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Video Doorbells

Best Video Doorbells for Apartments

Battery doorbells that mount without drilling, record without a monthly fee, and lift off clean on move-out day — ranked for renters.

By Stephen V.Updated How we pick

A video doorbell is the single most useful smart-home upgrade for a renter — you see who’s at the door, you catch package deliveries, and you get a record if something goes wrong in the hallway. The catch is that most doorbells are sold assuming you own the door frame and can drill into it. You don’t, and you shouldn’t.

So we ranked these five on the two things that actually matter in a rental: whether they go up (and come off) without a hole, and whether you can see your recorded footage without paying a monthly subscription for the rest of your lease. Every pick here runs on battery, so there’s no doorbell wiring to touch, and each one either ships with an adhesive mount or pairs with a no-drill plate that peels off clean. The prices below are pulled live from Amazon and dated — we don’t quote a number we can’t verify today.

How this is funded:we earn a commission if you buy through our links, at no extra cost to you. It never changes which product we recommend, and we’ll tell you when we’d skip one. Full disclosure.

The picks at a glance

Ranked on renter fit, no-fee recording and how cleanly each one comes off the wall. Select a row to jump to the full write-up. We haven’t tested these — here is exactly what we do instead.

#ProductBest forLease-SafePrice
1
Wyze Wireless Video Doorbell Pro

Wyze Wireless Video Doorbell Pro

A battery doorbell with a head-to-toe 1:1 view, a plug-in chime in the box, and a price that undercuts Ring — our overall pick for an apartment because it mounts on adhesive and doesn't force a monthly fee to see a motion clip.

Best overall for rentersLease-Safe: Good
$103.98 · View on Amazon

Price as of July 25, 2026. #ad How we’re funded

2
eufy Video Doorbell E340 (Dual Camera)

eufy Video Doorbell E340 (Dual Camera)

The no-subscription pick. Two cameras (one aimed at the ground for packages), 8GB of local storage built in, and no monthly fee to record — you own the footage, which is exactly what you want when you're renting.

Best with no subscriptionLease-Safe: Good
$149.99 · View on Amazon

Price as of July 25, 2026. #ad How we’re funded

3
Blink Video Doorbell

Blink Video Doorbell

The cheapest way onto your door. AA batteries rated for up to two years, and with a Sync Module 2 it stores clips locally with no monthly fee. The picture is only HD, but for a renter who wants to see who's knocking, it's plenty.

Best value / cheapestLease-Safe: Excellent
$59.99 · View on Amazon

Price as of July 25, 2026. #ad How we’re funded

4
Ring Battery Doorbell (newest model)

Ring Battery Doorbell (newest model)

The one your neighbors have. The 2K head-to-toe view and the Ring app are genuinely good, and a no-drill adhesive mount makes it renter-safe — but recorded video is locked behind a Ring subscription, so budget for that before you buy.

Best for the Ring appLease-Safe: Good
$99.99 · View on Amazon

Price as of July 25, 2026. #ad How we’re funded

5
Cawhun Peephole Camera with 4.3" Screen

Cawhun Peephole Camera with 4.3" Screen

The most genuinely renter-proof way to get a smart view of your hallway: it drops into the peephole hole your door already has. No new holes, no adhesive on the frame — and at move-out you put the old peephole back.

Best zero-modification optionLease-Safe: Excellent
$108.99 · View on Amazon

Price as of July 25, 2026. #ad How we’re funded

The picks in full

#1Best overall for rentersLease-Safe: Good

Wyze Wireless Video Doorbell Pro

A battery doorbell with a head-to-toe 1:1 view, a plug-in chime in the box, and a price that undercuts Ring — our overall pick for an apartment because it mounts on adhesive and doesn't force a monthly fee to see a motion clip.

What we like

  • Rechargeable battery — no doorbell wiring required
  • Includes a plug-in chime, so you don't need an existing chime box
  • 1:1 head-to-toe aspect ratio shows packages on the ground

Trade-offs

  • Full event history and person detection want a Cam Plus subscription
  • The included bracket is screw-mount; a no-drill adhesive plate is a separate buy
Installs byScrew bracket in the box; pairs with a peel-and-stick no-drill plate
PowerRechargeable battery
SubscriptionNot required
Connectivity2.4GHz Wi-Fi
Video1:1 head-to-toe, HD
Chime includedYes (plug-in)

Lease-Safe: Good. Battery power means no wiring to touch, and the whole unit lifts off its bracket at move-out. Landlord-invisible if you use an adhesive plate instead of the included screws.

Spec note. Wyze publishes a 1:1 (head-to-toe) field of view and a rechargeable battery. The chime is included, which matters in a rental with no existing chime box.

Specs read from the product listing, on July 25, 2026. “Not published” means the brand does not state that figure.

#2Best with no subscriptionLease-Safe: Good

eufy Video Doorbell E340 (Dual Camera)

The no-subscription pick. Two cameras (one aimed at the ground for packages), 8GB of local storage built in, and no monthly fee to record — you own the footage, which is exactly what you want when you're renting.

What we like

  • Records to 8GB of built-in local storage — no subscription for video history
  • Dual cameras: a face view and a dedicated package/porch view
  • Runs on battery or existing doorbell wiring

Trade-offs

  • Pricier up front than a single-camera Wyze or Blink
  • Local storage means footage lives on the device, not the cloud
Installs byScrew bracket or existing doorbell wiring; angled wedge in the box
PowerRechargeable battery or existing doorbell wiring
SubscriptionNot required
Connectivity2.4GHz Wi-Fi
Storage8GB local, built in
Cameras2 (face + package view)

Lease-Safe: Good. Battery mode needs no wiring, and the unit unclips from its bracket cleanly. Local storage means nothing about the install ties you to a subscription you'd cancel on move-out.

Spec note. eufy publishes 8GB of built-in local storage and a dual-camera design. The second camera is aimed downward specifically for packages left on the ground.

Specs read from the product listing, on July 25, 2026. “Not published” means the brand does not state that figure.

#4Best for the Ring appLease-Safe: Good

Ring Battery Doorbell (newest model)

The one your neighbors have. The 2K head-to-toe view and the Ring app are genuinely good, and a no-drill adhesive mount makes it renter-safe — but recorded video is locked behind a Ring subscription, so budget for that before you buy.

What we like

  • 2K video with a head-to-toe view
  • Huge, polished app and neighborhood features
  • Works with an inexpensive no-drill adhesive mount

Trade-offs

  • No local storage — recorded video needs a Ring Home subscription
  • The subscription cost adds up over the years you rent
Installs byScrew bracket in the box; pairs with a no-drill adhesive mount
PowerRechargeable battery pack
SubscriptionNeeded for core features
Connectivity2.4GHz / 5GHz Wi-Fi
Video2K, head-to-toe
RecordingSubscription (no local storage)

Lease-Safe: Good. Battery power avoids any wiring, and with an adhesive mount there are no holes. The unit lifts off cleanly at move-out. The catch is the subscription, not the install.

Spec note. Ring publishes 2K video and a head-to-toe aspect ratio. There is no local-storage option on the Battery Doorbell, so recorded clips depend on a subscription — the single biggest cost difference versus eufy or Blink.

Specs read from the product listing, on July 25, 2026. “Not published” means the brand does not state that figure.

#5Best zero-modification optionLease-Safe: Excellent

Cawhun Peephole Camera with 4.3" Screen

The most genuinely renter-proof way to get a smart view of your hallway: it drops into the peephole hole your door already has. No new holes, no adhesive on the frame — and at move-out you put the old peephole back.

What we like

  • Uses the existing peephole hole — zero new holes in the door
  • Interior screen plus app viewing
  • Fully reversible: swap your original peephole back in

Trade-offs

  • Only works if your door already has a peephole of a compatible size
  • Off-brand app and support versus Ring/eufy
Installs byReplaces an existing door peephole (no drilling)
PowerRechargeable battery
SubscriptionNot required
Connectivity2.4GHz Wi-Fi
InstallExisting peephole (reversible)
StoragemicroSD (local)

Lease-Safe: Excellent. It reuses the hole your door already has. Nothing is drilled and nothing is glued to the frame; keep your original peephole to reinstall on move-out. This is as deposit-safe as a door camera gets.

Spec note. A peephole-replacement camera. Confirm your door's peephole barrel diameter and door thickness against the listing before buying.

Specs read from the product listing, on July 25, 2026. “Not published” means the brand does not state that figure.

How to choose a doorbell for a rental

Work through three questions in order. First, how does it mount? A battery doorbell on an adhesive plate is the safest bet — no wiring, no holes. If your door already has a peephole, a peephole camera is even cleaner, because it reuses a hole that’s already there. Second, does it need a subscription? Ring and most cloud-first brands charge monthly to see recorded clips; eufy and Blink let you keep the footage locally for a one-time cost. Over a two-year lease that difference is real money. Third, will the adhesive hold where you live? Peel-and- stick mounts love smooth, clean surfaces and struggle on rough brick or textured stucco — plan for that before you buy.

One more renter note: point the camera at your own door and the shared hallway in front of it, not into a neighbor’s unit. That’s both good manners and, in some places, the law — see our guide on apartment camera laws.

Frequently asked questions

Can I put a video doorbell in an apartment without drilling?

Yes. Every doorbell on this list runs on battery, so there's no wiring to touch, and each one either ships with an adhesive mount or pairs with a no-drill plate that sticks to a smooth surface and peels off cleanly at move-out. If your door has a peephole, a peephole camera reuses that existing hole for a zero-modification install.

Do apartment video doorbells need a subscription?

It depends on the brand. Ring requires a Ring Home subscription to see recorded video — live view is free, but clips are paywalled. eufy records to built-in local storage with no monthly fee, and Blink stores clips locally with a one-time Sync Module 2. If avoiding a recurring bill matters, choose a local-storage model.

Will my landlord have a problem with a stick-on doorbell?

A battery doorbell on an adhesive mount leaves no holes and comes off clean, so most landlords won't notice or object. Still, check your lease, avoid pointing the camera at neighbors, and if you're unsure, a quick written note to your landlord is the safe move. Wired doorbells are a different story — those are an alteration you should clear first.

What's the cheapest video doorbell for an apartment?

The Blink Video Doorbell is usually the lowest-priced option here, and it runs on AA batteries for up to two years with an adhesive mounting option — a genuinely no-drill install. Check the live price on each pick above, since they move.

Sources

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