Eufy Indoor Cam 2K vs. Ring Stick Up Cam: Which should you buy?

Eufy Indoor Cam 2K

As long as you don't put this camera outside, this Eufy 2K camera will do everything you ask of it. Thanks to its robust AI and clear resolution, it will only send alerts when truly necessary. The Pan & Tilt version can follow threats around the room, but both versions have the option to record all day so nothing is missed. Plus, you can control it with your favorite smart assistant.

Ring Stick Up Cam

These cameras live up to their namesakes and can be stuck anywhere you need, Thanks to Ring's partnerships with various smart tech companies, you can hook it up with your smart locks, thermostat, and lights through the Ring app. Unfortunately, Ring Protect subscription is a necessity thanks to its 60-day video clip storage and People Only detection mode.

In a market full of indoor-only and outdoor-only cameras, Ring designed its Stick Up Cam to work in both environments, with multiple power options so it can be mounted anywhere. This versatility is a big plus, but if you do choose to place it indoors, it faces some stiff competition from indoor-only cameras like the Eufy Indoor Cam 2K, which rivals Ring's Stick Up Cam at half the price. Based on our comparisons below, you may want to stick with the Stick Up Cam as an outdoor-only camera.

Comparing the Ring Stick Up Cams on sale

Ring sells four different versions of its Stick Up Cam, while Eufy sells two variations of its Indoor Cam 2K. Don't let that overwhelm you, as most of these models have the same features and abilities. You'll still want to choose carefully based on where you plan to place them — especially if you need to buy multiple cams to cover your entire home.

First is the Pan & Tilt Indoor model to go with its standard model. You can get a detailed difference breakdown here, but the gist is that the more advanced model can shift its feed in a full 360-degree circle to track moving objects, either manually through the app or automatically based on your settings. Otherwise, they use the same OS, have identical specs (e.g., resolution and FPS), and only come in white (Ring Cams come in white or black).

The two more basic Ring models are the Battery and Plug-In Stick Up Cam models. The latter uses a standard AC adapter and power outlet, while the former employs a quick-release battery pack. These two models have their pros and cons: the wired version requires a nearby outlet or extension cord, while the battery version can be placed anywhere but is more likely to die and leave you without protection while you recharge the pack unless you buy a backup pack or two.

That problem is solved by the Stick Up Cam Solar, which connects its battery pack to a mountable solar panel. This model will keep its battery topped off as long as it's outside and getting enough sunlight. Finally, there is the Elite Stick Up Cam, which costs twice as much as a regular Plug-In Cam. This version must plug into your router through an Ethernet cable, and comes with an improved FOV and a mounting bracket that lets you place it on the wall or ceiling. The non-Elite Ring Cams can be mounted on your wall but require an add-on mount to affix to your ceiling.

Matched up against the four Ring Stick Up Cams, the Eufy Cams are closest to the Plug-In model; they need to plug into a nearby outlet, tethering them to certain spots unless you buy an extension cable. They also come with a mounting kit that lets you place them on any (indoor) wall or ceiling, though this will make the Micro-USB cable even more noticeable.

Comparing visual specs and AI features

Ring's Stick Up Cams capture footage with a respectable 1080p resolution and an impressive 30 FPS, while Eufy Cams take 2K resolution videos but can only manage 15 FPS. In practice, this means that Eufy surveillance will capture more details — particularly useful when zooming in up to 8X to get a closer look — but will struggle with fast-moving people. Ring Stick Up Cams' doubled frame count will help prevent blurring, but it's also true that they only have a 110-degree horizontal field of view (FOV) and no panning functionality, compared to the Eufy Pan & Tilt Cam's 125-degree FOV and ability to spin. Any suspicious threats won't stay on the Ring Cam's screen for long.

Of the two camera families, Eufy does a better job of spotting hard-to-see objects. In his Ring Stick Up Cam review, Jared DiPane said that its night vision could only spot dark objects in low light outside, not inside. Whereas in Christopher Close's iMore review of the Eufy Indoor Cam 2K Pan & Tilt, he praised the clarity of its indoor night mode compared to other cameras on the market. Furthermore, only Eufy has sound detection, alerting you to suspicious noises even if they aren't appearing on the camera feed for whatever reason.

As for whatever does appear on camera, Ring and Eufy Cams will quickly send you a motion detection alert, allowing you to observe a live stream of the potential threat on your phone. You can also designate zones where the camera will not send you an alert, a necessity for outdoor Ring cams that may pick up an endless parade of cars or people on the road. Only the Eufy Pan & Tilt model can detect motion and then follow the person or object to keep it on camera, however.

Subscribers to Ring Protect get access to a People Only mode that ignores moving objects and only sends alerts to your phone if a person is detected. Eufy, on the other hand, doesn't hide any features behind a subscription: you can freely filter alerts to only reference people, and even record voice messages to play if a human or pet enters a particular on-camera Activity Zone that you consider off-limits.

Ring Protect also stores videos of any alert-triggered clips for up to 60 days; without a subscription, your Ring Cams can only show a live stream of current events, with no means of capturing any footage for later reference. Eufy also sells a subscription plan to store video clips for up to 30 days, but if you'd prefer to keep your footage saved locally, you can insert a microSD card into your Eufy Cam instead and store up to 128GB of data.

Equally important, only Eufy Cams let you record 24/7 video, in contrast to Ring Cams that only record for about a minute after a suspicious event occurs. As DiPane explained in his Stick Up Cam review, "there are things that happened outside of the motion zone or after the motion stopped recording where I would have liked to see the footage", but he was unable to because of the lack of a 24/7 mode.

Eufy Indoor Cam 2K vs. Ring Stick Up Cam: Which should you buy?

Assuming that you're looking for an indoor camera, and don't already own other Ring security cameras, the Eufy Indoor Cam 2K Pan & Tilt should be your first choice. At list price, it costs half of the cheapest Ring Stick Up Cam model, comes with the mounting materials necessary to place it wherever you need, and doesn't require a subscription to save videos. You'll also theoretically be able to buy fewer cameras to protect your entire house, as they can spin to cover more ground.

If, however, you need to place cameras somewhere too far away from a power outlet, particularly outside, then the Ring Stick Up Cam Battery is your only option. You can mount it anywhere without worrying about a dangling power cord, and add a solar panel if you get tired of swapping out battery packs. Just keep in mind that you'll want Ring Protect with Person Only enabled, or else you'll get a swarm of false positives from neighborhood pets and pedestrians.

You should also consider what other devices and smart speakers you own before making a decision. Ring devices respond to Alexa commands and can control other tech through IFTTT applets, while Eufy cameras can be commanded through Alexa and Google Assistant commands or work with Apple HomeKit devices.