Do you really know what happens right outside your home?

In this article, I’ll go over a few great options from Ring for securing your home.

To keep you informed on everything going on outside your home, Ring offers several weatherproof cameras. We will compare Ring Floodlight Cam vs Spotlight Cam vs Stick Up Cam in this in-depth Ring camera comparison.

Recently, Ring added several upgraded security cameras to their lineup.

This table will introduce you to the differences, which we’ll expand on below.

	Ring Floodlight Cam	Ring Spotlight Cam	All-New Ring Stick Up Cam (2019 v3)
Price	See it on Amazon $$$	See it on Amazon $$	See it on Amazon $
Video quality	1080p	1080p	1080p
Power source	Hardwired	Plug in, solar, or battery power	Plug in, solar, or battery power
Motion zones	Custom motion zones	Only has custom motion zones if plugged in for power	No custom motion zones
Field of view	140º	140º	130º
Lighting	Two 3K floodlights	LED spotlights	None
Siren	Yes	Yes	No
Night vision	Yes	Yes	Yes
Cloud storage	Paid cloud storage required to store and view clips	Paid cloud storage required to store and view clips	Paid cloud storage required to store and view clips

Ring Floodlight Cam vs Spotlight Cam vs Stick Up Cam

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Ring – maker of the easily recognizable video doorbell – is on a mission to help you see, hear, and speak with anyone outside your home.

Since they were acquired by Amazon, Ring has continued adding more cameras to the mix.

In recent years, the company added the Spotlight Cam with either wired and battery power. They also updated their Stick Up Cam for 2019, and even released and Ring Indoor Cam (review here).

There are a few similarities when it comes to all of these outdoor cameras. We will review those after we dive into the major pros and cons of the Ring Floodlight Cam vs Spotlight Cam vs Stick Up Cam.

Ring Floodlight Cam

With built-in floodlights and a siren, the Ring Floodlight Cam is made to illuminate your home and scare away intruders.

It’s a heavy-duty solution and will cost you more than the other Ring cameras, but it also offers additional features for ultra-strong security.

Features

Here are a few features that stood out in our Ring Floodlight Cam review.

**Starred features are unique to this camera.**

• 1080p video
• Most expensive Ring camera option
• Must be hardwired – no battery option available**
• Replaces existing light
• Pair of 3000K floodlights built-in**
  • Motion activated
• 110-decibel alarm (user-activated)
• 140° field of view
• 270° motion detection**
• Object and facial recognition**
• Smart zoom and panning**
• Custom motion zones
• Operating temperature: -22º  to 120º F

Where to Install Ring Floodlight Cam

With two powerful floodlights and a 110-decibel alarm (which is the average human pain threshold), this camera can light up dark corners and send a convincing signal that you’ve spotted someone on your turf.

Unlike the other options in this Ring camera comparison, the Floodlight Cam has to be hardwired. Make sure you install it somewhere that you can easily get power to. Ideally, you will replace an existing floodlight and already have a standard junction box set up.

Consider installing it in one of these spots:

Above the garage: Provide ample light when you pull into the driveway, or light up the front of your home if someone or something crosses in the path of the Floodlight Cam.

Outside your back door: With dual floodlights and an alarm, you can easily scare off intruders or wildlife that wanders up to your home’s back porch.

Shed or barn lighting: Make it easier to work outside the shed or barn in low-light conditions with the Floodlight Cam. Plus, you’ll have the peace of mind of knowing you can have a live view of the outlying building at any time of the day or night. Note that if it’s too far from your router, the Floodlight Cam cannot connect to Internet.

Ring Spotlight Cam

For a more minimalist look that still provides plenty of security, Ring’s Spotlight Cam is the way to go.

When looking at this comparison of Ring Floodlight Cam vs Spotlight Cam vs Stick Up Cam, the Spotlight Cam has plenty of features similar to Floodlight, at a lower price.

It also offers battery or solar powered versions, which are ideal for those who cannot plug in their camera.

Features

Here are other features worth noting as we review Spotlight Cam.

**Starred features are unique to this camera.**

• 1080p video
• Mid-range price
• Offers 4 different models with unique power source options: Spotlight Cam Wired (for a standard power outlet), Spotlight Cam Mount (for hardwiring to electrical boxes), Spotlight Cam Battery, or Spotlight Cam Solar. Make sure you buy the right version that you want for your home.
• Battery powered camera has 3-6 month battery life
• Solar panel keeps your camera charged indefinitely via micro-USB
• 2 small, motion activated lights built-in. These are on the sides of the Spotlight Cam.**
• 110-decibel alarm (user-activated)
• 140° field of view
• 160° motion detection on the Wired version, 180° horizontal and 30° vertical on Battery and Solar versions
• Custom motion zones only available with Spotlight Cam Wired, not the Solar/Battery versions
• Operating temperature: -22º to 120º F for Wired camera,  -5 to 120º F for Solar/Battery
• No smart zoom or panning
• Lacks object or facial recognition

Where to Install Ring Spotlight Cam

Put the camera anywhere.

Seriously though, you can take advantage of the multiple power source options to place this camera in a variety of places around your home’s exterior.

If you opt for the Spotlight Cam Solar, just make sure it’s in a spot that typically gets a few hours of sunlight per day.

At the side of your home: Discourage prowlers from sneaking from the backyard to the front of the house undetected with a Spotlight Cam on duty along the side of your house. While you may not have a window here, you can still gain visibility with the live video feed, spotlights, and alarm at your disposal.

When a floodlight is too bright: If you have a light sleeper in your home and don’t want the harsh glare of floodlights waking anyone up, consider the Ring Spotlight Cam as a better solution for motion-activated light. The spotlights will still illuminate the area and allow you to see who or what is outside, but without the mega-power of the floodlights onboard Ring Floodlight Cam.

If you want standard outlet power: While Ring Floodlight Cam connects to your junction box, Spotlight Cam Wired plugs into your standard power outlets. This offers the perks of continuous power, without requiring complex wiring from an electrician.

All-New Ring Stick Up Cam v3

Ring Stick-Up Cam is the tried-and-true original that got Ring involved in security cameras in the first place.

UPDATE: Since we first published this Ring camera comparison, Amazon released the All-New Ring Stick Up Cam. Here’s a quick timeline:

• 2018: Ring Stick Up Cam v2 released
• 2019: Ring Stick Up Cam v3. (Though each new version has been just renamed the All-New Ring Stick Up Cam instead of the v2 or v3.)

Version 2 added upgraded features like 1080p footage, custom motion zones, 3 second recording buffer, a siren, and a PoE port.

It also has a plug in, battery, or solar version, giving you multiple options for powering the camera. All of these features were missing on the original Stick Up Cam.

 

Original Ring Stick Up Cam v1 on the left, all-new Ring Stick Up Cam on the right.

The All-New Ring Stick Up Cam v3 in 2019 is similar with some of these features, but it adds a focus on bringing the price down.

Here are some of the downgraded features missing from the cheaper 2019 version:

• There is no ethernet port. If you want PoE, you will have to pay extra for Ring Stick Up Cam Elite.
• It has a more narrow field of view (130° compared to 155° on the v2).
• No custom motion zones.

So Amazon is selling a cheaper version of the same camera and calling it by the same name. This has led to a lot of confusion around the device, and also some negative reviews on its Amazon listing.

2019 All-New Ring Stick Up Cam Features

Here are the features that are included or missing on the All-New Ring Stick Up Cam v3 for 2019.

**Starred features are unique to this camera.**

• 1080p video
• Cheapest option**
• Wired via power outlet, solar, or batteries
• No Power over Ethernet, unlike previous versions
• No spotlight, floodlights, or siren built-in
• Field of view: 130°
• No custom motion zones
• No smart zoom or panning
• Operating temperature: -4 to 122º F
• Smaller unit that takes up less space and is more minimalist

Where to Install Ring Stick Up Cam

If you’re not interested in the heavy-duty Spotlight and Floodlight cams, the All-New Stick Up Cam is the simplest way to go. Ring claims this camera can be installed to any surface.

The various power supply options, flexible mounting solution, and smaller size of the Ring Stick Up Cam give you a lot of choices in where to use this outdoor camera.

Some options include…

Along a fence: If you want to keep an eye on the activity inside the perimeter of your privacy fence, mount the Stick Up Cam to the fence and let it keep track of the kids playing kickball or whether anyone is cutting through your yard uninvited.

On the porch: If you don’t have a Ring Video doorbell but still want to keep tabs on who is knocking at your door, then the Stick Up Cam can give you a live feed of your front porch activity.

While you won’t have the full smart doorbell experience Ring is famous for, Stick Up Cam’s two-way audio still allows you to see and talk with anyone that triggers the motion detection on the camera.

Anywhere that lacks a power supply: If you buy the battery version, you can put this camera virtually anywhere that you want to keep tabs on. Unlike hardwired cameras or those that must be plugged into an outlet, the Stick Up Cam Battery carries power using a local battery.

As long as your WiFi connection reaches the camera, it’s a good place to install the Stick Up Cam. You can buy several Stick Up Cams and secure your home’s perimeter, or even move one inside if you’re done using it on the exterior.

Similarities

With the differences established earlier in this Ring camera comparison, let’s dive into the features that you can expect on any of the cameras.

When comparing Ring Floodlight Cam vs Spotlight Cam vs Stick Up Cam, any camera will have:

• HD video recording in 1080p. All of these cameras have 1080p quality, which is great for distinguishing faces.
• Motion-activated recording and notifications. When any of these Ring cameras see motion, they will begin recording and send you a notification.
• Night vision. This is essential for securing your home after dark.
• Live camera view. View your cameras via the Ring app. You can also share recorded videos with your neighborhood, which is a big perk in tracking down perpetrators.
• Two-way talk. With a microphone and speaker built-in, you can easily talk back and forth with any guests.
• Smart home compatibility. Ring works with Wink, SmartThings, Alexa, IFTTT, and more.
• Paid cloud storage necessary. If you want to view recordings, you can count on paying Ring’s monthly cloud storage fee. View 60 days of history, share it with others, or save specific recordings for $3 a month for a single camera or $10 a month for unlimited cameras.

My Favorite Outdoor Ring Camera

Which Ring outdoor camera is my favorite recommendation to keep your eyes (and ears) on everything happening around your home? I would choose the Floodlight Cam for replacing a floodlight, but the answer really depends on your biggest objective with an outdoor security camera, including what other outdoor smart home gadgets you have installed.

Buy the Ring Floodlight Cam if…

You want to replace your current floodlights while adding security and a siren.

For this Ring camera comparison, Floodlight Cam is my top pick for homes that are on dark streets in rural areas. There’s a reason it’s rated highly by Tom’s Guide and others. This is a high-quality outdoor security device.

The Floodlight Cam is also my top pick if facial recognition technology (which can reduce false alarms) is important to you – since this is the only one in the Ring Floodlight Cam vs Spotlight Cam vs Stick Up Cam comparison that offers this.

Buy the Ring Spotlight Cam if…

You value the ability to add extra light to an area when motion is detected, but you don’t want (or need) floodlight-level illumination. Homes with well-lit streets may find Ring Spotlight Cam to be a suitable option.

The Spotlight Cam is also a better choice over the Floodlight Cam if you don’t want the hassle of worrying about having to hardwire the camera – or you don’t want to replace your existing light fixture.

We also love the solar option with this camera.

Buy the Ring Stick Up Cam if…

You want the most affordable option that still offers plenty of features.

Power over Ethernet is only available on the Ring Stick Up Cam Elite. The Stick-Up Cam has 1080p footage and is a great price compared to the others.

The All-New Ring Stick Up Cam has some mixed reviews, so you might want to take a look at that before buying it.

Competitor Options

There are a few other options for outdoor cameras offered by Arlo and Nest.

These each have their own advantages: Arlo offers 7 days of free cloud storage on its Arlo Pro 2, while Nest is very compatible with other smart home tech.

You can read about these competitor outdoor cameras at these links:

• Arlo Pro 2 vs Arlo Pro 3 vs Arlo Ultra
• Arlo Ultra vs Nest Cam IQ Outdoor
• Outdoor Security Camera Comparison

With more and more ways to keep an eye on the security of your home, which Ring camera will you choose when making the choice between the Ring Floodlight Cam vs Spotlight Cam vs Stick Up Cam?

Let us know in the comments below!