Sky has mastered all things TV and broadband, and is now entering the smart home world with its latest venture, Sky Smart Home, a service that could challenge rivals such as Ring and Blink.
The Smart Home plan is Sky’s basic package, unlocking advanced features including cloud storage for recordings, smart alerts, activity zones and more. There’s also the new Smart Home Plan+ that lets you add additional devices, including the Indoor Camera, Leak Package, or Motion Package, taking your smart home ecosystem to the next level.
Sounds pretty similar to Ring’s way of doing things, right? That’s pretty much what Sky is trying to do here, as it stated that this service will save you over £100 compared to if you went with Ring. But how does it compare to one of the best video doorbells out there?
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Sky Smart Home vs. Ring Video Doorbell
|
Budget |
Ring |
Darling |
|---|---|---|
|
Product |
Ring Battery Video Doorbell |
Sky Smart Doorbell |
|
Initial cost |
€99.99 |
£15 |
|
Subscription required |
No (for basic functions) |
Yeah |
|
Subscription cost |
£4.99 per month / £49.99 per year |
£5 per month / £60 per year |
|
Minimum subscription term |
a month |
24 months |
|
30-day free trial subscription |
Yeah |
No |
|
Cloud storage (with sub) |
Up to 180 days |
30 days |
|
Person/Package Alerts (with sub) |
Yeah |
No |
|
Doorbell included |
No |
Yeah |
|
Resolution |
1,440 x 1,440 |
1,920 × 1,080 |
|
night vision |
Color |
Black and white |
The main thing we need to address is the price. Sky’s Smart Home plan gives you a video doorbell and doorbell for an initial cost of £15, and then requires a monthly subscription fee of £5 which gives you access to a host of additional features. This is required for a minimum period of 24 months, so if you wish to cancel your commitment before your contract ends, you will be charged early termination fees.
As for its rival, a Ring video doorbell subscription will cost you the same amount (Ring Solo covers one device for £4.99 a month or £49.99 for a year) and there’s no maximum commitment period, but upfront costs are significantly more expensive. For example, the standard Ring Battery Video Doorbell is priced at £99.99, while its more advanced models, such as the Ring Video Doorbell Pro, can reach a price of up to £179.99 but have upgraded features such as color night vision.
When it comes to the feature list for both models, there’s surely a difference in scope and quality, but if you’re a video doorbell newbie or just looking for a simple model that gets the job done, this shouldn’t matter too much.
As mentioned, Sky’s video doorbell package offers features just below the surface, from 1080p full HD (1920×1080) with HDR video recording for clip sharing, to custom activity zones and 30 days of cloud storage. In addition, you can access two-way conversation through the Smart Home application and night vision with an infrared sensor up to 10 meters.
Its rival has the edge in terms of features, allowing you to access basic features such as live video streams without needing a subscription. While its best features are locked behind the paywall, some are slightly better than Sky, like a 1,440 x 1,440 video footage resolution, a staggering 180 days of cloud storage, and color night viewing, to say the least.
All things considered, Sky’s video doorbell would cost you £135 (including the £15 upfront cost and £5 monthly fee) if it lasted the full 24 months, while Ring would cost £219.75 once you’ve factored in the £99.99 upfront cost and £4.99 monthly subscription for 24 months. However, if you were to purchase two annual subscriptions (£49.99 a year), the total would drop to just under £200 over two years.
If you’re on a budget and can live without all the bells and whistles, the Sky Smart Home plan is the clear winner – if you know you won’t change your mind and you’re committed to the 24-month deal.
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