# Google Home vs Ring

The clearest difference is ads: Ring at none against Google Home's shown. Ring also leads on review sentiment (31% vs 16%) and monetization model (free vs ad-supported). On price, rating, ratings volume and update cadence there is nothing between them.

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

Ring holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.6. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 1.4M and 1.9M respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 16% of Google Home's written reviews are positive against 31% of Ring's.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly weekly. Both last shipped on November 8, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Google Home | Ring |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.6 (1.4M ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/google-home/id680819774/reviews) | **[4.7 (1.9M ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ring-always-home/id926252661/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 1.4M | **1.9M** |
| Positive reviews | 15.8% of reviews | **30.8% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Weekly | Weekly |
| Monetization | Ad-supported | **Free** |
| Best chart rank | #12 | **#7** |
| Size | 638 MB | 542 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.4 | **17.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Google LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/281956209) | [Ring.com](https://appshunter.io/developer/926252660) |

## What reviewers say

### Google Home

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/google-home/id680819774)

**Currently charting:** #12 Top Free · Lifestyle (US App Store)

Manage and monitor your smart home devices with this app. See your home's status at a glance, group devices into dashboards, and control them using voice commands. Quickly review camera events and stay updated on important home activities.

**Highlights:** Home status overview, Device grouping and dashboards, Voice control with Gemini, Camera live view and history, Streamlined settings navigation

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Excellent camera quality
- 👍 Secure home monitoring
- 🚀 Reliable notifications

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent disconnections
- 🐛 Buggy app performance
- 👎 Lacking advanced features
- 👎 Unintuitive user interface

**Reported bugs**

- Inability to remove 'ghost' devices
- Inconsistent connectivity between app and devices
- Unreliable motion detection

**Requested features**

- Ability to customize notification settings
- Integration with more smart home devices
- Improved video history browsing


### Ring

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ring-always-home/id926252661)

**Currently charting:** #7 Top Free · Lifestyle, #116 Top Free (US App Store)

Monitor your home remotely with video doorbells, security cameras, and alarm systems. Receive instant alerts for motion or visitors, view live HD video, and communicate with guests using two-way talk. Control smart lights and arm your security system for comprehensive home awareness.

**Highlights:** Real-time doorbell and motion alerts, Live HD video and two-way talk, Smart lighting control and scheduling, Home alarm system monitoring, Professional monitoring enrollment

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

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

**What reviewers complain about**

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

**Reported bugs**

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

**Requested features**

- Customizable motion zones
- Ability to schedule modes
- Apple HomeKit integration
- More flexible notification settings


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Google Home free?

Google Home 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, Google Home or Ring?

Ring is rated higher. Google Home averages 4.6 out of 5 from 1.4M ratings, while Ring averages 4.7 from 1.9M ratings.

### Do Google Home or Ring have ads?

Google Home shows ads; Ring does not.

### Which is updated more often, Google Home or Ring?

Google Home ships an update weekly, and Ring weekly. Most recently, Google Home was updated on November 8, 2026 and Ring on November 8, 2026.

### Which is more popular, Google Home or Ring?

Google Home currently peaks at #12 in the App Store charts, and Ring at #7. Chart position reflects recent download velocity rather than total install base.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*