Product Library / Security Systems & Alarms
Research profile · last verified 2026-07-19Ring Alarm Security Kit, 8-Piece (2nd gen)
Compatibility
| Ecosystem | Support | The catch |
|---|---|---|
| Amazon Alexa | PartialPartial support — see the catch | Official, and the only ecosystem where arm/disarm is exposed — but it needs a Ring subscription, and disarming requires speaking a four-digit passcode aloud |
| Google Home | Not checkedWe have not verified this yet — this is not a claim about the product | Not verifiable from either side. Ring publishes no Google Home integration page, and Google's own compatibility list covers cameras, doorbells, locks, sensors and smoke/CO detectors with no alarm-panel category at all — so neither a yes nor a documented no. Recorded as unchecked rather than guessed. |
| Apple Home | Doesn't workVerified: does not work with this ecosystem | No Apple Home support documented by either Ring or Apple, and Ring holds no Matter certification in the CSA database (checked 2026-07-19), which closes the Matter route as well. Note the evidence here is the absence of any vendor page, not a statement from Ring. |
| SmartThings | Doesn't workVerified: does not work with this ecosystem | Samsung's own Ring partner page lists Ring under Camera and Doorbell only — no alarm, base station, keypad or contact sensor. A vendor-published integration list that omits the alarm line. |
| Home Assistant | Doesn't workVerified: does not work with this ecosystem | Home Assistant's official Ring integration documents doorbells, stick-up cams, chimes and intercoms, and ships no alarm_control_panel platform — the alarm cannot be armed or disarmed from HA. Unofficial community add-ons exist and are not covered by this claim. |
? Not checked means we haven’t verified that ecosystem yet — it is a statement about our research, never a verdict on the product. A Setup Check can research it for you.
Protocols: WIFI · ZWAVE · ETHERNET · BLUETOOTH
Subscription reality
⚠ Works without a subscription: No — core features are paywalled.
- Free: Local siren sounds when the alarm triggers, Arm and disarm from the physical keypad
- Behind a plan: Arm and disarm from the phone app, Push notifications when the alarm triggers, Cellular backup, 24/7 professional monitoring (Ring Pro tier) (from $4.99/mo)
- Estimated 5-year subscription cost: ~$299 at $4.99/mo — price verified 2026-07-19
Ring Solo from $4.99/mo unlocks app arming and alarm notifications; Ring Pro at $19.99/mo adds 24/7 professional monitoring. Tier names changed 2026-01-14 — older reviews cite 'Ring Protect'. Kit includes a 30-day trial.
Maintenance reality
- Batteries: built-in rechargeable lithium-ion (base station)
- Cloud dependence: Yes — a server shutdown would degrade or brick this device
- Base station holds up to 24 hours of backup power; 104 dB siren. Sensor batteries are published only as 1st-gen figures (contact and motion up to 3 years, keypad up to 7 months) — Ring does not publish 2nd-gen equivalents. App control, notifications and monitoring are all cloud-mediated; the local siren is the only documented function that survives with no cloud and no subscription.
The catch
Without a paid plan you can arm and disarm only from the physical keypad, and your phone stays silent when the alarm goes off — Ring's own words are that the siren sounds but "you and your Shared Users will not receive digital notifications." App control and alarm alerts start at $4.99/mo; cellular backup needs a plan too, though the hardware ships in the box.
Who it's for
Households already inside Alexa who intend to pay for a plan. Anyone planning to self-monitor for free should compare carefully — several competing systems include app control and push alerts at no cost, and here both are paid.
Sources & method
ring.com/products/security-system-alarm-8 and ring.com/support/articles/x9gba/Technical-Specifications-for-Ring-Alarm-Devices — kit contents, $149.99 promotional against a $249.99 anchor, Z-Wave sensor link (908/916 MHz, up to 250 ft), Ethernet/Wi-Fi uplink, 24 h battery, 104 dB siren — vendor-page research, verified 2026-07-19 · ring.com/support/articles/46blt/Understanding-Professional-Monitoring-and-Self-Monitoring and ring.com/plans — self-monitored users arm/disarm 'from the Ring Keypad only' and receive no digital notifications on trigger; Solo $4.99/mo, Multi $9.99/mo, Pro $19.99/mo (renamed 2026-01-14 per ring.com/explore-ring-home) — vendor-page research, verified 2026-07-19 · Counterparty sources per 09 §3: partners.smartthings.com/partners/ring lists Camera and Doorbell only; home-assistant.io/integrations/ring documents no alarm_control_panel platform; csa-iot.org certified-products search returned no Ring end products — counterparty-source research, verified 2026-07-19 · ring.com/support/articles/tu12s/Arming-and-disarming-Ring-devices-with-Alexa — arm/disarm with Home and Away modes, subscription required for Modes, four-digit spoken passcode required to disarm — vendor-page research, verified 2026-07-19 · Ring's own two pages disagree: the product spec block lists 'Ethernet, Bluetooth for set-up, Z-wave, WiFi, WiFi-6 capable, LTE, 902-928 MHz Radio' while ring.com/us/en/support/articles/5v81l/Ring-Alarm-System-FAQs lists 'Ethernet, Wi-Fi, Z-Wave, Zigbee, and Bluetooth for setup'. Only the four both pages agree on are recorded. Zigbee is omitted because no Ring page documents any user-facing Zigbee pairing feature; 'WiFi-6 capable, LTE' is omitted as probable Ring Alarm Pro spec contamination, since the same FAQ states cellular backup requires a subscription rather than being built in. — vendor-page research (conflict flagged, not resolved), verified 2026-07-19 · ftc.gov 2023 action against Ring ($5.8M, employee/contractor access to customer video) concerned Ring CAMERAS AND VIDEO, not the alarm system. Recorded here only so the scope is stated correctly rather than implied against this product. — regulator-source research, verified 2026-07-19. This is a research profile: compiled from manufacturer documentation, certification registries, and published testing — we state facts, not verdicts, and we have not physically tested this unit. How we work →
Compatibility and lifecycle information reflects the last-verified date above and can change without notice (firmware updates, cloud-service changes, discontinuations). It is provided as-is, for information — verify with the manufacturer before purchasing. Spot an error? Tell us and we'll fix it. Full terms: Terms of Service.