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Blink is the younger, more-affordable cousin of Ring. Both brands fall under the Amazon umbrella, and both work well (although I find that Ring is slightly faster in terms of loading times). Both brands have something else in common, too: to access the best features, you’ll need a subscription.

Blink offers three different tiers. With no subscription, you’ll receive notifications whenever something moves within range of the camera and see an extended live view of up to five minutes. While the official site doesn’t list the number of devices that includes, all of your connected Blink cameras and other devices will send motion alerts.

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The next level is the Basic plan. That’s $3 per month for a single device and includes cloud storage for up to 60 days, motion detection, person and vehicle detection, and an extended live view of up to 90 minutes. It also includes motion event recording, live view recording, instant video access, photo capture, and an auto-update thumbnail.Blink

The highest tier is called Plus. It’s $10 per month for an unlimited number of devices and the best value by far. It includes everything the other plans have, with the addition of custom snooze notifications, a 10% discount off future Blink devices, extended warranty coverage, and the Blink Moments feature that stitches together multiple events into a seamless video.

(function(){if(document.currentScript){var e=document.currentScript.parentNode;if(e.classList.contains(‘dtads-location’)){if(!e.classList.contains(‘dtads-‘+window.DTScenario.getExperience())){e.parentNode.removeChild(e)}}}}());With those features in mind, you have to ask: is a Blink subscription really worth it? I’ll be honest: I hate subscription services. If I buy a device, I want to be able to use all of its features without paying an arbitrary monthly sum. However, given the affordability of Blink devices in relation to other products on the market and just how many features the subscription opens up, the smart devices aren’t worth their cost unless you pay for the subscription.

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Is $100 per year worth the cost?

I paid next to nothing for my Blink devices. For full transparency, several devices were sent my way for review, but I have expanded the system with additional purchases. The kicker? I bought most of them during Prime Day or Black Friday sales. Blink has a tendency to drop its prices to an almost absurd degree. While I do have a few Ring products, I can usually get two or three Blink cameras for the price of a single Ring.Blink

The subscription cost feels like a small amount to pay given how well the system has worked. It lets me keep an eye on the house when I’m traveling, and it also lets my wife and me check in on our pets. The ability to view up to 90 minutes of footage at a time is a win, particularly when I suspect multiple events might be connected. For example, I had silenced my phone, only to check it later and see more than 30 motion alerts.

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That’s another perk of the Plus tier: it allows you to snooze notifications for a set amount of time. When my lawn service comes to cut the grass, I tend to shut off notifications; otherwise, my phone will practically vibrate itself off the desk as the mower moves back and forth in its field of view.

The downside: no professional monitoring

Blink is strictly a DIY system. You can keep an eye on your property no matter where you are, but no one will intervene to alert the authorities if necessary. Ring offers that service, but it costs an extra $10 per month on top of their mid-tier plan, which means you’re paying at least $20 (and more than likely $25) for professional protection.Amazon

That’s the trade-off. While $10 per month gives you access to a host of different features, it doesn’t provide you with what is arguably the most useful one of all. I always suggest professional monitoring whenever possible, if only for the peace of mind — but if you don’t have access to a device that offers that, then a monthly fee of $10 is a small price to pay, especially as it makes it significantly easier for you to keep an eye on what’s happening around your home on your own.

Pairing that subscription with some of Blink’s optional accessories, like the solar panel or the floodlight attachment, gives you a home security system for a fraction of the cost of other names in the business.