Cybersecurity · head to head
Rhombus Systems vs Ring Neighbors
Rhombus Systems
Cybersecurity
Cloud-managed cameras, sensors and access control with a per-camera annual licence
- From
- $149/year
- Free plan
- No
The short version
- Only Ring Neighbors has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
- Each has a real cost: Rhombus Systems the per-camera annual licence never ends and a camera without an active licence stops working, so the total cost over a ten-year hardware life is several times the hardware price.; Ring Neighbors neighbors by Ring is a free app only available in the US, per the vendor's own page (Internet Archive capture, 1 January 2023)
- They diverge on capability: Rhombus Systems covers On-camera storage, Ring Neighbors covers Video Request Portal.
- Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Rhombus Systems and Ring Neighbors actually diverge.
| Attribute | Rhombus Systems | Ring Neighbors |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | $149/year | Free |
| Pricing model | Per camera per year licence plus hardware | freemium |
| Free tier | No | Yes |
| Category | Cybersecurity | Government |
| Founded | Unknown | 2013 |
Identical on both: platforms (Web, iOS, Android), user rating (Not yet rated).
What each one covers
Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.
Only in Rhombus Systems
- On-camera storage
- No NVR or server
- AI search
- Access control
- Environmental sensors
- Unlimited users
- Ten year hardware warranty
- Optional cloud archiving
Only in Ring Neighbors
- Video Request Portal
- Community Alerts
- Geographic Requests
- Case Management
- Resident Opt-in
- Ring Devices
- CAD Systems
- Social Media
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Rhombus Systems
- A school district running video across dozens of buildings with no local IT at each sitenot Ring Neighbors
- A clinic group needing door access and cameras in one console under a single audit trailnot Ring Neighbors
- A logistics operator that wants to search for a specific vehicle across sites without scrubbing footagenot Ring Neighbors
- An office estate replacing ageing NVRs where nobody remains who knows how to maintain themnot Ring Neighbors
Ring Neighbors
- Citizen Servicesnot Rhombus Systems
- Records Managementnot Rhombus Systems
- Public Safetynot Rhombus Systems
- Civic Engagementnot Rhombus Systems
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
Rhombus Systems
- The per-camera annual licence never ends and a camera without an active licence stops working, so the total cost over a ten-year hardware life is several times the hardware price.
- Cameras must be Rhombus, so there is no reuse of existing IP cameras and migrating away means replacing every device rather than changing software.
- Cloud archiving is priced separately by retention and stream count, and long retention on multisensor cameras runs into five figures per camera, which can dwarf everything else in the quote.
- On-camera storage is the default retention, so a camera physically stolen or destroyed takes its unarchived footage with it unless cloud archiving was paid for on that camera.
- Analytics and integrations are good for mid-market needs but shallower than a dedicated enterprise VMS with a large third-party ecosystem, so specialist requirements like advanced LPR or forensic search hit limits.
Ring Neighbors
- Neighbors by Ring is a free app only available in the US, per the vendor's own page (Internet Archive capture, 1 January 2023)
Pricing, plan by plan
Rhombus Systems
$149/year- Professional$149/year
- Per camera per year
- Cloud console and management
- On-camera storage retention
- Enterprise$199/year
- Per camera per year
- Everything in Professional
- Flexible cloud archiving options
- Cloud archiving$undefined/year
- Priced separately by retention period and stream count
- Multisensor cameras cost several times a single sensor camera
- Long retention on multisensor models can reach five figures per camera
Ring Neighbors
Free- Public Safety PortalFree
- Video Requests
- Community Alerts
- Case Management
Which should you pick?
Choose Rhombus Systems if
- You need on-camera storage.
- You work on Web, iOS, Android.
- You also want no nvr or server.
Choose Ring Neighbors if
- You need video request portal.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Web, Ios, Android.
- You also want community alerts.
Questions people ask
- Is Rhombus Systems or Ring Neighbors better?
- Neither clearly leads. Rhombus Systems starts at $149/year and Ring Neighbors at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Rhombus Systems or Ring Neighbors?
- Ring Neighbors has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $149/year for Rhombus Systems and Free for Ring Neighbors.
- Does Rhombus Systems or Ring Neighbors run on more platforms?
- Rhombus Systems runs on Web, iOS, Android. Ring Neighbors runs on Web, Ios, Android.
- Can I use Ring Neighbors for free?
- Yes. Ring Neighbors has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Rhombus Systems starts at $149/year.
- What is Rhombus Systems best used for?
- Rhombus Systems is most often used for a school district running video across dozens of buildings with no local it at each site, a clinic group needing door access and cameras in one console under a single audit trail, a logistics operator that wants to search for a specific vehicle across sites without scrubbing footage, an office estate replacing ageing nvrs where nobody remains who knows how to maintain them. Of those, a school district running video across dozens of buildings with no local it at each site and a clinic group needing door access and cameras in one console under a single audit trail are not what Ring Neighbors is typically brought in for.
- What can Rhombus Systems do that Ring Neighbors cannot?
- Rhombus Systems covers On-camera storage, No NVR or server, AI search, Access control. Ring Neighbors covers Video Request Portal, Community Alerts, Geographic Requests, Case Management.
Answered from the vendors’ own pages
Rhombus Systems: Do I need an NVR or a server?
No. Cameras record on board and connect directly to the cloud console, which is the main operational reason organisations pick it.
Rhombus Systems: What does the licence cost?
Roughly $149 per camera per year for Professional and about $199 for Enterprise, typically sold in one, three, five or ten year terms.
Rhombus Systems: Is cloud storage included?
No. On-camera storage is the default. Cloud archiving is a separate charge priced by retention duration and number of streams.
Rhombus Systems: Can I use my existing cameras?
No. The platform works only with Rhombus hardware, which is the trade-off for the zero-server architecture.
Related pages
More on Rhombus Systems
More on Ring Neighbors
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- Ring Neighbors vs Milestone XProtect
- Ring Neighbors vs VIVOTEK VAST Security Station
- Ring Neighbors vs DTiQ
- Ring Neighbors vs Motorola Vigilant
- Ring Neighbors vs Genetec Security Center
- Ring Neighbors vs Eagle Eye Networks
- Ring Neighbors vs Camio
- Ring Neighbors vs Dahua Technology
- Ring Neighbors vs March Networks
- Ring Neighbors vs Envysion
- Ring Neighbors vs Avast One
- Ring Neighbors vs Chainguard
- Ring Neighbors vs Cosign
- Ring Neighbors vs CyberGhost VPN
- Ring Neighbors vs Descope
- Ring Neighbors vs Accela
- Ring Neighbors vs CivicPlus
- Ring Neighbors vs Granicus
- Ring Neighbors vs DocuWare
- Ring Neighbors vs CentralSquare
- Ring Neighbors vs Axon Records
- Ring Neighbors vs IAPro
- Ring Neighbors vs Mark43
- Ring Neighbors vs SafeCity
- Ring Neighbors vs Citizen
- Ring Neighbors vs ShotSpotter
- Ring Neighbors vs Tyler Brazos
- Ring Neighbors vs NEXGEN Asset Management
- Ring Neighbors vs NextRequest
- Ring Neighbors vs Trimble Unity Maintain
- Ring Neighbors vs VUEWorks
- Ring Neighbors vs American Legal Publishing
- Ring Neighbors vs ArchiveSocial