Customers are expressing their dissatisfaction with the recent price increase announced by Ring, a company owned by Amazon.
According to the security company, beginning on March 11, the cost of its Ring Protect Basic plan will rise from $39.99 to $49.99 per year. This equates to a 25% price increase for subscribers in the United States. Those who choose to pay on a monthly basis will now be billed $4.99 per month, as opposed to the previous charge of $3.99.
In the U.K., customers can expect a 43% rise in prices for the standard plan, resulting in a yearly cost increase from £34.99 to £49.99.
The increase in price will not change the renewal dates for subscribers. Regardless of when they are scheduled to make a payment during the year, they will still be charged the updated price.
Although customers may have already installed their Ring products, they are required to pay the company for a subscription plan in order to store their security footage. The Ring Protect Basic plan offers storage of video history for a period of 180 days, notification of any detected movement, and the ability to digitally arm and disarm the Ring Alarm, among other features.
In the event that a customer decides to terminate their subscription, the company advises that all previously saved recordings will be erased. To prevent this, it is suggested to download the recordings before canceling. If a plan is not in place, the device will not store any newly recorded video footage.
Customers who bought a Ring device before March 29, 2023 will retain access to in-app features for the estimated lifespan of their device even if they terminate their plan. However, those who purchased after this date will no longer have access to in-app features in the event of plan cancellation.
According to Ring, individuals who decide to terminate their subscription before the upcoming billing date could potentially receive a partial refund based on the remaining time of their subscription.