Included in this guide:
Nest
Hello
Ring
Video Doorbell 3 Plus
Arlo
Video Doorbell
Ring
Video Doorbell Pro 2
Eufy
Video Doorbell
Ring
Door View Cam
The best video doorbells can transform the way your home operates. They are packed with convenient and smart features so you'll never miss a parcel again, and they'll help to upgrade your home security.
Most top-of-the-line models include two-way communication and facial recognition. Using the two-way communication feature means you can talk to whoever is at your door, even if you aren't at home, and being able to speak to the postman means you'll never miss a delivery again!
As well as being really convenient, the best video doorbells also help to improve your home's security. For instance, you can receive notifications to your smartphone when someone approaches your front door.
Video doorbells are also a great way to dip your toes into smart home tech and to help boost your home's IQ. So whether you’re a tech expert or a beginner, use this guide to the best video doorbells to find the one that's perfect for you.
The Best Video Doorbells
The Nest Hello is our top pick for your home, boasting sharp video quality and impressive clarity of sound from its microphone and speaker.
The camera lets you see people from head to toe, and its wide scope lens even lets you see if packages have been left on the ground. Plus, its microphone reduces ambient noise which provides crystal clear sound quality.
Better still, the Nest Hello can even recognise individual faces and announce them to you via Google Assistant or Alexa. It also has 24/7 live streaming, HDR imaging, and a spotlight that illuminates whenever someone approaches the door - this also triggers a notification to your phone, displaying the visitor's face (even if they don't ring the bell).
To ensure you benefit from all its features you’ll need to subscribe to the Nest Aware service (which begins at around £4.50 per month). Once you've subscribed, you can access 24/7 continuous recording, Familiar Face alerts, the ability to create clips and time-lapses, and access your video history.
The Ring Video Doorbell 3 is the best battery-powered product on this list, and also probably the best for motion detection.
The Advanced Motion Detection and Near Motion Zone settings allow you to specify a motion detection area you want notifications for, which can help to prevent unnecessary notifications (such as if there's a public pathway relatively near to your front door, for example). This will also conserve the battery, if you opt for wireless connection.
The 1080p resolution of the Ring Video Doorbell 3 Plus guarantees high video quality. And one of its many impressive features, the handy Pre-Roll feature, adds up to four seconds of video before a motion event occurs, so you can see people as they approach your door.
These features are all available out of the box, but to record and download video you'll need to subscribe to the Ring Protect Service. The Ring Video Doorbell 3 Plus doesn't support Apple HomeKit or Google Assistant.
Buy the Ring Video Doorbell 3 Plus
A massive tick in the box for the Arlo Video Doorbell is its sensitive detection software that picks up animals and packages. To avoid being spammed with updates when a cat walks past, you can restrict notifications so you're only informed when a person is at your door.
Arlo’s video doorbell delivers high-quality video and audio day and night, and with an 180-degree field of view (the widest on this list) you can view coverage of your doorstep with minimal fisheye distortion.
The direct-to-mobile video calling feature, an Arlo exclusive, allows for quick and easy response to the notifications. Visitors can also leave messages for you if you aren't home. If you see someone approach and you want to deter them, you can trigger a built-in siren from your smartphone.
Once you’ve downloaded the Arlo app (which is necessary prior to installing the doorbell), you can connect it to Alexa and Google Assistant, although recorded video and smart notifications require a subscription.
Ring's Video Doorbell Pro 2 provides superbly detailed footage, and where it really shines is its colourised night footage. Ring's Colour Night Vision ensures that in good or bad weather you can see a clear picture.
It also has customisable motion zones plus 3D motion detection and a radar-powered Bird's Eye View feature - this provides an aerial map view of your home and can show you the path someone took near your property.
Once integrated with Alexa, you can use your Echo speaker to tell you when someone's at the door. And Head to Toe video means you'll get a full look at whoever's at the door.
With the Ring app you can adjust your motion detection settings, but you'll need to subscribe to the Ring Protect service for features such as reviewing who was at the door if you missed an alert.
Buy the Ring Video Doorbell Pro 2
A key advantage of the Eufy video doorbell is that you don't need a subscription to access your storage of video recordings.
Another highlight is the crystal-clear 2560 x 1920 HD resolution and built-in Sony 2K sensor, which ensures video is recorded in extremely high quality. You won't miss a detail.
It's purchasable as both wired and wireless options, and both have their advantages. The battery life on the wireless model is excellent (it only requires a six-hour charge every six months or so), while the wired model is simple to install and can easily replace your existing wired doorbell.
Both models also include two-way audio and a free electronic chime, plus alerts (motion and doorbell) will be sent to your phone or other smart device.
The wireless Ring Door View Cam, also known as the Peephole Cam, replaces the standard peephole on your front door. Once installed, the Ring Door View Cam will detect motion using high quality video resolution, and record video too.
The unit features an 1080p camera using High Dynamic Range (HDR) technology, as well as three infrared LEDs for night vision. Using the Ring app you can also customise motion sensors, and the microphone and speaker enable two-way audio.
Installation is easy too. Simply place the doorbell on the door with the cable and tube feeding through the existing peephole, then pull the back part of the camera into place and screw on a retaining clip (provided), holding it in place.
Like the Ring Video Doorbell 3 Plus, you’ll need to recharge the battery every few months depending on your usage.
How to Choose the Best Video Doorbell
Here's what you should look out for when browsing the best video doorbells for your home:
Hard-wired vs battery
There are pros and cons to both wireless and battery-powered video doorbells.
Battery-powered video doorbells are easy to install and don’t require you to mess with any wiring, but batteries can deplete quickly depending on use, and you may have to replenish them fairly regularly. However, you can maximise the battery life by adjusting the doorbell's motion sensors.
Hard-wired video doorbells are not quite as easy to install, but you don’t have to worry about power running out. If you can't utilise existing doorbell wiring, you can use a plug-in transformer or hire an electrician to fit the doorbell for you.
Video quality
The higher resolution you opt for, the sharper the image you'll receive, which will make it easier to identify people at your door. Look out for a video doorbell with 1080p quality vision (around two million pixels) for a great display.
Smart home interoperability
Your video doorbell can be integrated with your smart home in several ways. Models that support IFTTT (If This Then That) means you can make your devices interact with each other - turning the lights on when the doorbell rings after a certain time of day, for example.
Subscription services
While there are many great features available out of the box, it's worthwhile just checking the additional features that are available with a subscription.
How do Video Doorbells Work?
Video doorbells connect to your WiFi, and let you view who's at your door from your smartphone. But unlike old security cameras from days gone by, the best video doorbells have crystal clear smart displays which show you who's at your door.
Video doorbells also offer connectivity with voice assistants such as Alexa and Google Homekit, so you can make your smart speaker play an alert when someone is at the door, or talk to them through the speaker.
The best models also have built-in motion detection, and will record video whenever someone enters your chosen range of motion. When the doorbell is triggered, it will send an alert to your app, so you can view a stream of what's happening on your doorstep.
Jack is News Editor for Homebuilding & Renovating, and strives to break the most relevant and beneficial stories for self builders, extenders and renovators, including the latest news on the construction materials shortage and planning reforms. Having bought his first home in 2013, he and his wife have renovated almost every room and recently finished a garden renovation.
