Ring vs eufy: Which Security Camera Brand Should You Choose?
Ring is built around a cloud subscription; eufy is built around local storage with no monthly fee. That one difference drives most of the decision.
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Ring (owned by Amazon) and eufy (owned by Anker) are two of the most popular consumer security camera brands. We compared them using Ring’s plan and support pages, eufy’s product and support pages, and published reporting on each company’s privacy record, all checked in October 2026. We haven’t installed either system ourselves.
Short answer
Choose Ring if you want a polished app, a wide ecosystem (doorbells, alarm, Alexa integration) and you’re fine paying for a Ring Protect plan, which you’ll need to save and review recorded video. Choose eufy if you want to avoid monthly fees: its cameras record locally to built-in storage or a HomeBase, with cloud backup optional. Weigh eufy’s 2022 encryption controversy and Ring’s cloud-first approach against your privacy priorities.
Check Ring price (opens in a new tab)Check eufy Security price (opens in a new tab)
Ring vs eufy Security: side-by-side
| Ring | eufy | |
|---|---|---|
| Recorded video without a plan | No (live view, alerts and two-way talk only) | Yes, stored locally |
| Main storage | Cloud (Ring Protect plan) | Local: camera storage or HomeBase (S380: 16 GB, expandable to 16 TB) |
| Entry plan | Ring Solo: $4.99/mo or $49.99/yr (one device) | Optional Cloud Backup Basic: from $3.99/mo (one device) |
| Whole-home plan | Ring Multi: $9.99/mo or $99.99/yr (all devices at one location) | Cloud Backup Plus: $13.99/mo (unlimited devices) |
| Video history on plan | Up to 180 days | 30-day rolling cloud history |
| Free trial | 30 days of Ring Protect on setup | Not applicable (no plan required) |
| 24/7 continuous recording | +$3/mo per eligible camera (requires a plan) | Varies by model; check eufy’s spec page |
| End-to-end encryption | Opt-in; disables some features | Encrypted app streams; WebRTC encryption for web portal since Jan 2023 |
Pricing compared
Ring plans
| Plan | Monthly | Annual | Covers |
|---|---|---|---|
| No plan | $0 | $0 | Live View, motion alerts, two-way talk; no recorded video |
| Ring Solo | $4.99 | $49.99 | One device: video recording (up to 180 days), smart alerts |
| Ring Multi | $9.99 | $99.99 | All devices at one location |
| Ring Pro | $19.99 | $199.99 | Multi features plus 24/7 professional monitoring (Ring Alarm) and AI features |
| Add-on: 24/7 continuous recording | +$3 per camera | n/a | Eligible cameras; requires a plan |
| Add-on: Pro Intelligence | +$5 per camera | n/a | Requires Solo or Multi |
eufy Security plans
| Plan | Monthly | Covers |
|---|---|---|
| No plan | $0 | Local recording to camera storage or HomeBase |
| Basic | $3.99 / $7.99 / $11.99 | 1 / 2 / 3 devices, 30-day cloud history |
| Plus | $13.99 | Unlimited devices, 30-day cloud history |
Pros and cons
Ring: pros
- Polished app and large device ecosystem
- Up to 180 days of video history on a plan
- Optional professional monitoring with Ring Alarm
- Opt-in end-to-end encryption
Ring: cons
- No recorded video playback without a plan
- Costs add up with add-ons
- Enabling end-to-end encryption disables several features
eufy Security: pros
- No monthly fee for local recording
- Expandable HomeBase storage
- Cheap optional cloud backup
eufy Security: cons
- 2022 controversy over unencrypted web streams
- Local footage can be lost if a camera is stolen (without a HomeBase or cloud backup)
- Smaller ecosystem than Ring
Verdict
If you already plan to pay monthly and want the most complete ecosystem, Ring is the easier choice, and the Multi plan covers every device at one address for $9.99/month. If the goal is to own your footage without a recurring fee, eufy’s local-first design is the better fit, especially with a HomeBase. For more subscription-free options, including Reolink, Tapo and Wyze, see our best security cameras without a subscription.
Choose Ring if…
- You want doorbells, cameras and an alarm in one app
- You want long cloud history and professional monitoring
- You use Alexa heavily
Choose eufy Security if…
- You don’t want a monthly fee
- You prefer footage stored at home
- You want expandable storage on a hub
What Ring does without a subscription
Ring devices work without a plan, but in a limited way. According to Ring’s support pages, you still get Live View, motion alerts, two-way talk and motion zones, but recordings aren’t saved, so you can’t review what happened after you miss an alert. Ring’s Pro plan and Virtual Security Guard service cost more; check Ring’s plan page for current pricing.
Privacy and security history
eufy: In late 2022, security researchers showed that eufy camera streams could be viewed unencrypted through its web portal, despite eufy marketing “local” and end-to-end encrypted video. The Verge and Ars Technica reported in early 2023 that Anker acknowledged the issue, enabled WebRTC encryption for web-portal streams (January 15, 2023, per eufy) and pledged audits and a bug bounty program.
Ring: video is stored in Ring’s cloud. Ring offers opt-in video end-to-end encryption, but turning it on disables several features, according to Ring’s support documentation.
Frequently asked questions
Does Ring work without a subscription?
Does eufy require a subscription?
How much is Ring Protect?
Is eufy safe after the encryption controversy?
Sources
Pricing and plan details were checked on the official pages below as of Oct 2026. Vendors change prices, credits and plan names often, and some show regional pricing at checkout, so confirm on the vendor's site before you buy.
- Ring Protect plans
- Ring Support: Understanding Ring Protect subscriptions
- Ring Support: Doorbell and security camera FAQ
- Ring Support: Live View
- Ring Support: Video end-to-end encryption
- Ring blog: Ring cameras without a subscription
- eufy local security (no monthly fee)
- eufy HomeBase S380 product page
- eufy Support: Introducing Cloud Storage
- The Verge: Anker finally comes clean about its Eufy security cameras
- Ars Technica: Anker’s Eufy admits unencrypted videos could be accessed