The Best Cheap Ring Light
Above-average ratings, below-average prices, no fake reviews.
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There are nearly 500 types of ring lights available online, yet the majority of them have poor ratings, high prices or an abundance of incentivized reviews. (This is especially true of the ring lights that cast a heart-shaped reflection in their subject’s eye.) I know this because I analyzed the ring lights for sale on Amazon, Best Buy, Walmart, AliExpress, B&H and Adorama.
That said, there are bargains available. The following ring lights are legitimately-rated at four stars or better and have sold for $100 or less in the past 12-months. Some clip-on lights have sold for as little as $11 on sale:
- Wonew ZJ02 LED Ring Light
- Sunpak VL-LED-162–12RL Bicolor LED Ring Light
- Bower BB-FLEX24 Flexible Ring Light
- Aixpi 10-Inch LED Ring Light
- Ivisii 8595776000 Ring Light with LCD Display
- UBeesize Selfie Ring Light
- Samtian SAT080FBAUS Ring Light
- Neewer 10084598 Ring Video Light
- UBeesize Ring Light with Cell Phone Holder
There was a time when ring lights were predominantly used by fashion- and macro-photographers, however, the rise of influencer marketing and virtual meetings has made the ring light ubiquitous. As a result, every light has a blend of customer reviews written by people with different needs and expectations. I’ve done my best to summarize each product’s reviews in as few words as possible.
I’ve also provided a pricing reference. “Good value” is an average price (i.e. street price). “Great deal” is the lowest sale price that I’ve recorded. If you’d like to learn more about ring lights, or to read about my selection methods, scroll to the bottom of this buying guide for more information.
1. Wonew 10” LED Ring Light with Tripod Stand
Good Value: $30 | Great Deal: $20
This inexpensive ring light is lightweight, portable and it has a convenient Bluetooth remote that makes it easy to adjust color and brightness settings, according to several online customers. Many reviewers caution that the included stand is short and wobbly; others warn that the plastic construction is fragile.
Note: This item was heavily discounted on Black Friday.
2. Sunpak 12" Bicolor LED Ring Light Kit
Good Value: $70 | Great Deal: $50
Check Current Price on Best Buy | Check Current Price on Walmart
Sunpak’s affordable ring light is lightweight and customizable, according to several online customers who praised this light’s brightness- and color-temperature controls. Many reviewers wish this light had a longer cord and a standard wall plug (instead of USB); others say the included tripod is cheap and hard to level.
3. Bower Flexible 24" LED Ring Light
Good Value: $30 | Great Deal: $15
Check Current Price on Best Buy | Check Current Price on Walmart
Bower’s flexible ring light is ideal for making Zoom calls from a smartphone, according to several online customers. Some reviewers caution that the spring clip isn’t strong enough to support large phones.
Note: This item was heavily discounted on Cyber Monday.
4. Aixpi 10-Inch LED Ring Light with Tripod Stand
Good Value: $24 | Great Deal: $13
Aixpi’s ring light assembles easily and produces a bright, pleasing light, according to several online customers. Many reviewers (even happy ones) say the the included tripod doesn’t work well, or at all.
Note: This item was heavily discounted on Black Friday.
5. Ivisii 19-Inch Ring Light with LCD Display
Good Value: $100 | Great Deal: $82
This ring-light is easy assemble despite poor instructions, according to several online customers. Many reviewers say the light is large, bright and easy to adjust; some caution that the included stand is fragile.
Note: This item was heavily discounted on Amazon Prime Day.
6. UBeesize 8" Selfie Ring Light with Tripod Stand
Good Value: $35 | Great Deal: $24
This portable ring light kit is well-made, easy to use and includes a decent tripod, according to several online customers. Many reviewers say the phone clip is flimsy and caution against using it with a big phone.
7. Samtian LED Ring Light (14 inches) With 2M Light Stand
Good Value: $72 | Great Deal: $48
Samtian’s ring light gets high praise from online customers, many of whom love the included accessories (e.g. a carrying bag, stand, phone mount and a shutter remote). Some reviewers say the stand is wobbly.
Note: This item was heavily discounted on Black Friday and Amazon Prime Day.
8. Neewer Dimmable Ring Video Light with Plastic Color Filter Set
Good Value: $80 | Great Deal: $52
Neewer’s ring light is high-quality, lightweight and easy to travel with, according to several happy customers. Some reviewers had issues with the power adapter and had to ask the manufacturer for a replacement; others said that no instructions were included (but that it was still easy to assemble).
Note: This item was heavily discounted on Black Friday and Cyber Monday.
9. UBeesize Selfie Ring Light with Cell Phone Holder Stand
Good Value: $17 | Great Deal: $11
This phone-sized ring light can be used as a desk lamp or reading light because it includes a gator clip and a snaking cord. Phablet owners may want to look elsewhere: Several online customers say that the included phone holder can’t support the weight of large smartphones.
What Is a Ring Light?
A ring light is a circular lamp or flash that is designed to surround the lens of a camera. It produces even lighting, diffused shadows and a cool halo-effect in the subject’s eye (similar to how a person looks in a lighted makeup mirror).
Beauty vloggers on Instagram and YouTube have long used ring lights to add professional polish to makeup tutorials (and to reduce the appearance of wrinkles). Similarly, YouTube and Twitch streamers often use a ring light as part of an inexpensive green screen setup. Nevertheless, the ring light has become an increasingly useful tool in the modern social distancing era.
Ring Lights for Zoom Meetings
Ring lights are a simple-yet-effective way to improve lighting in a home office or work from home setup. (In fact, some webcams have a built-in ring light.)
“Initially, daylight or room light may have been sufficient, but if the next few months require regular videoconference appearances, then looking professional and ensuring that facial expressions and body language are visible is important to communicate effectively,” advises Natalia K. Vander Laan, Esq., a Nevada-based attorney.
A typical ring-light kit includes a stand and colored filters. Some kits also include a carrying case, phone holder and a tabletop-tripod. These holders and stands are often made of lightweight plastic and shouldn’t be trusted to hold expensive cameras or smartphones.
How Much Does a Good Ring Light Cost?
A good ring light (with verified, above-average reviews) costs approximately $55, according to a 12-month analysis of price trends. Those same lighting kits cost around $42 while on sale: an average discount of 24%.
Methodology for Selecting Products
I use data science to discover above-average products that are selling for below-average prices. To find ring lights with below-average prices, I first assemble a list of candidates, then organize those products by their 12-month average sale price, determine the median value and then exclude any light with a price above the mid-point.
To find ring lights with above-average reviews, I measure the relationship between 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 star ratings and flag outliers that fall outside of a normal statistical distribution. I also discount paid, sponsored and unverified reviews as well as unhelpful review behaviors from verified customers. Models with an average adjusted rating of less than 3.9 out of 5 are excluded; in the end, a minority of products remain.
About the Author: John DeFeo is a graduate of NYU film school and has worked as a professional photographer. Later, he served as the head of editorial insights for product review sites like Tom’s Guide and Anandtech.
