The Google Nest Hello and Ring Video Doorbell Pro seem similar at a glance. But dig a little deeper, and you’ll see that the Nest Hello outshines its main competitor with more reliable performance, superior video quality, and better features.
Ring Pro vs. Nest Hello: Which Wired Doorbell Camera Is Best?
Compare Nest Hello vs. Ring Pro
We focus mainly on the Nest Hello versus the Ring Pro because they are the most similar. Still, we’ve also included some other Ring doorbells in the table below for comparison purposes.
>>Learn more: Ring vs. Ring 2
Pros and cons of the Nest Hello and Ring Pro
Pros and cons of the Nest Hello
- Crisp 1080p video
- Facial recognition and package detection
- Motion and sound detection
- 24/7 streaming
- Technical electrical setup
- Nest Aware subscription to unlock all its features
Pros and cons of the Ring Pro
- Clear 1080p video
- Slim design
- Multiple faceplate colors
- Customizable motion zones
- No wireless option
- No local storage
- Spotty Wi-Fi connection
- Recent camera breaches
Major differences
Features
Nest Hello
The Nest Hello has more advanced features than the Ring Pro. In particular, it has facial recognition that can identify friends and family so it can send you special notifications. It can even notify you when someone leaves a package on your porch, making it the bane of porch pirates everywhere. Unfortunately, you need a Nest Aware subscription to get these special notifications.
Another Nest Hello feature worth mentioning is its prerecorded responses. There are three options to let you tell people to leave a package, that no one can come to the door, and that you’re on your way to the door. It’s such a simple feature but adds a lot of conveniences.
Ring Pro
The Ring Video Doorbell Pro includes four interchangeable faceplates (satin nickel, pearl, Venetian, and black), which make it easier to match your home’s decor or the lock hardware on your door. The Nest doorbell doesn't offer that kind of variety—it comes in only one color: black with white sides.
Compatibility
These products are compatible with many of the same smart home ecosystems, like Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, and IFTTT.
While both work quite well with Amazon Alexa, you can expect better Google Assistant performance from the Nest doorbell. You can view video from the Nest Hello on the Google Nest Hub and Chromecast-enabled displays while the Ring Pro sends only notifications.
The Nest Hello has a built-in Thread radio (a wireless smart home technology developed by Nest) that lets it communicate directly with the Nest x Yale smart lock (but no other Thread devices at this time). It’s also got a Bluetooth radio, which makes it easier to set up the doorbell during installation.
>>Want a fully integrated smart home? Check out what works with Nest or what works with Google Home.
>>Want to Ring-ify your home? See what works with Ring or our picks for the best devices compatible with Amazon Alexa.
Video quality
The Nest Hello also presents its video in a 4:3 aspect ratio instead of the 16:9 widescreen of the Ring Pro. It’s a small difference, but Nest’s aspect ratio is a bit more user-friendly.
Nest Hello camera resolution
Ring Pro camera resolution
Major similarities
Price
Both the Nest Hello and the Ring Pro are among the most expensive video doorbells on the market. While most video doorbells cost $200 or less, both of these units cost over $220. At $229, the Nest Hello is the slightly more affordable option, though the Ring Pro costs only $20 more at $249.
We think the price is similar enough to not matter to most people. If you already have a preferred virtual assistant like Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant, we recommend choosing the doorbell that works best with it.
Infrared night vision
The Ring Pro and the Nest Hello both offer infrared night vision, and they perform more or less comparably in the dark. Footage from both cameras looks clear at night and gives decently good contrast on details like faces without washing them out.
Installation
The Nest Hello and Ring Pro both require a hardwired setup that can be complicated if you don’t already have the wiring in place for a traditional doorbell. If you don’t have wiring in place, you’ll likely need the help of a professional installer to run new wires to your front door.
In this instance, the Nest and Ring about break even, but Ring offers some wireless doorbell cameras if you’d prefer not to deal with a tricky installation.
>>Check out our article on how to install Ring doorbells.
Apps
Nest app
We really like the Nest mobile app. It’s easy to use and integrates with any other Nest equipment you have in your home.
With the facial recognition ability, you can assign profiles to different faces in the app. That way your Nest won’t just tell you someone’s at your door, it’ll also tell you whether or not it’s someone familiar.
We also like that the Nest offers continuous recording. If your Wi-Fi network is up to the task, you can ensure you’ve got a recording of any deliveries, visitors, or mischief at your home. Both Nest’s facial recognition and video storage require a Nest Aware subscription.
Ring app
Our favorite Ring video doorbell feature is the ability to set zones for the motion sensor. If you live on a busy street, you can set the motion sensor to ignore everything but your yard, porch, or front door. The best part is you don’t need to pay for a plan to access Ring’s zone-setting feature.
We also like Ring’s Neighborhood Alert feature, which lets you see footage posted by other Ring users in your area.
The Nest Hello outshines the Ring Pro with its array of useful features. We like the Nest app more—especially if you have other Nest equipment.
Whether you opt for the Nest or Ring video doorbell, we recommend getting a video storage plan with your smart doorbell. You’ll need a plan to unlock all the features you’ll want with your doorbell camera. But Nest and Ring plans are structured a little differently, and frankly, Ring’s Protect plans give you better features at a lower price.
Nest Aware 5-day | Ring Protect Basic | |
---|---|---|
Price | $5/mo. | $3/mo. |
Video history | 5 days | 60 days |
Continuous recording | Yes | Yes |
Custom motion detection | Yes | Yes |
Zone setting | Yes | Yes |
Nest Aware
Nest Aware ranges from $5 per month to $30 per month and gives you five- to 30-day video history, continuous video recording, intelligent alerts, clips and timelapses, and the ability to set activity zones. You’ll also need a plan to use the Nest Hello facial recognition feature, but you can still send prerecorded responses and view a live feed without a plan.
Google Nest announced changes to Nest Aware plans and pricing starting in early 2020. The base plan’s price will increase to $6 a month but includes unlimited cameras, a 30-day event video history, and emergency calls within the US. If you have a Google Nest smart speaker, you also get emergency calls and the ability to listen for smoke and carbon monoxide alarms.
>>Learn more: Read Google Nest’s comprehensive FAQ
Ring Protect
Ring’s Protect Basic plan starts at $3 per month and gives you 60 days of cloud storage and video-sharing abilities. Most of the other features you’d want, like custom motion detection and a live feed, come for free. So if you don’t think you need the 60 days of video storage, the Ring Pro would still work without a plan.
If you're interested in smart security with Ring, you can also look into a Ring security system.
If you want to save money on a plan, Ring gives you more features with its basic plan.
Our recommendation
Although the Nest Hello and Ring Pro seem to compete neck and neck on the surface, we give the edge to the Nest Hello. Still, there are plenty of reasons each of these doorbell cameras can be a worthy choice for your home.
There’s a reason the Nest Hello is our favorite doorbell camera. It performs better day to day and comes loaded with better features than its competitors, and we talk about them all in our full review of the Nest Hello.
If you care more about Alexa integration or running your smart doorbell without paying for a plan, go with the Ring Pro video doorbell. While the Ring Pro doesn’t quite live up to its competitor in the Nest Hello, it still has its advantages. Most notably, you still get plenty of features if you don’t want to pay for a plan. Read more about the Ring Pro in our full Ring review.
Not sold on either the Nest Hello or Ring Pro? Take a look at our picks for the best doorbells.