The best video doorbell means you’ll never miss a delivery again - as you can see and speak to anyone on your doorstep, even when you’re not close by. So whether it’s asking the delivery person to leave the package in a safe location, or simply avoiding having to deal with cold callers, the best video doorbells can make life easier.
The best video doorbells use Wi-Fi and will send a notification to your smartphone when the doorbell is pressed. The built-in microphone and speaker means you converse with whoever is your threshold in real-time. Doorbell cameras come in two types; those that require existing doorbell wiring and can trigger any existing chimes you have installed, and those that are battery-operated.
Far easier to install, not to mention being a great option for renters, battery-powered video doorbells do require an additional chime if you want an audible alert in your home when the smart doorbell is pressed. However, most brands offer a relatively affordable plug-in chime, which will suffice. Alternatively, if you have a compatible smart speaker you can also set this to make a sound when the doorbell is pressed.
Just like the best home security cameras, video doorbells will also alert you about motion detected in the doorbell camera’s field of view, as well as when the doorbell is pressed, so you can log in and view the live feed from your smartphone, or a compatible smart display if you have one in your home.
If you miss the alert, smart doorbells will also record and store the footage in a secure area online so it can be reviewed at a later date, although many models require an additional subscription to do this.
You can also set video doorbells to work with other smart home devices to strengthen your home security strategy - such as being able to get your smart lights to illuminate and a smart lock to bolt your front door if motion is detected by the doorbell camera.
There’s plenty of choices when it comes to doorbell cameras; with brands such as Ring offering a range of models, alongside rivals from Google, Arlo and Eufy. We’ve tested an array of designs, living with them in our homes and using them to converse with people on our doorstep, both when we’re at home and when we’re not close-by, to help you decide which is the best video doorbell for you.
UPDATE: The Blink Video Doorbell - the first from the Amazon-owned security firm - has recently gone on sale in the US. The doorbell costs $49.99 / £49.99 records HD video when pressed or when motion is detected, and can either be mains-powered or battery-operated. We’ll be putting it to the test very soon, and we’re also keeping an eye out for a UK release date for the doorbell too.
The best video doorbell of 2022
How we test video doorbells
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 the 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.
Best Video Doorbell FAQs
What to consider when buying a video doorbell?
There are some aspects that you need to consider before buying the best video doorbell for you.
Video doorbells are available in both mains-powered and battery-operated options, but your current set-up will determine which option you choose; those with existing wired doorbells will easily be able to switch out their current model for a mains-powered video doorbell, and will ensure an existing chime in your home is triggered when the doorbell is pressed. If you don’t feel confident working on your home’s wiring, and you don’t have the relevant qualifications, then it’ll need to be professionally installed.
If you’re renting or you don’t have an existing wired doorbell, a battery-operated model that is powered by rechargeable batteries and requires far less DIY, is a better alternative to wired counterparts. However you may need to purchase an additional chime so you 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 the video doorbell records video in should also be considered - most record footage in Full HD, while others offer a higher resolution, which is ideal if you have a long driveway and want to see small details in the field of view clearly. 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, as well as if they have a package at their feet too.
Finally, consider how video the camera captures is stored - does it require a subscription to save video in the cloud so it can go back and be reviewed after it has happened. These start from $2.99 / £2.49 / AU$4.49 per 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) offer 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. If you miss an alert and want to review 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 in much the same way as home security cameras, by 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 recorded. 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 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