Ring video doorbell customers angry at 43% price hike

Users of Ring video doorbells have reacted angrily to a huge price hike being introduced in March.

After buying the devices, customers can pay a subscription to store footage on the cloud, download clips and get discounted products.

That subscription is going up 43%, from £34.99 to £49.99 per device, per year, for basic plan customers.

The firm, which is owned by Amazon, insisted it still provided "some of the best value in the industry."

Its customers appear not to agree.

One took to the Ring message board to say they would cancel their subscriptions and boycott the company.

Another user wrote: "40% plus increase in annual fee for no extra benefits. Not even an attempt to justify."

Many other customers said they had now cancelled their subscriptions, while some said they had previously recommended the cameras but would not do so now.

In a statement, Amazon said: "Since Ring launched its Protect Basic Plan in 2015, we've regularly found ways to enhance the plan to give our customers more value.

"As we continue to invest in the services we offer, we are updating our Protect Basic plan pricing."

The basic plan has doubled since 2022, when it cost £24.99 per year for each device.

Ring customers can also pay monthly. For them, charges are increasing from £3.49 to £4.99 a month.

The upfront cost of the doorbells currently ranges from £49.99 to £169.99, according to Ring's website.

There is still an option to use Ring products without paying a monthly subscription, though it has far fewer features.

Natalie Hitchins from consumer group Which? said the big price rise was unwelcome, given many people were struggling with the cost of living.

"Ring must justify these steep increases to its customers, particularly when it is unclear how its services are improving," she said.

The number of smart security products, such as those provided by Ring, has increased rapidly in recent years, according to consumer research firm GWI.

It says that between 2019 and 2023, the proportion of homes that have them fitted has risen from 4% to 11%.

Ring is one of the market leaders, but GWI's Chris Beer said the price hike could dent parent company Amazon's reputation.

"Certainly in the UK, they're really associated with value for money," he told the BBC.

"If they're increasing prices, it might seem a bit more unexpected or unusual, because people are used to a certain level of pricing from them."