Best smart video doorbells 2024: Which? Best Buys and expert buying advice

Acting like a digital concierge, a smart doorbell is a fantastic gadget to help you more conveniently manage visitors to your home. 

These internet-connected doorbells will alert you if a parcel has arrived, but also if there is a suspicious looking character taking a keen interest in your car. 

We've tested smart video doorbells from all the big brands, including Ring, Nest, Arlo, Eufy and more. 

Ahead we showcase what you should watch out for when buying a cheaper doorbell under £200, and what spending a bit more gets you. Also, see the Best Buy and high scoring models that have aced our in-depth tests. 

Smart video doorbell reviews - See all the models we've tested and that will suit any needs and budget.

What is a video doorbell?    

A smart doorbell, also known as a video doorbell, is akin to a digital receptionist for your home. Alongside ringing like a normal doorbell, these internet-connected doorbells let you see who’s on your doorstep via a built-in camera, and talk directly to them from your smartphone.      

As well as letting you greet visitors, smart doorbells can help increase security at your home. They detect motion in front of your house, from wandering pets to possible burglars, and alert you to take action if required. 

Could your smart doorbell be breaking the law? Read more about the laws around privacy and recording footage with video doorbells at the home.

How much do I need to spend on a good smart doorbell?

While it might seem like a fancy tech gadget, and therefore an expensive one, prices of video doorbells have dropped dramatically. You could pay as little as £30 – but be wary, models this cheap can be poor quality. You should also be careful shopping for video doorbells on online marketplaces like Amazon and eBay, especially if it's a model from a brand you haven't heard of. 

We tested 11 different smart doorbells found on eBay and Amazon that all failed our security tests.

Well known brands are a safer bet with video doorbells, or in fact any other smart device. Best Buy video doorbells are relatively expensive – expect to pay around £200, though there are well scoring and importantly, secure models in our smart doorbell reviews for under £100.

Pros and cons of smart doorbells    

Pros  

• Convenience: With two-way audio, you can speak to whoever is at the door, whether you’re on the sofa or the other side of the world. You’ll never miss another parcel delivery or a friend who’s come to visit.
• Security: As well as giving you valuable peace of mind, smart doorbells enable you to pretend you’re at home when you’re not and warn off unwelcome intruders. 
• Never miss a visitor, even when you're out: The ability to receive alerts remotely means you’ll never miss a caller. Live-view footage will let you confirm parcels have been delivered or that your children have arrived home, for example. 
• Smart home compatibility: As well as being compatible with smart home devices, such as Amazon Alexa or Google Home, some models are also compatible with smart locks. So you could physically open the door remotely to let in a visitor.   

Cons 

• Size: While some video doorbells are sleek and can be installed so they blend into the wall or door where you want to place them, cheaper models tend to be bigger and bulkier than a standard doorbell, so they will look rather obvious on your door. 
• Cost: Shelling out £100 or more for a smart doorbell will put a serious dent in your wallet, especially when a standard doorbell would cost less than £10. Don’t be tempted by a sub-£50 smart doorbell, however, as our testing has shown they generally aren’t worth buying. 
• Installation can be tricky: You can install a battery-powered smart doorbell yourself - see how below. For models that require a wired installation we’d advise you get an electrician to do this, so bear in mind this extra cost. 
• Subscription costs: Another extra outlay is video storage. Very few smart doorbells offer extensive free online storage for video clips, so you’ll need to sign up for a subscription, potentially costing up to £100 a year. See more on that below.  

Smart doorbell brands 

Ring doorbells: Amazon's Ring is the most popular and well-known smart doorbell brand. It offers a wide range of doorbells, from the Ring Doorbell Wired at around £50, right up to the top-end Elite that costs more than £400. Another cost to consider with a Ring doorbell is video storage, as this requires an additional monthly subscription. Find out more in our Ring doorbells guide. 

Nest doorbells: Google's smart home brand Nest used to have just one smart doorbell, the Nest Hello, but now it has two models: the Nest Doorbell (wired), which uses mains power, and the Nest Doorbell (battery). As with Ring, some functionality on the doorbell requires a subscription plan.

Arlo doorbells: Alongside wireless security cameras, Arlo makes two smart doorbells: a wired version that uses mains power and a battery-powered version. Video storage requires a subscription just as with Ring and Nest, but an Arlo doorbell could still appeal if it fares well in our testing. 

Eufy doorbells: Eufy makes a range of smart products, including the Eufy Video Doorbell. Unlike the Ring, Arlo and Nest models, an advantage is that you can store video clips for free via a local storage device. That means you won't necessarily have to pay for video storage. 

Netatmo doorbells: French smart home company Netatmo's smart doorbell is one of the more expensive models we've tested. With a stylish look, though, it should appeal to anyone with an eye for design. Head over to our smart doorbell reviews to see how it fared under in-depth testing. 

Can a smart doorbell be hacked?    

Any product that can connect to the internet is potentially at risk of being targeted by malicious hackers. However, companies can make life hard for the attackers by building their products with good security protections. 

We use our testing to expose any insecure products or concerning vulnerabilities that you need to know about. 

All smart doorbells and their associated apps go through an in-depth security assessment, covering aspects such as password policies, data encryption and more. 

If we find anything concerning, we will contact the manufacturer to sort it out. If they ignore us or refuse to do this, we can even automatically make a doorbell a Don't Buy to warn you not to buy it.

Which smart doorbell brands offer the best software and security support policies?

Software updates are vital for keeping products secure against hacking threats that emerge over time. However, all smart products have an update support life, meaning that a day will come when they are no longer supported. 

We want to ensure that you are fully aware of how long your smart doorbell will be supported with updates when you buy it. So, we contact manufacturers asking them about their update policies.

As you can see below, some brands are ahead of the game on this, but many still aren't being transparent, leaving you in the dark as to how long your doorbell will be supported. 

• Amazon-owned Ring said that all devices listed on its site will receive support until at least the end of 2027. 
• Blink delivers guaranteed updates for the majority of doorbells for at least four years after being last available from the Blink website.
• Google's Nest told us it will support doorbells for 'at least five years after launch'.
• Arlo said in 2022 its doorbells get a minimum of five years from launch, or two years from the product being discontinued. This year, it didn't respond.
• Eufy said that it will update its doorbells for five years with updates.
• Toucan said its devices will receive support for two years after discontinuation, or the product is no longer available on its website.
• Ezviz will maintain security for at least two years, though may extend to three years for some models.

Other smart doorbell brands, including Netatmo, TP-Link and Swann did not provide us with information on minimum update support periods.

While you may not be at immediate risk if you're using a device that's unsupported, it's obviously desirable to buy and use a device that you know will receive update support for a good period of time. For more information, read our guide to smart devices and security.

Do I need a monthly subscription to use a smart doorbell?    

You can pay more than £200 for a smart doorbell, but you also often have to sign up to a subscription to get the most out of it. 

As well as being able to record and store video clips to access online, subscription services also often unlock extra features in the doorbell, such as customisable motion detection zones and more detailed notifications. 

Ahead, we explain what you get when you sign up to Ring Protect, available on all Ring doorbells, and with Nest Aware for the Nest Hello. 

Ring Protect subscriptions

With every Ring doorbell, the basic functionality lets you see the live video and respond to motion alerts. To record and store video clips of events if you need them later, you’ll need a Ring Protect subscription. It breaks down into two options, with most Ring doorbells offering a 30-day free trial to try it out. 

• Protect Basic: You get 30 days of video storage for a single Ring device for £3.49 a month, or £34.99 a year. From 11 March 2024, the cost will increase to £4.99 a month or £49.99 a year.
• Protect Plus: If you have more than one Ring device, such as a doorbell and a wireless camera, this tier enables you to record 30 days of video clips for unlimited devices for £8 a month or £80 a year.  
• Do I need it? Unless you’re happy to use the doorbell for just live monitoring, you’ll need to factor in Ring Protect as an extra ongoing cost. 

Nest Aware subscriptions

With the Nest Hello, featured overleaf, you can store up to three hours of ‘event history’ video clips online for free to access remotely. That’s pretty meagre, so most people will feel the need to sign up to Nest Aware. There are two tiers and both cover unlimited Nest devices. They also enable more sophisticated controls to alerts and activity zones.

• Nest Aware: The basic tier gives you 30 days of video storage for £6 a month or £60 a year.
• Nest Aware Plus: For £12 a month or £120 a year, you can increase that to 60 days of event video storage and also get 10 days of constant 24/7 video recording, a bit like CCTV.
• Do I need it? The basic three hours of free video event storage isn’t much, so if you want to get the most out of your Nest Hello, you’ll need to subscribe. 

How do I install a smart doorbell?    

All smart doorbells will need to be installed either on your door, or next to it. With a wired doorbell, such as the Ring Pro or Nest Hello, we’d advise you hire an electrician to do the installation. 

Wired doorbells require existing doorbell wiring, along with a standard 18-volt AC supply to power the camera. Installation requires turning all power off at the fuse board, wiring in the door-chime unit adaptor and then connecting everything up. 

While you do get all the kit included in the box, it’s complicated and also dangerous for the novice. Plus, the instructions can often be rather hard to follow. An electrician should be able to install a smart doorbell for between £50-£80.If you’re fairly comfortable at DIY, you can install a battery powered doorbell yourself. Below is typically what you’ll need to do - the approach might different slightly for each doorbell brand or type. For example, the Ring Door View Cam fits into an existing door peephole. 

Some battery-powered doorbells have removable batteries, and it’s advisable to have a fully charged spare battery ready to go if you need it. Others, such as the Ring Doorbell (2nd gen), have built-in batteries, so you’ll need to remove the entire doorbell to charge it. You can connect battery doorbells to the mains so that the battery is ‘trickle charged’ to keep it topped up. Again, we’d advise you get a professional in instead of attempting this yourself. 

How to install a battery doorbell 

1. Unbox the smart doorbell and take out all the items you’ll need to install it, usually including a mounting plate/bracket and any specialist tools. At this stage, you also usually put the battery on to fully charge before fitting. 
2. While the battery is charging, download the doorbell’s app to your phone and follow the instructions to get connected. This usually involves scanning a QR code on the doorbell using your phone’s camera. Then follow the instructions to get the doorbell on your home wi-fi. Some doorbells will only work on the 2.4GHz band, dual-band offers greater flexibility. 
3. Now position your doorbell. Around four feet (1.2 metres) off the ground (to the bottom of the doorbell unit) is the best height as this should give good-enough coverage for most door entrances. Remove the mounting bracket from the doorbell and position it on the wall. Doorbells often come with a mini spirit level to ensure the bracket is level. Mark the screw holes with a pencil. 
4. Once you’re happy with the position of the doorbell, you can screw it in. The approach is different depending on whether you’re fixing to wood, stucco or masonry. Follow the instructions supplied with the doorbell. Finally, attach the doorbell to the mounting bracket and secure it with screws or fixings. Now you should be ready to go.