Dealmaster: Save on Ring home security systems before features get paywalled

The Ring Alarm Pro base station. It's so big because it has a battery backup.
Enlarge / The Ring Alarm Pro base station. It’s so big because it has a battery backup.

Despite attracting criticism and controversy for its practice of sharing captured images and videos from its product with law enforcement officials without user consent, Ring continues to be one of the easiest solutions for managing and monitoring your home security. From smart video doorbells to lighting and cameras, the company can help make your home safer and smarter. Ring even has a security system, which is easy to set up and more cost-effective than traditional alarm systems.

The professional monitoring fee has been optional, at least up until now. Ring Protect alarm system users who did not subscribe to the company’s professional monitoring program could still use the system on a DIY basis, receiving alerts and notifications on their phones, for instance, if a door has been opened. However, that’s about to change. Effective March 29, 2023, Ring will start to paywall these features for new devices.

Fortunately, already-purchased Ring security devices will be grandfathered in, so you’ll still be able to receive basic notifications on your phone without having to subscribe to professional monitoring, making today’s Dealmaster a great way to jump into the smart home space if you don’t want to deal with professional monitoring, recurring subscription costs, or time-consuming setups. Ring claims that existing Ring Protect devices will continue to have free access to features for the reasonable lifespan of the products.

Here are some of the best savings on Ring Protect security systems:

Ring Alarm 8-Piece Security Kit for $188 (was $250) at Best Buy | Amazon: The eight-piece kit of Ring’s home security system includes a keypad to arm and disarm, a base station that uses Zigbee, Z-Wave, and Wi-Fi wireless connections to connect all your devices and sound an alarm if there’s an intruder, a motion detector, four contact sensors, and a range extender.

Ring Alarm 5-Piece Security Kit for $150 (was $200) at Best Buy | Amazon: This smaller five-piece kit is ideal for smaller abodes, like studio apartments and dorm rooms. It has a keypad, base station, single contact sensor, and a motion detector.

Ring Alarm 9-Piece Security Kit for $225 (was $300) at Best Buy: Ideal for homeowners seeking a bit more robust video monitoring system, the nine-piece security alarm kit from Ring is like the eight-piece kit on our list but adds in the company’s wired Stick Up Indoor Camera.

Ring Alarm 14-Piece Security Kit for $247 (was $330) at Amazon: Designed for larger homes, this kit comes with two keypads for added versatility, a base station, two motion sensors, eight contact sensors, and a range extender.

The Ring Alarm systems are expandable, allowing you to augment your security setup with additional contact sensors, a video doorbell, and additional cameras. The following Ring products are also on sale at this time.

  • Ring Spotlight Cam Plus (Battery Model) for $170 (was $200) at Amazon
  • Ring Spotlight Cam Plus (Wired Model) for $170 (was $200) at Amazon
  • Ring Video Doorbell (Wired) with Chime for $80 (was $90) at Best Buy

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Listing image by Ring

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