Ring vs Simplisafe Video Doorbell – Which Brand is Better?
Days had gone when people relished on traditional doorbells. The surveys have also shown that the percentage rate at which Americans are using smart home technologies is growing year by year. The ‘smart era’ with the evolution of ‘smart homes and interiors’ needs a ‘smart doorbell’ to facilitate life. With this revolution, a lot of smart doorbells are available on the market, making you spoiled for choice.
The Ring (now taken by Amazon), one of the earliest smart doorbell introducing companies, has marked the market with many lines of smart doorbells. On the other hand, Simplisafe, with its one and only Pro version of the smart doorbell, has made itself worthy enough to compete itself with other smart doorbells in the market.
The comparison between Ring and Simplisafe is going to deal with their latest models released in the market. The Ring has introduced its 2020 doorbell model (Ring Doorbell Gen 2) recently during mid-year. The model is an upgraded takeover of the previous first generation.
Initially released in the year 2018, the SimpliSafe only doorbell (Simplisafe Doorbell Pro) was a competitive entry to the market. But the quality features made it alive to be in the list of best pick, even though the years have passed.
 |  |
|---|---|
| RING GEN 2 | SIMPLISAFE PRO |
| BUY NOW | BUY NOW |
| PROS | PROS |
| Privacy Zone settings. Simple and Easy Installation. 1080 pixel high-quality video experience. Compatible with Amazon Alexa and its voice commands. 60-day money-back guarantee. | 1080p HDR image resolution. Passive Infrared (PI) Motion Sensor. Compatible with Simplisafe home security systems. Clear infrared night vision. Avoids unwanted motion detection. |
| CONS | CONS |
| Non-removable Battery. You need to pay to get access to recording features. | Requires subscription to have recorded videos. Doesn’t support voice commands or IFTTT. Requires hardwiring. Cloud Storage is Expensive. |
RING VIDEO DOORBELL GEN 2
Ring Video Doorbell Gen 2, also known as Ring Doorbell Second Generation, is the cheapest option available to enter the Ring doorbell this year 2020. The other two models (Ring Doorbell 3 and Ring Doorbell 3 plus), which were released earlier to Gen 2 in the same year, are with a few more upgrades than this doorbell, hence will cost you higher.
You can notably expect from the original Generation 1 model improved night vision, higher resolution video, and improved motion detection.
SIMPLISAFE VIDEO DOORBELL PRO
The only doorbell option from the SimpliSafe is indeed loaded with most of the Pro features that guarantee smart performance. Simplicity is what drives this doorbell to be a good valued product in the market.
Comparison Between Ring Video Doorbell Gen 2 and Simplisafe Video Doorbell Pro
The models by these brands will leave you into approach-approach conflicts. The exact comparison between these models with their available features will help you make a proper decision before purchasing the doorbell.
Installation
Mode of Installation is one of the key factors to consider before going for a particular doorbell. The details will help you know whether you can do it yourself with ease or need a professional electrician to fix the doorbell in your house. The latter will cost your money, so it’s better to choose the first one. The modern doorbells will not require breaking your walls or extra wiring to fix. So, you don’t need to worry about any extra hassle in your house.
The Ring Video Doorbell Gen 2 comes with a mounting bracket or frame that needs to mount on your door frame or the area you wish. The mounting bracket will act as a base to clip on your Ring Doorbell Gen 2. The new mounting bracket design makes removing of the doorbell easier, and also its installation. The screws will help to clip and snap the doorbell into the bracket. Finally, you can also secure the fittings with the last touch with two screws at the doorbell base. These prevent any unknown person from removing the doorbell. You can also hardwire the doorbell into the existing doorbell connection. You need to connect the wires into the doorbell screws present at the backside before clipping it into the bracket. The kit comes with a level, screwdriver, and a drill bit (if you need to drill the wall).
In contrast to wireless Ring Doorbell Gen 2, the SimpliSafe Video Doorbell Pro needs wiring to establish and set up the doorbell into your house door. Hardwiring can be done if you have an existing doorbell wiring (8- 24 VAC). Alternatively, you need to have a new wire system installed in the house to make the doorbell work. Those who know basic wiring techniques can easily install the doorbell. Though it’s easy to install, some may need to get the help of a veteran in this field, or you can go for a professional technician. Since hardwiring is required, it may not be an ideal option for renters. But it depends on the user, whether they consider this feature to be a boon or bane. The company claims that anyone can install the doorbell within 30 minutes. For angle surface mounting, wedge mounts are also included in the kit. After proper installation, you may require a few minutes to allow the camera battery to get charged up through a wire source.
Design
Though it’s not that much important feature and varies with personal choices, it still pops out in the conversation. Since the doors are the main entryway to your house, the design must also be appealing enough to impress the guests.
You’ll get Ring Video Doorbell Gen 2 in two color options, silver nickel and Venetian bronze. These color variation models are noticeable from halfway to the bottom of the model. The upper half remains black in both variants. The slimmer, rectangular doorbell houses a blue LED light around the push ring button. The upper black zone has a centrally located camera.
The sleek and sturdy design of SimpliSafe Video Doorbell Pro will be attracted by anyone. The device is more or less rectangular with rounded edges. All white shade with few hints of silver hue will match any home. There is a large backlit LED light at the bottom, which also serves as a ring button. Other than this, you can see the camera, smart motion sensors, and audio in the doorbell body.
Battery and Charging
An inbuilt and non-removable battery is present in the Ring Video Doorbell Gen 2 models. So, you can’t remove the battery for charging. Instead, you’ve to remove the entire doorbell from the mounting frame to charge it separately. Alternatively, the Ring also sells solar panels separately that can be fitted into the doorbell to charge automatically under the sun. The USB charging cable comes along with the kit. The Ring claims that you’ll only require charging it once in 3-6 months. You can snooze or stop the motion alerts for 30 minutes to 4 hours to lessen battery drainage.
SimpliSafe Video Doorbell Pro is not battery operated. Since the device is wired, it will draw power from the port to charge up itself. These help the device to function without taking help from the battery.
Video and Image Quality
Unlike the Gen 1, this Gen 2 Ring Doorbell has a 1080p high-resolution HD camera. The camera assures to provide a crisp and clear video and image quality. With an improved Night Vision feature, you’ll get a clear image or video during night times. The night shooting image or video will appear black and white if the outer view is completely dark, or it will shoot in color if your porch light is on. A greater wide-angle of 155 degrees will cover a large area to shoot, making the side area view more available in the footage.
The SimpliSafe Doorbell Pro comes with a 1080 p camera. Surprisingly, the camera also supports HDR (High Dynamic Range) that produces sharper and clear images and videos. You’ll get a more colorful image in the SimpliSafe model. The more 162-degree wide-angle will help to view more areas of your porch or field outside. Nightvision feature will click and records black and white videos. The night footages will be bright and lit, and you can expect clear clarity up to 30 feet. Infrared night vision will prevent low picture quality. You’ll also be able to zoom the live video to get a better focus, which is absent in Ring Doorbell Gen 2. Pan feature is also supported by the video.
Audio Quality
The Ring Doorbell Gen 2 Supports two-way communication, which means you can interact with the person standing outside the door without even opening the door. The noise cancellation technology will dampen all the unwanted external noises.
The speaker and microphone present in SimpliSafe feature two-way communication. The reviews said that the sounds are loud and clear. Unfortunately, it doesn’t support any kind of voice commands such as from Alexa or Google Assistant.
Features
The Ring Doorbell Gen 2 has a new privacy mode by which you can hide specific video areas. These hided areas will appear solid black and will not be available in live video or recorded footage. But these areas will still have motion detection activated. This feature is helpful when you and your neighbor’s house are very close, and you don’t want to intrude on their privacy. With Ring App installed on your Smartphone, you can customize various features such as customizing the motion detection. You can turn on/off the four motion detection zones (left, right, center, and near). You can also enable sensitivity control across these zones. The ‘people only mode’ will avoid irrelevant motion detection by dogs or other vehicles’ movement. These will prevent false alerts into your notification. The model supports WiFi over the 2.4 GHz band.
The Artificial Intelligence technology incorporated in SimpliSafe Doorbell Pro will help run the doorbell with an intelligent motion detector. The motion detector sensor is quick in action and is designed to eliminate passive unwanted motion by animals. You’ll get a 2.4 GHz WiFi band that will help you connect to your Smartphone or other SimpliSafe Security Systems. You’ll get a notification on your phone from the SimpliSafe app for any motion changes outside. The Dual Sensor will detect human heat and human forms. The company offers a 60 days test time to the user. If not satisfied, then the consumer can return the product with a full refund.
Features Only Available With A Subscription
Though you will be able to see live videos in the Ring Doorbell Gen 2, to record, save and download the video, you’ll need a subscription. Ring Protect Subscription costs $3 per month, which will add the videos to the cloud storage for up to 60 days. The ‘Snapshot feature’ will click photos once every hour, available in the Ring app timeline. Integrating the device with Amazon Alexa devices will alert you.
Similar to Ring Doorbell, you’ll require a subscription to record the videos in the SimpliSafe Doorbell Pro. The monthly subscription plan is around $4.99, which is greater than Ring’s plan. Moreover, you can only store the footage for up to 30 months.
Verdict
Combining all the aspects of a video doorbell such as features, quality of video and audio, ease of installation, and most importantly, the price. It can be concluded that Ring Video Doorbell Gen 2 is the ideal choice. Besides being cheaper than SimpliSafe Doorbell Pro, the Ring Doorbell also offers easy installation and complete freedom since you won’t require any wiring. It supports voice command by Alexa but is absent in SimpliSafe. Privacy zone settings, snapshots, and slimmer design enhance the features. It can be integrated into any house. Moreover, with a subscription, you will get double the amount of days to store your video, with fewer prices than SimpliSafe Doorbell.
