Pros & Cons
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- Affordable
- Sharp 2K video
- AI-powered event descriptions
- Vibrant low-light colors
- Works with Alexa and IFTTT
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- Doesn't support Apple HomeKit or Google Assistant
- Many features require a subscription plan
- No local recording option
- No face recognition
Ring Indoor Cam Plus Specs
| Alarm | |
| Connectivity | Wi-Fi |
| Field of View | 115 |
| Integrations | Amazon Alexa |
| Integrations | IFTTT |
| Night Vision | |
| Resolution | 2K |
| Storage | Cloud |
| Two-Way Audio |
The Indoor Cam Plus is a plug-in home security camera that uses Ring's Retinal 2K technology to deliver sharp video, better-than-average low-light color, and enhanced digital zoom. It also uses generative AI to offer features such as detailed event descriptions, single-event alerts, and intelligent video searches. Additionally, it will interact with third-party smart home devices when used with IFTTT applets. The camera performed well in testing and can be controlled using Alexa voice commands; however, a paid subscription is required to access recorded video and unlock several features. At $59.99, it’s an affordable addition to homes that use Ring security devices or Alexa for home automation, but for $10 less, the Arlo Essential Pan Tilt Indoor ($49.99) offers more features, including mechanical pan and tilt, Google Assistant support, and face recognition, so it remains our Editors' Choice.
Design and Specs: Familiar Look, 2K Video Capture
The Indoor Cam Plus looks identical to the second-generation Ring Indoor Cam we reviewed in 2023. It has a cylindrical shape, a round tilt-and-swivel base, and measures 3.8 by 1.9 by 1.9 inches (HWD). It comes in black or white. The camera can be placed on a flat surface or mounted on a wall or ceiling using the included hardware. It also comes with a 6.5-foot USB-C power cable, a USB power adapter, and a quick start guide.
On the front of the camera is the lens, a microphone, a speaker, an IR LED for black-and-white night vision, and a status LED. The lens uses Ring’s Retinal 2K technology to capture 2K (2,560 by 1,440) video with a 115-degree field of view. This technology also enables AI-enhanced 4x zoom and improved color reproduction in low-light conditions. If there’s not enough light for color video, the IR LED will kick in. The camera has a manual cover that slides over the lens for privacy, but the shutter does not turn off the microphone (you can do this via the app settings). By comparison, the Arlo Essential Pan Tilt Indoor captures slightly lower-resolution 2K video (2,304 by 1,296) and features a 130-degree field of view, along with a 12x digital zoom.
(Credit: John R. Delaney)The status LED on the front glows solid blue when the camera is recording, slowly blinks blue during setup, pulses blue during two-way talk, and flashes blue and red when Wi-Fi is disconnected. A button on the top of the camera is used for setting up the device, and around back is a USB-C power port. The camera also includes a 2.4GHz Wi-Fi radio and a 75dB siren.
Smart Features: New AI-Powered Notification, Search Capabilities
As with the Ring Outdoor Cam Pro ($199.99), the Indoor Cam Plus uses AI to provide features such as video descriptions that tell you exactly what is going on during a motion event, smart video search that makes it easy to find specific footage based on its content, and AI single event alerts that reduce notification clutter by combining similar alerts from the same camera and delivering them in a single notification. Unlike the Nest Cam Indoor ($99.99) and the Arlo Essential Pan Tilt Indoor, it doesn't support face recognition.
The Arlo Pan Tilt Indoor camera's AI feature, called Arlo Intelligence, provides face and vehicle recognition, as well as event descriptions. It also allows you to request alerts for specific events, such as when a particular light turns on or your dog jumps on the couch. The Arlo camera can also distinguish between motion caused by animals, deliveries, people, and vehicles, and recognize flames in the event of a fire.
(Credit: Ring/PCMag)The Indoor Cam Plus works with Alexa voice commands and supports third-party devices that utilize IFTTT applets; however, it doesn't integrate with Apple HomeKit or Google Assistant. It utilizes the same Ring mobile app for Android and iOS as the company's other devices, and appears on the dashboard screen in a panel that displays the camera's name and last captured image. When you tap the panel, it opens a live stream that can be viewed in full-screen mode by tapping the box button in the lower-right corner or by rotating your phone sideways. Beside the box button is an icon with two arrows that, when pressed, displays a full-screen zoomed-in camera view but in portrait (vertical) mode.
Below the video panel are buttons for ending the live feed, muting the speaker, and enabling two-way talk. At the bottom of the screen are buttons labeled Controls, Replies, Siren, and More. The Controls button opens a panel where you can turn other Ring devices on and off. The Replies button lets you play default or custom messages. The Siren button activates the siren, and the More button enables picture-in-picture, a premium feature that allows you to continue viewing the live feed even when you leave the Ring app.
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When you end a live feed, the screen will display a scrolling timeline of events. Here you can view the event-triggered video recordings, as well as download, share, or delete them. At the bottom of this screen is a button that opens a Smart Video Search screen where you can use AI to find specific videos. For example, you can type in “dog” to see videos featuring a canine in the clip, or “delivery” to see footage of packages being dropped off.
(Credit: Ring/PCMag)Tap the gear icon in the upper-right corner to access the camera’s settings. Here you can turn motion detection and alerts on or off, activate the siren, and switch to a live view. There are tiles on the bottom half of the screen for accessing additional settings, including: Mode to control how the camera behaves while you are home, away, or while it is disarmed, Alerts Snooze to disable notifications for anywhere between 30 minutes and 12 hours, Linked Chimes to connect the camera with other Ring devices, and Smart Responses to configure automatic replies. Tap the Motion tile to set up alert schedules and privacy zones as well as enable Smart Alerts (person, vehicle, other) and adjust motion sensitivity. Visit the Event History tile to view an Event Summary for your home and see a list of recorded events with thumbnails and brief descriptions of each activity.
Subscription and Storage: Key Functions Require Recurring Payments
Ring Home subscriptions start at $4.99 per month or $49.99 per year for the Basic plan, which supports one camera and provides 180 days of video history, smart alerts (for people, packages, and vehicles), and video preview alerts. The $9.99 per month or $99.99 per year Standard plan supports an unlimited number of cameras and adds extended live view (up to 30 minutes), live picture-in-picture, daily event summaries, device modes (arm and disarm), and multicam live view (for up to four camera feeds). For $19.99 per month or $199.99 per year, the Premium plan includes everything from the Standard plan as well as continuous live view, 24/7 recording, AI-powered smart video search and descriptions, and SOS emergency response.
The Arlo Essential Pan Tilt Indoor also requires a subscription to unlock all of its features, and the options are pricier than Ring's. The $7.99 per month Arlo Secure Plus plan supports a single camera and provides a 60-day video history, Smart Activity Zones, and Arlo Intelligence. That increases to $17.99 per month for unlimited camera support. A $24.99 per month Arlo Secure Premium plan provides everything from the Plus plan—including unlimited camera support—and adds 24/7 professional monitoring, one-touch emergency response, and select home insurance discounts with some insurers.
Setup and Performance: Easy to Install, Sharp 2K Video, AI-Powered Alerts
Configuring the Indoor Cam Plus is quick and easy. I already had the Ring app installed, but if this is your first device from the brand, you’ll have to download the app and create an account. I scrolled to the bottom of the dashboard screen, tapped Set Up a Device, and tapped Security Cams. I scanned the QR code on the back of the camera, selected my home, and assigned a name to the camera. I installed the lens cover, plugged in the camera, and confirmed that it was on. I entered my Wi-Fi credentials, and the camera immediately connected, was added to my Ring app, and listed on my Alexa device. After a five-minute firmware update, the camera was ready to go.
The Indoor Cam Plus is a solid performer. It produced sharp 2K video with good color saturation, both during the day and in low-light conditions, although low-light colors lack the pop that you get with daylight colors. Black-and-white night video was also sharp, with strong contrast.
(Credit: John R. Delaney)Notifications with event descriptions were timely and accurate. For example, one notification described a dark colored animal (my cat) walking through the room, while another described a person walking into the room and picking something up.
The camera responded instantly to Alexa voice commands to display video on an Echo Show. I set up an Alexa routine to have a Tapo L535E smart bulb turn red when the Ring camera detected motion, and it worked as expected.