Ring Stick Up Cam Plug-in vs. Stick Up Cam Elite: What's the difference and which should you buy?
Sophia Dalton Ring Stick Up Cam Plug-in
This versatile plug-in camera is an affordable way to get comprehensive indoor/outdoor home coverage. And you can pick up two for the price of one Stick Up Cam Elite.
Ring Stick Up Cam Plug-in
Versatile viewer
Continuous power source
Can be used indoor/outdoor
Also available in battery variant
No back-up if the power goes out
Requires more care for installation
Ring Stick Up Cam Elite
The Stick Up Cam Elite gives you all of the capabilities of Ring's other cameras with the added peace of mind of continuous, uninterrupted power and a more reliable data connection.
Ring Stick Up Cam Elite
Steady connection
Continuous power and more reliable connection over Ethernet
Can be easily mounted to walls, ceilings, and flat surfaces
Best field of view of Ring's Stick Up Cams
Twice as expensive as regular Stick Up Cam
More complex installation
The Ring Stick Up Cam line of products is very versatile and comes in several versions that mainly differ based on how the unit is powered. We're going to look at two types of plug-in cameras to help you determine which might be the better fit for your household.
Plug-powered peepers
On the surface, these two cameras are pretty similar (heck, they even look a LOT alike). They share all of the smart camera features and functionality that you'd expect, and they both plug-in for power. However, there are a few key differences between them that you should take into account before deciding on which option you prefer.
| Ring Stick Up Cam Plug-in | Ring Indoor Cam | |
|---|---|---|
| Indoor/Outdoor | Indoor/Outdoor | Indoor/Outdoor |
| Dimensions | 2.36" x 2.36" x 3.82" | 2.36" x 2.36" x 3.82" |
| Field of view | 110° horizontal, 57° vertical | 150° horizontal, 85° vertical |
| Wi-Fi Connectivity | 2.4 GHz | 2.4 GHz |
| Live video | Yes | Yes |
| Two-way talk | Yes | Yes |
| Spec | Yes | Yes |
| Night vision | Yes | Yes |
| Motion notifications | Yes | Yes |
| Power source | Plug into standard power outlet | Ethernet port with Power over Ethernet Adapter |
| Color options | White, black (coming soon) | White, black (coming soon) |
Plug and play
The Stick Up Plug-in Cam is a great option for those who want the flexibility to move their camera between indoors and outdoors and have ready access to standard wall sockets. You don't have to rely on or replace batteries, so you can rest assured that as long as your home has power, so will your camera.
This device is fairly easy to install in ten minutes or less, and once you've downloaded the Ring app and Ring Alexa skill, you're ready to connect your services and start setting up some security routines. Amazon has made this process pretty easy, but if you want a refresher on how to set up a routine or enable Alexa Guard, we've got you covered!
The reliance on the wall socket for power, while convenient, is also the camera's biggest drawback. If your power goes out, you lose coverage, and that frankly sucks. It would be nice if you could pay just a little more to have BOTH a replaceable battery AND corded coverage, but that isn't currently an option in this product line. If you want or need more reliable power and data connection, then we suggest you consider the Stick Up Cam Elite.
Elite electricity over Ethernet
You might have surmised that the Stick Up Cam Elite was the cream of the crop among this product line. Not only does it have a better, more reliable power supply delivered via Ethernet port, but it can also deliver a more reliable data connection for streaming and recording your video.
The Stick Up Cam Elite has all of the same software capabilities as the other products in the line, but its hardware is a bit upgraded. It too can be used as an indoor or outdoor camera, and it boasts a much wider field of view at 150 degrees horizontal, 85 degrees verticle, compared to 110 degrees horizontal and 57 degrees verticle for the Stick Up Plug-in camera. The Stick Up Cam Elite is more versatile to mount and comes with a mounting bracket that allows you to secure it to walls, ceilings, or any other suitable flat surface, and you don't need to purchase additional mounting accessories.
It might sound like we've made up our mind here, but all of this elite-ness comes at a price. The Stick Up Cam Elite is twice as expensive as the Plug-in version and is not available in multipacks.
Watch out for this one
Ring has made a Stick Up Cam for practically every power use case and priced them from $100 up to $200. For our money, we still think it's best to go with the Stick Up Cam Plug-in (opens in new tab). While you don't get the uninterrupted power or data that the Elite provides, you do get a reliable power supply and connection for about half of the price of the Elite. In fact, you could pick up two of the Plug-in Cams for the price of one Elite, and the Elite is not currently available in a multipack.
If power and data integrity are of paramount importance, then the Stick Up Cam Elite is a no-brainer. It is more reliable and has a wider field of view so you can see and protect more of your space. You just have to be willing to swallow that larger price tag.
Ring Stick Up Cam Plug-in
Same great features, considerably lower price.
The new Ring Stick Up Cam is the kind of upgrade we like. It has all of the same great features of its predecessor, like 1080p HD video, two-way talk, and real-time notifications. The best part? It's 30% cheaper than before, making it even more accessible for everyone.
Ring Stick Up Cam Elite
You get what you pay for with this camera
The Stick Up Cam Elite delivers where it counts, offering a better field of view and more reliable power and data connections thanks to its Ethernet port.
