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If you're like me, you get multiple packages, deliveries, and people knocking at your door every week — and you're not always there to answer your door. That's where one of the best video doorbells comes in handy. Not only can you see who's there, but you can also check if there's a parcel at your doorstep — and if someone's trying to steal it.
Or maybe you simply don't want to answer the door. I've had more than my share of solicitors trying to sell me solar panels, lawncare, and replacement windows, so rather than opening my door when someone rings, I just look at the live feed on my app to see if I recognize them. It's saved me lots of aggravation.
The best video doorbell
The third-generation Google Nest Doorbell sees a big jump in resolution from the previous model; now, you get everything in 2K, which means far sharper images, both day and night, and its wider 166-degree field of view meant that we were able to see a lot more of what was left at our doorstep. Even with the sun shining directly at the camera, it was still able to bring up details in shadowed areas well.
Nighttime video was also crisp, but the Nest Doorbell lacks color night vision, so everything you'll see will be in black and white.
Even though the Nest Doorbell's design may seem a bit minimalist, we liked how it looked against our house (and it comes in three colors, to better match your exterior).
As with many other security cameras and doorbells, Google has added AI capabilities to the Nest Doorbell, which, using Gemini, can do such things as create natural language descriptions of captured events, and allow you to find certain events more easily by describing them like "a brown dog playing with a frisbee." We found that these features worked pretty well in our testing, though it wasn't always accurate.
Of course, to use these features, you will need to sign up for Google's highest tier, which costs $20/month. However, we do like that Google does offer six hours of video history for free, something you won't get with Ring. It's not much, but it's better than nothing.
It's also worth noting that this model requires a power source to work, and while it's fully integrated with Google Home, Alexa support is much more limited.
Read our full Google Nest Doorbell (3rd generation) review.
Best video doorbell value
Wyze continues its tradition of offering great smart home products at a great price. The Wyze Battery Video Doorbell doesn't have the highest resolution among its peers, but it delivers video quality and features that make it feel a lot more than its sub-$100 price.
The Battery Video Doorbell has a resolution of 1536 x 1536 and a 150º field of view, so while not quite as expansive as the Nest, you should still see plenty of your front entryway. The quality of the video wasn't quite as sharp as the 2K and 4K cameras you'll find with Nest and Ring, but it was detailed enough for us to be able to clearly identify faces and pets, both day and night. And, it can capture color night vision as well as black-and-white video, a nice touch.
We also liked that the Wyze doorbell has local storage (up to 256GB), so you don't need to subscribe to one of Wyze's plans to save video. However, if you choose to go that route, Wyze's plans start at an affordable $2.99/month. To use all of the camera's features — such as AI for more descriptive alerts and search, you'll have to sign up for a plan that cost $20/month, the same as Ring and Nest.
Wyze's doorbell can run on battery power, though based on our testing, it will be far short of the company's six-month claim. Still, you can also hardwire the camera, and use the battery as a backup. And, it works with both Alexa and Google Home. All in all, a great deal for less than $100.
Read our full Wyze Battery Video Doorbell review.
Best video doorbell without subscription
Package theft is an all-too-common problem, and the best video doorbells have adapted with cameras that have a more vertical field of view, so you can better see more of your front porch.
The Eufy Video Doorbell Dual takes things one step further, with a second camera that points directly downward, giving you the clearest view possible. What's more, it also comes with package detection, so you'll get an alert when something gets dropped off. Yes, the picture you get in the app looks a little funny, as half of the screen shows you the view from the top camera, while the bottom half shows the view from the bottom camera, but in our tests, it worked flawlessly, giving us the best view of packages we've seen from any video doorbell we tested.
Even better: You get all this without needing to pay a monthly subscription fee, which is a rarity among the best video doorbells.
We also liked that the Eufy saved video to a local, secure base, so that it can continue to record video even if your internet connection goes down. Yes, the Eufy costs more upfront, but it could save you money in the long-term.
Read our full Eufy Video Doorbell Dual review.
Best battery-powered
The Ring Battery Doorbell Plus is only the second of Ring's video doorbells that offers a head-to-toe view of your front door — and is the first battery-powered model to do so. And, it's one of the few Ring doorbells with package detection, so you'll know when there's a delivery at your door.
The Ring Battery Doorbell Plus delivered a sharp and clear image, and visitors could hear us clearly. Unlike most other video doorbells with batteries, we also liked that the Ring's battery was removable, so that we didn't need to take the entire unit off our door when it needed a recharge.
Our only real issue was that the package detection could be a bit spotty at times. And, there's no local storage, so if your internet connection goes down, it won't record who's at your door. Otherwise, we came away impressed with all it could do.
If you want to go with an upgrade pick, the Ring Battery Doorbell Pro ($229) has all of the features of the Ring Battery Doorbell Plus, but also includes 3D Motion Detection and Bird's Eye view, two features found on the more premium Ring Video Doorbell Pro 2.
Read our full Ring Battery Doorbell Plus review.
Best video quality
With its 4K camera, the 3rd-generation Ring Wired Doorbell Pro delivered the best video we've seen from a doorbell cam. Its Retina View not only made for great, crisp images, but was also much better at high dynamic range, which meant that our bright porch lights didn't blow out everything further in our yard. It was much easier to see what was going on farther away from our front stoop, especially at night.
The 3rd-gen Ring Wired Doorbell Pro is a lot smarter too, thanks to Alexa+, Amazon's AI-powered voice assistant. This doorbell supports Familiar Faces, so it can recognize friends and family, and even deliver custom greetings on the fly. We also found that this doorbell delivered far fewer false alerts than our previous model.
Like most of Ring's other video doorbells, this model also supports package detection and has a removable faceplate, so you can customize its look to your home's color, or pick a seasonal theme.
However, this is a hardwired-only video doorbell, so there's no battery backup, nor is there local storage — so if your power and internet goes out, you're out of luck. And, to use all of its features, you're going to need a Ring subscription, which starts at $4.99/month.
Read our full Ring Wired Doorbell Pro (3rd gen) review.
Best Homekit-compatible video doorbell
The Ecobee Smart Doorbell Camera is one of a very limited number of video doorbells that works with Apple's HomeKit. It's also the least expensive and most fully-featured of the bunch, too, with head-to-toe video and person and package detection.
We really liked the image quality from the Ecobee, as well as the fact that we could answer the video doorbell not just from our phone, but also our Apple Watch and Amazon smart displays. And, as of May 7, 2025, it finally added support for Google Home.
Its package detection was also really helpful, as was a beta feature that automatically pans and zooms in on a subject as they approached our front door.
Unlike the Logitech Circle View Doorbell, which lets you use your Apple iCloud account to store video, Ecobee requires that you use its own subscription service (starting at $5/month) if you want to save videos and have access to such features as package detection. That's not as competitive as some of the other video doorbells on this page — Ring and Wyze, to name two — but it's the price you pay if you want something that works with HomeKit and has package detection.
Read our full Ecobee Smart Doorbell Camera review.
Video doorbells compared
| Row 0 - Cell 0 | Power | Video resolution | Field of view | Package detection |
Ring Battery Doorbell Plus | Battery/wired | 1536 x 1536 | 180° diag. | Yes w/ subscription |
Wyze Video Doorbell Pro | Battery/wired | 1440p | 150° x 150° | Yes w/ subscription |
Eufy Video Doorbell Dual | Battery/wired | Front Camera 2K (2560 ×1920), Package Camera 1080p (1600 × ️1200) | Front Camera 160°, Package Camera 97° | Yes |
Nest Doorbell (battery) | Battery/wired | 960 x 1280 | 145º | Yes w/ subscription |
Ring Video Doorbell (2nd gen) | Battery/wired | 1080p | 160º | Yes w/ subscription |
Ring Video Doorbell Pro 2 | Wired | 1536 x 1536 | 150° x 150° | Yes w/ subscription |
Ring Wired Doorbell Pro (gen 3) | Wired | 4K | 140° x 140° | Yes w/ subscription |
Ecobee Smart Doorbell Camera | Wired | 1080p | 175º vert | Yes w/ subscription |
Arlo Video Doorbell 2K | Battery/wired | 2K (1944 x 1944) | 180º (diagonal) | Yes w/ subscription |
Also tested
This video doorbell has everything we loved with the Battery Doorbell Plus, but adds 3D motion tracking, which is a nice-to-have but not necessary feature for most. And, as with all Ring cameras, you'll need a subscription to save videos.
Read our full Ring Battery Doorbell Pro review
This video doorbell also doubles as a smart lock, so you can keep your door jamb free from extra hardware. It has a 2K camera, but it's not vertically oriented, so you won't see if someone's left a package. And, it's not very obvious that you need to press a button on the lock to ring the bell.
Read our full Eufy E330 review.
This doorbell is essentially the Ring Wired Doorbell Pro, but with a lower-resolution 2K camera. If you want to save yourself $70, then this is the Ring camera to pick up. Just know that you'll need a subscription, and there's no battery backup.
Read our full Ring Wired Doorbell Plus review.
How to choose the best video doorbell
Battery vs. Wired
Video doorbells come in one of two varieties: Wired or battery powered (Some, like the the Nest Doorbell (battery) can do both). If you're replacing a traditional doorbell, a wired video doorbell makes the most sense; you just have to make sure that there's enough power going to the doorbell. Typically, there will be an 16-24V transformer providing power, which should be enough for most video doorbells.
If you're planning to install a video doorbell where there is no existing wiring, buying a battery-powered model is far easier (and cheaper) than hiring an electrician. Just remember that a battery-powered video doorbell will have to be recharged occasionally. Some, such as the Ring Battery Doorbell Plus and Pro, have a replaceable battery, so there's no downtime while you're juicing it back up. Some companies also sell solar panels that can help keep the video doorbell's battery charged.
Doorbell placement
Your choice of doorbells will also depend on whether you're replacing an existing doorbell or installing a doorbell where there isn't one already. In general, though, you want the doorbell to be about 4 feet off the ground, so it's high enough to see everything well, but not too high so that its button is hard to push for shorter individuals.
Field of View
Do you want a narrow view of just the person at the door, or do you want to see everything around your entryway? Some video doorbells will offer a wide, landscape view, while others have a portrait orientation; the latter is especially useful for seeing packages dropped off close to your door.
Video Resolution
The higher the resolution, the sharper the image, which will make it easier to identify people at your door. Most video doorbells now have at least a resolution of 1080p, but it's also worth checking the framerate of the video - the higher the number, the clearer the video should be.
Package, person, and animal detection
It's good to know more than just that there's something at your door; better video doorbells can tell you if a person is approaching, if there's an animal, or if a package has been left at your doorstep. While this feature used to be relatively rare, it's now fairly common among the best video doorbells. Unless you're in the market for a budget model, it's a feature we recommend you get.
Artificial Intelligence
Like everything else, video doorbells are starting to incorporate AI into their apps; in this case, it's being used to make it easier for you to identify objects and subjects in your video footage. For example, Ring has an AI Smart Video Search feature, as does Wyze. While it's more applicable for home security cameras where you might record hours of video, it could be useful for your video doorbell, too.
Audio
When the first video doorbells came on the market, they had what's called "half-duplex" audio. That means that when someone is speaking, the other person has to wait until they can be heard. Newer video doorbells now have "full duplex" audio, so you can carry on a conversation as if the person were right in front of you.
Night Mode
The video doorbells we tested take different approaches to capturing video at night. The majority will have infrared LEDs to provide black-and-white videos, but some also have color night vision; the latter can be somewhat less sharp, but you can make out the color of what someone is wearing.
Local vs. Cloud Storage
Video doorbells will store recorded video in a few ways. The two most popular are cloud storage and locally on the video doorbell itself (some models will store video locally, but on a base station in your home). There are advantages and disadvantages to both: If a video doorbell uses cloud storage, then it won't save video if your Internet connection goes down. If a video doorbell has local storage, if someone steals your doorbell, then they can potentially see all your footage.
Subscription fees
Like the best home security cameras, many video doorbells require that you sign up for a monthly or yearly subscription if you want to use cloud storage or access all of the doorbell's features (such as package detection). Typically, a subscription will start at around $3/month; for more details, check out our guide to security camera storage plans compared.
Design
Aesthetics may be a concern. After all, you're bolting this thing to the front of your house! The Ring Pro looks the most like a traditional doorbell, and Ring even includes four faceplates, so you can choose which matches your house's trim or paint one exactly the shade you like.
Video doorbells vs. security cameras
Video doorbells don't necessarily make the best home security cameras. While the apps let you choose to receive motion alerts as well as doorbell alerts, motion-triggered events often resulted in video of a person or car just exiting the frame.
A dedicated home security camera may be a better choice if you're looking for actual security, because you can position such a camera in more places. And when you get a motion alert, you can back up the video and see what happened before the alert came in.
Privacy and law enforcement issues
In most cases, companies that make video doorbells will not share video with law enforcement unless compelled to do so by court order. However, some companies — most notably Ring and Nest — have policies where they will share video without an owner's consent and without their knowledge, if the company deems the incident to be time-sensitive.
If you do not want your video shared without your consent, you have several options. Arlo and Wyze stated that they do not provide user data without a warrant or court order. Video doorbells that use Apple's iCloud to store video — such as the Logitech Circle View — and Eufy's cameras store user footage through end-to-end encryption, so they cannot even provide user footage to law enforcement even if they wanted to.
Additionally, you can set up end-to-end encryption on Ring video doorbells, though by enabling this feature, you will disable a number of other Ring camera features.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to install a video doorbell?
Most video doorbells are designed to be self-installed. However, you can hire an electrician to install a video doorbell; costs will vary by region and the complexity of your setup, but we would estimate that it should cost no more than around $200. Some video doorbell companies have partnerships with professional installers. For instance, Ring has partnered with On Tech, which charges $129 to install a Ring video doorbell.
What is the voltage of a video doorbell?
Most wired video doorbells are designed to work on a 16-24 volt circuit — the same as traditional doorbells. Typically, the wires leading to your doorbell will provide the appropriate amount of electricity. If you're unsure, you can use a volt meter to determine if too much or too little power is going to the doorbell.
Can a video doorbell be stolen?
Sadly, yes. Thieves or vandals could rip a video doorbell off your door. However, many video doorbells have measures to help prevent this. For instance, many require you to use a security screw to keep it in place, which requires a special screwdriver provided by the manufacturer.
How we test video doorbells
To test video doorbells, we self-install the devices on houses and tested in real-world conditions with friends and family ringing the bells day and night. Then, we evaluate them on several criteria:
Installation
To start, we evaluate the ease with which the video doorbell can be installed. This includes the physical installation — are the instructions clear? Are all the necessary tools included? — as well as the process of connecting the video doorbell to our home Wi-Fi network, and to the app itself.
Sometimes, video doorbells will need you to add extra adapters to your existing wiring, as well as wedges so that the camera is pointed in the right direction. This can add both time and complexity.
Video quality
Of course, we also look at video and audio quality, both during the day and during the night. Is it easy to recognize a person's facial features while they're moving? How clearly can we hear them, and how clearly can they hear us? And, how quickly does the camera start recording video once it senses movement?
Additionally, we look at the orientation of the video itself. When video doorbells first appeared, they used traditional rectangular cameras, which were great for a wide view, but didn't let you see what was directly in front of your door.
Now, the majority of video doorbell cameras have a more vertical orientation, so that while you don't get as wide a view, you can see more of your doorstep — which is where packages are most often dropped. We much prefer this view.
Features
Nest, we examine the video doorbell app itself. How many features does it have compared to the competition? How easy are those features to set up and configure? For instance, many video doorbells let you adjust their sensitivity, so you're not bombarded with notifications every time a car drives by your house.
We also give extra marks to video doorbells that offer package detection. It's good to know when something has been left — and if something has been stolen!
Subscription costs
Many video doorbells also require a subscription to access features and save video recordings. We factor in the cost of the subscription, as well as what you get for the price. (Our guide to the best security camera storage plans breaks everything down in detail).
Smart Home compatibility
We also factor in interoperability and compatibility with other smart home devices and security systems. For a video doorbell to be truly part of a smart home, it has to be able to talk to your other smart home devices.
Alexa and Google Home are considered table stakes; ones that are compatible with Apple Home are not as common.
For more details on our reviews process, please check out the Tom's Guide How We Test page.
More from Tom's Guide
If you're looking to outfit your entire house with the latest tech, check out our other smart home guides.
