Ring Alarm Pro review

About the Ring Alarm Pro

• Price: Starts at $249.99
• Color: White
• Connectivity: Ethernet, Bluetooth for set-up, Z-wave, Wi-Fi, Wi-Fi 6 capable, LTE, 902-928 MHz Radio
• Power source: Adapter included (100-240V AC ~50-60Hz). Output : 12V DC - 3A (max)
• Smart assistant support: Amazon Alexa only
• Dimensions: 6.75-inch L x 6.75-inch W x 2.72-inch H

The Ring Alarm Pro bundles a Ring Alarm System and an Eero Wi-Fi Router that’s completely customizable to your home. If you already have a Ring alarm, you can simply purchase the standalone Ring Alarm Pro Base Station which includes the router and works with first- and second-gen sensors.

However, if you’re new to Ring security, it’s best to start with one of the Ring Pro’s 8-piece or 14-piece kits. Each bundle includes the base station, keypad(s), and a variety of motion and contact sensors. Additional keypads and sensors can be purchased separately and added to the system at any time.

Setting up the Ring Alarm Pro Base Station is fairly simple, though I ran into some glitches the first time I tried to pair the router in the Eero app. Some others have reported similar headaches during setup. If you run into an issue, try rebooting the base station and closing/reopening the Ring and Eero apps. Doing so remedied my issues within minutes and it was smooth sailing from there on out.

The peel-and-stick motion and contact sensors are quick and easy to install. The Ring app offers detailed instructions about how and where to place sensors around your home to avoid false triggers from pets, sunlight, and other motion events.

What we like

Steadfast security during power and Wi-Fi outages

By far the most impressive feature of the Ring Alarm Pro—and the main one that sets it apart from (every other DIY alarm system we’ve encountered)—is the base station’s built-in Eero Wi-Fi 6 router. It connects directly to your modem, so you can ditch both your standalone router and alarm base station for a simple, all-in-one setup.

When you sign up for a Ring Protect Pro paid plan, the base station can stay online 24/7 using cellular data (up to 3GB a month). The plan starts at $20/month or you can opt to pay for a full year upfront for $200. This also includes other features like 24/7 professional monitoring, Eero Secure (provides ad blocking and content filtering), and Alexa Guard Plus (hands-free emergency calling services for Echo devices). A free, 30-day trial comes with your purchase.

Ring estimates that amount of storage should hold up to 300 Ring videos, 1.5 hours of video streaming, or two hours of video calls on a laptop—enough to get you through a brief Wi-Fi or power outage. You can sign up for additional data, which costs $3 per Gigabyte.

I shut off my modem to test the waters, and almost immediately, I received a push notification that the LTE cellular backup kicked in to keep things connected. If you have a lot of devices on your network as I do, then you probably don’t need or want all of them using up the 3GB of allotted monthly data if things go dark. In the Eero app, you can indicate which devices you want to automatically connect to the backup service.

The Ring Alarm Pro already has a built-in internal battery that lasts up to 24 hours, but you can add even more juice to your system with a Ring Power Pack. Without it, the Ring Alarm Pro will operate in low-power mode when the electricity goes out. Only some security features, like cellular backup, are available when low-power mode is activated, making the Power Pack a worthy investment to further unlock the awesome features of the Ring Alarm Pro. That's especially true if you live in an area with inclement weather or an unreliable power grid.

Helpful Alexa controls for hands-free home security

Not all DIY home security systems support arming via voice control, but Ring's makes it easy to do with Alexa (the only smart assistant it works with) on your way out the door. Simply call out to your Echo speaker or smart display and say "Alexa, arm Ring.” She'll respond back confirming the system is in Home or Away mode.

Similarly, you can use Alexa to deactivate the alarm by saying, "Alexa, disarm Ring." When disarming, Alexa will also ask for your four-digit voice code (created during setup). This prevents anyone from calling out to your Echo device and disarming the system without your permission.

You can also use Alexa voice control to manage your Eero system by enabling the Eero skill for Alexa in the Amazon Alexa app. It may sound silly to use Alexa to talk to your internet router, but there are a lot of useful things that Eero and Alexa can do together.

For example, Alexa can help you find your lost phone in the house by telling you which Eero device it’s closest to. She can also pause the Wi-Fi on a specific device or user profile (a helpful feature if you’re trying to pry your child off their laptop or tablet for dinner time) and turn off the (very bright) status lights on your Eero devices.

Local video storage for Ring doorbells and security cameras

When it comes to protecting your smart home, there’s no safer way to process and store your security camera footage than locally. That’s the idea for Ring Edge, a new feature for Ring doorbells and video cameras (only available for use with the Ring Alarm Pro). (There’s a slot on the side of the base station where you can insert the recommended 64GB microSD card—an additional purchase.)

Connecting Ring video doorbells and cameras to your Ring alarm system only further enhances its functionality and security. For example, when the alarm is triggered, your Ring doorbell and cameras can be set to instantly start recording to help ensure all angles are covered.

Up until the release of the Ring Alarm Pro, Ring doorbells and security cameras could only store video using Ring’s cloud server. Even if you’re not sold on the entire Ring Alarm Pro security system, the base station alone could be worth the upgrade if you have a Ring doorbell and several security cameras around your home and desire local processing and storage. This way, you can ensure that your private moments are for your eyes only.

Cloud storage is also available via one of Ring’s Protect plans and can store recorded events for up to 60 days.

It’s a bit of a bummer, though, that a paid plan is required to use Ring Edge. The plan offers many home security benefits that are worth paying for, but something as simple as local storage should be free.

Robust spread of sensors for accurate and reliable alerts

Home security is more than just knowing when the front door opens or motion is detected in the hallway—you need sensors that go above and beyond basic security smarts. Ring offers an impressive lineup of sensors that can detect floods, freezes, smoke, and carbon monoxide. This is in addition to the motion sensors and contact sensors for doors and windows already offered.

Like SimpliSafe systems, you also have the option to add enhanced security assets like panic buttons and duress codes. Ring is also one of the only DIY home security kits to offer outdoor contact sensors, ideal for outdoor areas like sheds and detached garages. Earlier this year, Ring introduced a glass-break sensor, further expanding it's portfolio of smart alarm sensors.

One small but noteworthy reason to go with Ring over SimpliSafe is that Ring makes it easier to manage your sensors remotely. In the Ring app, you can view a sensor’s event history and battery life. You can also make adjustments to the motion sensitivity settings remotely, whereas, with SimpliSafe motion sensors, the only way to adjust the sensitivity settings is on the back of the device (a total pain if you’ve got it hanging up high).

I’ve been using the second-gen Ring Alarm at my house for nearly a year and it’s continued to impress me with accurate and reliable push alerts that are sent instantaneously. My experience with the new Ring Alarm Pro has been no different—smart notifications are sent quickly and are right on the money. The informative alerts are sent whether you sign up for professional monitoring or opt to keep tabs on the system yourself. If you opt for professional monitoring, there are no contracts and no cancellation fees.

While some home securities force you to call to cancel, I can attest that canceling a paid Ring plan is easy and painless to do: just log onto your online account.

What we don’t like

Multiple apps

One issue with the Ring Pro Alarm is there’s no central place to manage the alarm system and Eero router. Instead, you will need to use three different apps: the Ring app, Eero app, and Amazon Alexa app. I found using multiple apps most cumbersome during the setup process, where I had to jump from the Ring app to the Eero app and back again. The Ring Pro Alarm automatically connected with Alexa, but I still had to open the Alexa app to enable the Eero skill.

The headache of using multiple apps wasn’t so bad when it came to the day-to-day management of my system. I primarily used the Ring app to check in on my system, relying heavily on the instantaneous push alerts sent to my Apple Watch and iPhone, and didn’t open up the Eero and Amazon Alexa apps as often as I thought I might.

No key fob

This isn’t a make-or-break feature, but unlike other top-rated home security systems from SimpliSafe and Abode, there’s no key fob available with Ring.

Instead, the Ring Alarm Pro supports geofencing, an optional feature that sends reminders and notifications to your phone reminding you to arm/disarm your system based on your location. Ring’s geofencing feature works very well. I received a push alert every time I left the house without arming the system. From there, it’s a quick tap on the notification to launch the Ring app and arm the alarm.

Understandably, not everybody will be OK sharing their location details with Ring. In place of a key fob and geofencing, you can also use the Ring app on your mobile device to arm/disarm your system from wherever you are. You can also use the wall-mounted Ring Alarm keypad to arm and disarm the system.

Slow internet speeds may be possible if too many devices are connected

Some have noted slow Wi-Fi connection speeds when using the Ring Alarm Pro, which can occur when too many devices are trying to access the bandwidth of a single router.

I have over 70 devices connected and didn’t experience this problem. This is likely because I paired the Ring Alarm Pro base station (where the router is housed) with my existing Eero beacons from my previous setup. You can also use Eero 6 extenders, which adds up to 1,500 square feet of Wi-Fi coverage per extender.

These can be especially helpful accessories for anyone who lives in an older home or a building where Wi-Fi signals don't travel as well, like my 1950s house with plaster walls.

Privacy

Despite past privacy mishaps, Amazon's Ring brand has taken strides to enhance user privacy with its in-app Control Center. It offers security features like mandatory two-factor authentication, the option to view and remove linked accounts and shared users, and control over which devices and third-party apps are synced to the account. For more information, read Ring’s full privacy disclosure.

As noted above, the Ring Alarm Pro base station also offers local processing and storage for Ring video doorbells and home security cameras. The videos may also be encrypted on your microSD card, which can make the card unreadable in the unlikely event someone stole the card. While Ring does have protective measures in place that prevent others from gaining access to your account, there’s no peace of mind like video storage designed for your eyes only.

Should you buy it?

Absolutely, this is the best DIY home security system I’ve tried

The Ring Alarm Pro is a feature-filled home security system that any homeowner or renter can easily install without a lick of professional help. With the added benefit of a built-in Wi-Fi router and battery backup to keep your devices connected and powered during outages, no other DIY home security system can compete.

At most, you’ll pay $200/year for professional monitoring from Ring. A comparable plan from SimpliSafe starts at $24.99 a month or roughly $300/year. If you’re looking for something even cheaper, the $160 Eufy Alarm System is a value-packed choice with options for self or professional monitoring that works with Google Assistant and Alexa.

While there are a few drawbacks to the Ring Alarm Pro, those are easy to overlook given the sheer simplicity, reliability, and smarts of the system. If you’re looking for the very best DIY home security system that money can buy, the Ring Alarm Pro is it.