Arlo Pro 3 Floodlight vs Ring Floodlight Pro: Which One Suits Your Needs Best?

Naila Syifa

Updated December 2024

Arlo Pro 3 Floodlight vs Ring Floodlight Pro

Arlo Pro 3 Floodlight and Ring Floodlight Pro are direct competitors in the smart floodlight cameras market, both offering smart security features at a premium $249.99 price tag. While both cameras excel at outdoor monitoring, each has distinct advantages that might make one a better choice depending on your specific needs. Which one suits your needs best?

On our list

#1 Video Features

#2 Lighting

#3 Smart Features

#4 Installation

Key Takeaways

Ring has exclusive security features like Bird's Eye View and Pre-Roll Video, but Arlo has a superior 2K video resolution. In addition, Ring only detects people while Arlo can detect people, vehicles, animals, and packages. Arlo also supports local storage when connected to a hub/base, while Ring only offers cloud storage through a subscription plan. However, Ring supports dual-band Wi-Fi while Arlo doesn't.

Arlo Pro 3 Floodlight

Smart Security with High Clarity

✓ 2K HDR with Color Night Vision
✓ Auto Track & Zoom
✓ Wide Smart Home Compatibility
✓ Wireless Design

Buy on Amazon

Ring Floodlight Cam Pro

Next-Level Security

✓ 1080p HDR with Color Night Vision
✓ Bird’s Eye View
✓ Advanced Pre-Roll
✓ Dual-Band Wi-Fi

Buy on Amazon

Video Features

Ring Floodlight Pro

While Ring Floodlight Pro is still limited to 1080p quality, the Arlo Pro 3 Floodlight offers a superior 2K resolution, resulting in sharper, more detailed footage with better clarity. That also means better image preservation when zooming, as the Arlo can handle up to 12x digital zoom.

Both floodlight cameras are also different in how much of the scene they can capture, with Ring offering a 140-degree horizontal field of view compared to Arlo's 160-degree diagonal coverage. Note that one is measured horizontally while the other is measured diagonally, so it's not a direct apples-to-apples comparison.

Despite those differences, both cameras offer HDR and color night vision, ensuring clear footage day and night.

Lighting

Arlo Pro 3 Floodlight

Ring Floodlight Pro features two separate floodlights on top of the camera unit, while Arlo Pro 3 Floodlight uses a single floodlight panel that appears to wrap around the camera at the center.

Both floodlights have adjustable brightness levels with a maximum output of 2,000 lumens. However, if the Arlo Pro 3 Floodlight is connected to the separately sold Outdoor Magnetic Charging Cable, it can reach up to 3,000 lumens of brightness.

The color temperature of both lights is also different, with Ring offering a warmer 3000K temperature while Arlo provides a 4000K natural white illumination. The warmer light from Ring creates a more natural and inviting ambiance, but the natural white light from Arlo may provide better visibility for nighttime surveillance.

Smart Features

Ring Floodlight Pro

Both the Ring Floodlight Pro and Arlo Pro 3 Floodlight offer basic monitoring features like live view, two-way audio, built-in siren, app control, and motion detection.

The difference is that Ring offers two exclusive smart security features, including Bird's Eye View and Pre-Roll Video Preview. Bird's Eye View provides an aerial view of detected motion events, showing the path taken by visitors or intruders on your property. Meanwhile, Pre-Roll Video Preview captures and shows you what happened in the six seconds before motion was detected.

While Arlo Pro 3 Floodlight lacks those advanced features, it stands out with its own Auto Track & Zoom feature, which automatically follows and zooms in on moving subjects within the camera's field of view.

Arlo also connects to Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, SmartThings, and IFTTT. HomeKit is also compatible when connected to a compatible smart hub or base station. Meanwhile, Ring Floodlight Pro is meant to work primarily with Alexa.

Arlo Pro 3 Floodlight also supports local storage if connected to an Arlo SmartHub or Base Station, which gives you access to recorded footage without requiring a subscription plan.

However, if you're willing to pay for a subscription, both floodlight cameras offer access to cloud storage and more. Ring offers up to 180 days of storage, which is considerably longer than Arlo's 30-day limit.

However, Arlo Secure subscription also provides intelligent alerts that can identify people, vehicles, packages, and animals. Ring subsription plan only offers person detection and not vehicles, packages, or animals. While it's still more useful than just general motion detection, it is not as comprehensive as the Arlo counterpart.

Installation

Arlo Pro 3 Floodlight

Ring Floodlight Pro requires hardwired installation that connects to your home's electrical system, so it is more tricky to install compared to the Arlo Pro 3 Floodlight, which is powered by battery and can be installed anywhere without wiring.

The Arlo Pro 3 Floodlight is also more flexible in that it also supports a wired power setup. If you change your mind, you can purchase the optional solar panel or magnetic outdoor charging cable for continuous power.

However, Ring Floodlight Pro supports dual-band 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz Wi-Fi while the Arlo Pro 3 Floodlight only works with 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi networks. If you have a 5 GHz network and want faster, more reliable connectivity, Ring would be the better choice.