RING owners are switching their doorbells for a little-known alternative that’s cheaper and lasts longer, according to shoppers.
Millions of households across the globe use Ring, which is owned by Amazon.
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But not everyone realises the online retailer also has a budget smart doorbell range called Blink.
It too does two way audio so you can speak to whoever’s at the front door, as well as HD video – and it even works with Alexa devices.
But the key difference that could save you money is on how videos are saved.
Both Ring and Blink offer a subscription service to back up clips on the cloud.
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You can still use either doorbell without storing videos but it’s a handy feature to have in case you need to go back and check something out.
However, one distinct difference is that Blink allows users to store motion detection video recordings locally on a USB drive.
You’ll have to buy a separate Sync Module 2, and own a USB drive storage device, but in the long term this could save you money.
Even if you do choose to go down the subscription route, Blink’s subscription plan costs less.
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Writing on the Amazon reviews, one buyer called Oliver Strong wrote: “So, I’m going to start by saying the short story is I prefer the Blink system.
“Why? First, the Sync module allows storage of data from my Blink doorbell without paying aa subscription and the module + doorbell is the same price as one ring doorbell.
“The Blink App has less options, however Ii prefer that.
“Both come with a free 30 day trial to the subscription service.
“The Blink Doorbell’s motion detection works better than the Ring, it captures more motion and that’s with motion sensitivity maxed on both Ring and Blink Apps, however it still doesn’t capture everything..
“Video quality is the same, I haven’t tested audio as I’m not interested in using it.”
Ring vs Blink: How much does it cost to subscribe?
Blink’s subscription plan is cheaper than Ring’s.
Blink Basic lets you store videos for one device, costing £2.50 / $3 per month or £24.99 / $30 for the year.
Meanwhile, Ring’s subscription plan starts from £3.49 / $3.99 a month or £34.99 / $39.99 a year.
It’s worth noting that Ring’s subscription plan comes with a lot more features, such as the option to extend video storage from 30 days up to 180 days, as well as the ability to download up to 50 videos at once.
The other difference between the two is that the Blink wireless device takes two AA batteries.
According to the buyer, AA batteries are easier to replace and last longer.
“Battery is a biggie, the Ring 2nd Gen is a rechargeable, you have to remove the entire unit from the door and recharge by USB and it’s not like you’re fast charging your mobile,” he explained.
“Blink on the other hand is 2 AA batteries that you only need to pop out, quickly replace and bam, you’re back up and running. Also, the Ring battery seems to drain rather quickly compared to the AA batteries.”
The Blink Video Doorbell has a 4.1 out of five star rating on Amazon with almost 18,000 reviews.
However, not everyone is sold on the gadget.
Another user called Craig Chew-Moulding gave it three starts over performance issues.
“Bought as an alternative option to a more expensive ring,” he said.
“The door bell is a doddle to set up and install and when linked to specific Echo’s around the house, we no longer miss anyone at the door.
“However the video functionality which is the main reason you buy such a device is poor.
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“When the door bell rings and you want to link to two way conversation and video it takes an age to load the screen on the app from selecting the phone notification.
“More often than not the delivery person or visitor has actually left.”
Buy a Blink Video Doorbell
The Blink Video Doorbell is available from Amazon from £59.99 / $59.99.
All prices in this article were correct at the time of writing, but may have since changed.
Always do your own research before making any purchase.
