Comparison

Nest vs Ring

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Nest

Control your smart home devices, including thermostats, security systems, cameras, and smoke detectors, all from a single app. Receive alerts, manage schedules, and automate actions based on your presence.

Highlights
  • Remote thermostat control
  • Arm/disarm security system
  • Live camera feeds
  • Smoke/CO alerts
  • Automated actions
  • Visitor notifications
Currently charting
Read full description

At Google Nest, we make products that are beautiful, helpful and easy to use. The Nest app is no exception. Control your Nest thermostat, arm and disarm your Nest Secure alarm system, see your home with Nest Cam, and get an alert if Nest Protect goes off – all in one place. And receive notifications on your iPhone or iPad. Nest uses sensors, algorithms and the location of your phone to do the right thing automatically, turning off the heat and turning on the camera when you leave. Forget to set the alarm? It will notice, and send you a Remind Me alert. Nest Learning Thermostat and Nest Thermostat E Thermostats that program themselves to help you save energy. - Change the temperature from the subway or the sofa using your phone. - See how much energy you used, and why. - View and edit your schedule. - Get extreme temperature alerts before your home gets too cold. Nest Secure alarm system - Arm and disarm your home remotely from the app. - Receive a Remind Me alert if you leave home and forget to set the alarm. - Receive a security alert on your phone telling you what triggered the alarm – a door or window opening, or someone entering a room. Nest Protect The smoke and carbon monoxide alarm that thinks, speaks, and alerts your phone. - Get an alert if Nest Protect senses smoke or carbon monoxide. (Requires Wi-Fi and a working internet connection.) - Silence an alarm from your phone with App Silence. (Nest Protect 2nd gen only.) - See the status of your batteries, sensors, and Wi-Fi connection. - Run a Safety Checkup to test all your alarms at once. (Nest Protect 2nd gen only.) - See your Safety History so you know when alerts happened and why. Nest Cam IQ Indoor and Outdoor, Nest Cam Indoor, Nest Cam Outdoor, and Dropcam The security cameras that let you see your home on your phone, inside and out. - Get alerts when there’s activity, and talk back to get someone’s attention. - See what you missed with snapshots of the last three hours. - Check in 24/7 with crisp 1080p HD video (Nest Cam and Dropcam Pro only). - Get person alerts (or familiar face alerts with Nest Cam IQ) and up to 30 days of video history when you subscribe to Nest Aware. (Subscription service sold separately.) Nest Hello Know who’s knocking. - 24/7 video streaming means you’ll never miss a moment. - Designed to show you everything at your doorstep – people head to toe, or packages on the ground. - Knows the difference between a person and a thing. - Notifies you about visitors, even if they don’t ring the bell. - HD Talk and Listen lets you have a seamless conversation with someone at your door. - When you can’t answer the door, quick responses let you reply to visitors with prerecorded audio messages. Nest x Yale Lock The lock for a more secure connected home. - Instead of sharing keys, assign passcodes to people you trust in the Nest app. - Get an alert when someone locks or unlocks the door. - With Home/Away Assist and Auto-Lock, your door can lock itself when you leave. Some features require a working internet connection, Wi-Fi, and/or Bluetooth.

About

Ring

Monitor your home remotely with video doorbells, security cameras, and alarm systems. Receive instant alerts for visitors and motion, view live HD video, and communicate with guests. Smart lights and alarm systems offer further control and safety features.

Highlights
  • Real-time doorbell and motion alerts
  • Live HD video streaming
  • Two-Way Talk with visitors
  • Smart lighting control and scheduling
  • Alarm system monitoring
  • Optional professional monitoring
Read full description

Know what’s happening at home from wherever you are with Ring Video Doorbells, Security Cameras and Alarm systems, and Smart Lights. Ring Doorbells and Cameras can send you instant alerts when someone’s at your door or motion is detected. Keep an eye on what matters with live HD video and greet visitors with Two-Way Talk. With a Ring Protect subscription (or free trial), you can review, save, and share Ring videos. Ring Smart Lights let you control and schedule lighting easily. Some models can even notify you about motion nearby, and trigger other compatible Ring devices to record. Ring Alarm systems let you monitor entrances and indoor spaces, and detect certain safety hazards. Enroll in Ring Alarm Professional Monitoring* (compatible Ring Protect subscription required) to request dispatch of emergency responders when your Ring Alarm is triggered. Whether you’re halfway around the world or just out shopping , with Ring, you’re always home. *Compatible Ring subscription is required to enroll in Professional Monitoring. Service available in all 50 U.S. states (territories not included) and in Canada (excluding Quebec). Ring does not own its monitoring center. Smoke and carbon monoxide monitoring is not available for business or commercially zoned addresses. See Ring Alarm licenses at: ring.com/licenses. Additional fees may be required for permits, false alarms, or Alarm Verified Guard Response, depending on your local jurisdiction. What you can do with the Ring app: - Get real-time doorbell and motion alerts on your smartphone or tablet - See and speak with visitors with HD Video and Two-Way Talk - Get real-time alerts when your Alarm sensors are triggered

Screenshots

Nest4 screens
Ring4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: Ring at every 9 days against Nest's every 2 months. Ring also leads on chart position (#5 vs #90). Nest's advantage is device support (4 vs 2) and iOS requirement (14.0 vs 17.0). On price, rating, review sentiment and ratings volume there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.6 for Nest against 4.7 for Ring. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 2.6M and 1.8M respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 24% of Nest's written reviews are positive against 31% of Ring's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Nest ships an update every 2 months, Ring every 9 days. Both last shipped on September 24, 2026.

Scorecard4 real differences · 7 level
Nest versus Ring: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterNestRing
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.6 (2.6M ratings)4.7 (1.8M ratings) — better
Positive reviews24.2% of reviews31.2% of reviews — better
Number of ratings2.6M — better1.8M
Update frequencyEvery 2 monthsEvery 9 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
Best chart rank#90#5 — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple TV — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS14.0 — better17.0
Further details — not scored
Size240 MB466 MB
Age rating4+12+
DeveloperNest LabsRing.com

Customer experience

Nest

All ratings2,564,294 ratings
Positive90.4%
Neutral3.2%
Negative6.4%
Written reviews4,310 reviews
Positive24.2%
Neutral9.3%
Negative66.5%

Ring

All ratings1,844,638 ratings
Positive93.5%
Neutral2.6%
Negative3.9%
Written reviews7,024 reviews
Positive31.2%
Neutral11.3%
Negative57.5%

User reviews

Nest

From 2.6M App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Easy to use
  • 🔒 Reliable security features
  • 📽️ Good video quality
  • 🔔 Useful alerts and notifications
  • 🌐 Convenient remote access

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Frequent connectivity issues
  • ⏱️ Slow app performance
  • 🔒 Overly complex setup and login process
  • 💰 Expensive subscription required for full functionality
  • 🔋 Battery life issues with cameras

Ring

From 1.8M App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Excellent video quality
  • 🔒 Helpful security features
  • 👍 Easy to set up and use
  • 🔋 Good battery life

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Frequent connectivity issues
  • 🕰️ Slow live view response times
  • 💰 Expensive subscription fees
  • 📽️ Poor video quality at night

Bugs and requests

Nest

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • Inconsistent home/away detection
  • Thermostat schedule resets unexpectedly
  • Smoke detector false alarms
  • Camera feed freezes or fails to load

Requested features

4 requests
  • Improved scheduling and automation options
  • Better integration with other smart home devices
  • More customization options for alerts and notifications
  • Offline viewing and recording capabilities

Ring

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • Inconsistent motion detection
  • Recorded videos randomly disappearing
  • Chime not working as expected
  • Unreliable app performance after updates

Requested features

4 requests
  • Customizable motion zones
  • Ability to schedule modes
  • Apple HomeKit integration
  • More flexible notification settings

In-app purchases

None

Nest

No in-app purchases

None

Ring

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Nest free?
Nest is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Ring free?
Ring is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Nest or Ring?
Ring is rated higher. Nest averages 4.6 out of 5 from 2.6M ratings, while Ring averages 4.7 from 1.8M ratings.
Do Nest or Ring have ads?
Neither Nest nor Ring shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Nest or Ring?
Nest ships an update every 2 months, and Ring every 9 days. Most recently, Nest was updated on September 24, 2026 and Ring on September 24, 2026.
Which is more popular, Nest or Ring?
Nest currently peaks at #90 in the App Store charts, and Ring at #5. Chart position reflects recent download velocity rather than total install base.

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