Thieves prefer to lurk in the shadows where they can’t be seen. That’s why security cameras with lights are great for home security, and Ring, one of the best security camera providers, offers two of them – the Ring Spotlight Cam and the Ring Floodlight Cam. Which do you choose?
A light is a light is a light, right? Nope. Ring’s Spotlight Cam and Floodlight Cam both shed light on your home security needs, but they perform very different functions. That means you can’t just close your eyes and pick between them. You have to understand exactly what they do so you can choose the one that best fits your particular home security needs. Luckily, you have us to sort it all out for you. Below, we get into exactly what these two cameras do and don’t do, so you can make the most informed decision possible.
FYI: Can’t choose between these two cameras? No worries. The Floodlight Cam and Spotlight Cam work well together. Keep reading to find out where to place each one for maximum effectiveness.
The Ring Floodlight Cam
Ring Outdoor Cameras Overview
The best way to distinguish between these two cameras is to talk about what each one is designed to do. We’ll get into all the finer points of each device, but let’s start with the key difference between them.
- Ring Spotlight Cam: The Spotlight Cam is built to provide soft, focused lighting. It can help you get in late at night without tripping in the dark or startle a potential burglar when it shines a spotlight on them.
- Ring Floodlight Cam: In contrast, the Floodlight Cam provides bright and broad lighting. It can illuminate your entire front yard and instead of just startling a potential burglar, it can temporarily blind them in the middle of their heist as their eyes adjust to the sudden light.
Which one do you need? Maybe you need both. It all depends on your particular home security needs. To understand those, you have to take the time to consider all of your property’s vulnerabilities.
Ring Floodlight vs Ring Spotlight: Similarities
There’s a lot to consider beyond these two cameras’ fundamental differences. It turns out, for example, that they have a number of features in common, like similar power options and subscription plans.
Given that these are both Ring cameras, they’re both available with the same basic monitoring options. If you don’t need to record footage, you can self-monitor your cameras for free. Alternatively, you can add a Ring cloud storage plan that costs $4.99 per month for one camera or $9.99 per month for unlimited cameras. You can also add professional monitoring to the $9.99 plan for an extra $10 per month, which includes video verification.
The Ring app also works with these two cameras. That app is 100 percent free and provides you with real-time alerts and live footage even if you’re self-monitoring your system. In addition, the app allows you to activate and deactivate the cameras, and you can use it to take advantage of their two-way talk capabilities.
Finally, Ring offers its cameras with several power options. In the case of the Spotlight Cam, that means three different models – a plug-in model, a battery-powered model, and a solar-powered model. The Floodlight requires more juice, so the options are limited to a plug-in model and a hardwired model.
If that’s not enough choice, you can also get either camera in “Plus” or “Pro” varieties. Plus provides some bonus features like custom motion zones and PIR motion sensors. Pro comes with an even more advanced version of motion detection – 3D motion detection, powered by radar.
Ring Spotlight Cam at Twilight
Ring Spotlight vs Ring Floodlight: Differences
For all their similarities, though, these cameras serve very different functions, and so they also have key differences. Let’s take a look at the most significant of these – their features and their prices.
Features
The Floodlight Cam is designed to stop potential burglars in their tracks. In addition to the 105 dB siren that comes standard with Ring cameras, it has two 2,000-lumen lights on both sides. Put these two features together, and you’ve got a pretty powerful one-two punch, powerful enough to rattle even the bravest home invaders.
The Floodlight Cam is great for stopping burglars; the Spotlight Cam, on the other hand, provides a more welcoming atmosphere. Of course, any light, even a soft, gentle one, is going to make thieves think twice about attacking your home. Generally speaking, bad guys prefer the shadows. And just having a light lets them know you probably have other defenses as well.
Pro Tip: Regardless of which product you choose, you can’t go wrong with adding additional lighting to your property. Security lights are one of the best ways to fend off burglars, after all.
Dig into the details, and you’ll find even more differences between these cameras. Let’s take them one at a time. And for the sake of completeness, we’ll also provide you with specifics on the Pro and Plus models.
Spotlight Cam Plus
- Color Night Vision
- Customizable Motion Detection
- Two-Way Talk
- Motion Activated Notifications
- Built In Siren
Spotlight Cam Pro
- 3D Motion Detection
- Enhanced Audio
- Dual-Band WiFi
- Two-Way Talk
- Built-In Siren
Floodlight Cam Plus
- Color Night Vision
- 2000 Lumen Floodlight
- 105 dB Siren
- Motion Activated Notifications
- Two-Way Talk
Floodlight Cam Pro
- Color Night Vision
- 3D Motion Detection
- Dual-Band WiFi
- Enhanced Audio
- 105 dB Siren
One last thing: both the Floodlight and Spotlight Cams come with multiple power options. On this score, the Spotlight Cam is a little more flexible. You can buy a wired version and plug it into an outdoor outlet, or you can go with a battery-powered version for easier installation. You can even connect the battery-powered version to a solar panel from Ring for continuous charging.
The Floodlight, on the other hand, requires more power because of its brighter lights. Your only options are a plug-in version that plugs into a wall outlet or a wired version that literally needs to be wired to a junction box. We recommend the latter if you have existing floodlights that you want replaced with a floodlight-equipped camera.
Pricing
As you’d expect, the pricing on these devices differs based on which model you select and which power source you want to use. Here’s a quick breakdown of what that looks like:
| Camera | Price | Plug In |
|---|---|---|
| Spotlight Cam Plus | Starting at $149.99 | $169.99 |
| Spotlight Cam Pro | Starting at $229.99 | $229.99 |
| Floodlight Cam Plus | Starting at $179.99 | $199.99 |
| Floodlight Cam Pro | Starting at $249.99 | $249.99 |
Ring doesn’t run as many sales as SimpliSafe, but it’s almost always offering a discount on one or two of its cameras, including the Spotlight and Floodlight Cams. Right now, for example, you can save $40 off a Spotlight Cam Pro. When it comes to the Floodlight, you can save $60 no matter which version you choose. There’s no guarantee how long these prices will last, but if you bookmark our guide to Ring’s sales and discounts, you can always find their best deals.
What We Think
It’s tough to go wrong with Ring, no matter what kind of camera you’re looking for. They offer some of the best security cameras on the market today, and at quite affordable prices. The company’s Spotlight and Floodlight cameras are especially powerful, though. If you’re looking for outdoor coverage, you get both a reliable, hearty camera and the bonus of lighting in emergency situations.
You do want to think through your specific needs, though. The Floodlight Cam works great for straightforward security. You can be sure its bright lights and high-dB siren will frighten off even the bravest would-be burglars. Not everyone needs that kind of protection, though. Or maybe you need a different sort of camera to complement the Floodlight, a camera that can help illuminate a path for you when you come home late at night. In that case, the Spotlight Cam is definitely the better choice. As always with home security, it always comes down to finding the best equipment to suit your situation.
