Best smart doorbells to keep your home protected in 2023

Smart doorbells aren't just a way to get yourself a comical chime and a live feed into the world outside, these smart home necessities can do a bit of everything. Stop potential package thieves, answer your postman's questions when you're away, or keep an eye out for nosy neighbours.

But with so many options now available, it can be hard to work out which device is best suited to you? Do you want something that's cheap but light on features? Or are you happy to go all in, getting the full package in return?

We've spent time testing out all of the best smart doorbells currently available to bring you our top picks below.

The best smart doorbells in 2023

Ring Video Doorbell

Ring (owned by Amazon) has been making doorbells for a decade now. That has led to their most recent option, the Ring Doorbell 4. Compared to brand's like Google Nest or Arlo, the Ring doorbell isn't exactly aesthetic, offering a purely utilitarian design.

However, what you lose in design, you gain in a long list of features. The Ring has a fantastic battery life, lasting for up to six months at a time from a 8 hour charge. Equally, the camera produces clear audio and video both in the day and night.

There are options to detect packages, leave pre-recorded messages, interact with people at the door, and even set up a threat deterrent when you go away.

While some of these features are locked behind a subscription plan, the Ring doorbell is still a more than capable device without this. However, as it is locked within the Amazon ecosystem, those with a house full of Google devices will be best served by the Google Nest below.

Google Nest Doorbell

The Google Nest Pro Doorbell features a 145-degree field-of-view, streams in 1600p HD resolution and displays video in a 3:4 aspect ratio, ideal for viewing on a smartphone held vertically.

Although it has a very slight fish-eye effect, the video is crisp and doesn’t glitch or lag, as people move in and out of shot. Installation is for the most part, a piece of cake, apart from the final stage which requires serious wrangling to get it into position. For this reason alone, it’s worth wiring into the existing door chime to save the hassle of wrestling it on and off the bracket for charging.

And while it’s not the cheapest option on the market, this is compensated for by the fact you don’t need to shell out every month on a rolling subscription.

Eufy Security video doorbell

Intimidating, innovative, yet far from refined, Eufy’s S330 is the Jack Bauer of video doorbells. Armed with two wide-field cameras that reveal who is knocking and any packages they leave on your doorstep, this device excels as a home security system. But while it completes this core mission with ease, the S330 also comes with plenty of hidden baggage.

If you live on a quiet road, or your door is far from the pavement, you’ll likely take full advantage of the S330’s best features, foremostly its ability to ping your phone when a human approaches the camera. But those housed on a busy street may have to disable the device’s most advanced capabilities to avoid constant notifications.

Considering other niggling flaws, notably the lag in video and audio to your phone, it’s easy to gawp at this doorbell’s sizeable price tag. However, considering you can access all the device’s features without the need for a subscription paywall, Eufy’s S330 could be cheaper for you in the long term when compared to the Amazon Ring or the Google Nest Doorbell.

Arlo Essential doorbell

This is one of the best doorbells money can buy. It’s simple, quick and offers great picture and sound quality.

The fish-eye lens paired with a square picture resolution (1536x1536) means you get a crisp, wide field-of-view, especially useful if you have couriers that chuck packages on the ground.

Setup and installation take about 20 minutes if you go wireless, and the system is forgiving if you can’t precisely match the guidelines for positioning. The slim footprint and smart design will make it a welcome addition to any front door. The app is just as well designed and easy to use and Arlo says the doorbell will run for six months before it needs recharging. This doorbell works with Alexa and Google, but you’ll need Arlo’s smarthub for it to work fully with Apple’s Homekit.

The doorbell essentially works like a button that rings your phone. From there the call is clear and almost completely lag-free. If someone does approach the house without pressing the doorbell, a motion sensor will detect their presence and send you a notification. Spot this quickly, and you can tune into the camera’s live stream and speak to them through the speaker.

Like most smart doorbells some of the device’s best features are locked behind a subscription. For instance, if you want the doorbell to double as a security cam, its motion detector will record anyone that comes near it. The app then sends you a notification and presents a recording of what it saw before storing it and sorting it onto a calendar – useful if you’ve been visited by a thieving parcel fairy. But this is only available if you subscribe: it costs £3.49 a month, and you get a free three-month trial to make up your mind.

A fuss-free, great video doorbell that doubles as a security camera if you’re willing to subscribe.

Ezviz doorbell

The EZVIZ DB2 doorbell is best for homeowners who don’t live in busy places: the set-up makes it a poor choice for renters, and the sensitivity is so fine-tuned that in a city you could be alerted every time someone walks past.

If you’re wanting a smart doorbell to be able to answer the door quickly and easily when you’re not at home, the security features may get in the way. But if security is what you’re after, the EZVIZ offers a wide range of features that can help you feel safer, including voice masking and good audio and visual monitoring outside the house.

In terms of value for money, the EZVIZ DB2 gives you quite good bang for your buck – sitting at the lower end of the price range and providing at least the basic services – though you’ll have to customise the settings to make it work well where you live.

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