The Best Ring Doorbell for Apartment – no drilling or mounting

The best Ring Doorbell for your apartment is easy to install, does not require permanent modifications, and connects to your phone for motion notifications.

Our Top Picks:

Best Overall: Ring Peephole Cam + Chime

Alternative option: Remo+ DoorCam 2 (over the door)

Ring Doorbells have set the gold standard in video doorbells and front door cameras. It started as most simple ideas do – with the question that why did this not exist yet? No one enjoyed that awkward walk to the door after the doorbell chimed to peek through the peephole on the door. What if they are salespeople? Or God forbid, evangelists! Do you just not open the door despite being fully aware that whoever is at the door, knows you saw them and you chose not to open the door *shudders*.

Video doorbells are a simple invention that has quickly become a necessity. Most ring video doorbells require at least some mounting hardware even if the device is wireless. Ring was not thinking about apartment dwellers and the fact that we would some day like the security deposit back. Although that ship probably sailed after the fateful New Years Eve party of 2019. Still, you don’t want to incur the wrath of your landlord by drilling holes in the wall. Enter, the ring doorbell for your apartment.

Before you buy the Ring doorbell for your apartment

Check your lease

Does your lease prohibit you from making any permanent changes to the property? Most leases will allow temporary modifications like putting up pictures on the walls without nails and changing the bulbs to suit your lighting preferences. Or even putting up a peephole doorbell camera that doesn’t require any permanent modifications.

However, it is always a good idea to re-read your lease and make sure there are no terms stopping you from installing a video doorbell. You could also go the extra mile and…

Take permission from your landlord and building management

This goes without saying but don’t make any changes in or around the apartment without the written permission from your landlord. Most landlords are very stringent when it comes to changes on their property made by the tenants. Even if your landlord has a chill vibe, you might want to make sure it stays that way by making them aware of your plans.

Landlords might even give you some pointers on how to avoid privacy issues with your neighbors. Your video doorbell will most likely be pointed at their doors and will record the inside of their house when they open the doors. Which brings us to our next point…

Take permission from your neighbors

In most states in the US, currently there is no law against putting up a video doorbell pointed towards common areas such as a hallway. However, your neighbors might take offence if you do not notify them before installing a camera that records when there is motion. You will have footage of all your neighbors arriving at and leaving the property.

One way to avoid this is to buy an angled mount so the camera view is not direct, but instead pointed to the side. It would be easier if your apartment was at the end of the corridor, but you can still make it work either way. Yes, a mount would mean drilling holes in the wall which we specifically said you don’t need to do. But if privacy is a major concern for your neighbors, this could be something you might consider.

In all fairness though, a hallway is a common area of the building and if your neighbors are being difficult, there is nothing they can do legally speaking to stop you from installing such a camera. Maybe the next time their parcel gets stolen, offer to provide them a footage of the incident?

But if drilling holes is not an option, and privacy still remains a concern, the next best option is an over-the-door Remo+ Security Camera that installs in a few seconds and rests just above the door. Since it is pointed downwards, it doesn’t look directly into anyone’s apartment and still gives you a footage of any motion around your door.

Best Ring Doorbell for Apartment

Ring Peephole Cam + Chime

Pros	Cons
Small form factor and good build quality.	Limited downward field-of-view – you cannot see packages that are delivered.
Easy installation – under 5 mins with no tools required.	Some customers reported a delay in notification after the camera detects motion or knock.
1080P video, two-way talk, and knock detection.	You need to have an existing peephole in your door.
Battery lasts 2-3 months and notifies via the Ring app when it’s low.

This package includes a Peephole Cam and Chime so you can answer the door from anywhere and hear notifications throughout your home.

The Ring Peephole Cam is an innovative design meant for apartment dwellers. If you do not have permission to make any permanent modifications to the property and if you have an existing peephole in your front door, this is the perfect Ring doorbell camera for your apartment. The installation is super-easy and can be completed in minutes. You do not require any tools of your own – everything you need is included in the box. Even the most DIY-challenged amongst us will breeze through the set-up.

Ring doorbell camera for apartment - field of view

It has the exact same field of view as you existing peephole but now you get to see who is at the door right on your phone. You can talk to them via the app because of the two-way talk function. If you have an Alexa monitor, you can ask her to show the video directly. One issue many customers have pointed out is that you cannot see the bottom of your door and hence any packages that are delivered. Most customers don’t find this an issue because you will be notified when the package is delivered due to the advanced motion detection. You can adjust the motion detection sensitivity to best suit your needs.

You get notified on your phone if there is motion at the door, or if someone presses the doorbell button or knocks on your door.

How to install the ring doorbell for your apartment

The set-up and installation is easy enough that you can do it by yourself even if you do not possess any DIY skills. Start with unscrewing the existing peephole from the inside. Remove the outside portion of the peephole and store these safely; you will need to put them back when you leave the property.

Now place the camera in the peephole and connect it with the rear section on the inside of your door. Once they are connected, insert the battery and close the cover on the rear section. The video below shows you how to install the Ring Peephole Cam.

Remo+ DoorCam 2 Wireless Over-The-Door Smart Security Camera

What do you do if you do not have a peephole in your apartment door? You could try to convince your landlord to let you make this reasonable modification to their property. But if that permission is denied, you always have the option to install the Remo+ Doorcam for your apartment.

Remo+ Doorcam 2 over the door security camera.

The design of this security camera is genius and it could easily have been our first choice. This is the worlds first and only over-the-door security camera that is an excellent choice for apartments. It doesn’t require any DIY knowledge, it installs in seconds without the use of any tools, and it provides motion footage for the front of your apartment without invading the privacy of your neighbors.

There are however certain issues that prevent it from being the perfect choice. This is the second-generation model and the company still needs to iron out flaws. There have been complaints from customers that the camera sometimes missed motion and blanked out just when there was movement out front. There is also concern about the video quality, especially when it is dark outside. In one case, the camera completely missed a homeless person camping in a darker corner of the corridor.

One customer did find a workaround to these issues – check out this review on Amazon. He was able to make certain tweaks that weeded out both of these issues.

Pros	Cons
Installs in seconds without any DIY skills or tools	Questionable reliability with regards to motion detection.
Provides a downward view so records people as well as packages	Video quality is not the best, especially in dark situations.
	Price is on the higher side.

How to choose a video doorbell for your apartment

Wired vs Wireless

If you have an existing wired doorbell with a chime and you want to upgrade this to a video doorbell, there are a ton of options available. Since all the wiring and drill holes already exist, you can use the same set-up to connect your new video doorbell.

We would strongly recommend that you check your lease and notify your landlord before making any permanent or semi-permanent modifications to the property. Even if you have excellent relations with your landlord, they may be able to let you know if you need additional permissions are required from building management. Wired doorbells are the most secure as they cannot be easily stolen (Ring does provide a free replacement if any of their products are stolen from your house. You just need to provide a police report number to their customer service.) They are also the most reliable as they do not depend on your WiFi connection but are directly powered by your existing wiring.

Wireless doorbells are a lot more convenient if you do not have existing wiring or do not want to go through the hassle of a wired installation. There are several types of wireless video doorbells but the one most suitable for apartments is the Ring Peephole Camera. You do require a peephole in your front door and since most apartment have them, you do not need to make any permanent modifications. The installation takes less than five minutes and requires no tools of your own.

If you do not have a peephole in the front door, the next best option is the Remo+ DoorCam. This device hangs on top of your door and provide a downward view of the front of your house. It records on motion-detection and has two-way talk so you can communicate with your visitors. Like the peephole camera, the Remo+ connects to your phone via the Remo app and give you notifications when it detects motion.

How complicated is the installation

The complication of installation and set-up is a key factor in deciding which doorbell camera to purchase. Not only because you are afraid to mess it up but also because as a tenant there are very limited modifications you can make without gathering several permissions.

Wired doorbell cameras the hardest to install, especially so if you do not have existing wiring. In that case, request your landlord to arrange a professional for the job. Wireless doorbells are fairly easy to install and require few to no tools. A wireless mounted camera will require drilling a couple of screws to the side of your door. These cameras usually have a wide field of view and record both visitors and packages left at the door.

Depending on the view that you are looking for, there are several mounting options available – straight, angled, and downward. Once the camera is mounted, the rest of the process is fairly easy. Just connect it to the chime and connect with your phone via the company’s app so you can get notifications and video footage.

If you are not allowed to drill on the wall – or prefer not to do so – you can buy the Ring Peephole Cam which is an excellent ring doorbell for for your apartment. This camera is the easiest to install and does not require any permanent modifications to the property as long as you already have a peephole in the front door.

Does installation require any permanent modifications

If you are a tenant, it is important that do not make any permanent modifications to the property or you will lose your security deposit. It’s best to stick to temporary installations so you don not end up causing any issues with the landlord. And since you will eventually move from this location, you need to be able to take your doorbell camera with you.

Does it create privacy issues for your neighbors

Most US states consider doorbell cameras to be legal as they record the shared or common areas of the property. However, there might be cases where your peephole camera points directly at the opposite door and whenever your neighbor opens the door, you record footage of the inside of their house.

While this is not an ideal situation, there is nothing your neighbor can do to stop you from installing a doorbell camera on your property. There is no expectation of privacy once they step into a shared or common area of the building and hence recording footage of them is entirely legal.

However, legal considerations are not the only issue here. You definitely don’t need the added aggravation of having to deal with an agitated neighbor. In this case the best option is to go ahead and install the camera without notifying them. Best case is they don’t notice it, or if they do, they are not bothered by it. Or maybe they are bothered by its presence but never bring it up to you. Yay.

But if they do start a dialog try and work it out amicably. You might want to offer that you will share any footage if there is an incident at their front door. They get the security without having to spend a cent, and you get to keep your camera without awkward scuffles in the corridor.

Other measures to secure your rented apartment

Installing a doorbell camera is one way to protect against intruders around your apartment. If a doorbell camera is not an option due to restrictions from your landlord or if you want additional security measures, there are some simple steps you can take.

Install a portable travel lock

A portable travel lock will prevent someone from picking your lock and just opening your door. It is an upgrade to a simple chain lock and provides and added layer of security from intruders. It also prevents kids from accidentally opening the door and wandering in the corridor. An added benefit is that you can take this lock with you and install it in your hotel or AirBNB to prevent someone with a key to just waltz inside.

Install a Door Jammer lock brace

Another travel friendly solution for door security. It is compatible with most floor types and again, does not require any permanent modifications. You do need to have a small gap under the door and it only works on inward swinging doors. If you do meet these criteria, the installation will take a few seconds and you will have the peace of mind that no one can brute force their way into your home.

Better lighting

When security experts review the architecture of a property to determine how vulnerable a building is, the first thing they look at is the lighting. Lighting plays a crucial role in deterring unwanted and criminal activity. If you have a motion detected light in front of the house, an intruder will think twice before attempting to steal your packages or worse, trying to enter your property. A simple front door light with LED bulbs will do the trick as well and the added cost of electricity will be negligible.

Security stickers

Many businesses install fake or non-working CCTV cameras on their property. Even if the security system is fake, thieves would rather enter a property that doesn’t have one instead of risking it at your property. If for whatever reason you cannot install the Ring doorbell camera for your apartment, a simple security sticker on your front door will help you avoid most unwanted intrusions.

FAQs:

Can you Use the Ring doorbell in an apartment?

Ring has designed the Peephole Camera specifically for apartment dwellers. It doesn’t require any permanent modifications to the property and can be installed in minutes. Also you can without the use of any tools as everything you need is in the box.

Is ring security good for apartment?

If you are concerned about the security , installing a ring doorbell for apartment is a good option. It will monitor the outside of the front door even when you are away and record any footage if there is motion detected.