Ring cameras and doorbells can show live view and send real-time alerts without a subscription. Ring Protect is the paid service that lets you save, review, share, and search recordings after the moment has passed.
This applies to Ring doorbells, cameras, and Ring Alarm features managed in the Ring app. Ring renamed its plans on January 14, 2026: Basic became Solo, the address-wide video plan became Multi, and Pro remains the higher tier for alarm monitoring and extras.
Does this affect you?
Use this if you are setting up Ring and are not sure whether you need Solo, Multi, or Pro. The right plan depends mostly on how many Ring devices you have and whether you use Ring Alarm professional monitoring.
What works without any Ring Protect plan
- Open live view from the Ring app when the device is online.
- Receive real-time motion and doorbell press notifications.
- Use two-way talk live from the app.
- Control basic device settings and alerts.
The free level does not give you recorded video history to scroll through later. If you miss the live event, there may be no saved clip to review, save, or share.
What Solo, Multi, and Pro add
- Ring Solo covers one eligible device and adds recorded video history, clip saving and sharing, and rich notifications with preview images.
- Ring Multi covers eligible Ring cameras and doorbells at one address for one flat price.
- Ring Pro covers the address too, and adds premium features tied to Ring Alarm, including 24/7 professional monitoring and cellular backup where available.
- Pricing and retention windows can change by region, so confirm current details inside Ring app > Settings > Ring Protect Plans.
If you have one camera or doorbell, Solo is usually the cheapest plan. If you have several cameras at one address, Multi is normally simpler than paying per device. Choose Pro when Ring Alarm monitoring is part of your setup.
Subscribe, check your plan, or cancel
- Open the Ring app.
- Tap the menu.
- Open Ring Protect Plans.
- Choose a plan or review the active plan.
- Follow the prompts to subscribe, change, or cancel.
- Check which devices are covered before leaving the screen.
New Ring devices often include a limited trial, so check whether one is already active before paying. Canceling returns the device to live-view-only behavior for future events, and old recordings may disappear when the plan or retention period ends.
Sources
- Ring Help – Ring Protect plans overview (2025)
- Ring Help – Compare Ring Protect Basic and Plus (2025)
- Ring Help – What features require a Ring Protect subscription (2025)