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Yes, most consumer home security products have a security subscription attached because they require monitoring (and many jurisdictions require monitoring for alarm permits to help reduce false alarms). For Ring, that also means the features listed on their product page (cloud video access and history, etc).

Cloud storage. Downside is that only clips with detections are uploaded (plus a capture every n seconds).

Alternative is something like ubiquiti that stores locally, so you get 24/7 recordings but it can be stolen or destroyed.

it is one alternative, there is plenty others. I'd suggest local storage with onlinebackup of any alerts (timeframes in which an alert occured)

Probably paying for the ability to save video recordings in the cloud, as opposed to paying them monthly to ensure they dont send goons to break into your house.