Blink vs Ring: which Amazon security camera system is best?
Blink vs Ring – choosing between two of the biggest names in home security cameras and video doorbells is not easy. And particularly so, as both companies are owned by Amazon.
It’s never been easier to build a camera system to protect your home, but never have there been so many genuinely different choices. The challenge facing you if you’re buying for the first time is epitomized by the fact that while Amazon have shipped tens of millions of digital assistants, there is only one Alexa, but they’re currently taking two approaches to home security: Blink and Ring.
Starting with the similarities, both Blink and Ring are Wi-Fi security cameras which capture clips which can be reviewed from your smartphone app at anytime. Gone are the days of scrubbing through hours of continuous video to spot a problem; instead the camera itself can identify an issue, record a clip and issue an alert. Most also include speakers as well as microphones so live communication through the camera is possible – why doorbells and security cameras have so much in common.
Blink and Ring did not start out so closely related. Ring was originally “Doorbot,” a product which was crowd-funded and even appeared on US business reality show Shark Tank before re-branding. Blink emerged from a semiconductor firm who took to Kickstarter for the cash to launch a consumer range; their original pitch leant strongly on the wire-free aspect of the system but also emphasizing that all backers would get a USB clip storage option, something their day-one customers haven’t let them forget.
Despite their ownership, both product lines are separate. We’ll take a look at which, if any, is better and whether there is an advantage to choosing one over the other – looking at not only the choice of devices, but the ongoing costs too.
Blink v Ring: Range & choice
Both brands have clearly grown beyond their niche (or there would be little point reading this), but trajectory still plays a part. Ring unarguably offer most choice when it comes to doorbells, but subsequently have also chosen to grow more aggressively, reaching further from their starting point.
Ring has also added home security systems with combined wi-fi mesh…
