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I am a big fan of video doorbells, in a period of time where the vast majority of my shopping is done online, I get packages daily as well as regular pickups due to the nature of my work.
Thanks to COVID-19, delivery people have changed the way they work, so it is less likely to not have a package delivered by missing the doorbell. However, quite frequently (mainly Amazon) the delivery person has not had the door answered to left the package somewhere random in the garden with no note at all. Without video notifications, these packages would be left out in the cold and rain for hours if not days.
Even though video doorbells have been around for years, most of them have required power from the wiring of your old doorbell. However, many homes lack this. Therefore Ring has dominated this segment of the market for years.
Things have started to change though, while I love the Ring Doorbell 3 Plus, I now use the Eufy Battery Powered Video Doorbell 2K, I already have Eufy cameras, so it is just a logical pairing.
Arlo Essential Video Doorbell Wire-Free
Now, Arlo has finally launched its Wire-Free Video Doorbell. They already have the Video Doorbell and Audio Doorbell, but this one is battery powered with up to 6 months of battery
The Arlo Essential Video Doorbell Wire-Free should be available pre-sale now for £179 and will be available from Amazon and others from the 2nd February.
It has similar features to the competing brands including AI People, animal and vehicle detection, activity zones
It has a couple of other features that the other brands don’t offer, this includes:
- Package detection – receive alerts specifically when your doorbell detects a package, so you never miss a delivery
- Listen for fire – set your camera to alert you if it detects the sound of your fire alarm and you’re not home
- Siren Alert – trigger the built-in siren to deter intruders your doorbell detects
- CVR – Add continuous video recording to your SMART plan to create a CCTV style video doorbell
- Works with SmartThings & Google for third party integration
Arlo Wire-Free Video Doorbell vs Ring Doorbell 3 vs Eufy Wireless Doorbell vs Netatmo Doorbell
So how does it compare with the other brands? For this comparison, I picked the Ring Doorbell 3 because it is priced the same as the Arlo.
Video
- Arlo Wire-Free Video Doorbell – 1536×1536 resolution, 1:1 ratio, 180-degree diagonal
- Ring Video Doorbell 3 – 1080p HD Video, 160 degrees
- Eufy Battery Powered Video Doorbell 2K – 2560 x 1920, 4:3 aspect ratio, 160-degree field of view
The Arlo has the best field of view, a higher video resolution than Ring and Netatmo and that 1:1 aspect ratio which captures more top to bottom, allowing it to see things like packages.
Battery
- Arlo Wire-Free Video Doorbell – 6 months battery, removable battery
- Ring Video Doorbell 3 Plus – They state up to 6 months, my experience is much less than Eufy. However quick-release swappable batteries easily make up for this.
- Eufy Battery Powered Video Doorbell 2K – 6 months (my battery is still over 50% since October), need to remove the doorbell to charge
From my experience, Eufy easily has the best batteries of any wire-free product I have used to date; however, in this case, you need to remove the doorbell, which is a little annoying.
Notifications / Detection / Additional Features
- Arlo Wire-Free Video Doorbell –
- People, animal and vehicle detection + activity zones
- Package detection
- Fire alarm detection
- Built-in siren
- Theft replacement
- Voicemail
- Ring Video Doorbell 3:
- People, animal and vehicle detection + activity zones
- Theft replacement
- 2.4 & 5Ghz WiFi (other options are all 2.4GHz)
- Eufy Battery Powered Video Doorbell 2K:
- People, animal and vehicle detection + activity zones
Arlo clearly has the advantage with overall features. Ring also has the pre-roll option for their more expensive Video Doorbell 3 Plus
Third-Party Integration & Chimes
- Arlo Wire-Free Video Doorbell –
- Google Assistant, Amazon Alexa and SmartThings
- Arlo Audio Chime – not included, £49 extra. I assume this is compatible
- Ring Video Doorbell 3:
- Alexa only
- Standard and Pro Chimes available for £29 & £49
- Eufy Battery Powered Video Doorbell 2K:
- Alexa & Google (Alexa used for Chime)
- Homebase acts as a chime (included)
- No additional chimes available to buy (yet)
The addition of SmartThings on the Arlo is a big plus for me, giving you lots of automation options.
On-going costs & Recording Options
- Arlo Wire-Free Video Doorbell:
- Free for notifications and live streaming (no recording, AI detection)
- £2.49pcm for 30 days recording for 1 camera or £7.99/mo for up to 5 cameras
- 24/7 recording – 14 days for £6.99 per month or 30 days for £12.99.
- Ring Video Doorbell 3:
- Free for motion alerts & streaming
- £2.50/month for 1 device with 30 days or £8/month for unlimited devices
- Eufy Battery Powered Video Doorbell 2K:
- Completely free to use when recording to Homebase
- Optional cloud recording options starting at $2.99pcm
This is the big one that differentiates the brands, each one has a stand out feature.
Eufy is best if you want to keep the costs down, Arlo has a 24/7 recording option (not sure how that affects the battery), and Ring has the cheapest subscription service if you have lots of devices.
From my experience, Eufy is better than Ring at object/person detection, too.
Arlo ecosystem vs others
All three brands have an extensive range of products now, and with the wide adoption of smart home tech, I find it is best to try and keep as many devices under one ecosystem as possible.
- Arlo Wire-Free Video Doorbell –
- 6 different outdoor cameras
- 2 indoor cameras
- 1 wire-free floodlight camera
- 3 different doorbells
- Ring Video Doorbell 3:
- 6 different doorbell options
- 2 spotlight cameras (1 x wired, 1 x wireless)
- 2 stick up cameras (1 x wired, 1 x wireless)
- 1 indoor camera
- 1 floodlight camera
- 1 alarm system
- Eufy Battery Powered Video Doorbell 2K
- 3 wire-free camera options
- 4 doorbell options
- 1 floodlight camera
- 4 indoor cameras
- 2 baby cameras
- 1 alarm system
So, Arlo is missing a home alarm system, though the combination of cameras and built-in doorbell siren means that this is extremely important, in my opinion.
I much prefer the Eufy outdoor cameras vs the Ring Spotlight Battery cam. I have no used the Arlo outdoor cameras, but they easily have the best range of options
Price
| Preview | Product | Rating | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| eufy Security Video Doorbell S220 with HomeBase, 2K HD, No... | £169.00 | Buy on Amazon |
- Arlo Wire-Free Video Doorbell: £179
- Ring Video Doorbell 3: £178.95 (as low as £119 & regularly £139 on Amazon)
- Eufy Battery Powered Video Doorbell 2K: £179.99 (as low as £125 on Amazon)
They are all identically price (ignoring the few pennies). Arlo has only just launched, so there have been no discounts yet.
The current Arlo doorbell is at £124.99 down from £179.99, so I would expect to see similar discounts for this new camera later in the year.
Overall
If you already use Arlo cameras and need a battery-powered doorbell, this is a no brainer.
For a wirefree doorbell, all three options are fantastic, I have not used the Arlo yet, but I assume it will perform as good as expected.
Based on the RRP and the overall specification, I would say the Arlo Wire-Free Video Doorbell looks like a better choice than the Ring Video Doorbell 3, if you are not bothered about which brand you buy.
I am James, a UK-based tech enthusiast and the Editor and Owner of Mighty Gadget, which I’ve proudly run since 2007. Passionate about all things technology, my expertise spans from computers and networking to mobile, wearables, and smart home devices.
As a fitness fanatic who loves running and cycling, I also have a keen interest in fitness-related technology, and I take every opportunity to cover this niche on my blog. My diverse interests allow me to bring a unique perspective to tech blogging, merging lifestyle, fitness, and the latest tech trends.
In my academic pursuits, I earned a BSc in Information Systems Design from UCLAN, before advancing my learning with a Master’s Degree in Computing. This advanced study also included Cisco CCNA accreditation, further demonstrating my commitment to understanding and staying ahead of the technology curve.
I’m proud to share that Vuelio has consistently ranked Mighty Gadget as one of the top technology blogs in the UK. With my dedication to technology and drive to share my insights, I aim to continue providing my readers with engaging and informative content.
Last update on 2024-04-17 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
