What a video doorbell really costs over 3 years
Prices and plan details checked on official brand pages on 2026-10-01. They change — confirm before you buy.
The sticker price is only the start. Most video doorbells only show you what happened while you were away if you pay for video history. Here is each popular model's official price plus its brand's cheapest plan, over 1, 3 and 5 years.
| Model | Price | Cheapest plan | 1 year | 3 years | 5 years |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ring Battery Doorbell 2K | $99.99 on sale $39.99 on 2026-10-01 | Plan price not verifiable on 2026-10-01 | — | — | — |
| Blink Battery Doorbell 2K+ | $79.99 | Optional: Basic ($39.99/yr) | $120 | $200 | $280 |
| Arlo Video Doorbell (2nd Gen, 2K; replaces Essential Video Doorbell) | $79.99 on sale $29.50 on 2026-10-01 | Plan price not verifiable on 2026-10-01 | — | — | — |
| Wyze Video Doorbell v2 (with Chime Controller) | $59.98 | Optional: Cam Plus ($29.99/yr) | $90 | $150 | $210 |
| eufy Video Doorbell E340 | $149.99 on sale $119.99 on 2026-10-01 | Optional: Cloud Storage - Basic ($39.99/yr) | $190 | $270 | $350 |
| Reolink Video Doorbell WiFi | $139.99 on sale $129.99 on 2026-10-01 | Optional: Reolink Cloud - Standard ($83.88/yr, whole home) | $224 | $392 | $559 |
| TP-Link Tapo Tapo D225 2K Smart Doorbell with chime | $129.99 on sale $99.99 on 2026-10-01 | Optional: Tapo Care - Cloud ($34.99/yr) | $165 | $235 | $305 |
List price + the brand’s cheapest verified recording plan, one device, no taxes or extras. “—” means we could not verify that brand’s plan price on the official page; we do not guess. Monitoring, legacy and add-on plans are excluded here. “Optional” = the device can record locally without a plan, so its no-plan cost is just the device (plus any storage it needs).
And cameras
| Model | Price | Cheapest plan | 1 year | 3 years | 5 years |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blink Outdoor 2K+ | $99.99 | Optional: Basic ($39.99/yr) | $140 | $220 | $300 |
| Arlo Essential (3rd Gen, 2025) battery camera | $69.99 | Plan price not verifiable on 2026-10-01 | — | — | — |
| Wyze Wyze Cam v4 | $44.98 | Optional: Cam Plus ($29.99/yr) | $75 | $135 | $195 |
| eufy SoloCam S340 | $199.99 on sale $139.99 on 2026-10-01 | Optional: Cloud Storage - Basic ($39.99/yr) | $240 | $320 | $400 |
| Reolink Argus 4 Pro | $214.99 | Optional: Reolink Cloud - Standard ($83.88/yr, whole home) | $299 | $467 | $634 |
| TP-Link Tapo Tapo C120 (wired indoor/outdoor 2K) | $44.99 on sale $39.99 on 2026-10-01 | Optional: Tapo Care - Cloud ($34.99/yr) | $80 | $150 | $220 |
| TP-Link Tapo Tapo C425 MagCam 2K battery | $119.99 on sale $76.99 on 2026-10-01 | Optional: Tapo Care - Cloud ($34.99/yr) | $155 | $225 | $295 |
List price + the brand’s cheapest verified recording plan, one device, no taxes or extras. “—” means we could not verify that brand’s plan price on the official page; we do not guess. Monitoring, legacy and add-on plans are excluded here. “Optional” = the device can record locally without a plan, so its no-plan cost is just the device (plus any storage it needs).
Three things that change the math
- How many devices. Per-device plans multiply; whole-home plans don't. Two doorbells and two cameras can flip which option is cheaper.
- Wiring and chimes. Some doorbells need a chime, a transformer or a mount — one-time costs that add up.
- Local storage. A microSD card or hub can replace the plan for recording, but not always for smart alerts.