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You are here: Home / Doorbell Comparison / Skybell 2.0 vs Skybell HD: Pros & Cons and Verdict

Skybell 2.0 vs Skybell HD: Pros & Cons and Verdict

August 15, 2016 By George Balanchine Leave a Comment


Skybell 2.0 vs Skybell HD

When we’re looking for a smart doorbell that can make our homes more secure and modern, there are several products that we could think of.

Skybell 2.0 and Skybell HD can be one of the best choices we have. In order to choose between them, we should discuss their strong and weak points, analyze their features, design and durability.

  • Design
  • Features
  • Support
  • Stability
4.9

Summary

Skybell HD and Skybell 2.0 are one of the most famous smart doorbells. They have unique features, nice design, lots of satisfied customers and most importantly, are durable products that won’t stop amazing us

First of all, I’d like to note that Skybell is one the best companies in the doorbell industry. With their highly praised name and durable products, Skybell takes one of the top spots and many even call it the industry leading manufacturer.

Well, that can be argued but let’s put it aside for some time and discuss more important things. In this SkyBell 2.0 vs SkyBell HD article we’ll discuss everything that’s related to these doorbells, we’ll provide in-depth charts and detailed evaluations of their important aspects.

Before we start, I’ll say one more thing. Besides Skybell being such a great smart doorbell manufacturer, to make my words even more convincing, I’ll say that both of these doorbells are best-sellers on Amazon and have tons of positive reviews.

So let’s start reviewing these two awesome doorbells and find out how they differ, what they have in common and finally, which of them take the #1 spot.

Page Contents

  • SkyBell HD Wi-Fi Video Doorbell
    • 1. Installation Process
    • 2. Design
    • 3. Features
    • 4. Motion Detection
    • 5. Cloud Storage and Integrations
    • 7. Advantages and Disadvantages
      • Pros
      •  Cons
    • Conclusion
  • Skybell Wi-Fi Video Doorbell Review
    • 1. Installation Process
    • 2. Design
    • 3. Features
    • 4. Motion Detection
    • 5. Advantages and Disadvantages
      • Pros
      •  Cons
  • Conclusion
  • Final Words On Skybell 2.0 VS Skybell HD
  • Skybell HD vs Skybell 2.0 Chart
  • Last Words

SkyBell HD Wi-Fi Video Doorbell

skybell hd

I’ll be starting the review with my favorite smart doorbell, Skybell HD. It has some unique features and really nice design.

On top of this, Skybell HD is a really, really durable doorbell and I’ve literally seen no one who has complained about it being nonfunctional or damaged.

1. Installation Process

We’ve said it many times and I’ll repeat once more, Skybell HD is a wired doorbell and unlike wireless ones, it must be connected to your existing doorbell’s wires.

I won’t waste much time on talking about the installation process. I’ll just drop a video uploaded by Skybell. It’s a pretty good guide and perfectly explains how the installation process is done.


If you still don’t get it, here’s a little manual written by me (also, Skybell HD has a user’s manual in the package and you can use it to guide you).

  1. Remove the old doorbell
  2. Choose the right mounting plate
  3. Attach the plate to the mounting surface
  4. connect the wires to the wires on the Skybell
  5. Done! Skybell is fully functional!
  6. Just tighten the screws so that the doorbell won’t fall off

After this, you should just download the app and connect it to your doorbell. That’s everything about the installation process and it won’t take more than five minutes to do so.

One more thing I’d like to mention is what happens 23if someone steals your doorbell. Lots of people are concerned about this and occasionally think, “I’m going to pay a lot of money for this doorbell. What if it gets stolen?”.

Well, firstly, Skybell has already thought about this and offers a theft replacement guarantee. In other words, if your Skybell HD gets stolen, you’ll get a new one for free.

Though, who steals doorbells? It’s more likely for someone to throw a brick in your window than someone to steal your Skybell.

2. Design

Today, Skybell HD is one of the best-designed doorbells on the market. It’s made of quality materials, the manufacturers have paid a lot of attention to the details, it attracts attention and most importantly, makes your home more modern and beautiful.

Sure, the first generation of Skybell is really good but it can’t be compared with Skybell HD. If we compare it to other top doorbells like Doorbird, August Doorbell Cam and Ring Pro, Skybell HD will definitely come out as a winner.

Skybell's Design

If we take another look, we can’t escape the fact that Skybell HD looks gorgeous but, yes, it’s still a matter of taste. Some people might like other doorbell’s design more.

What I can guarantee is that your Skybell HD will get an incredible response and attract attention from your guests.

3. Features

Technically, this can be called the most important aspect of our review. We have analyzed the features of Skybell HD and decide, whether it truly deserves so much praise.

Features of Skybell HD Details
Camera High-definition 1080P video with 5x zoom
Silent Doorbell Mode Yes
Night-vision Color night vision – full colour in the dark
Camera Field of View 180 with auto-scaling
Video Recording Free 7 day recording feature. Skybell is the only smart doorbell that provides such service
Motion Sensor Skybell has an advanced motion sensor and alerts the owner when a visitor doesn’t even press the ring. It detects activity up to 8 feet away
On-demand Video Yes
Weather Resistant Yes. Rain, Wind & Snow Protection
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
Suggested Price check price at amazon

With their unbelievable, free 7-day recording feature, HD camera, 180-degree field of view and other interesting features, Skybell HD truly became one of the most successful and desired products on the market.

Features of Skybell HD

We’ve already mentioned that Skybell HD has a 1080p HD camera that takes wonderful, clear images and vids. It’s really interesting to see what quality the images truly are.

Skybell HD Camera
Courtesy of CNET

The picture and audio quality of Skybell HD far surpasses anything I’ve seen (most importantly, the quality of Skybell 2.0). Skybell HD’s abilities become even better when you realise the doorbell can zoom while talking to a visitor.

Plus, I’ve noticed that if your Wi-Fi signal is high, the quality of the video and image improves.

As for the audio quality, Skybell HD has a pure audio system and you won’t have a problem hearing your visitor’s words.

An interesting thing about Skybell HD’s night-vision is that you don’t have to adjust the camera for day and night. The doorbell will do it automatically.

4. Motion Detection

Generally, it’s really important for your smart doorbell to have a fully functional motion detection system. It’s one of the most important features of a doorbell and it’s essential to secure your home and feel more comfortable.

Of course, Skybell HD has a motion detection system and it works pretty well but it has some issues too. It sometimes sends false alerts and can be a little annoying.

Suggested Article: bObsweep PetHair vs Roomba 960

But Skybell constantly works on improving the doorbell’s motion sensors. They regularly update the firmware and Skybell HD becomes better and better.

Skybell HD also has three levels of motion detection. It’s a really good feature if you want to lower the sensitivity. For example, at night, you can lower the sensitivity level and avoid any kind of false alerts.

Seriously, who likes waking up at night? Until we get a perfect motion system, it’s better to play with the sensitivity levels.

5. Cloud Storage and Integrations

Skybell HD took the game to another level and introduced cloud storage for free. It can save lots of pics and vids and if it gets full, you can remove the old recordings.

If you want to save a certain recording for a longer time, don’t worry, Skybell won’t remove it and you can keep it as long as you want.

As for integrations, Skybell HD can be paired with, Amazon Echo, IFTTT and Nest Cam Security Camera.

7. Advantages and Disadvantages

Let’s talk about Skybell HD’s strong and weak points. It’s important to know if Skybell HD is really that good and deserves so much praise.

Pros

 Cons

1080p video Installation can be a bit complicated
Motion alert Motion sensor could some improvement
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

Conclusion

All in all, Skybell HD is one of the best doorbells on the market. It has really good features, nice design, it’s durable and attracts a lot of attention.

If you’re looking for a quality doorbell that can be called one of the bests, purchasing Skybell HD can be the best decision to make.


check price at amazon


Skybell Wi-Fi Video Doorbell Review

Skybell 2.0 is the first product of the startup. It’s a really good doorbell that was successfully competing with Ring’s first generation doorbell.

Skybell 2.0 has some good features, it looks nice and I’ve only seen several people complaining about its durability.

Like Skybell HD, we’ll review every aspect of the Skybell 2.0 Doorbell and evaluate its features.

Skybell Review

1. Installation Process

Skybell 2.0 is also a wired doorbell and installing it might take some time. Here’s a detailed video (also uploaded by Skybell) and if you follow it step-by-step, you’ll have no problem installing it.

I’ll also write a small guide if you’d like to read it:

  1. Remove the old doorbell
  2. Choose the right mounting plate
  3. Attach the plate to the mounting surface
  4. connect the wires to the wires on the Skybell
  5. Done! Skybell is fully functional!
  6. Just tighten the screws so that the doorbell won’t fall off

2. Design

Skybell 2.0 is a good looking doorbell. Skybell 2.0 looks better than the most doorbells but it definitely can’t compete with Skybell HD.

When you touch Skybell 2.0, it somehow feels like it’s cheaply made. Today, Skybell 2.0 can’t impress anyone with its looks.

Skybell 2.0

If you want to read more about Skybell 2.0’s design, check out what other people have to say at Amazon.

3. Features

We have to talk about Skybell 2.0’s features to analyze its capabilities. Only then we can decide if it suits our needs.

Features of Skybell Details
Camera VGA/(640×480)
Silent Doorbell Mode Yes
Night-vision Yes
Camera Field of View 120
Audio Streaming Two-way
Motion Sensor Skybell has an advanced motion sensor and alerts the owner when a visitor doesn’t even press the ring
On-demand Video Yes
Weather Resistant Yes. Rain & Water Protection
Dimensions 0.8 x 2.8 x 2.8
iOS & Android Compatibility Yes. Requirements: iPhone and iPad with iOS 5 or later; Android Jelly Bean 4.1, 4.2, 4.3, Kit Kat 4.4 or later.
Two-Way and
One-Way Video
Yes
Wi-Fi Support Yes
Easy Set-Up Some people find it hard to install Skybell 2.0. But the user manual and the video posted above will make the process a piece of cake.
Colours Offered 2
Warranty 1-year
Suggested Price check price at amazon

Skybell 2.0 is much weaker than the Skybell HD. Skybell 2.0’s features aren’t that surprising and it surely won’t exceed your expectations.

You can also check out this illustration to better see the main features of Skybell 2.0.

features of skybell doorbell

Unlike Ring and Doorbird, Ring Pro and Skybell HD, Skybell 2.0 doesn’t have a Full-HD camera. For some buyers, this is a huge drawback.

The thing is, with Skybell 2.0, the quality of images and vids are low and sometimes, you might have trouble figuring out who’s standing next to your door.

skybell's camera

It does lack some details and it surely isn’t HD. But if this quality is acceptable for you, well, it won’t be annoying.

But if you’re looking for a quality doorbell with extraordinary recording capabilities, forget Skybell 2.0.

As for the audio, like the camera’s case, people talk a lot about it. I’ve seen several reviewers who talk badly about it. Though, like the camera, the audio system’s quality should be acceptable.

4. Motion Detection

Skybell 2.0 has a weak motion detection system and it occasionally sends false alerts. It could really use some improvements and quite often, it gets really annoying.

Moreover, Skybell 2.0’s motion sensor can’t be compared with Skybell HD’s. In short, if you’re looking for a doorbell with good capabilities, don’t buy Skybell 2.0

5. Advantages and Disadvantages

We’ve said a lot about Skybell 2.0 and it would be really helpful if we analysed the advantages and disadvantages of the doorbell. This will be helpful to decide if it’s actually worth the investment or not. So, here’s a great chart. Dive in.

Pros

 Cons

Easy to use Weak motion detection system
Motion alert Non-HD video and audio quality
iOS and Android support
Night vision
Weatherproof
Flexible mobile application
Long range Wi-Fi capability
Motion sensor activation
On-demand video
Two-way audio streaming

Conclusion

All in all, Skybell 2.0 is a good doorbell. It has nice features, looks good and works okay. But if you’re looking for a top-notch doorbell that will exceed your expectations and amaze your visitors, Skybell 2.0 won’t be able to do this.

But it’s definitely nice and will serve you loyally for several years. It’s also important to note that Skybell 2.0 is a best-selling doorbell on Amazon, has lots of positive reviews and satisfied customers.


check price at amazon


Final Words On Skybell 2.0 VS Skybell HD

We’ve reviewed both Skybell HD and Skybell 2.0 and evaluated their strong and weak parts, we reviewed their designs and features and now, it’s time to compare the products and find out which of them take the #1 spot.

  • Working Abilities – Skybell HD works really good. You’ll rarely find someone complaining about this doorbell. Mostly, there are only positive reviews and the negatives come from “haters”. As for the Skybell 2.0, it’s not that good and there are some serious glitches
  • Durability – Skybell HD is a durable product but I’ve also read that some people have requested a product exchange and after doing so, they’ve never had any problems. As for Skybell 2.0, it’s a more problematic doorbell and many have requested refunds
  • Looks And Quality – Skybell HD and Skybell 2.0 look really nice. If you ask me, Skybell HD has a better design
  • Cloud Recording – We already said that Skybell HD has a great feature that makes it stand out. Though, Skybell 2.0, doesn’t even have a cloud recording feature

Skybell HD vs Skybell 2.0 Chart

Name Of The Doorbell Skybell HD Skybell 2.0
Wi-Fi Video Doorbell Skybell HD Skybell 2.0
iOS & Android and Windows Compatibility Yes Yes
Wi-Fi Support Yes Yes
Two-Way and
One-Way Video
Yes Yes
Cloud Recording Optional No cloud recording feature
Motion Sensors Yes Yes
Image Quality HD/1080p 640×480 VGA
Night-Vision Yes. Skybell HD Uses LED technology Yes. Skybell 2.0 Uses LED technology
Camera Field of View 180 120
On-demand Video Yes Yes
Silent Doorbell Mode No No
Is It Dual Powered? No No
Weather Resistant Yes Yes
Dimensions Of The Product 2.8 x 0.9 x 2.8 inches 0.8 x 2.8 x 2.8
Easy Set-Up Yes Yes
How Many Colors Are Offered? 2 2
Warranty 1-year 1-year
Suggested Price $$$ $$$
Special Features None None
Check Price check price at amazon check price at amazon

Last Words

For the last time, let’s sum up the comparison of Skybell 2.0 and Skybell HD.

It’s obvious that Skybell HD is a much better doorbell. Of course, Skybell 2.0 is also nice but if you’re willing to invest a little more in your doorbell, you should definitely go for Skybell HD.

If we want to own a top-notch doorbell and you’re thinking of buying Skybell HD or Skybell 2.0, don’t think much and go for Skybell HD.

If you want an advice from a professional, Skybell HD is a much better option. More people are buying it, more people are reviewing it and Skybell HD has much more satisfied customers than Skybell 2.0.

Of course, Skybell 2.0 isn’t a bad doorbell and you might not even regret buying it. It has some unique features that can amaze you but if you want to feel relieved and more secured, there’s no other option than Skybell HD.

Filed Under: Doorbell Comparison

About George Balanchine

Hey, I'm George! I've been working in the home automation industry for several years! If you have any questions, feel free to drop me a message using the comments or the contact form above!

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