde smart detectors will interconnect with non-smart detectors. So when I triggered the alarm with fake smoke, I received a smartphone alert in about 2 seconds, and all my other interconnected alarms also sounded off, along with the Ring keypad and the base station.
Currently, both Kidde smoke detectors can only be silenced by using a physical button on the device (or when the smoke clears), but the base station and keypad can be muted via the keypad or app. Users can also alert the monitoring service when it’s a false fire alarm. Note that emergency services will always be dispatched if a carbon monoxide alarm is triggered.
If you already have hardwired smoke/CO detectors, Ring also offers the Ring Alarm Smoke & CO Listener. The older model worked very well, but has been discontinued. We plan to test the new one soon.
It’s a better system with Alexa. Ring has added options for Alexa Routines, which means you can trigger other smart devices based on the status of the Ring Alarm. I set Alexa to turn on Hue and Tapo-branded living room lights when specific contact sensors were open, and turn off outdoor lights when the alarm system was armed in Home mode. I was also able to arm and disarm the system using voice commands, although disarming requires a 4-digit passcode.
You have a lot of other hardware options. Ring’s system doesn’t integrate with a lot of third-party smart-home systems and devices, but Ring has more indoor, outdoor, and doorbell camera options than any other system we’ve tested.
Ring also has several new add-on sensors that can be purchased separately, and which will work with or without a Ring Alarm base station. Without the base station the sensors connect wirelessly to Amazon’s Sidewalk network without needing for you to install a hub — however currently they are unable to support professional monitoring. This new selection of devices includes a new Window & Door Sensor, Motion Detector, Glass Break Sensor, Panic Button, Outside Door Sensor, Smoke & CO Listener, Flood & Freeze Sensor, and Temperature & Humidity Sensor, as well as the new Air Quality Monitor and Sump Pump Monitor. A Ring spokesperson told us that older sensors will continue to work with existing Ring Alarm systems and that there are no plans currently to add the new sensors to Ring Alarm packages.
The Ring Alarm Pro base station also incorporates features that can wirelessly connect Ring lights to your home network without the need for an add-on hub or Echo device.
Ring also offers service add-ons. If you’re looking to beef up your security, Ring has two opt-in services (which we have not tested). Alarm Guard Response is a service that will send out an eyewitness to verify an event before sending emergency services. It’s available only in areas where your town or municipality requires verification, and it costs $75 per response. The other service, Ring Virtual Security Guard, costs a steep $99 per month but is like having your own personal security team to monitor your camera activity for suspicious activity and intervene as necessary.
Ring has revisited security. No company we cover has encountered more controversy for its products and service than Ring. In the past, there have been reports of hacking, a public outcry about the company’s Neighbors program and police partnerships, and even incidents citing Ring’s own employees spying on customers. Ring at one point eliminated the controversial option for police to directly solicit video from users via the app. Then the company brought it back in September 2025 as an optional feature through a partnership with Axon, the manufacturer behind Taser. In October 2025, Ring announced a second partnership, with Flock Safety, a company that makes AI-powered cameras that are used by municipalities which may provide access to local and federal law enforcement authorities, including ICE. (The company has since reversed course and canceled the partnership with Flock.) In February 2026, they launched Search Party, a camera feature that’s being pushed as a way to find lost pets, although several outlets (as well as Massachusetts Senator Ed Markey) have called out the option, calling it a gateway to mass AI-enhanced surveillance. Ring says customers can opt-out of receiving announcements and requests from law enforcement using the Ring app (click Menu, Neighbors, Feed Settings, and then toggle off Community Requests.)
If you opt not to disable this feature, Ring says requesting agencies can use an on-screen map to submit requests to Ring device owners who have cameras within a 0.5 square mile range of the incident. Ring says requests will include an investigation number, a timeframe for the corresponding incident, and identify which organization is sending the request. Users will have the option to ignore requests or respond with video, which Ring authenticates and sends to the verified third party.
In a response to our request, a Ring representative reiterated the language of the existing company privacy policy stating, “Ring does not disclose customer information in response to government demands unless required to do so to comply with a legally valid and binding order, such as a search warrant. On rare occasions, Ring will provide information to law enforcement on an emergency basis when there is an imminent danger of death or serious physical injury, such as a kidnapping or an attempted murder. These emergency requests are reviewed by trained professionals who disclose information only when that standard is met. This process is not specific to Ring and is something many other companies follow.” For more information, view Ring’s Law Enforcement Guidelines.
Many but not all Ring cameras support end-to-end encryption. This means that all recordings those cameras capture can be viewed only by the device owner, unless they are intentionally shared by the owner. According to a Ring spokesperson, “only the customers’ enrolled mobile devices can access the key to decrypt and see videos from compatible enrolled Ring devices.” (Information on how to enable that feature is available on Ring’s website; the Ring Video Doorbell (1st Gen), Video Doorbell Wired, Stick Up Cam (1st Gen), and Spotlight Cam (1st Gen) do not support end to end encryption.)
Ring also includes several privacy-based options not available on other devices, including mandatory two-factor authentication, the ability to view and manage all services and users linked to your Ring account from the app (under Device Settings), and the ability to opt out of Neighbors (under Control Center). Ring also includes the option to not record certain areas of property (such as public streets and neighbors) with Privacy Zones, a setting that allows you to black out areas from live view and recordings.
How the Ring Alarm has held up
Editor Jon Chase has been a Ring customer since May 2020, and he says that he has never had an issue with false alarms — except in instances where he forgot to disarm the system. “One weekend, I tripped it and then turned it off using the app, but I instantly received an automated call asking me to acknowledge that I had turned off the alarm. It works great, and I haven’t had the fear of false alarms and the cops showing up, as I’ve had in the past.”
Flaws but not dealbreakers
You may need an extra app. One of the bonus features of the Ring Alarm Pro system is its built-in Eero Wi-Fi 6 router. That said, to set up and manage the Eero router’s features, you need to download the Eero app. So this one product uses two apps — plus the Alexa app, if you plan to add Routines or a smart speaker to your system. However, once you set up the router, you probably won’t consult the Eero app much.
It doesn’t always play nice with others. Ring doesn’t offer as much integration with third-party smart-home devices, since it supports only Alexa and everything under the Works with Ring umbrella. If you want more integration options, we recommend the Abode Smart Security Kit.
Privacy and security snapshot
- Two-factor authentication is mandatory for all Ring devices.
- If you post photos, videos, and text to Neighbors, that content can be viewed by local public-safety agencies. However, personal information is not shared in the app.
- Users must input an address and zip code when setting up a device. If it’s invalid, the app will ask to use Location Services, but users can decline.
- Ring uses first- and third-party web and app analytics services to collect and analyze information, including personal information to improve features, evaluate marketing, and optimize the customer experience. Users can customize preferences in the app under Control Center and Cookies and Third-Party Service Providers.
- When using cameras, end-to-end encryption is available on select models.
For more details, read Ring’s privacy statement.
Click Here For The Original Source
