Owning one of the best video doorbells is a smart way of seeing and recording who is behind your front door, regardless of whether you are at home or not.
Big named brands such as Ring, Google's Nest and Eufy have jumped on the bandwagon to offer a solution to the unheard knocks, or being able to ignore unwanted visitors. As well as telling you over Wi-Fi when someone has pressed the doorbell, the otherwise known as connected or smart doorbells can also detect motion, allowing you to keep an eye on the area from your phone, tablet, or a smart speaker. They can then record the footage captured during an 'event' and store it for viewing at a later date - some even have features such as facial recognition so you're aware of any stranger danger before you even get to the door. However, some brands do require you to take out a subscription to their security plans once the free trial periods ends, which is an ongoing cost to considered when weighing up the options.
In many ways, they operate like the best home security cameras, and smart doorbells are a different way of protecting your property. Yet, with a growth in popularity, the number of video doorbells has expanded, which means more options to choose from. For example, wired devices may require professional installation or battery-powered options that are more convenient but require regular recharging.
To help you make the decision, we have tested an array of doorbells in our homes, testing them on elements that matter to our readers and us. When new video doorbells are released, we'll call them in for review and update this guide with our learns. Keep reading to see which ones we rated highest.
The best video doorbell for 2023
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In our opinion, Arlo's first video doorbell is the best available on the market right now. If you already have other Arlo devices, it's a no-brainer; if not, it should still be top of the list of considerations.
Slim and stylish, it displays super-detailed footage. Thanks to the camera's 180-degree field of view and 1:1 aspect ratio, you can view the entire length of the person at your door, including any packages on the ground by their feet.
This is a mains-powered unit, so we'd recommend it's professionally installed, but Arlo does offer a battery-powered version called Arlo Essential Video Doorbell Wire-Free.
It's one of a handful of doorbell cameras that integrates with Alexa, Google Assistant, and HomeKit. However, you'll need to subscribe to the Arlo Secure service to get the most out of the doorbell, including features such as going back and viewing who was at the door if you missed the call and giving callers the chance to leave a message for you.
Read our full review: Arlo Video Doorbell
The Ring Video Doorbell Wired is the brand's most affordable video doorbell and offers excellent value for money. Like other Ring smart doorbells, it records clear audio and in Full HD video (color by day, black and white by night) but has a slightly narrower 155-degree field of view.
There's no option to use this Ring Video Doorbell on battery power and to make installation as simple as possible. It will stop any existing chimes you have in your home. Unfortunately, this means they won't sound when the doorbell is pressed - if you want an audible alert in your home to signal someone's at the door, you'll need to either link the doorbell to an Amazon Echo Smart speaker, if you have one or purchase the Ring Chime or Ring Chime Pro. However, while the doorbell offers Alexa integration, there's no support for Google Assistant or HomeKit.
You'd need to subscribe to Ring Protect to review who was at the door if you missed the original alert. Still, it also offers other smart features, such as setting zones, so you're only alerted about activity in these areas.
Read our full review: Ring Video Doorbell Wired
Ring's almost top-of-the-range video doorbell comes a close rival to our number 1 Arlo - with footage that's just as detailed and in the same 1:1 aspect ratio so you can see the full length of anyone on your doorstep and any packages they might have with them - although, at 150 degrees, it is a slightly smaller field of view than Arlo's rival doorbell offers.
Where it betters, its rival is with colorized night vision. The camera takes ambient light areas within its field of view and applies a simulated color to them – tinting the sky blue, for example. Of course, it doesn't create a full-color picture, but in our time with the product, we certainly found that it made night-time footage easier to decipher.
The Ring Video Doorbell Pro 2 doesn't come cheap (hence the 'premium' position), and if you're on a budget, it's worth considering its predecessor, the Ring Video Doorbell Pro, which is still available through some outlets. While it doesn't have as high a resolution or a 1:1 aspect ratio, it's still an excellent wired doorbell.
Read our full review: Ring Video Doorbell Pro 2
With not one but two cameras, one of which faces the ground, this video doorbell is ideal for anyone that gets lots of deliveries. Not only does the second camera pick up any parcels that might be at the feet of anyone at your doorstep, but handy features, including pre-record messages that can be broadcast when anyone approaches said package, are good for deterring any would-be opportunist thieves.
Like the Eufy Video Doorbell 2K (Wireless), which appears further down in this list, the Video Doorbell Dual is battery-powered, making it suitable for renters or DIY novices. Even better, it ships with a base station that offers 16GB of local storage for videos recorded by the doorbell, so no subscription is required to get the most out of it.
However, it's bulkier than many doorbells on this list, and the battery isn't swappable, unlike on the Ring Video Doorbell 4 (below), so the doorbell will be out of action when it needs recharging. Also, while it integrates with Alexa and Google Assistant, Apple fans will be dismayed to hear there's no HomeKit support. That said, this doorbell could prove invaluable if you get regular deliveries when you're not at home.
Read our full review: Eufy Video Doorbell Dual
The Nest Hello sports a similar rounded black-and-white design to the Arlo Video Doorbell. However, where it differs is that not only will it let you view who’s at your door, it will even attempt to identify them through facial recognition.
The Familiar Face function captures the faces of all who approach your door, allowing you to assign names to those you know in the app. So, the next time they arrive at your door, the app will offer up a notification identifying them. The more times a person visits, the more extensive the library of shots, thus enabling facial recognition to improve over time.
Of all the smart doorbells reviewed here, the Nest Hello, which is mains-powered, records footage at the lowest resolution. Nevertheless, we still found the image detailed enough to see who was at the door. We were also impressed with just how easy the app was to use.
As with most doorbell cameras, a subscription will be necessary to get anything more than the basics. For example, Nest Hello will save video clips of detected motion and people from the past three hours, but it will delete footage older than that unless you subscribe to Nest Aware. Also, the doorbell integrates with Google Assistant, unsurprisingly, but lacks Alexa or HomeKit integration.
Read our full review: Google Nest Hello
Ring's battery-powered smart doorbell has a larger footprint than the Video Doorbell Pro, but it continues to offer many of the same great features. It can be mains-powered if you'd prefer, and the battery is also removable, so you don't have to take the entire doorbell off the wall to recharge it.
Images cover the same 160-degree field of view. Just like the Ring Video Doorbell 3, it records clear Full HD footage and even stores the four seconds of video recorded before the motion detection was activated. Known as pre-roll, this is designed to help you identify exactly what triggered the alert - but it's in color, unlike its predecessor, which only stores black-and-white pre-roll.
As with other Ring doorbells, subscribing to Ring Protect will ensure you can access all of the smart features, including reviewing who was at the door at a later date if you missed the original alert.
There's full Amazon Alexa integration, too. So, for example, if you have an Amazon Echo in the house, you can set it to announce when the doorbell is pressed or when motion is detected and converse with the person at your door through the smart speaker – but it doesn't work with Google Assistant and HomeKit.
Read our full review: Ring Video Doorbell 4
Google also offers a battery-operated video doorbell for those who want the facial recognition of the Nest Hello (above) but don't have existing doorbell wiring. It's more affordable than its wired sibling, but there are compromises as it records footage at a lower resolution and has a narrower field of view than the Nest Hello.
That said, we still found the footage recorded during the day and at night was clear, and the battery operating means it's far easier to install than the Nest Hello, too, while the facial recognition is just as effective.
The Google Nest Doorbell (battery) will save video clips of detected motion and people from the past three hours, but it will delete footage older than that unless you subscribe to Nest Aware. As you'd expect, there's more comprehensive integration with Google Assistant than Alexa (and the doorbell doesn't work with HomeKit at all).
We were also disappointed the battery isn't swappable, like with some rival doorbells - so it will be out of action when it needs recharging.
Read our full review: Google Nest Doorbell (battery)
This is one of just two video doorbells on this list that doesn't require a subscription to review footage at a later date. Both are made by Eufy and come with a base station that offers 16GB of local storage, which equates to two weeks' worth of videos. But the base station does need to be connected to your wireless router using an Ethernet cable, so make sure you have a spare port.
However, Eufy Video Doorbell 2K is more affordable than the Eufy Video Doorbell Dual - partly because it has just one camera - it's our pick for those looking to keep their bills down to a minimum.
On test, we found the video highly detailed thanks to the 2K resolution, and a 4:3 aspect ratio means you can see the person's full length on your doorstep. It was extremely simple to install, and we found colors in the footage were more subdued than rival doorbells, and the video could lose detail in very bright situations – but it excelled in darker settings. There's also no Homekit support, but it does integrate with Alexa and Google Assistant.
Unlike Ring's battery-operated doorbells, the battery in Eufy's unit isn't removable. Instead, you'll have to physically unmount the camera to recharge the battery for around six hours every six months.
Read our full review: Eufy Video Doorbell 2K (Wireless)
How we test video doorbells
All the video doorbells which you have seen in this guide have been reviewed in the homes of our Contributors and Editors. We take testing very seriously, looking out for the things that would be important to us if we were to buy a video doorbell.
To compare the best video doorbells, we review the quality of the footage they capture both during the day and at night. We also judge the sound quality of the video, as well as when conversing in real-time with someone on the doorstep.
We also assess the ease of installation and, if relevant, the battery life, along with how simple the app is to navigate, and the benefits offered by any subscription services, such as secure storage for footage and handy features designed to identify what triggered a motion alert and reduce unwanted notifications about activity in the doorbell’s field of view.
Why do I need a video doorbell?
Until you have a video doorbell, their abilities can be somewhat over underestimated and you're going to wonder why you haven't had one outside your front door before. This is one of the few smart home devices that can suit home owners and renters alike. The main benefit is that you can see a video of who is stood outside your front door, but there are plenty of other features that you can find just as valuable.
They can answer the door when you are not in. By this we don't mean physically open the door, but you can engage in two-way talk to advise the mail man where to leave a parcel (for example). Most video doorbells also sync with other smart home devices such as security cameras and smart alarms, so long as they are by the same brand. You'll even find that you can connect each of the smart devices to your Alexa, Google Assistant or Apple Homekit so you will have the ability to respond to activity outside or inside the home without having to lift a finger. Essentially, once you've got a video doorbell, you won't go back.
How to choose the best video doorbell
What to consider when buying a video doorbell?
There are several key factors you need to consider before choosing the best video doorbell for you and your household.
Battery vs wired: Video doorbells are widely available in both battery and mains-powered options, meaning that your current preferences and setup could help you choose. For example, those who already have existing wiring for an old doorbell might find it easier to choose a hardwired option. At the same time, renters could be better suited to a battery-powered model.
If you do opt for a mains-powered doorbell and aren't completely confident about working on your home's wiring, ensure you opt for professional installation. Meanwhile, a battery-powered alternative requires far less DIY and can be a better alternative despite needing to be regularly charged.
Additional extras: However, you may need to purchase an additional chime to hear a sound inside your house when the doorbell is pressed or set up a compatible smart speaker or smart display to do this for you. The quality of the video doorbell records video in should also be considered - most record footage in Full HD. In contrast, others offer a higher resolution, which is ideal if you have a long driveway and want to clearly see small details in the field of view.
Aspect ratio: If you get a lot of deliveries, also consider a video doorbell that offers a 1:1 aspect ratio - so you’ll be able to see the full length of someone on your doorstep and if they have a package at their feet too.
Storage and subscriptions: Finally, consider how the video the camera captures is stored - does it require a subscription to save the video in the cloud so it can go back and be reviewed after it has happened? These will set you back a little extra each month, so remember to factor in this cost. Some video doorbells, such as those from Eufy, offer local storage, so you don’t have any ongoing costs associated with the camera. While others, including the Google Nest Doorbell (battery), provide free cloud storage for a limited time after the video has been recorded.
Can I use a Ring video doorbell without a subscription?
Ring video doorbells, and those from other manufacturers, can be used without a subscription, but this means you only get access to the most basic function, such as getting an alert when the doorbell is pressed and accessing a live feed from the camera. However, if you miss an alert and want to review a video from the doorbell camera at a later date, you do need to subscribe to Ring Protect or the relevant service.
These subscription services also ensure you can access handy features designed to reduce the number of false-positive alerts issued by the video doorbell, such as identifying the cause of the motion and creating activity zones, so you’re only notified about motion in these areas.
How do video doorbells work?
Video doorbells work the same way as home security cameras, connecting to your home Wi-Fi and sending a notification to your smartphone if motion is detected. You can log in and view a live feed from the camera and even converse with whoever is at your threshold. Alternatively, you can ignore the notification and review the footage at a later date.
The higher the resolution of the doorbell’s camera, the more detailed the footage. In addition, some video doorbells offer a wider field of view so you can see the full length of the person at the door and any packages they may have with them. Find out in more detail how do video doorbells work in our article.
Do video doorbells work with Alexa (and other voice assistants)?
Most video doorbells work with Alexa, and other voice assistants such as Google Assistant or HomeKit, so a compatible smart speaker in your home will announce and play an audible alert when someone is at the door and let you converse with them through the speaker. The most comprehensive Alexa integration comes from doorbells from Amazon-owned brand Ring and Blink, which has recently released its first video doorbell, the Blink Video Doorbell. Find out how the two brands compare by reading Blink vs Ring.
On top of that, if you have one of the best smart displays, such as an Amazon Echo Show 10, you can also view the doorbell's feed on its screen. A handful of video doorbells work with Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, and Apple HomeKit; others only work with one or two of these voice assistants.
- Check out the best ring video doorbell deals and prices
