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Ring Indoor Camera (2nd Gen) Review: Small, Cheap and Easy to Cover Up
Indoor cameras have become one of the most popular smart home buys in the UK, mostly for one reason: people want to see what the dog is doing while they are at work. The Ring Indoor Camera (2nd Gen) is one of the cheapest mainstream options. It is a small plug-in camera with 1080p video, colour night vision, two-way talk and, the main change from the first model, a manual privacy cover you swivel over the lens.
Ring is owned by Amazon, and this camera is designed to sit inside the Ring and Alexa world. That is convenient if you already have a Ring doorbell or an Echo Show, and worth thinking about if you do not.
AIToys.co.uk selects and researches products from manufacturer specifications, Ring's UK support pages, the live Amazon UK listing and repeated owner reports. This page is a buying guide, not a first-hand test. When we checked Amazon UK on 8 October 2026, the white Ring Indoor Camera (2nd Gen) (ASIN B0CRLXGZ8R) was £15.99 and in stock, sold by Amazon. The charcoal (B0CRMCP6BQ) and blush (B0CRM9W61N) versions were also £15.99 and in stock, and a two-camera pack (B0C22B3M2J) was £34.99 with only 10 left. Ring's own UK store lists a regular price of £39.99 for a single camera, so the price moves a lot. Check Amazon before you buy.
Check the Ring Indoor Camera (2nd Gen) price on Amazon UKAs an Amazon Associate, AIToys.co.uk earns from qualifying purchases.
Key Features at a Glance
| Feature | Detail |
| Amazon UK price (8 Oct 2026) | £15.99 single camera in white, charcoal or blush, in stock; 2-pack £34.99 |
| Video | 1080p HD, Live View, colour night vision |
| Field of view | 143° diagonal, 115° horizontal, 59° vertical |
| Privacy | Manual privacy cover over the lens, which also turns off the microphone |
| Audio | Two-way talk with Audio+ and noise cancellation |
| Siren | Remote-activated 72dB siren (measured at 1m) |
| Motion | Advanced Motion Detection with customisable Camera Motion Zones, colour pre-roll |
| Power | Plug-in only: micro USB adapter with a 1.9m cable (5V, 2A) |
| Wifi | 2.4GHz 802.11 b/g/n, 2Mbps upload recommended |
| Size | 4.9 x 4.9 x 9.6cm including mount and privacy cover |
| Works with | Ring app, Alexa and Echo Show devices |
What We Like
1. The privacy cover is the right idea
The 2nd Gen's headline change is a physical privacy cover. Swivel it over the front and the lens is blocked. Ring says the cover also turns off the microphone, so the camera is not seeing or hearing anything until you open it again.
That matters more indoors than outdoors. A camera pointing at the sofa is fine while the house is empty, and less welcome when the family is home. A cover you can see from across the room is easier to trust than a software toggle, and it is quick for children or guests to understand.
2. Useful for checking on pets
The Amazon listing pitches it as a pet camera, and the features fit. Live View on your phone, a wide 143° diagonal view that covers most of a living room from a corner, colour night vision for evenings, and two-way talk so you can speak to the dog. Ring says the audio includes noise cancellation, which helps when the television or a washing machine is running.
It does not throw treats or follow your pet around the room. If you want those, a dedicated pet camera such as the Furbo 360 Dog Camera costs more but does more.
3. A free tier that is actually usable
Ring is clear that some features work without paying. Without a subscription you still get real-time motion notifications, Live View, two-way talk, and a still image of the last capture on your Ring dashboard. For someone who only wants to dip into a live feed now and then, that is enough.
4. Easy setup and flexible placement
It plugs into a normal socket via the supplied adapter, sits on a shelf on its stand or screws to a wall with the included mount, and joins your wifi through the Ring app. Owner reports describe setup as quick. The adjustable mount lets you angle it down from a shelf or across a room.
5. Fits neatly into Ring and Alexa homes
If you already have a Ring doorbell, the camera appears alongside it in the same app and can be covered by the same plan. With an Echo Show you can ask Alexa to show the camera feed on screen. That joined-up setup is a real advantage for existing Ring households, like owners of the Ring Video Doorbell 4.
Watch: A Detailed Walkthrough
Video: Security.org, a useful walkthrough of the Ring Indoor Cam (2nd Gen) (not filmed by AIToys). The video uses US prices and US plan names, which differ from the UK.
What Could Be Better
1. Recordings need a Ring plan
This is the big one. Without a subscription you cannot go back and watch what happened. Ring's UK plans page, checked on 8 October 2026, listed Ring Solo at £4.99 a month or £49.99 a year for one device, Ring Multi at £7.99 a month or £79.99 a year for all devices at one home, and Ring Pro at £15.99 a month. Those plans add up to 180 days of video history and person alerts. The listing includes a 30-day free trial.
Over a couple of years, the plan will cost far more than the camera. Factor that in before you compare it with rivals that record to a microSD card.
2. No local storage
Ring's spec sheet does not list a microSD slot or other local storage. Recordings go to Ring's cloud, which needs both the plan and a working internet connection. Cameras such as the Tapo C230 and the Eufy Indoor Cam 2K offer local recording options, which suits people who would rather not pay monthly.
3. 1080p, fixed view
The video is 1080p HD, which is fine for checking on a pet but softer than the 2K cameras now common at similar prices. The view is fixed, with no pan, tilt or zoom, so placement matters. Ring sells a separate Indoor Camera Plus with 2K video if sharper detail matters to you.
4. Wifi and power limits
It needs a 2.4GHz network with a recommended 2Mbps upload. It runs from mains power only, with no battery, so a power cut takes it offline. The supplied lead is micro USB rather than USB-C, and 1.9m long. Ring sells a longer 3m cable separately if the nearest socket is further away.
5. Think about where you point it
An indoor camera in a family home deserves some care. Use the privacy cover when people are home, set Motion Zones to avoid areas you do not need to watch, and avoid bedrooms and bathrooms. Our guide to smart toy and smart home privacy in the UK covers account security and data sharing in more detail.
Who Is It For?
The Ring Indoor Camera (2nd Gen) suits:
- Pet owners who want a cheap way to check on a dog or cat during the day and talk to them.
- Existing Ring households who already pay for Ring Multi, which covers every Ring device at one home, so the camera adds no plan cost.
- Echo Show owners who want to see a room on their smart display.
- Renters, because it sits on a shelf and needs no wiring.
It is a weaker fit if you refuse to pay a monthly fee, want local recording, need sharper than 1080p video, or want a camera that pans and tilts. Our best smart home security cameras shortlist covers those alternatives.
FAQ
Does the Ring Indoor Camera (2nd Gen) work without a subscription? Partly. Ring says you still get motion notifications, Live View and two-way talk for free. Saving, reviewing and sharing recordings needs a Ring plan, starting at £4.99 a month for one device on the UK plans page we checked.
Does the privacy cover turn off the microphone? Yes. Ring says that swivelling the privacy cover over the camera also turns off the microphone.
Does it have night vision? Yes. Ring lists colour night vision.
Does it work with Alexa? Yes. You can view the camera on compatible Echo Show devices and use two-way talk through compatible Alexa devices.
Can it record to a memory card? Ring does not list a microSD slot or local storage, so recordings are stored in Ring's cloud with a subscription.
Is it battery powered? No. It plugs into a standard socket using the supplied micro USB adapter.
Verdict
The Ring Indoor Camera (2nd Gen) is small, easy to set up and very cheap on Amazon UK at the moment. The manual privacy cover is a meaningful improvement for a camera that lives inside your home, and the free tier covers live checking and alerts. The trade-off is the subscription. To get recordings and the smarter alerts, you are signing up to a monthly plan that soon costs more than the camera.
This page gives it an editorial 4.2/5, based on Ring's published specifications, its UK plan pricing and owner reports rather than a test of our own. For pet owners and existing Ring households, it is an easy recommendation. If you want to avoid monthly fees, choose a camera with local storage instead.
Check the white Ring Indoor Camera (2nd Gen) on Amazon UK
Check the charcoal version on Amazon UK
More smart home and pet tech reading: our Tapo C230 review, the Eufy Indoor Cam 2K review, our Furbo 360 Dog Camera review and the best smart home security cameras shortlist.
