Updated September 30, 2026 · SmartHomeCue Editorial Team
Annke vs Aqara
Annke vs Aqara: the differences
| Compare |  Annke |  Aqara |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $19.99 | £36.98 |
| Products | Camera, Video doorbell | Camera, Smart lock, Smoke alarm, Video doorbellCovers more |
| Money-back period | 30 daysHigher | 14 days |
| Free features | Local SD card storage without monthly fees | 7-day free cloud clips plus local microSD recording |
| Top resolution | 4k | 2k |
| Monitoring per month | Not confirmed | £0 |
| Minimum contract | Not confirmed | 0 months |
| Professional monitoring | Not confirmed | No |
| Recording retention | Not confirmed | 7 days |
| Security update period | Not confirmed | 2 years |
Same on both: Local storage (Yes), Installation required (No).
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Key differences
- Products: only Aqara offers Smart lock, Smoke alarm.
- Support channels: only Annke offers Email, Chat.
- Support channels: only Aqara offers Community.
- Money-back period is higher at Annke: 30 days vs 14 days.
- Annke is available in 51 more countries.
- Power source: only Annke offers Solar, Poe.
- Ecosystems: only Aqara offers Google, Homekit, Matter.
Our verdict on each
Annke
Annke is a straightforward way to cover a house with cameras and video doorbells without a subscription line, and the entry figure of $19.99 sits below Aqara. It suits homeowners who want card storage and Alexa voice control more than a full alarm system.
Aqara
Aqara suits renters and homeowners who want sensors, locks and cameras to run through one hub without a subscription. Entry hardware starts at £3.49, monitoring stays free, and local control keeps automations on the hub, so the real commitment is buying the hub first and adding devices as the house grows.
Score breakdown
| Area | Annke | Aqara |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | 9.7Entry price of $19.99 sits below the £36.98 listed by Aqara, and the cost score of 9.7 reflects that. | 10.0Higher£3.49 entry hardware, £36.98 camera pricing, £0 monitoring and a 0 months contract term. |
| Offer | 9.2The range spans camera and video doorbell with 4k at the top and card recording as standard, for an offer score of 9.2. | 9.2Matter certified kit, 7-day free cloud clips plus local microSD recording on cameras and 2 years of hardware warranty. |
| Trust | 9.1HigherSold by ANNKE INNOVATION (HK) CO., LIMITED with support on email, chat and phone; the trust score is 9.1. | 8.7Lumi United Technology Co., Ltd. backs the range, with 2 years of security support and phone, help centre and community for help. |
How they place
| Ranking | Annke | Aqara |
|---|---|---|
| Home security cameras | 12 of 75 | 13 of 75 |
| Security cameras without a subscription | 7 of 53 | 8 of 53 |
| Video doorbells | 10 of 54 | 11 of 54 |
Licences and countries
| Country | Annke | Aqara |
|---|---|---|
| Headquarters | Not confirmed | China |
Available in 1 country for both. Additional countries for Annke: 51.
Every fact side by side
| Fact | Annke | Aqara |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | Not confirmed | Diy |
| Power source | Battery, Wired, Solar, PoeCovers more | Battery, Wired |
| Ecosystems | Alexa | Alexa, Google, Homekit, Matter, SmartthingsCovers more |
| Legal entity | ANNKE INNOVATION (HK) CO., LIMITED | Lumi United Technology Co., Ltd. |
| Headquarters | Not confirmed | China |
| Founded | Not confirmed | 2016 |
| Support channels | Email, Chat, Phone, Help centre | Phone, Help centre, Community |
Where each stands against the rest
| Fact | Annke | Aqara | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum contract | Not confirmed | 0 monthsat the median | 0 months |
| Money-back period | 30 daysat the median | 14 dayslowest quarter | 30 days |
| Recording retention | Not confirmed | 7 dayslowest quarter | 30 days |
| Security update period | Not confirmed | 2 yearsbelow the median | 3 years |
Median across 65 listed brands.
Pros and cons
Annke
Pros
- The entry price of $19.99 is below the £36.98 listed by Aqara, and a little above $13.99.
- Local storage is listed as yes, and card recording comes with no monthly fee, so the running cost stays flat.
- Support runs on email, chat and phone, which is wider than email alone at this price.
Cons
- The starting figure of $19.99 sits above $13.95 and $13.99, so the smallest budgets are served elsewhere.
- The listed ecosystems are alexa, so a Google Home or HomeKit household has nothing here to link to.
- The range covers camera and video doorbell, with no alarm panel or smart lock to add to the same order.
Aqara
Pros
- Monitoring is £0 and the contract term is 0 months, so there is no renewal price to plan for.
- Hardware opens at £3.49 and cameras start at £36.98, against a site entry median of €127.49.
- Local control and local storage are both supported, so automations and recordings can stay on the hub rather than in the cloud.
Cons
- A hub is required before any sensor, lock or blind does anything, which is an upfront cost on top of the devices.
- Professional monitoring is not offered, so alerts depend on the household rather than on a watching service.
- Support runs on phone, help centre and community only, with no live chat listed alongside them.
Who each suits
Annke
Who it suits
- Households that want footage kept on a card inside the home: local storage is listed as yes and card recording carries no monthly fee.
- People covering a front door and a garden in a single purchase, since camera and video doorbell handle both jobs.
- Alexa homes, where voice control is the main way the cameras get used; the listed ecosystems are alexa.
Who should look elsewhere
- Tight budgets: JOOAN lists $13.99 and The Home Security Superstore $13.95, each under Annke's $19.99.
- Google Home and Apple HomeKit households: the listed ecosystems are alexa only, so Aqara is worth weighing even at £36.98.
- Shoppers who want a wider basket, such as alarms alongside cameras: Annke's range is camera and video doorbell, so a broader comparison is worth making against Aqara at £36.98.
Aqara
Who it suits
- People who want sensors, locks and cameras under one hub with local control and nothing to pay monthly, since monitoring is £0.
- Households already running Zigbee or Thread kit, since the hub bridges matter, thread and zigbee and can reuse what is already installed.
- Owners who want a do it yourself system, since the model is diy and installation is not required for the camera range.
Who should look elsewhere
- Lutron buyers who only need lighting, blinds and thermostats, since lighting, blinds and thermostat carries no sensor, lock or camera line.
- SONOFF shoppers after radiator valves, since thermostat, trv and lighting includes radiator valves and hub, sensor and lighting does not.
- GHome Smart buyers who want a compact setup, since plug, lighting and thermostat leaves out blinds and a hub that hub, sensor and lighting includes.
Current offers
Aqara
Current offer
Discount code
5% off your first order via Aqara UK newsletter: 5% off first order
Sign up to the Aqara UK newsletter; code sent by email
Source, checked September 30, 2026
Country by country
| Country | Annke | Aqara |
|---|---|---|
| Argentina | Yes | No |
| Australia | Yes | No |
| Belgium | Yes | No |
| Brazil | Yes | No |
| Bulgaria | Yes | No |
| Canada | Yes | No |
| Chile | Yes | No |
| Colombia | Yes | No |
8 of 52 countries where either is available.
Questions about each
Annke
How much does Annke cost to get started?+
Hardware starts at $19.99. That is below the £36.98 Aqara lists and a little above the $13.99 and $13.95 shown for JOOAN and The Home Security Superstore. Across the brands ranked here, Annke sits at position 8 of 70 on price, so the entry figure is competitive rather than the cheapest.
Are there monthly fees or a contract to renew?+
No plan sits behind the hardware. Recording runs on an SD card in the camera with no monthly fee, which is the free tier the brand describes. Across the site, monthly monitoring sits at €0 and the typical contract term is 0 months, so there is nothing to renew and the outlay stops at the point of purchase.
Aqara
What does Aqara cost to run after the hardware is bought?+
Monthly monitoring is £0 and the contract term is 0 months, so there is no subscription to renew and no renewal price to plan around. Cameras include 7-day free cloud clips plus local microSD recording as standard, hardware opens at £3.49 and cameras start at £36.98. Nothing steps up when a year passes.
Is Aqara certified for safety and security?+
Aqara's hub is Matter certified, and the security certifications cover camera, smart lock and smoke alarm as a group. Security support runs for 2 years, which is shorter than the 2 years warranty, so buyers planning a long ownership should think about the stretch after the warranty period ends.