Once upon a time video doorbells or WiFi doorbells were seen as a very odd invention – fast forward to 2018 and Ring has made a BIG impression on the world. So much so Amazon recently purchased Ring! Now Google’s Nest team has released their own video doorbell – Nest Hello .
The question everyone is asking is which doorbell is the best and what is the difference of Nest Hello Vs Ring!
To make it a fair comparison we used Ring’s latest model the Ring Doorbell 2.
(Note: Ring does have a Pro model but it’s not as popular as their Ring 2)
| Ring Doorbell 2 | Nest Hello | |
| Released | July 2017 (Worldwide) | March 2018 (USA only) |
| Price | £149 | $229 (£162) |
| Size (Inches) | 5.1 x 2.5 x 1.1 | 4.6 x 1.7 x 1.0 |
| Video | HD 1080p | HD UXGA 1600 x 1200 (4:3) |
| Night vision | Yes | Yes |
| Video Field | 160° wide-angle | 160° wide-angle |
| Live view | Yes | Yes |
| Audio | Two-way & noise cancellation | Two-way & noise cancellation |
| Connectivity | 2.4GHz | 2.4GHz & 5GHz |
| Power | Hardwired or changeable rechargeable battery | Hardwired |
| Theft Cover | Yes – free replacement | Yes – free replacement |
| Extras | Choice of 4 different face plates Connects to Alexa Show Screen Customisable motion zones | Pre-recorded messages Facial recognition
Google assistant can announce visitors by name (requires subscription) |
| Made by | Amazon | |
| Subscription | £2.50 per month | £4 per month |
As you can see specification wise they are very similar.
What are the differences between video doorbells Ring and Nest Hello?
Looking at the specs side by side you can see a few key differences:
1. Size & Design
The first being the Nest Hello size and design. Nest Hello is much thinner and more discreet than the Ring 2. This is mainly due to the fact Ring has a battery in it you can remove and does not require a hard wire like Nest Hello. Ring also comes in a few different finishes to match your design.
2. Video
The second key difference is the video, both are HD however Nest Hello has not gone for 1080p but instead UXGA. This means it has a longer full person view:
You can clearly see the different size when the Ring and Nest video is compared:
(Thanks to Jojo Galang for the photo)
3. Facial Recognition & Subscription
Nest Hello has facial recognition, a pretty interesting feature. To use facial recognition you need a subscription. The subscription cost is slightly higher with Nest Hello than Ring but at this level is negligible.
However Ring did update their user agreement ( see https://smarthomegeeks.co.uk/news/ring-just-announce-facial-recognition/ )
in December to cover facial recognition so hopefully it’s a feature coming!
4. Connectivity
Ring 2 only supports 2.4GHz whilst Nest Hello supports 5GHz. Ring have probably done this by choice as 5GHz is much faster and currently less congested however the range is not as good. Not many users will have a WiFi point right by their front door so it could be argued 5GHz is not the best option.
Nest Hello vs Ring – Conclusion?
At this stage its very hard to tell which is better, as the above clearly shows they are very similar products with small differences.
One big difference we didn’t compare is the fact one is Google and one Amazon. At present this is not such a big deal however as always we suspect Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa will be integrated more and more with this smart home tech.
If you have already invested in Google smart home tech you might be wise looking at Nest, however if Alexa is your friend have a look at Ring.
When we get our hands on a Hello Nest we will update with anything additional we find!
For further information their websites are: