Battle of the entry level outdoor cams: Ring Stick Up or Nest Cam Outdoor?

Android Central

Android Central
Android Central
We trust smart cameras with our property, our families, and our own safety, and that's why we demand the very best we can buy. Finding the right security camera for your home is about finding the right hardware, but you also need to consider the subscription services that make cameras stand out.

Ring Stick Up Cam Plug-In


Flexible and affordable

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Pros

  • Works indoors and outdoors
  • Also availble in battery variant
  • Available in white and black (soon)
  • Works with Alexa
Cons

  • No video recordings without subscription
  • No 24/7 recording option
  • Doesn't play well with Google anymore

The one, true Ring Stick Up Cam has returned, a powerful indoor/outdoor camera that's flexible to power and place. It also integrates with the entire Ring line of home security products for a premium experience.

Nest Cam Outdoor


Ever-vigilant, ever-expensive

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Pros

  • Dustproof and splashproof
  • 24/7 recording available with Nest Aware
  • Better smart detection algorithms
  • Great Google Assistant integration
  • Works with a wider range of smart home devices
Cons

  • Nest Aware is basically required
  • Both camera and subscription are more expensive
  • Alexa support is purposefully subpar
  • No Ethernet or power options

Nest makes one of the most popular smart home security systems around, and the Nest Cam Outdoor can watch your front yard, backyard, or any other outdoor area. It's a premium camera, but it comes at a premium price, today and into the future with Nest Aware.


When trying to pick between these two cameras, Ring has a major advantage thanks for more affordable subscription and hardware costs and a more feature-rich camera, but a couple of key decisions could sway buyers back towards the Nest: which AI assistant does your house use, and do you need 24/7 recording?

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Flexibility versus raw recording power


Both the Nest Cam Outdoor and Ring Stick Up Cam are 1080p internet-enabled security cameras with a 1080p picture, Infrared night vision, two-way audio, and the option for customized sensor zones. Both also work with AI assistants to quickly pull up live feeds on a variety of devices — Google-owned Nest works with Google Assistant while Amazon-owned Ring plays best with Alexa, which might make the decision for you right there. There is a
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, but it can't stream your video feed to Chromecasts or Google Assistant dispalys like the Google Home Hub.

Your choice in cameras might also be made for you if you're trying to mount your camera in an area with no outlets or with spotty Wi-Fi — like a stone entryway. The Nest Cam Outdoor only supports one source of power — plug-in — while the Ring Stick Up Cam is available in plug-in or battery variants for the same price. You can also upgrade to the Ring Stick Up Cam Elite and get Power over Ethernet (PoE), which offers you the flexibility to run as long or as short of a cable as you need, as well as only running one cable for both power and data instead of two. Very few smart home security cameras have PoE, and most of those are indoor-only, making the Ring Stick Up Cam a rarity. But as noted, this comes at a more premium price point than the regular Stick Up Plug-In.

Ring Stick Up Cam Plug-InNest Cam Outdoor
IP ratingNA - Weather resistantIP65
Power optionsPlug-inPlug-in
Internet optionsWi-FiWi-Fi
Camera field of view130° diagonal
110° horizontal
57° vertical
130° diagonal
Video quality1080p1080p
24/7 recording❌ Free or Basic
✔️ Plus
✔️
IR night vision✔️✔️
Sirens✔️❌
Two-way audio✔️✔️
Assistant integrationGoogle Assistant (limited)
Amazon Alexa
Google Assistant

While both are resistant to the rain, the Nest Cam is IP65 dustproof and splashproof and the Ring Stick Up Cam is listed as "weather resistant" — which Amazon/Ring clarify as water reistant and able to withstand temperatures from -5°F to 122°F (-20°C to 50°C). Nest Cam Outdoor also has an advantage by supporting 24/7 recording, but you have to subscribe to Nest Aware to see more than the last three hours.

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Speaking of, yes, you do need a subscription when it comes to the Ring Stick Up Cam. Without it, the Ring won't record video at all, only show you the live feed, and the Nest will only show you the last three hours. You also miss out on the more advanced detection modes.

FeatureRing FreeRing ProtectNest FreeNest Aware
Yearly PriceFreeBasic: $30
Plus: $100
Free5-day: $50
10-day: $100
30-day: $300
Device LimitBasic: 1 cam
Plus: All cams at one residence
From $3 month per additional cam
Custom zones✔️✔️❌✔️
Days recorded❌Basic: 60 days
Plus: 60
3 hours5-day: 5 days
10-day: 10 days
30-day: 30 days
24/7 recording❌✔️ Plus❌✔️

Ring's most expensive plan tops out at $100/year and covers every Ring device on your account at a single address. Even its single-cam Basic plan stores the last 60 days of recordings. Nest Aware can go up to $30/month or $300/year for a single camera — and each additional camera plan will run you upwards of $3 per month. Plus, even the most expensive plan only stores 30 days of video feeds. That said, Nest Aware comes with 24/7 recording, which obviously takes up more space than just motion-triggered clips, but Ring still provides a longer time period of recordings for less money, whether you have one camera or 10.

Considering that the Ring Stick Up Cam Plug-In is nearly $100 cheaper than the Nest Cam Outdoor, and that Ring's subscription plans are more affordable, we think that it is the better buy here. If you are heavily invested in Google/Nest or really want that 24/7 coverage, then the Nest Cam Outdoor is still a good choice.

Ring Stick Up Cam Plug-in


Cheaper than ever

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Same great features, considerably lower price.

The new Ring Stick Up Cam is the kind of upgrade we like. It has all of the same great features of its predecessor, like 1080p HD video, two-way talk, and real-time notifications. The best part? It's 30% cheaper than before, making it even more accessible for everyone.

Nest Cam Outdoor


Ever-vigilant, ever-expensive

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Nest's brand demands a premium price, but this camera doesn't quite justify it.

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If you don't intend to use many cameras — or if you absolutely need 24/7 recording — the Nest Cam Outdoor can make sense, but Nest Aware can get expensive, especially once you start paying for it on multiple cameras.

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