Arlo Pro 2 vs. Ring Stick Up Cams

The Arlo Pro 2 camera is one of the best wireless cameras on the market, and the All-New line of Ring Stick Up Cams that received a revamp earlier this year makes it a worthy competitor. Which camera is best is really going to depend on what you’re looking for when it comes to video monitoring.

The Power over Ethernet features of the Ring Stick Up Cam Elite make it one of our favorite options on the market. And flexible power options of the Ring Stick Up Cam Gen 3 from , to make the camera super versitile. However, at the same time, the AC & Battery option with Arlo makes it a good buy as well. Regardless of your choice, you’ll likely be more than happy with the features each brand has to offer.

Each camera has their pros and cons, and we’ll go into detail while comparing the Arlo Pro 2 vs. Ring Stick Up Cams. Read on below for the big picture, or use our navigation bar to jump directly to the sections you care about most.

Arlo Pro 2 vs. Ring Stick Up Cams — Differences

Arlo Pro 2 - Extra - 05

  • Difference #1: 24/7 Recording – The first difference we’ll discuss when comparing the Arlo Pro 2 vs. Ring Stick Up Cam is 24/7 recording. All cameras are equipped to start recording when they detect motion, but Arlo Pro 2 actually offers the option for continuous video recording (CVR) as well. The feature is a little bit expensive at $9.99 monthly for 14 days of continuous storage or $19.99 for 30 days of storage, and that price is on a per-camera basis. However, it’s a great option to add in for one or two cameras placed in the areas where you need the security the most.

    Neither the Ring Stick Up Cam Elite or Battery/Plug-in/Solar models offer CVR at this point in time, although the Elite Cam technically has the specifications it needs to support the feature. If you decide to go with Ring Stick Up Battery & Solar models, they won’t have enough power to support non-stop recording, so never expect to see it there.

  • Difference #2: Power – There are also some differences in the way that these cameras are powered which have influence the flexibility in installation as well as the features that they are able to offer.

    The Ring Stick Up Cam Gen 3 can be battery/AC/Solar powered with a 3-6 month battery life. It all depends which power option of the camera you decide to buy, since the camera is the same, it only ships different accessories for power options. So, if you buy the Ring Stick Up Cam Plug-in, it’ll come with a Micro USB cable to charge. However, you can always get a Solar Panel separately to switch to solar charging and provide continuous power. The Arlo Pro 2 has a battery & AC option as well, with a similar battery life and its own dedicated Solar Panel.

    As mentioned, Arlo Pro 2 also has an option for AC Plug power, as does the Ring Stick Up Cam Elite. One of our favorite aspects of this Ring model, however, is the Power over Ethernet option (PoE). PoE allows you to provide reliable internet access and power to the camera with a single cord, which reduces clutter significantly.

    So, the Ring Stick Up Cam Battery/Plug-in/Solar and Arlo Pro 2 are your best options if you’re looking to place them wherever you please without worrying about power, and Arlo also offers that AC option if you change your mind on placement in the future. But Ring Stick Up Cam Elite is our favorite because of that handy PoE feature.

  • Difference #3: WiFi – Both Arlo Pro 2 and Ring Stick Up Cam Battery/Plug-in/Solar only offer 2.4GHz WiFi, which can potentially cause some strain on your WiFi network since they only operate on that one channel. Ring Stick Up Cam Elite, on the other hand, also works on the 5GHz frequency which can decrease congestion significantly.

  • Difference #4: Field of View – Field of View determines whether your camera can effectively get the whole picture of your room, so it’s a very important consideration — especially for cameras that you’re going to place outside.

    The Ring Stick Up Cam Elite has a 150 degree horizontal and 85 degree vertical field of view, while the Ring Stick Up Cams Gen 3 have a 110 degree horizontal and 57 degree vertical field of view.

    As far as the Arlo pro 2 goes, they list their field of view as 130 degree “diagonal.” At face value, this makes it seem like it’s significantly better than the Ring Gen 3 models. However, when you convert the Ring camera from horizontal / vertical to diagonal, you end up with a 130 degree field of view — making it actually the same as the Arlo camera.

    When comparing technology between Ring Stick Up Cam vs. Arlo Pro 2, it’s important to keep an eye on metrics like these because manufacturers will often use different types of measurement to make their products seem more impressive than they are. Here, at Homejell, we do our best to do the legwork for you and give you a comparison that is straightforward and easy to digest.

    So, long story short. The best camera in terms of field of view is the Ring Stick Up Cam Elite, followed by the Ring Stick Up Cam Battery/Plug-in/Solar and Arlo Pro 2.

  • Difference #5: Motion Detection – Motion detection is a big part of a smart security camera, as it ensures that recording is primed and ready for any suspicious activity. The Arlo Pro 2 has motion detection of up to 23 feet, and you can set motion zones to avoid unnecessary false alarms while it’s plugged in. Additionally, an Arlo subscription will enable person detection to ensure your camera is only activated when it needs to be.

    Ring motion detection is a little more complicated, and the extent of the features will depend on whether you opt for the Ring Stick Up Cam Elite or Battery/Plug-in/Solar. There are two different types of technology: standard, and advanced.

    Standard motion detection uses passive infrared sensors (PIR) in order to detect heat signatures. It will discount any signatures that are small enough, which means that you shouldn’t have to worry about your cat or chihuahua setting of the sensors. However, a big animal like a Great Dane might trigger the motion detection feature since the heat signature technology isn’t super accurate.

    The advanced motion detection, on the other hand, actually uses the camera itself to sense activity. The camera will trigger recording using a combination of face and body-shape analysis which is much better at detecting humans — regardless of size. With this technology, you should be able to be reasonably confident that any motion detection is actually human in nature rather than your big dog or a deer. Advanced motion detection also allows you to set specific zones to monitor, which is great for excluding a high-traffic area like a public path or street.

    The Ring Stick Up Cam Battery/Solar, like all battery-powered Ring cameras, only uses standard detection since it doesn’t have the power to support advanced. The Ring Stick Up Cam Elite, on the other hand, uses both standard and advanced in tandem to provide extremely accurate detection — with the passive infrared sensors detecting potential activity and the cameras kicking in to detect whether the motion is actually human.

    Overall, Ring Stick Up Cam Elite is the absolute winner in terms of motion detection. The Arlo Pro 2 probably comes in second due to its support for motion zones and person detection with a subscription, with the Ring Stick Up Cam Battery/Solar’s motion detection being pretty basic.

  • Difference #6: Requires a Base Station – The Arlo Pro 2 requires a base station in order to function, which is another piece of equipment you have to worry about. The initial purchase of the camera comes with the base included, but it does take up space around your router and requires an ethernet port.

    The base includes some useful technology like a siren and local storage, as well as increasing the battery life and range of the cameras. However, it’s just another piece of equipment you have to worry about, and a single base can only support 15 cameras. Most homeowners won’t need to take full advantage of that capacity, but larger properties may run into issues where they have to purchase an additional base to continue expanding their system. In that case, you’ll have the choice between the Arlo and Arlo Pro base stations. Check out our comparison for the differences between the two.

    The Ring Stick Up Cam Elite and Battery/Plug-in/Solar function flawlessly right out of the box, with no extra equipment required. We feel that this is a pretty significant advantage, since it makes the installation process a little easier and doesn’t take up a spot on your router.

  • Difference #7: Siren – Having a quality siren is a key part of any security system, but even if you’re only using cameras it’s nice to have one on hand. The Arlo Pro 2 and Ring Stick Up Cams all have a siren, but they differ in how they work.

    With the Arlo Pro 2, the siren is built into the base station. This is nice because it separates the alarm from the camera which could potentially protect your camera from being smashed by a panicked intruder. The downside to not having the siren on the camera itself, however, is that it’s less likely that an alarm will alert the neighbors since the alert will be sounding indoors.

    The Ring Stick Up Cams, on the other hand, have a 110 dB built directly into the camera, which has opposite pros and cons.

    Ultimately, which one is better designed is going to depend on whether you value better protection for your cameras or alerting the neighbors of an intrusion.

  • Difference #8: Local Backup Storage – Since the Arlo Pro 2 uses a base station to run its cameras, you can actually use local backup storage by plugging a USB into the base. It’s important to note that this can’t be your primary way of recording footage — you’ll still need the cloud — but it’s a great backup to have in the event that your internet goes down. The Arlo base will inform you via the app when your USB storage is starting to get full, and can even automatically record over older footage when it reaches maximum capacity.

    The Ring Stick Up Cams have no option for local storage, which means you’ll be out of luck if your network goes down and they can’t connect to the cloud.

  • Difference #9: Subscription – Both brands offer a subscription that adds additional features, and they are priced differently and offer different benefits.

    The Arlo Pro 2’s subscription is called Arlo Smart. These plans add in some extra utility, and can also expand your free 7 day cloud recording capacity and add in support for additional cameras.

    The entry-level option is priced starting at $2.99 per camera, and adds in a number of perks that enhance the security of your cameras. First off is person detection and cloud activity zones for your motion detection, which makes your cameras much better at distinguishing between a legitimate threat and normal activity. You’ll also have access to Rich Notifications that allow you to sound the alarm or call for help when motion is detected with a single swipe rather than having to unlock your phone and open the app. And rounding out the features is the e911 Emergency Service which can send the authorities directly to your home in the event of an intrusion, rather than tracking your cell phone which could potentially be miles away from the danger.

    Arlo Smart Premier is $9.99 per month, and includes all of the features of the entry-level plan as well as 30 days of cloud storage and the ability to use up to 10 Arlo cameras rather than the default 5. Arlo Smart Premier, the most premium plan, is $14.99 per month and gives you up to 60 days of storage and supports up to 20 Arlo cameras.

    The entry level Ring plan is called Ring Protect Basic, and costs $3 per month per camera. It adds the ability to record off of live view, as well as 60 days of cloud storage.

    Ring Protect Plus is $9.99 per month, and includes video recording, sharing, and storage for all of your Ring devices, as well as access to 24/7 monitoring if you happen to purchase the company’s Ring Alarm security system. If you have more than 3 cameras, this plan is a better deal by default — even if you don’t use the Ring Alarm security.

    Both Arlo and Ring systems have their own benefits, so it’s difficult to determine which one is better. Arlo has some useful security features like Rich notifications and e911, but their plans are more expensive if you have a lot of cameras. With Ring, you pay $9.99 and have recording and storage on as many cameras as you want, but you don’t have access to those perks that Arlo has to offer.

Sale Arlo VMS4230P-100NAS Pro 2 - Wireless Home Security Camera System with Siren, Rechargeable, Night Vision, Indoor/Outdoor, 1080p, 2-Way Audio, Wall Mount, Cloud Storage Included, 2 Camera Kit

Arlo Pro 2 vs. Ring Stick Up Cams — Comparison Chart

Arlo Pro 2 Ring Stick Up Cam Elite
Video resolution 1080p HD 1080p HD 1080p HD
Frames per Second 30 FPS 30 FPS 30 FPS
Video Format H.264 H.264 H.264
On-Demand Live View Yes Yes Yes
Record Live View Yes Subscription Required Subscription Required
Field of View 130° 150° horizontal,
85° vertical
110° horizontal,
57° vertical
Zoom 8x digital zoom Yes Yes
Power Rechargeable Battery/AC Micro-USB AC Plug or PoE Rechargeable Battery
Plug-in
Solar
Optional Power Source Solar Panel No Solar Panel
Battery Life Battery: 3-6 months
Solar: indefinitely
N/A Battery: 3-6 months
Solar: indefinitely
Two-Way Audio Yes Yes Yes
Motion Detection Up to 23 feet Advanced Standard
Motion Zones Up to 3 activity zones when plugged-in Custom, up to 6 Areas
Person Detection With Subscription Yes No
Facial Recognition No No No
Sound Detection Yes Yes Yes
Night Vision Yes Yes Yes
WiFi 2.4GHz 2.4 GHz & 5 GHz 2.4 GHz
Requires a Base Station Yes No No
Max # of Cameras per Base Station 15
Siren Via the Base 110 dB built-into camera 110 dB built-into camera
24/7 Recording Optional when plugged-in No No
Local Backup Storage Via the Base No No
Cloud Storage 7-Day Free / Subscription Subscription Required Subscription Required
Review, Share, & Save Yes Subscription Required Subscription Required
e911 Emergency Call With Subscription No No
Instant App Alerts Yes Yes Yes
App Support Android, iOS, Web Android, iOS, Web Android, iOS, Web
Rich Notifications With Subscription No No
Weather-resistant IP65 rating Yes (Indoor/Outdoor) Yes (Indoor/Outdoor)
LED Lights Sold Separately
Arlo Security Light
No No
Amazon Alexa Echo Show, Echo Spot Echo Show, Echo Spot Echo Show, Echo Spot
Google Assistant Yes No No
IFTTT Yes Yes Yes
Stringify Yes Yes Yes
Operating Temperature -4° to 113° F -5°F to 120°F -5°F to 120°F
Dimension 3.1 x 1.9 x 2.8 in 3.8 x 2.4 x 2.4 in 3.8 x 2.4 x 2.4 in
Color White White
Black
White

Arlo Pro 2 vs. Ring Stick Up Cams — Things in Common

Ring Stick Up Cam Gen 3

  • Video Quality – Video quality is one of the most important parts of any security camera, and both Arlo and Ring are dressed to impressed with 1080p HD, 30 FPS recording. They are also equipped with H.264 Video Formatting which is a compression protocol that reduces strain on your network — allowing the average home WiFi system to support three or four cameras.

  • Live View – With either brand, you’ll be able to check in on your cameras at any time using On-Demand Live View. Both Ring and Arlo offer the option to record the live view as well, but with Ring you’ll need to purchase a subscription (starting at $3 per month.)

  • Zoom – That 1080p video quality doesn’t mean much if the action is too far away! Fortunately, both Arlo and Ring feature a digital zoom so you can pick up the details of any activity.

  • Two-Way Audio – Two-Way audio allows you to listen in on activity, and is also great for yelling at package thieves or scolding your cat off the counter. It’s not a feature you’ll likely use all the time, but it’s great to have on hand when you need it.

  • Night Vision – Night time is likely the period you’re going to want to monitor most, and both Arlo and Ring make that a possibility with infrared night vision.

  • App Support – Checking in on your cameras is a breeze with both brands using the Android, iOS, or Web app.

  • Weather-Resistant – While some brands have separate cameras for indoor and out, the Arlo Pro 2 and Ring Stick Up Cams are weatherproofed and are the perfect option for both inside or out.

  • IFTTT & Stringify – Last, but definitely not least, both brands support IFTTT and Stringify. These conditional trigger systems are extremely powerful, and are one of the best ways to allow your smart technology to interact with one another. Flash lights when motion is detected, adjust the temperature when your cameras sense that you’re home, and far, far more. The possibilities are essentially limitless, and these two platforms are a large part of what makes these cameras smart.


Arlo Pro 2 vs. Ring Stick Up Cams — Accessories

Arlo Pro 2 vs Ring Stick Up Cam - Accessories

Both cameras function quite well on their own, but you can enhance their features with some additional accessories.

The Ring cameras don’t really need much extra, with the Ring Stick Up Cam Elite essentially being perfect as is. For the Ring Stick Up Cams, you might want to pick up a Solar Panel so you don’t have to worry about charging, in case you decide to opt in for the Ring Stick Up Cam Battery or Plug-in as your initial purchase.

The Arlo Pro 2 has its own Solar Panel, and having an extra rechargeable battery on hand might not be a bad idea so you don’t have to have any downtime while charging. If you’re using your camera for exterior monitoring, an Arlo Security Light can illuminate your yard when motion is detected, and the Arlo Pro 2 Skins do a great job of camouflaging your equipment and making it more difficult for intruders to spot.


Arlo Pro 2 vs. Ring Stick Up Cams — Our Thoughts

Ring Stick Up Cam Elite

Determining which camera is best when comparing the Arlo Pro 2 vs. Ring Stick Up Cams is a bit of a tall order. If you’re a fan of PoE, there’s no doubt that the Ring Stick up Cam Elite is the buy for you, while Arlo offers a lot of flexibility with options for both battery and AC power.

Sale Arlo VMS4230P-100NAS Pro 2 - Wireless Home Security Camera System with Siren, Rechargeable, Night Vision, Indoor/Outdoor, 1080p, 2-Way Audio, Wall Mount, Cloud Storage Included, 2 Camera Kit

If you’re looking to expand your system later, it’s also useful to keep in mind the other products that each family has to offer. Ring has a whole bunch of video doorbells, while Arlo just has two: audio and video (coming soon). Read more about it in our article Meet Arlo Audio Doorbell and Chime — A Useful Add-on to Your Arlo Wire-Free Cameras.

Ring is also a great option if you’re looking to add a security system to your home in addition to the cameras, as the Ring Stick Up Cams will integrate quite well into Ring Alarm. Check our our Ring Alarm Review — Things You Should Know for more details.

Long story short, both cameras have a lot to offer. Hopefully we’ve given you the information you need to make the right choice for your home, but regardless of your pick, you’re bound to be happy!


Last update on 2024-03-28 at 02:21 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

4 thoughts on “Arlo Pro 2 vs. Ring Stick Up Cams”

  1. can I get Ring solar panel and attach to the ArloPro2 wireless indoor /outdoor security camera ? since most review of Arlo solar panel are not recommend.

    Reply
    • Hey Cki,

      Unfortunately, this solar panel is your only choice for the Arlo Pro 2 for now.

      Ring Solar Panel won’t work with the Arlo Pro 2 because it uses a barrel connector jack, whereas the Arlo Pro 2 uses a micro USB jack.

      Reolink Solar Panel is no-go either. 🙁
      Arlo made sure that Arlo cameras only work with the Arlo Solar Panel. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

      Reply

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