Ring Floodlight vs Spotlight 

Nothing frightens burglars away from a house faster than outdoor security cameras. Attach a light to those cameras and few home invaders are going to risk it. Generally, thieves prefer to lurk in the shadows. Cameras with lights mean risking both detection and identification. The bottom line is that an outdoor camera with a built-in light can keep your home safe. No surprise, then, that Ring – one of the best security camera providers on the market – offers not one but two of these devices: the Ring Spotlight Cam and the Ring Floodlight Cam.

While these two cameras perform similar functions, they’re not the same. If you’re looking for outdoor lighting options, you need to understand what each of these cameras is designed to do, and then decide based on your own security needs. Guess what? We can help you do both. Below, you’ll get a complete explanation of both of these Ring security cameras, plus some handy advice on deciding which one is right for you based on our experience with both of them.

The Ring Floodlight Cam

Ring Outdoor Cameras Overview

At this point, you’re asking yourself, why exactly does Ring need to offer two outdoor cameras with lights? Isn’t that a bit of overkill? After all, light is light, right? Not necessarily. Turns out that light – and these two cameras – can serve different functions.

• If you’re trying to find your way from the car to your front door, what you really need is soft, focused lighting. This is exactly the kind of lighting the Spotlight Cam provides. Can this cam startle a burglar? Maybe. Any sign that you’re home and keeping an eye on your property is going to help. Ultimately, though, the Spotlight Cam’s function is to help you find your way around your home’s exterior.
• The Floodlight Cam, on the other hand, is designed to startle. As the name implies, it floods an area with bright light. Normally, that’s not the sort of thing you want to experience yourself. It’s perfect, though, if you’re looking to raise a burglar’s blood pressure.

The question, then, is whether you want blinding lights that will stop burglars in their tracks and possibly scare them away, or a spotlight that can help you see your way into the house or welcome guests to your home.

Beyond this basic question, there are a host of other factors to consider. Are you looking for a hardwired model, or is wireless your thing? How are you planning to power your device? Battery? Outlet? Ring now offers solar panels. And how many of these devices does your property need?

That’s a lot of questions, but keep reading. You’ll find we have a lot of answers.

Ring Floodlight vs Ring Spotlight: Similarities

Let’s dig into the similarities between these two cameras. After all, they’re both manufactured by Ring, they’re both outdoor cameras, and they include integrated lighting options. They’re bound to have a few things in common, right?
First up, you have the same cloud storage options with both of these cameras. Strictly speaking, you don’t need a plan to operate either one. You can always purchase Ring equipment – a la carte or as part of a package – and use it for free.

If you want to record footage – and that can be useful not just for going back over your activity history but also in case you need to provide evidence to the police – you’re going to need a Ring cloud subscription. That costs $4.99 a month per camera or $9.99 per month for an unlimited number of devices. Pay for a year up-front, and that price is even lower – $99.99 buys you a full year, and ultimately, that saves you up to $20. There’s also a $19.99 per month plan that unlocks more features like backup internet that sends video recordings to the cloud even if your Wi-Fi goes down using cellular data.

Monitoring and cloud storage isn’t the only similarity between these two cameras, though. Both cameras make use of the same Ring app. That app provided us with real-time alerts and access to both live feeds and recorded video (we purchased the cloud subscription plan). Plus, we had the ability to turn cameras on and off with the push of a button. Both the Floodlight and Spotlight Cams come with built-in two-way audio, and we also used the app to make use of this feature.

Finally, both of these cameras are available in different models. Ring is committed to offering cameras that operate in a variety of different ways. As a starting point, you get to choose between “Plus” and “Pro” models. Plus means you get customizable motion zones powered by PIR motion sensors. Pro models include a more advanced type of motion detection, called 3D motion detection, which is powered by radar. We decided to get the Plus models.

After that, we chose from different power options. Now, the Spotlight Cam and Floodlight Cam don’t offer the same power options. The Spotlight Cam has plugged-in, battery-powered, and solar-powered models. The Floodlight Cam comes in plugged-in and hardwired models. But the point is, both cameras are versatile.

Ring Spotlight Cam at Twilight

Ring Spotlight vs Ring Floodlight: Differences

We’re going to get into the nitty gritty of the technical differences between these cameras in the features section, but first we want to step back and look at them holistically.

The Spotlight is designed for more than shining a light on would-be criminals. It can help you bring the groceries in during the evening or avoid tripping on the steps after coming home late from a concert. It’s also more welcoming for visitors who are approaching the house, so they don’t have to stare down some dark, ominous stairs. That’s not to say it can’t frighten off intruders. The fact is that any light that comes on suddenly is going to startle would-be burglars. It’s just that the spotlight does a better job of helping you navigate at night.

The floodlight, on the other hand, is all about security. When those 2000 lumens kick on, they light up your backyard like the Vegas strip. And the 105 dB siren sounds like a jet landing at Harry Reid International. You really wouldn’t want to install this piece of equipment on your front porch, unless for some reason you want to be blinded while bringing in the groceries. This is a camera you put in your backyard because, after all, no one has any business back there but you.

Features

Both of these cameras come packed with features, whether you go with a battery-powered or wired model. As we suggested above, some of those features overlap. These cameras serve very different purposes, though, and they need very different features in order to fulfill those purposes.

To keep it simple, we’ve broken down each model and added some extra information on the differences between the Plus and Pro models to make it easier to choose the right one for your needs.

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

Finally, don’t forget that these two cameras also come with several different power options, from battery to hardwiring. We might point out, though, that the Spotlight Cam has a bit more flexibility on this score. For one thing, all Floodlight cameras require some type of wiring. Either you hardwire it directly to a junction box (replacing a more traditional floodlight) or you plug it into a power outlet. This limitation can prevent some homeowners from installing the Floodlight Cam, at least without the help of an electrician. The Spotlight, on the other hand, offers these same power options but also comes in a battery-power model and can be connected to one of Ring’s solar panels.

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:

You should know that Ring has developed a reputation for running frequent sales. Over the holidays, for instance, almost all of Ring’s lighted cameras were available at deep discounts. The Spotlight Cam Plus, was a full $60 off the regular price, just $109.99. The Floodlight Cam Plus was $80 cheaper than usual, at $119.99. Prices are back to normal at the moment, but if you bookmark our guide to Ring’s sales and discounts, we’ll let you know as soon as there’s a change.

What We Think

When it comes to home security, it’s tough to go wrong with Ring. They offer some of the best security cameras on the market today, and some of the most affordable as well. If you’re looking specifically for a security camera with an illumination option, both the Spotlight and Floodlight camera are great choices, depending on how you’re going to use them.

If you need straight up security, go with the Floodlight Cam. Its extra bright lights and super loud siren are perfect for warding off would-be intruders. If you’re looking for something a little less severe and a little more universal, the Spotlight Cam might be the better option.