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Floodlight cameras are great for home security as they create a lot of light and allow you to see people in your yard that shouldn’t be there. While this market is smaller than the overall home security camera market, there are two big giants to choose from: Arlo Pro 3 Floodlight Camera vs Ring Floodlight Camera.
Which is better? We’re going to compare Ring Floodlight Camera vs Arlo Pro 3 Floodlight Camera in terms of installation, video quality, motion detection, battery life and charging, and finally the different plans and subscriptions.
Read on to find the best camera for your home.
Arlo Pro 3 Floodlight Camera | Ring Floodlight Camera |
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What is Arlo Pro 3 Floodlight Camera?
The Arlo Floodlight Camera is a wireless, smart, motion-sensing camera that adds brightness to your home without the need for wires (which, if you’ve ever setup wired camera before, is a complete mess). Along with the wireless connection, you also can choose solar power or a magnetic cable for even fewer wires.
While the floodlight looks wide, the entire camera is actually portable and compact, giving it a design that works with any home aesthetic. You will hardly notice it until the light is on. Even then, it’s a beautiful addition to your house.
The floodlight itself is 2,000 lumens unless you use the magnetic charge, which then allows the light to increase to 3,000 lumens. This is the same as two or three 60W bulbs, which can illuminate the yard or driveway with ease. The Arlo app allows you to change the brightness. You’re able to make the light pulsate as well, which has a better chance of alerting people that someone is in your yard.
Another handy feature is the siren. Ringing up to a very loud 80 decibels, you can manually activate the alarm via the Arlo Pro app, or set the camera to ring the siren if motion is detection. The camera has 160 degrees of vision and is weather resistant to rain and low temperatures.
While Arlo 3 Pro Floodlight Camera works with Alexa, it needs Echo Show or Dot to function. You can also pair it with Apple HomeKit, Google Assistant, or IFTTT.
Check Price: Arlo Pro 3 Floodlight Camera – >
What is Ring Floodlight Camera?
Ring Floodlight Camera is an Amazon security camera (Ring is an Amazon brand). As you can expect, it’s Alexa compatible, but you do need Echo Show or Echo Dot to ensure they work properly together. You can choose between either white or black models and both look amazing.
You’ll see two LED lights on the articulated arms mounted on both sides. Similar to Arlo, the warm white lights clock in at 1,800 lumens. It’s not quite as bright, but you probably won’t notice a huge difference unless you stick these cameras right next to each other.
However, we will that the Ring Floodlight Camera night vision isn’t quite as good as the Arlo Pro 3 Floodlight Camera night vision. Also, there’s no option for a wireless connection. While the installation is easy enough, it’s not as convenient as Arlo.
It does redeem itself though by being slightly be resistant to low temperatures. It’s only by a few degrees, but it’s still worth noting.
Check Price: Ring Floodlight Camera – >
Installation
Both cameras are fairly easy to install, but Arlo is significantly easier due to the wireless connection.
Arlo
Arlo comes with two main parts: the camera and base. Start by mounting the base wherever you want the camera to go. This should only take a few minutes. You get a ball joint that securely connects the two pieces and allows you to adjust the camera.
The only “annoying” thing is that the battery must be fully charged before installing the camera, but that’s a very small inconvenience.
Ring
The installation is straightforward, but you must connect it to a junction box. Make sure your power breakers are turned off before installing the camera, or there might be problems.
You get adjustable mounting bolts. Make sure they don’t stick out too far when installing the camera. Simply position the camera and light where you’d like, then use the bolts to hold it in place.
If the installation sounds too hard, then we’d suggest getting a licensed electrician to do the installation. It costs more, but you won’t have to worry about messing up your power.
Check Price: Arlo Pro 3 Floodlight Camera – >
Video Quality
Each system has pros and cons, but Arlo is the better of the two. However, Ring does have better field of vision.
Arlo
The HDR stream is good at 2K resolution, which allows you to make out faces and activity. The images look good and the colors are natural. You can even see small details you may have missed when replaying the video.
The Arlo Pro night vision is very good, especially when the floodlight is active. This is in color and allows you to see more than most other night vision cameras.
The viewing angle is 160 degrees, which captures a wide area. The Arlo app allows you to change settings with HDR quality, live streaming, auto zoom, and more.
Ring
Ring offers similar quality, and it also has color night vision. However, the night quality isn’t nearly as good as Arlo. The lights help to brighten the video, but it still doesn’t look as good as its competitor.
Colors during the day look bright and natural, and movement is captured accurately. It does have an impressive 270-degree viewing angle, which gives you an ultra-wide view of your yard.
Check Price: Ring Floodlight Camera – >
Motion Detection
While both cameras have good motion detection, the win goes to Ring. It gives you custom motion zones, better determines what caused the motion, and the controls are more intuitive.
Arlo
You can either activate motion detection manually, or make it automatic whenever motion is detected 25 feet from the camera. It’s easy to integration other Arlo cameras for a large security network. The best thing about Arlo’s motion detection is that you can set specific notifications (if you’re subscribed to Arlo Smart Plans).
The app tells you if the motion is animal, person, or vehicle, which makes it easy to find clips if you want to replay what happened. If it’s none of these categories, then the clip is labeled as “motion.” The notifications are similarly labeled, which lets you know if the motion was potentially a sign of danger.
Those subscribed to the Alro Smart Plans can even be alerted if a delivery was made. This allows the camera to determine that a person-based motion was just someone delivering your package.
Ring
Ring motion controls are very intuitive and easy to setup. You can create six custom zones via the motion settings feature in the Ring app. Simply choose where you want the camera to detection motion from, which is helpful if you want to avoid useless notifications.
Plus, you can activate and disable these zones at will. For example, let’s say that you want several zones active only if you’re out of the house. You can do this right from the app. Plus, you can set a motion schedule. This allows you to schedule coverage during certain times. But, you won’t receive motion alerts when zones are scheduled to activate.
Sometimes even the wind will trip motion controls. If you want to change the sensitivity, then turn on the app and adjust the motion sensitivity slider. You can also change it between “All Activity” or “People Only.”
Power Source
Ring is wired-only, which means you need to plug it in. Arlo on the other hand is wireless, which means you need to use a battery or one of the optional power methods. Arlo is better overall because the battery frees you from needing a wired connection.
Arlo
Arlo Pro 3 Camera Floodlight comes packed with a lithium-ion battery that should last around 6 months (actual use will differ). You can charge the battery with a standard micro-USB cable. If you want to bypass this 6-month limit, then there are two options available for you.
The Arlo Outdoor Magnetic Charging Cable snaps onto the camera and gives you a 25-foot charging cable. It’s weather-resistant and will keep the battery charged at all times. This cable is only compatible with Alro Pro 3 and Alro Ultra models.
If you want to keep everything entirely wireless, then choose the Arlo Solar Panel. You can mount this on the wall next to your camera. Use the sun to charge your battery, ensuring it stays charged. Plus, the mount can be adjusted to get the most solar power.
Ring
This is a wired system, so there isn’t a battery. You must keep the camera connected to an outlet at all times to ensure it remains powered. If the connection fails or you unplug the cord, then the camera will die.
Check Price: Arlo Pro 3 Floodlight Camera – >
Subscriptions
Each camera comes with different subscription plans if you want to get more from the security devices. They are both fairly similar, so we can’t choose a specific winner here.
Arlo
You can choose between two Arlo Smart Plans: Premium and Elite. However, we won’t cover the Elite plan as it only applies to Arlo Ultra cameras, so you cannot use it with this device.
The Arlo Premium Plan allows for 2K video recording and it costs $2.99/month for one camera and $9.99/month for up to five cameras. You will also get a 50% discount after buying your fifth camera, which is great for making larger security networks.
Along with recording and storing your video, this also gives you motion notifications, delivery notifications, and cloud activity zones. It’s a good addition for those who are serious about their safety.
Ring
You can also choose between two plans. Unlike with Arlo, both are applicable to this camera. The plans allow you to save recordings, view the feed live, and give you other features.
Protect Plus Plan is the premium plan that costs $100/year or $10/month. This extends your warranty by an extra year and covers all Ring devices you own. You also gain access to professional monitoring, but it costs more on top of the plan and may require permits. Plus, you get a 10% discount on future Ring products.
If you want extra features but for less, then consider Protect Basic Plan. This is just $30/year or $3/month. It has the same features overall, but no professional monitoring services, extended warranty, or extra discounts. However, it does allow you to view the live feed and use Snap Capture, which is a feature where the camera takes recurring photos throughout the day.
Check Price: Ring Floodlight Camera – >
What’s the Difference Between Arlo Pro 3 Floodlight Camera and Ring Floodlight Camera?
Curious about the difference between Ring Floodlight Camera and Arlo Pro 3 Floodlight Camera? The first major difference is wires. Arlo is wireless while Ring must have a wired connection. This severely limits where you can install Ring, while Arlo can be placed anywhere. While Arlo’s battery must be recharged, you’ll only have to do it once or twice a year, or get one of the optional power accessories to avoid this.
Then there’s the video quality. While Ring does have a wider viewing angle, Arlo has better quality and colors, especially during night. Their limits are similarly bright, but Arlo can be upgraded to 3,000 lumens if you get the magnetic cable.
While both offer motion detection, Ring was better. It offers custom motion zones and more features. Arlo is good, but it’s just basic in this regard.
Arlo Pro 3 Floodlight Camera | Ring Floodlight Camera |
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Final Thoughts
So, which is better with Arlo Pro 3 Floodlight Camera vs Ring Floodlight Camera? While Ring is good and does some things better than Arlo, we think Arlo is a better package overall. With better lights, a wireless connection, and better video quality, we would go with Arlo.