I Tried Both: Ring vs Nest Doorbell

How Are They Different?

The design and the software controls on these smart doorbells are very different, though they serve the same purpose.

Video doorbells keep an eye on your front porch (or stoop or hallway) so you don't have to. Most of them allow you to see a live view, record events (with various subscriptions), and talk to and hear visitors through the doorbell itself.

Some have intelligent alerts that tell you if the visitor is a person with a package, a pet, or even someone in your contacts.

Google's Wireless Nest Doorbell and Amazon's Ring Battery Doorbell Plus provide a full view of your front porch in crystal-clear video and can be accessed via an app at home or on the go.

We'll walk you through how to decide between the Nest Doorbell vs. the Ring Doorbell.

Design: Google Nest Wins

The Ring doorbell is a wide rectangle with rounded edges that have a simple look. It has a dark translucent top and a silvery bottom, where the round doorbell button is set. You can see the camera in the right light through the top section. The plastic feels basic, too. It's form over function, with no design sense other than the basic.

The battery is held in with a screw (removal is with a specially-headed screwdriver that comes with the Ring), and you press a metal tab to remove the battery, taking it inside to charge up with a USB-C cord.

The Nest doorbell, on the other hand, impresses from the moment you open the box. It looks like a piece of future technology, something you'd be proud to put on your front door. The camera sits in a circle at the top of the elongated candy bar shape, while the doorbell press sits in a similarly sized circle at the bottom.

You'll need a little key (provided) or a small screwdriver to pop the Google Nest off your wall and take it inside to charge the whole unit via USB-C.

Software Usability: Advantage Ring

While both apps take care of the essentials just fine, Amazon's Ring adds more value. It's easier to figure out and more intuitive, and it has fun features like Best of Ring, which features various fun recordings of pets and people to entertain you.

Plus, the free Neighbors app lets people nearby share information on safety, lost pets, and more. It's a great way to know what's happening nearby, and it's not as hampered by generational and political conflict as on the Next Door app.

Google Home is what the Nest doorbell uses to manage the video and notifications, and it's as arcane as ever. If you're not already familiar with how Google has you set up smart home devices, this may seem a little light on information and hand-holding when you put it together. And there are no fun videos of dogs pushing doorbells, so there's that.

The Ring app also has fun "quick replies" that you can use when someone comes to your door. These include basic messages like "Hi! We'll be right there" and "Sorry, we're not interested. Have a great day." Some messages ask for responses, like "Please leave the package outside. If you want to leave a message, you can do it now."

Sure, you can tap the microphone (on either doorbell) and talk to the person at the door, but these are both fun and leave the visitor guessing who might or might not be home. It's a great feature.

Final Thoughts: Both Work Well and Do What They Promise

If all you want is a solid battery-powered doorbell that alerts you when people come to your home with packages or what have you, the Ring or Nest doorbells are both great. The Google-designed Nest just looks better than the Ring, but Amazon's system is more robust and fun to use on your phone.

While I don't love the $150 Ring's industrial design, I will stick with it thanks to the fun extra features in the Ring app. I don't dig Google Home as a hub for smart home stuff.

If you'd rather have a better-looking doorbell on your front porch, go for the $150 Nest; it really is slick.

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