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Ring doorbell - price hike 40%

I've just received notice that the annual subscription for our Ring doorbell is jumping by 40% to £49.99. This was also raised by 40% in 2022. I want to vote with my feet and use something else, has anyone found a similar product to this which doesn't have a fee or a much lower one?
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Comments

  • I have two ring cameras, and have just been told that the annual subscription is increasing from £34.99 per year per device, to £49.99 per year per device. A >40% increase is bad enough, but it increased by 40% last year I think.
    I'm now wondering what camera systems others are using that give similar (or better) performance but for better value?
  • DullGreyGuy
    DullGreyGuy Posts: 15,737 Forumite
    10,000 Posts Second Anniversary Name Dropper
    edited 9 February 2024 am29 9:29AM
    Nest is £60/year for unlimited number of doorbells, camera etc

    Personally think Ring doorbells are a monstrosity, ours is about 50% bigger than the old doorbell and fits in its place. Our neighbours Ring is the size of a brick and had to go on the door itself as it wasn't close to fitting on the frame where the old one was. 

    There are others that are not cloud based so depends if you want the remote service. There are lots of "smart" devices with free/low cost maintenance being shut down after vendors realise they cannot rely on selling new devices to cover the cost of running data centres for the bankbook of customers that bought a camera 10 years ago and nothing since. 
  • KnittedPython
    KnittedPython Posts: 5 Forumite
    First Anniversary First Post
    edited 9 February 2024 am29 9:29AM
    Just cancelled my subscription. I think the presence of the doorbell is enough. 
  • grumbler
    grumbler Posts: 58,629 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    edited 9 February 2024 am29 9:29AM
    AFAIK, there are security cameras that don't need any subscription. Why a doorbell has to be different?!
    When buying a smart thermostat, one of my main priorities was full functionality (e.g. geofencing) without any subscriptions.
  • ajarv19
    ajarv19 Posts: 3 Newbie
    Third Anniversary First Post
    edited 9 February 2024 am29 9:29AM
    Received a quite ridiculous email informing me that Ring Protect Basic Plan is increasing by 43% from next month!  £34.99 to £49.99 per year, per device!

    How can this be justified?


  • I had this today, too, i just can't believe how they can raise it so much. I have been looking since the email for one with local storage, and found a Tapo one on Amazon that has local SD card storage which I'm tempted by
    Thanks

    Dave
  • marcia_
    marcia_ Posts: 2,984 Forumite
    Sixth Anniversary 1,000 Posts Photogenic Name Dropper
    edited 9 February 2024 am29 9:30AM
     Yes I got that it is a ridiculous hike 
  • mr_stripey
    mr_stripey Posts: 897 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 500 Posts Name Dropper
    edited 9 February 2024 am29 9:30AM
    this was the nudge I needed to cancel. Ridiculous increase
  • onomatopoeia99
    onomatopoeia99 Posts: 7,106 Forumite
    Tenth Anniversary 1,000 Posts Name Dropper
    edited 9 February 2024 am29 9:30AM
    I have a ring doorbell without a subscription and it works very well as a doorbell, which is what I want it for.  The initial free subscription period that came with it of a few weeks just resulted in me getting pictures of the postman on my phone at 10.30 a couple of times a week.  Not really sure that's worth paying a sub for /shrug.
    Proud member of the wokerati, though I don't eat tofu.Home is where my books are.Solar PV 5.2kWp system, SE facing, >1% shading, installed March 2019.Mortgage free July 2023
  • DullGreyGuy
    DullGreyGuy Posts: 15,737 Forumite
    10,000 Posts Second Anniversary Name Dropper
    grumbler said:
    AFAIK, there are security cameras that don't need any subscription. Why a doorbell has to be different?!
    When buying a smart thermostat, one of my main priorities was full functionality (e.g. geofencing) without any subscriptions.
    There are doorbells that work without a subscription, what functions they offer without one can vary. 

    Are there thermostats that need subscriptions?
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