Skip to main content
Free Tools:
Cost Calculator | Subscription Audit | All Tools
Comparison Guide

Local vs Cloud Cameras: Ring vs UniFi vs Reolink vs Wyze

Pricing, subscriptions, local storage, Home Assistant integration, and which camera system is best for your home. We install all four brands and here is what we have learned.

See the Comparison Get a Recommendation

Why Camera Storage Matters

The single most important decision when choosing cameras is not resolution or brand. It is where your footage is stored and who controls it.

Cloud Storage

  • Requires monthly subscription ($5-$20/month)
  • Footage stored on company servers you do not control
  • No recording when internet is down
  • Third parties may access your footage

Local Storage

  • One-time hardware cost, $0/month recurring
  • Footage stays on your property
  • Records during internet outages
  • You decide who sees your footage

Key Takeaway: Over 5 years, a Ring subscription costs $600-$1,200 on top of hardware. Local-storage systems like Reolink and UniFi Protect cost $0/month after the initial purchase, and your footage never leaves your home.

The Contenders

Four of the most popular camera brands for home use, each taking a different approach to storage, pricing, and smart home integration.

R

Ring (Amazon)

The household name in video doorbells. Cloud-only storage with mandatory subscription for recorded footage. Deep Alexa integration but poor Home Assistant support.

U

UniFi Protect (Ubiquiti)

Enterprise-grade cameras with 100% local storage via dedicated NVR hardware. Zero subscriptions, zero cloud dependency. Requires upfront NVR investment.

Re

Reolink

Best value in cameras. Local storage via microSD or NVR, free built-in AI detection, and Platinum "Works with Home Assistant" certified. Optional cloud available.

W

Wyze

Ultra-budget cameras starting under $25. Limited local storage on some models via microSD. Increasing subscription prices and poor Home Assistant integration.

Head-to-Head Comparison

Every major feature side by side. Prices reflect typical retail as of early 2026.

Feature Ring UniFi Protect Reolink Wyze
Best Resolution 4K (Pro models) 4K (G6 series) 4K (8MP) 2.5K (Cam v4)
Night Vision Yes (IR + Color) Up to 98ft Yes (IR + spotlight) Yes (Color, Starlight)
Two-Way Audio Yes Yes Yes Yes
Local Storage No (cloud only) Yes (NVR) Yes (microSD + NVR) Limited (microSD on some)
Monthly Cost $5-$20/mo required $0 forever $0 (optional cloud) $0-$10/mo
HA Integration Poor (cloud only) Good (local API) Excellent (Platinum WWHA) Poor (community only)
Entry Camera Price ~$59.99 ~$110 ~$50 ~$20
4-Camera System ~$520 + sub ~$699 (with NVR) ~$370 (NVR kit) ~$140 + optional sub

Prices are approximate retail prices as of February 2026. HA = Home Assistant. WWHA = Works with Home Assistant.

R

Ring

Cloud-Only, Subscription Required

Ring popularized the video doorbell and remains the most recognized brand. But that recognition comes with trade-offs: mandatory cloud storage, recurring subscription fees, and well-documented privacy concerns.

Current Lineup

Indoor Cam (2nd Gen)

1080p, $59.99

Outdoor Cam Pro (4K)

4K, $199.99

Spotlight Cam Pro

1080p+, $249.99

Floodlight Cam Wired Pro

1080p+, $279.99

Subscription Costs

Ring cameras are effectively paperweights without a subscription. You can view a live stream, but without Ring Protect you cannot review any recorded footage.

  • Ring Protect Basic: $4.99/month per camera
  • Ring Protect Plus: $12.99/month (unlimited cameras)
  • Ring Protect Pro: $19.99/month (24/7 backup internet, alarm monitoring)

Home Assistant Integration

Ring's Home Assistant integration is cloud-dependent and uses the unofficial ring-mqtt community add-on. Limitations include a 10-minute stream limit, no two-way audio in HA, and dependency on Amazon's servers. When Ring's cloud is down, the integration stops working entirely.

For a full setup walkthrough, see our Ring + Home Assistant Guide.

U

UniFi Protect

Enterprise-Grade, 100% Local

Ubiquiti's UniFi Protect is the gold standard for local-only camera systems. All footage is recorded and processed on a dedicated NVR appliance in your home. No cloud account is required, no data leaves your network, and there are zero subscription fees for any feature.

Current Lineup

G5 Ultra

2K, compact, ~$110

G6 Bullet 4K

4K, AI detection, ~$199

G6 PTZ

4K, pan-tilt-zoom, ~$399

UNVR Instant (NVR)

Required recorder, ~$199

Why It Stands Out

  • $0/month forever for every feature, including AI detection
  • No cloud dependency at all. Works during internet outages
  • Enterprise reliability with PoE (Power over Ethernet) wiring
  • Good Home Assistant integration via local API, no cloud round-trip

Home Assistant Integration

UniFi Protect integrates with Home Assistant through a local API connection directly to your NVR. This means fast response times, no internet dependency, and access to motion events, camera streams, and smart detection alerts. It is one of the most reliable camera integrations available.

Full setup instructions in our UniFi Protect + Home Assistant Guide.

W

Wyze

Budget-Friendly, Limited Integration

Wyze cameras are the cheapest way to get indoor and outdoor coverage. However, the low price comes with trade-offs: subscription prices are steadily increasing, local storage options are limited, and Home Assistant integration requires a community-maintained workaround.

Current Lineup

Cam v4

2.5K, Starlight sensor, ~$35

Cam OG

1080p, stackable, ~$20

Battery Cam Pro

2K, wireless, ~$80

Video Doorbell v2

1080p, wired/battery, ~$50

Subscription Details

Wyze has been gradually increasing subscription prices while removing free features. Cam Plus is needed for AI detection and extended cloud clips.

  • - Free tier: 12-second clips with 5-minute cooldown (extremely limited)
  • - Cam Plus: $3.99/month per camera (AI detection, full-length clips)
  • - Cam Plus Pro: $9.99/month per camera (24/7 recording, priority support)

Home Assistant Integration

There is no official Wyze integration for Home Assistant. The community-maintained docker-wyze-bridge project creates RTSP streams from Wyze cameras, but it requires a separate Docker container, can be unreliable after firmware updates, and depends on Wyze's cloud API for authentication.

See our Wyze + Home Assistant Guide for the workaround setup.

Key Takeaway: If Home Assistant integration matters to you, the choice is clear. Reolink offers the best combination of price, features, and certified integration quality. UniFi Protect is the premium option for maximum privacy and reliability. Ring and Wyze are not recommended for HA-centric setups due to their cloud dependency and poor integration support.

Winner by Use Case

There is no single "best" camera. The right choice depends on what you prioritize most.

Best for Budget

Winner: Reolink

Lowest total cost of ownership with free AI detection, local NVR storage, and zero subscriptions. A 4-camera NVR kit runs about $370 with no additional costs. The Platinum HA integration is a bonus at this price point.

Best for Privacy

Winner: UniFi Protect

Enterprise-grade local processing with absolutely zero cloud involvement. No Ubiquiti account required after initial setup. Footage is encrypted on your local NVR and never touches the internet. The premium price buys true data sovereignty.

Best for HA Power Users

Winner: Reolink

Platinum "Works with Home Assistant" certification means the integration is co-maintained by Reolink and the HA team. RTSP support makes it ideal for pairing with Frigate NVR for advanced AI detection. Combine with a subscription audit to quantify your savings.

Best for Easy Setup / Alexa Users

Winner: Ring (with caveats)

If you are already deep in the Amazon ecosystem and do not use Home Assistant, Ring offers the smoothest setup experience. Everything works through the Ring and Alexa apps. However, the ongoing subscription cost adds up significantly, and you should understand the documented privacy trade-offs.

Open-Source NVR Options

For maximum flexibility, open-source NVR software lets you use almost any RTSP-compatible camera with advanced AI detection and deep Home Assistant integration. These are especially powerful paired with Reolink, Amcrest, or any ONVIF-compliant camera.

Frigate NVR

Recommended for Home Assistant users

Frigate is a free, open-source NVR purpose-built for Home Assistant. It provides real-time AI-powered object detection (person, car, animal, package) using a Google Coral TPU accelerator ($25-$60). Frigate processes everything locally, sends events directly to Home Assistant, and supports any camera with RTSP output.

Free and open-source AI detection (Coral TPU) Deep HA integration 24/7 recording

Viseron

Another open-source NVR with object detection capabilities. Supports multiple AI backends including TensorFlow, OpenVINO, and EdgeTPU. Less mature than Frigate but actively developed with a growing community.

Free and open-source Multiple AI backends

Shinobi

A full-featured open-source CCTV solution with a web-based interface. Best suited for users who want a standalone NVR dashboard rather than deep Home Assistant integration. Supports ONVIF, RTSP, and MJPEG streams.

Free and open-source Web-based dashboard

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about choosing between local and cloud camera systems.

What is the difference between local and cloud camera storage?

Local storage records footage to a device on your property, such as an NVR, NAS, or microSD card. Cloud storage uploads footage to a company's remote servers, which typically requires a monthly subscription. Local storage gives you full control over your recordings with no recurring fees, while cloud storage depends on your internet connection and the company's servers staying online.

Which camera brand has the best Home Assistant integration?

Reolink currently offers the best Home Assistant integration. It holds Platinum-tier "Works with Home Assistant" certification, meaning the integration is officially maintained and tested. UniFi Protect also integrates well via a local API, though it requires a separate NVR. Ring and Wyze have poor Home Assistant support, relying on unofficial cloud-based or community-maintained workarounds.

Do I really need a monthly subscription for Ring cameras?

Functionally, yes. Without a Ring Protect subscription ($5-$20/month), Ring cameras cannot save recorded video clips. You can view a live feed, but you lose the ability to review footage after the fact, which defeats the primary purpose of having cameras. Local-storage alternatives like Reolink and UniFi Protect record 24/7 with zero subscription cost.

What is Frigate NVR and should I use it?

Frigate is a free, open-source network video recorder (NVR) designed specifically for Home Assistant. It provides real-time AI-powered object detection (person, car, animal) using a Google Coral TPU accelerator. Frigate works with any camera that supports RTSP streams, making it an excellent choice for power users who want advanced detection without cloud subscriptions. It pairs especially well with Reolink and Amcrest cameras.

How much does a complete 4-camera local storage system cost?

A complete 4-camera system with local storage starts around $370 for a Reolink NVR kit (cameras + recorder included). A UniFi Protect setup runs approximately $699 (4 cameras + UNVR). For Wyze, you can get 4 cameras for about $140, but you sacrifice integration quality and may still want a Cam Plus subscription. Over 5 years, local-storage systems save $600-$1,200 compared to Ring's mandatory subscriptions.

Need Help Choosing the Right Cameras?

We install and configure all four brands for Oklahoma homeowners. Book a free consultation and we will recommend the best system for your home, budget, and smart home goals.

Book Free Consultation Estimate Your System Cost

Sources

Prices and specifications current as of February 2026. Camera lineups and pricing change frequently. Contact us if you spot outdated information.