Consumers are taking an increasing interest in smart home products, and how they can be an asset to their home in automating and controlling systems for comfort, security and entertainment – not to mention their adding a stylish, modern look. Smart doorbells are one of the most frequently bought smart home products.
A smart video doorbell is a great way to secure your home as well as make it ‘more modern’.
Summary Skybell HD and Ring Pro are the best doorbells on the market. They have unique features, good design and the highest ratings. If you’re looking for the best doorbell, you should consider getting either of these two.
There are many smart doorbells on the market that promise good features for an affordable price. Sadly, not all those products can be trusted, as often it transpires that the smart doorbells don’t live up to the hype of the advertisements.
If we’re going to the trouble of investing money and time – as well as our hopes – into a product, it’s a no-brainer that we want to purchase a quality doorbell that will work flawlessly for a long time.
Two smart doorbells that come from reputable companies, and which have effective features, are highly durable and look good, are Skybell HD and Ring Video Doorbell Pro.
Both Skybell HD and Ring Pro are top-notch products and are leaders in the smart-doorbell niche.
In this article, we’ll review Ring Pro and Skybell HD so you can make an informed choice about which smart doorbell to buy.
Ring Pro vs Skybell HD: Pros & Cons and Verdict
We’ll compare Skybell HD and Ring Pro and decide which of them is superior. 
Ultimately, we’ll come up with a reasonable verdict that’ll sum up our Ring Pro vs Skybell HD article and crown one of these two smart doorbells as the “Industry Leader”.
Let’s start the review with the popular Skybell HD Video Doorbell. It’s the startup’s second product and is a huge success.
SkyBell HD WiFi Video Doorbell Review
When Skybell introduced their first doorbell, Skybell 2.0, it wasn’t particularly successful. When people compared Skybell 2.0 with Ring’s first generation doorbell, Skybell 2.0 didn’t come close to what Ring had to offer.
Since then, Skybell has been industrious and come up with an enhanced model known as Skybell HD. This new model really captured the attention of the smart doorbell industry.
With its compelling features, great design and durability, Skybell HD very quickly became a success.
With Skybell HD’s 1080p resolution, on-demand live streaming, free clip storage and compatibility to Amazon Echo
Previously, we may well have compared the previous model, Skybell 2.0, unfavourably, especially when up against doorbells like August Doorbell Cam, Ring and Doorbird ; now, the tides have changed as Skybell HD is way ahead of them.
1. Installation Process
The first thing we should discuss is the installation process of Skybell HD. It’s true that Skybell HD is a wired doorbell and it takes some time to set it up.
Some people might opine that installing Skybell HD is quite a chore and say that it’s better to hire a professional electrician to do the work for you.
However, setting up Skybell HD is pretty straightforward and takes just a few minutes.
Let’s make this as short as possible. I’ll just link a video that perfectly explains how to install your Skybell HD.
Pretty easy, right? If you prefer a written manual, here it is:
- Remove the old doorbell
- Choose the right mounting plate
- Attach the plate to the mounting surface
- Connect the wires to the wires on the Skybell
- Done! Skybell is fully functional!
- Just tighten the screws so that the doorbell won’t fall off
After you’ve attached the doorbell, it’s time to download the Skybell HD app and connect it. In short, it’s quite simple, and you’ll have zero trouble figuring it out.
Although it’s not known to be a huge problem, some people worry about their doorbells getting stolen. In any event, Skybell has come up with an ‘antidote’ for this worry and offer a theft replacement guarantee. In other words, if someone steals your doorbell, Skybell will send a replacement for FREE.
But, seriously, who steals doorbells? Like, which burglar thinks, “Hey! I’m gonna steal every doorbell from my neighbourhood!”
2. Design
Skybell HD is widely known for its great aesthetics. You’ll hear lots of people saying that Skybell HD is made of quality materials and looks fantastic. Compared to the previous model, Skybell HD has noticeably improved in terms of its design and certainly garners positive attention.
Design can be considered a matter of individual taste, but it’s fair to say that 99% of Skybell HD buyers fell in love with the doorbell’s looks.
3. Features
So that you can grasp the essentials at a glance, we’ve created this detailed chart outlining Skybell HD’s features.
| Features of Skybell HD | Details | |
|---|---|---|
| Camera | High-definition 1080P video with 5x zoom | |
| Silent Doorbell Mode | Yes | |
| Night-vision | Colour night vision – full colour in the dark | |
| Camera Field of View | 180 with auto-scaling | |
| Video Recording | Free 7 day recording feature. Skybell HD is the only smart doorbell that provides such service | |
| Motion Sensor | Skybell HD has an advanced motion sensor and alerts the owner of visitors, even if they don’t press the bell. It detects activity up to 8 feet away | |
| On-demand Video | Yes | |
| Weather Resistant | Yes. Can withstand harsh conditions, rain, wind & snow | |
| Dimensions | 2.8 x 0.9 x 2.8 inches | |
| iOS & Android Compatibility | Yes | |
| Two-Way and One-Way Video & Audio |
Yes | |
| Wi-Fi Support | Yes | |
| LED Indicator Light | 16mil colour combo | |
| Colours Offered | Silver and Bronze | |
| Warranty | 1-year and a free replacement if the doorbell gets stolen | |
| Suggested Price | |
One of the features we should discuss is Skybell HD’s free 7-day recording feature. That’s something no other doorbell company offers.
When people found out that Skybell HD has such a great feature, the sales of the doorbell increased dramatically.
We’ll also include this excellent illustration that shows the main features of Skybell HD.
We already know that Skybell HD has a high-definition 1080P camera that, besides Ring Pro, supercedes other doorbells’ video recording systems.
Courtesy of CNET
As you see from the picture, Skybell HD takes incredibly good pictures. I can say the same for the video. Skybell HD’s camera becomes even better when you realise that it has a zooming feature (you can zoom in or out while talking to someone).
Also, we should mention Skybell HD’s night vision: unlike other doorbells, Skybell HD has a smart system, which will automatically adjust the camera for day and night (so you won’t need to remember to do adjust the settings yourself).
As for the audio, it’s loud and clear, so you won’t have any trouble hearing what your visitors are saying.
Plus, I’ve noticed that if the Wi-Fi signal is strong, the quality of the video and image improves.
4. Motion Detection
As for the Skybell HD’s motion detection system, it’s decent, but we can’t call it perfect. Sometimes, it does send false alerts.
Compared to Skybell 2.0, the system has improved. The second-generation Skybell is smarter and easily differentiates human activity from, for example, vehicles.
On top of this, Skybell HD has three motion sensitivity levels: low, medium and high. You can adjust it to suit your needs.
For example, some people lower the sensitivity level at night to make sure they don’t get a false alert while sleeping.
5. Cloud Storage
One of the reasons why Skybell HD became so popular is their newest feature – FREE cloud storage. It can save lots of content; and if the storage gets full, you can simply delete old content in order to free up space.
If there are old recordings and pics you want to keep, that’s fine, too; you can save them for as long as you want. Skybell won’t remove them.
6. Advantages and Disadvantages
Let’s talk a little more about Skybell HD’s strong and weak points. After this, we’ll know what it has and what it lacks.
| Pros | Cons | |
|---|---|---|
| 1080p video | Installation can be a bit complicated for novices | |
| Motion alert | Motion sensor sometimes sends false alerts | |
| iOS and Android support | ||
| Night vision | ||
| Weatherproof | ||
| Flexible mobile application | ||
| Long range Wi-Fi capability | ||
| Motion sensor activation | ||
| On-demand video | ||
| Two-way audio and video streaming |
7. Support
Skybell’s support is superb! They’re always online, and the team is full of professional employees. I’ve contacted them several times about different things and always got a professional response.
Skybell has a hard-working team that consistently tries to improve their product and hardware. The team is responsive and take only a few hours to respond (if you’re sending them an email); and if you give them a call, you’ll get an instant answer.
Conclusion
All in all, Skybell HD is an excellent doorbell that has incredible features, a beautiful design and, most importantly, it never disappoints.
If you’re looking for a smart doorbell that can secure your home, make you feel more comfortable and safe, getting the Skybell HD would be a great decision.
What’s more, Skybell HD is a stylish doorbell and never has functionality issues.
In short, we can say that Skybell HD is one of the industry’s leading doorbells that ‘took the market by storm’.
Ring Video Doorbell Pro Review
Now, it’s time to review the all-time best-selling company’s newest arrival, Ring Video Doorbell Pro.
Ring has a more prominent company profile than Skybell, and is well-known for their first generation Ring Doorbell. It was a huge success, and at the time of writing this article, it’s the best-selling video doorbell on Amazon.
Since their first launch, Ring has been continuously improving their products. As a result, Ring Pro was launched as one of the most advanced smart doorbells on the market.
It has some innovative features, looks even better than the previous model and performs well.
Like Skybell HD, we’ll discuss every aspect of Ring Video Doorbell Pro and analyse how well it competes with its rival.
1. Installation Process
As for any other well-known video doorbell, Ring Pro is easy to install. As we mentioned when reviewing Skybell HD, some people might assume that a wiring a smart doorbell is quite a chore.
However, installing Ring Pro is a piece of cake, and you can watch the video posted below to understand how easy it is.
Ring uploaded the video, and if you follow all the steps, you’ll have your Ring Pro up and running in a minute or two.
2. Design
Ring Pro has an eye-catching design and is quality-made.
Today, Ring Pro is one of the best-looking doorbells on the market, and it has an ultra slim design with advanced features.
Popular Read: Nest Cam Outdoor vs Arlo Pro Security Camera
Ring Video Doorbell Pro comes with four interchangeable faceplates so you can choose one to suit your personal preference or home design – or simply opt for a ‘new look’ as and when, according to how your mood takes you.
3. Features and Specifications of Ring Pro Doorbell
| Features of Ring Pro Doorbell | Details |
|---|---|
| Camera | 1080p wide-angle HD video |
| Field of View | 160° |
| Night-vision | Has built-in night vision and uses LED technology |
| Audio Streaming | Two-way with noise cancellation |
| Motion Sensor | Ring Pro has the most advanced motion detection system |
| Dimensions | 1 x 2 x 4.5 inches |
| Cloud Recording | Ring Pro maintains a clear view of your home’s entrance, and cloud recording lets you view the footage at a later time. Plus, as soon as the motion is detected, Ring Pro automatically starts to record it |
| Customizable alert zones | This is such an awesome feature, and we’ll talk more about it below |
| Weather Resistant | Yes |
| Easy Set-Up | Quick and easy setup – mount and sync to your Wi-Fi network in minutes |
| Colours Offered | 4 |
| Warranty | Lifetime. Check on Amazon for more information |
| Suggested Price | |
4. Advantages and Disadvantages of Ring Pro Doorbell
To fully understand how good Ring Video Doorbell Pro is, it’s essential to discuss the doorbell’s strong and weak points.
So we’ve created a great chart that shows Ring Pro’s advantages and disadvantages.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Two-way audio and one-way video (for privacy concerns) | 160-degree field of view |
| Easy to use | |
| Modern design | |
| HD video and audio quality | |
| Built-in night vision and LED technology | |
| Lifetime protection (if someone steals the doorbell, Ring will replace it for free) | |
| Enhanced Wi-Fi connection | |
| Cloud recording | |
| VIP customer service |
5. Motion Detection of Ring Pro
The first thing you need to know about Ring Pro’s motion detection system is that it’s nearly flawless. Ring Pro introduced the most advanced motion detection system and added a feature called “customizable alert zones”.
This feature was devised in response to the huge issues that video doorbells have with motion detection systems. Every doorbell sends false alerts. That includes Skybell HD, Skybell and Ring.
It’s true that, for now, doorbells aren’t smart enough to flawlessly differentiate human and, for example, vehicle activity.
So Ring came up with an innovative idea and created their “customizable alert zones”. Let’s take a look:
If you want your Ring Pro to detect motion only in specific areas (for example, to avoid roads and high activity areas) to maximally avoid false alerts, you can do so. Ring Pro allows you to set custom motion zones and the motion sensor will only trigger if it detects activity in that particular area.
As for its other points, Ring Pro has a great audio system, and the sound is crystal clear. The night vision of Ring Pro is also good and captures excellent images and vids.
Ring Pro offers other essential features. For example, you can share clips with friends, neighbours and Law enforcement and view and download up to 6 months of activity. On top of this, don’t be scared of storing vids and pics for too long. Ring will never remove your content. You can save it as long as you want.
Lastly, Ring Pro offers optional cloud recording, and the encryption is bank-grade, so it’s impossible to break in.
Verdict on Ring Pro Doorbell
In short, Ring Video Doorbell Pro is an incredibly useful doorbell which has some outstanding features, an eye-pleasing design, high durability and, most importantly, it works flawlessly.
We can say that today, Ring Pro is the most advanced and the smartest video doorbell on the market. With the company’s positive image, previous successful products and tons of positive reviews, it’s only natual that its latest offering, Ring Pro, comes with high credentials.
Final Words On Ring Pro Vs Skybell HD
We’ve reviewed both doorbells and evaluated their strong and weak points. We talked about their designs and features.
It’s time to compare these two products directly and decide which of them takes the #1 spot.
- Working Abilities – Ring Video Doorbell Pro and Skybell HD work well. Cases of bad feedback are few and far between. In short, both doorbells, Ring Pro and Skybell HD, are good in terms of working abilities
- Durability – Ring Pro is an incredibly durable doorbell. I haven’t even seen a case when a buyer complained about the doorbell dying or falling apart. As for Skybell HD, I’ve talked with other Skybell owners and some have requested an exchange, but after doing so, they’ve never had problems
- Looks And Quality – Both doorbells are looking good. I simply love both of them and can’t even choose which I like the most. It’s a matter of taste because both doorbells look gorgeous
- Cloud Recording – As already mentioned, Skybell HD has a great feature that makes it stand out. They offer a Free 7-day recording feature. That’s pretty generous of them. As for Ring Pro, it also has something up its sleeve. When Ring Pro detects activity, it instantly starts to record it. This way, you won’t miss a thing
- Unique Features – Ring Pro has a new feature called “customizable alert zones”; so Ring Pro wins on this point because Skybell HD doesn’t have a feature that matches this
Full Details Of Skybell HD VS Ring Pro
Lastly, we compared all features of both doorbells and made a comparison table below:
| Name Of The Doorbell | Skybell HD | Ring Video Doorbell Pro |
|---|---|---|
| Wi-Fi Video Doorbell | Skybell HD | Ring Video Doorbell Pro |
| iOS & Android and Windows Compatibility | Yes | Yes |
| Wi-Fi Support | Yes | Yes |
| Two-Way and One-Way Video |
Yes | Yes |
| Cloud Recording | Optional | Optional |
| Motion Sensors | Yes | Yes |
| Image Quality | HD/1080p | HD/1080p |
| Night-Vision | Skybell HD uses LED technology | Ring Pro uses LED technology |
| Camera Field of View | 180 | 160 |
| On-demand Video | Yes | Yes |
| Silent Doorbell Mode | Yes | Yes |
| Is It Dual Powered? | No | No |
| Weather Resistant | Yes | Yes |
| Dimensions Of The Product | 2.8 x 0.9 x 2.8 inches | 1 x 2 x 4.5 inches |
| Easy Set-Up | Yes | Yes |
| Colours Offered | 2 | 4 (all of them are in the package) |
| Warranty | 1-year | 1-year |
| Suggested Price | $$$ | $$$ |
| Special Features | None | Customizable Alert Zones |
| Check Price | |
|
Last Words
Let’s sum up the comparison of Ring Pro and Skybell HD.
It’s evident that Skybell HD and Ring Pro are the industry leading doorbells, but if we want to own the best smart doorbell, we have to choose between them.
If you want advice from a professional, the Ring Video Doorbell Pro is a better option. More people are buying it, more people are reviewing it, and Ring has more satisfied customers than Skybell.
But don’t think poorly of Skybell HD. It’s a top doorbell with great features. Skybell HD is a promising doorbell that has also been a game-changer.
In short, if you want to own the best smart doorbell, Ring Video Doorbell Pro should be your #1 choice.
Buddy says
Any door lock reviews?
Sylvia says
I love that the Ring pro allows you to set up zones but it still charges $30 a year where Skybell is FREE so for that reason I think They tie. Also Ring should come up with a round version and offer Free limited storage. If it did that it would Win, otherwise to me it’s tied. I’m waiting to see what happens in 2017 🙂 Thanks for the reviews.
melinda says
Ring pro offers 30 days free cloud and sky offers 7 days.
MJ says
Ring pro offers one time of 30 days for free only when you activate it for the first time while sky offers 7 days lifetime of recording videos on cloud .
Barbetta Tina says
Is there wifi door locks available that will link to either Ring, Skybell or both? In the event you left home and forgot to lock the door, an alert telling you you did this with an option to lock door remotely?
melinda says
I loved my ring pro, but I never got a chance to set it up for motion before someone stole it. I did call ring pro and they are going to replace it with a copy of the police report. I am very upset that if I have the motion part done I would have seen the person taking it. I feel violated and worry that taking a door bell is the start of them trying to break in. Thank goodness I have 2 Pitt bulls inside my house also.
jeff morehouse says
The sound coming out of the Ring Pro is too low to be clearly heard by anyone. The Sky view HD has low medium and high choices in settings. What are the decible levels of each device.
as I said two Ring Pro’s were installed and the sound coming out was too low to be heard in the front of my house. So I returned them. Maybe if my front entry was a sound proof room would the sound be enough for talking with a visitor. Ring Pro was a waste of my time.
Do you know the decibel levels of the sound coming out of each door bell as I may want to try the Sky View HD?
Alex says
Not sure about the decibel levels but set at medium it’s loud and clear, almost to a point where I’m thinking about setting it to low.
Moussa says
The picture and voice are not good at all
My question is could the speed of the net affect that or the speed of uploud
Joe Donovan says
Doesn’t look like anyone bothered to answer you Moussa but yes indeed, the quality of your wifi connection will greatly impact the quality of both video and audio.
Cynthia says
I had to increase internet speed to keep my Ring Pro video from freezing. Did so, and it still did not work properly. Then they said to move my modem closer to the front door, which would have cost 197.00. And it canceled out my door chime. We would get the alert some one was at the door, but the original door chime stopped working, so you could not hear it inside the house to know someone was at the door. We were told we had to purchase the Ring Pro door chimer. So security company came back out and installed the Skybell. Skybell works great with door chime and excellent view. But, it does not have Motion Zones or record instantly, unless they push the doorbell or stand still. Too many alerts of motion and no filming of person going in or out. Skybell would be perfect if they offered the motion zones and figured out how to stop the false alerts with no recording. Also, we get late notifications of motion now.. And no notifications as well of activity at the door.
Biggy Smalls says
Skybell HD has FREE cloud storage.
It also has better night recording quality
Ring Pro there is a monthly suscription.
PK says
I purchased Ring (not the pro version) when it was on clearance at Lowe’s. Found the mounting holes did not line up with the holes on my old/standard doorbell. Also, disappointed to find out Ring wanted $3/mo or $30/yr for access to recorded videos. So, before I drilled a new hole in my brick exterior to mount the Ring doorbell, I purchased a Skybell HD. The mounting plate holes lined up with the existing holes/mollies in the brick from the old doorbell; worked beautifully; no charge to access cloud storage videos; so, returned the Ring doorbell, despite the great price I got it for.
The Skybell also has a special feature that allows you to change the color and brightness/intensity of its nightlight and button, seemingly to any color you want (or turn it off). Doorbell light turns on / changes to white when it detects motion, which makes it easy to see (especially at night) for an approaching visitor. I had previously set the color to a cool blue-green, but turned off the light recently figuring it would attract bugs during the warmer months if always on (still lights up white when motion is detected).
I have no experience with the Ring Pro, but I would stick with SkyBell mainly because of the free cloud storage access.
JeanMS says
We live in MN and it gets really cold in the winter. I read one place where the Ring was only worked to -5 degrees, where the Skybell worked to -40 degrees. If this is true, the Ring wouldn’t work for us.
Peter says
Can you suggest any best doorlock?
Nicely crafted review by the way.
SkyBell HD Owner says
SkyBell HD is my third wi-fi video doorbell. The first worked well, received a strong wi-fi signal, and recorded locally in 720. Wanting better detail and resolution, I upgraded to the Ring Video Doorbell Pro, which would barely receive wi-fi signal from the same location, and required a paid subscription to view video. Disappointed with Ring’s bait-and-switch sales tactic (try finding any mention of a paid subscription to use their device on the product page), I went to the SkyBell HD. Same 1080p image quality, excellent wi-fi reception, and FREE cloud storage access. SkyBell HD is much Better Than Ring Video Doorbell Pro!!!
Disappointed says
Forget Skybell. Mine never worked as supposed (WiFi always failed on calls, worked as long as nobody actually rang the bell, though) and recently stopped notifying me on iPhone. I contacted support and after some standard text-block copy-paste replies they admitted:
“Thank you for contacting SkyBell Technical Support.
There will be no further updates on any of the components of the SkyBell, including hardware, software, and firmware. The SkyBell is incompatible with iOS 11; however, we have a great upgrade program available to our dedicated SkyBell users which offers a great discount off of a brand new model.
Note: At this time our upgrade program is only available to US Customers. . . but you can place an order if you are able to provide a US Shipping address. ”
How pathetic is that?! I ordered a ring Pro no and hope it will a. work and b. not be discontinued 2 years after purchase 🙁
Phil Sanderson says
It’s worth mentioning that the UK version of Skybell does not work with Alexa as it does in the US. I contacted Skybell and they told me they have no plans to even add it at a later date which is pretty disappointing
Leah says
I ordered the Ring pro and never got it to work, I had an electrician upgrade my transformer and had the Ring pro technicians come out and still a no go, they Ring sent me another device assuming the one I had was faulty and still it did not work, Highly disappointed because I really wanted it to work so no I’m going to order the Skybell Trim Pro. Hope it works