Looking for the best smart video doorbell on the market? Then you in the right place! Here you will find review and comparison of the top wireless video doorbells:
People are adding different smart devices to their homes like smart cameras, smart thermostats, smart home hubs, and other gadgets. And I always advise you to get a smart doorbell first to secure your home and always know who is at your door.
I tested many non-smart wireless doorbells and different video and smart doorbells, and now it’s time to compare the top ones from the list. Here you find out how the new August Doorbell vs Ring Pro vs Skybell HD compared to each other in multiple tests.
Wireless Video Doorbells
Let’s first talk about different types of best video doorbells. Doorbell camera system options are a hit today. A simple push of a button can just give you all the information you need about the visitor at your door. So what makes wireless video doorbells such a neat concept. Well, now you have wireless technology that is constantly updated to make home security systems more efficient. This wireless video-door-phone intercom system of home automation uses no wires and a good WiFi connection to give you all the access to your home locks even when you are away. Check out some of our video doorbell intercoms reviews to know more about this.
And if you are wondering is there a doorbell camera that works without wifi then yes, there are may different doorbells, but the are not top choice.
Video intercom systems are easy to install, come with kits that solve the trouble for you and are some of the coolest items on the market today. We bring you some of the most informative wireless video doorbell reviews to understand the need for the technology in your home.
Types of Wireless Video Doorbells
- Two-way Audio and Video Communication – These video doorbell cameras that allow you to speak to the visitor as you answer the ring. You can use them from anywhere in the world on your phone by using techniques like MyQ technology. Some options come with a video door phone intercom system with two monitors. This is one of the most popular categories when you want something suitable while you travel. So, you have a doorbell with a camera and an intercom.
- Night Vision – Not only does this video doorbell come with an impeccable doorbell security camera, but some come with a perfect night vision feature. This allows you to see a person as clearly in low light too. So when you use your video doorbell intercom, you can see who is at the door even in low light. This is a feature that most people choose if they are working at night or want proper supervision in low light too.
- Wireless doorbell system with light indicator – You will also spot some video intercom doorbell options that come with indicators. Every time you have a visitor, there is a notification on your phone. This takes a few seconds, and the notification light also turns on if there is any movement around the door, even if the guest does not ring the bell. When you choose from the video doorbells, you will find that many users prefer this feature over any other video intercom system.
- Installation – The wireless video intercom system options are now coming with an easy DIY system that does not require you to do anything when it’s about installing it. They can be mounted easily and are easy to install. In some cases, there are video doorbells that come with the complete package that allows you to simply plug in the Bell and the rest is taken care of.
- Touch Screen – Among the slew of great options in video doorbells are some that come with touch mechanics. Using these is a breeze. So you are not struggling to push a button at all times to answer, but these are more elegant looking models that blend well with the interiors too. The doorbell wireless buttons are quite smooth.
Top Rated Video Doorbells Reviews 2023
First, let’s take a look at the table below of wireless video doorbells we reviewed on our website.
Smart Doorbells | Video Quality | Field of View | Live Video Feed | Motion Detection | Our Rating | Price | Our Reviews |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Smart Doorbells | Video Quality | Field of View | Live Video Feed | Motion Detection | Our Rating | Price | Our Reviews |
Ring Doorbell Pro | 1080p | 160º | Yes | Yes | 4.2 | $$$$ | |
Ring Doorbell | 720p | 180º | No | Yes | 3.6 | $$$ | |
Skybell HD | 1080p | 180º | Yes | Yes | 3.8 | $$$ | |
August Doorbell Cam | 960p | 140º | Yes | No | 2.5 | $$$ | |
SkyBell | 480 | 140º | Yes | Yes | 3 | $$$ |
Design
Home automation gadgets tend to have a modern, sleek look, and all 4 video doorbells look like technology from the future.
- Ring doorbell was the first wireless video doorbell on the market and have a bulky, but still stylish design. It’s a little bulky compared with others, but it’s a great job.
- Ring pro model has a smaller design with 4 different interchangeable color panels. You can match the doorbell color to your house or front door color. Also good to mention that it does remind me like a real doorbell and looks more familiar.
- Skybell HD doorbell has a similar round silver metallic design like the previous generation Skybell and Skybell v2.
- August doorbell looks more solid and feels heavier which makes it looks more expensive and cool. You can choose between a couple of colors to order. I got a metallic color to match with others.
I love the design of August doorbell, but if you can’t get the matching color to match your house, then the 2nd choice will be Ring Pro video doorbell.
Best Doorbell Design: August Doorbell
Specifications Comparison
Installations
Wireless video doorbells are the new piece of technology for the smart home, and it should be easy to install without cutting wires. I prefer to plug and play gadgets so even my grandma will be able to figure out how to install it.
To fully function all of them require the external power source like an existing doorbell (mechanical or electrical) or transformer. Except for Ring doorbell also has a battery which can last up to 1 year before you need to recharge it.
Let’s talk about each doorbell installation:
- Ring video doorbell can be hooked up with existing doorbell wiring or with external power source 16-24VAC. If you don’t have any existed doorbell then you in luck and can just charge it with a micro USB cable and attach to the wall.
- Ring Pro includes an advanced power kit that you will need to use to hook up with either existed video doorbell wires or external 16-24VAC transformer. Power kit will help to stabilize power from the source and make sure the doorbell will get the exact power that it needs.
- Skybell HD also needs to be connected to either the existed doorbell or external power source. But to if you would like to power with external source then you will need a diode/resistor for it which sold separately.
- August doorbell doesn’t need any diodes or resistors and like other ones you can either connect the device to existed doorbell wires or external 16-24VAC power source.
All video doorbells come with the screws, screwdriver and other accessories necessary to attach it in front of your door.
After you powered up the doorbell, you will need to download an app for your iOS/Android device and follow steps to setup.
Easy to Install Doorbell: Ring Doorbell
Video Quality
I set up everything on one box then connected 3 devices with 3 external AC power adapters and Ring doorbell working just on battery.
You can see the image below how they look in action.
- Skybell HD comes with a 1080p HD video camera and has almost the best video quality. As you can see from the screenshot below the image is clear and colorful. Also viewing angles are great
- Ring doorbell has a 720p wifi doorbell camera system which is not full HD video, but good enough to see who is nearby your door. But by surprise has great viewing angles and high brightness.
- Ring Pro delivers superior 1080p HD video quality comparing to Ring doorbell but has smaller viewing angles and video also darker than non-pro version.
- August Doorbell Cam has a decent camera that delivers 960p video quality. The field of view angles is the worst of all four cameras.
All doorbells support zoom in/out function in video view.
From all of the video doorbell cameras reviews I can say Skybell HD is the winner in this test.
Best Doorbell Camera Quality: Skybell HD
Livestream
Almost all of the video doorbells support a live field of view except Ring video doorbell. Of course, the live stream isn’t perfect, and each video doorbell has some issues.
In our test, we found Skybell HD has the fastest live stream with minimal delay. The 2nd place is Ring Pro which has around 0.5 – 1-second video delay and last place August doorbell which has the slowest live stream about 2 seconds delay.
Best Real-Time Livestream Doorbell: Skybell HD
Motion Detecting
Motion detecting features will notify you of people or animals near your door and also record video.
- Skybell HD comes with the motion-detecting feature, and you can enable it and set up sensitivity which approximately will trigger 5 – 10 feet from the video doorbell. Unfortunately, it doesn’t support facial recognition yet.
- Ring and Ring Pro comes with an advanced motion detecting feature where you can set up which areas to track. Ring Pro has a superior interface where you can set up with wireframe multiples locations to track.
- Where the Rings doorbell you can only setup which location to track and how far away. See the screenshot below.
- August doorbell comes with a metal detector sensor, but unfortunately, the app currently doesn’t support. But they are working on it and will unlock this feature in the future updates.
Best Motion Detection Doorbell: Ring and Ring Pro
Night Vision
Another test I did is, of course, to run video at night and check how we can see what’s going on outside.
- August Doorbell Cam doesn’t have any light or infrared night vision LED, and it performs poorly at night. If there is no lighting available around then, you won’t see anything. It will work great if you combine with external light which will trigger when the doorbell ringer button pressed.
- Ring Doorbell has an LED ring around the button light up at night when in use. It does help to see what’s going on outside and who is by your door
- Ring Doorbell Pro has an infrared LED vision. You won’t see everything in colors, but the picture is clearer compared to the Ring doorbell.
- Skybell HD has a clear, colorful picture at night and this because it has the very bright led light on the top of the doorbell and another one around the push button which helps to deliver very clear video at night.
As you can see Skybell HD delivers a better image just because of powerful LED light coming from it, but it’s super bright and in my opinion to bright for the eyes of your guests. Otherwise Ring Pro will work great without any light and no eye irritation.
Best Video Doorbell at Night Time: Skybell HD
Audio Quality
The audio quality of the smart video doorbell is worth considering when you are choosing between top smart doorbells models and here what I found.
I found the interesting thing where audio-only delays from the video doorbell to the cell phone. But from cell phone to doorbells there are almost no audio delays.
- August doorbell has the biggest delay among all of them that we tested. The sound delay is about 1-2 seconds apart which is crucial when you are communicating with someone in front of your door. But the sound quality is good overall.
- Skybell HD has a sound delay in about 1 second which makes is the 2nd choice, but the overall sound quality is great.
- Ring & Ring Pro are leaders in sound response and sound quality. Sound delay almost doesn’t exist, and we were happy with the audio quality as well.
Overall all doorbells have a sound quality almost the same, and I was able to hear clear on both ends.
Best Audio Quality Doorbell: Ring & Ring Pro
Apps
Each company developed apps for Android and iOS where you can control your smart doorbell and get a quick notification when someone presses the video doorbell button.
I used 2 devices to test doorbells:
- iOS 9.3.5 – iPad mini 2
- Android 4.4 – Oppo R5s
Let’s talk about each app separately
Skybell HD App
HD version got the new dedicated app for it and offers plenty of different features.
- Wath live stream and talk.
- Take a picture of the current video view.
- Watch previously recorded videos for the last seven days.
- Manage multiple Skybells.
- Integrate with Nest, IFTTT, and Kevo.
- You can change the LED color which super cool I think.
- Turn on/off motion detection and sensitivity.
- Turn on/off the indoor chime.
- Regulate the volume of the outdoor chime
- Change image quality with 4 options: 480p, 720p (good), 720p (better) and 1080p HD video. For reducing data usage.
- Specify the different types of notification to push when: button pressed, motion detected and if device went offline.
I had some issues with the app and connecting to iOS and Android at the same time. Sometimes it gives me an error that already in use or unable to connect.
Ring App
It has all kinds of features implemented in one place.
- You can add multiple Ring and Ring Pro and manage them from one app. And also specify an address where exactly the doorbell located.
- You can add and integrate with different partners like ADT Pulse, Wemo, Lockstate, Kevo, Wink, Kisi, and Lockitron.
- You can see all history and view: Rings, Motion detections, and Live Views.
- Ring doorbells come with 30 days trial for cloud storage and then you can set up payment service to store, view all videos for the last 6 months.
- You can set up for each doorbell Ring Alerts and Motion Alerts.
- Link indoor chimes that you can buy from them.
- The only three differences in application between Ring & Ring Pro:
- Ring Pro has a live view feature and Ring doesn’t.
- Ring Pro has a better motion detector interface and setup.
- You can see the battery life of Ring doorbell, and you will know when it’s time to re-charge it.
August Home App
You can control the August and August smart lock within their app, and it’s perfect when you have both smart gadgets for your house. The only thing I didn’t like that for iOS app only made for iPhones and not for iPad which is no big deal just graphic looks little off. But I think developers are working on the iPad only app and will release it soon.
- You can set up and control Doorbell Cam and Smart Lock within the app for multiple houses.
- You can give smart lock access to your friends and family.
- Integrate with Nest Cam outdoor or indoor and with Nest Thermostat, Harmony System, Xfinity Home system and Airbnb. I guess it’s perfect if you have Airbnb property for rent.
- You can watch a live stream and talk with people through the app.
- You can see all activity and history.
- Ability to check battery charge and Wi-Fi signal.
- Configure speaker volume.
- Turn on/off doorbell cam chime.
- Notify when the doorbell went offline.
Response time
I didn’t see any delay in response time. All devices work great with iOS and Android devices.
Cloud Video Storage
If you would like to store and view videos from the device, then you will need to have cloud video storage.
Ring offers 30 days trial and then it’s $3/month if you would like to store videos for 6 months. If you only need 7 days of video storage, then Skybell offers it for free.
There are also ways to set up a home DVR system to store all videos for free in house network.
Best Doorbell App: Ring
Compatibility with Other Devices
- Skybell works with Nest products which can show a warning and trigger a smoke alarm from Nest Protect’s smoke alarm. Turn on Nest Camera automatically when Skybell triggers motion detection. It also works with Kevo smart lock, and you can open your door lock when you are using the Skybell app. And if you like to play with IFTTT the Skybell supports it, and you can configure different types of situations and combine other smart home devices.
- Ring can be integrated with a variety of home automation gadgets and especially with Amazon Echo Show. You can connect to smart locks and after you can operate with your door locks through the live video feed. Or you can connect the doorbell app to Wemo and Wink systems to turn off/on power outlets and light switches.
- August Doorbell works mainly with August smart lock and also support other products from Nest, Harmony, and Xfinity home system. You can set up nest cameras and view them directly from the August app and also check the current home temperature.
Best Compatibility Doorbell: Skybell HD because it supports IFTTT.
What is the best video doorbell on the market?
if you are looking for top quality, with a lot of features and easy to use best video doorbell then I will tell you my choice below where I compared main competitors Ring Pro and Skybell HD.
Also, I am planning to make a video comparison which I will post soon and I am planning to include some other smart doorbells. If you have any requests, suggestions what would you like to see in the video or which doorbell you would like to compare please leave the comment.
Meantime, I can recommend watching the video comparison below as well:
Skybell HD vs Ring Pro
It’s hard to decide which smart doorbell to choose, and right now I am considering Ring Pro vs Skybell HD.
Ring Pro has better audio quality, motion detection is the best among others and also the app which never let me down. Video quality is great, but not the best. It does work with a lot of different smart home gadgets but doesn’t support IFTTT yet.
Skybell HD delivers the best colorful videos in day and night time, and it works with IFTTT. Also worth to consider it because it does come with seven days of free cloud storage for the videos. The audio is a little bit slow and the motion detector isn’t configurable like Ring Pro and a big minus for me was the issue with the app sometimes.
The big cons right now that neither of them supports facial recognition yet.
Which one will I choose between them? I will go with Ring Pro doorbell because I like how it looks and video quality is enough for me and has perfect audio quality without delays.
Best Smart Doorbell for the Money
If you are on the budget and trying to save some money, then the best camera doorbell for the money will be Ring Video Doorbell. It has good video and audio quality with a fast app response. It also shares the same app as Ring Pro.
Ring vs Skybell
The only major differences between Ring Pro vs Ring doorbell is video quality and motion-detecting functions.
Another reason why I like Ring doorbell it because you can just charge it once a year and don’t need to cut any wires in the house and just charge it and attach it to the house wall at the front door.
Why didn’t I choose Skybell HD? Because it’s more expensive and the only significant difference between Ring vs Skybell l is video quality, but the price tag is bigger.
Conclusion
It all comes with which functionality you need or like the most of the doorbell and how much money you would like to spend.
If you are ok with the video quality of Ring doorbell and don’t need an advanced motion detecting system, then it will do all the job for you. And you don’t need to cut any wires because it does have a built-in rechargeable battery.
If you are looking for better video quality and motion detecting, then you can pick up Ring Pro doorbell.
Need cloud video storage, but you don’t want to pay for it then your best bet will be Skybell HD.
And the August doorbell cam has the best design and will be a great choice for people who already own will get the smart lock from them.
There are many other doorbells on the market that people interested to compare. Many readers asked me to review first generations of Skybell, Vivint doorbell camera, Doorbird vs Ring, Zmodo vs Ring and even to compare hidden doorbell Kuna vs Ring doorbell. I didn’t include comparing the 1st and 2nd generation of Skybell vs Ring doorbell in this review because I didn’t have currently and the quality wasn’t there in this model to compete. Also, I decided didn’t include Zmodo doorbell since reviews aren’t good online, but I will plan to add it in the future. I am interested in getting my hand on Kuna doorbell since it’s hidden and it also comes with external lighting.
Thank you for reading my comparison of top video doorbells. I hope you decided which doorbell to get after reading this smart doorbell reviews. Please leave a comment on which doorbell you bought or would like to buy and why and also let me know if you have any questions. here!
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