Ring Protect – What It Is and Why It Matters in the UK
If you own a Ring video doorbell, you’ve probably heard about Ring Protect. It’s the monthly subscription that lets you store video, get alerts, and call 24/7 emergency services. In plain English, it turns a simple camera into a near‑real‑time security guard.
Most Ring owners start with the free basic app, which gives live view and push notifications. The difference with Ring Protect is that it saves recordings to the cloud, lets you review footage later, and adds optional professional monitoring. For a few pounds a month, you get peace of mind that you can see what happened after the fact.
What’s Included in Each Ring Protect Plan
Ring offers two plans in the UK: Protect Basic and Protect Plus. Protect Basic costs about £3 per month per device and gives you 60 days of video storage. You can watch clips, share them, and get motion‑triggered alerts.
Protect Plus adds professional monitoring for the doorbell’s built‑in alarm button, video‑verified police dispatch, and cellular backup if your Wi‑Fi drops. That plan runs roughly £7 per month for a single device, but you can bundle multiple Ring cameras for a lower per‑camera cost.
Do You Really Need a Subscription?
Ask yourself how you’ll use the footage. If you only want to see who’s at the door in real time, the free app is enough. If you want to catch a package thief after the fact, the cloud storage is a game‑changer. Professional monitoring is handy if you’re often away or have a busy schedule – the alarm button contacts the police without you lifting a finger.
Another factor is internet reliability. Ring Protect Plus includes a cellular backup, so your doorbell keeps sending alerts even if your router goes down. That safety net can be worth the extra cost for many UK households.
When you sign up, Ring will ask for a payment method and set up automatic renewal. You can cancel anytime, but remember that you lose the stored video as soon as the plan ends.
Overall, Ring Protect gives you three main perks: video history, emergency response, and optional cellular backup. If any of those matters to you, the subscription is a solid investment. If you’re just checking the live feed, you can skip it and save money.
Ready to decide? Compare the £3 and £7 plans, think about how often you need video evidence, and whether you want police dispatch at the push of a button. That quick check will tell you which Ring Protect option fits your life best.