Updated September 30, 2026 · SmartHomeCue Editorial Team
AOSU vs Aqara
Where AOSU and Aqara differ
| Compare | AOSU ReviewVisitVisit |  Aqara |
|---|---|---|
| Products | Camera, Video doorbell | Camera, Video doorbell, Smart lock, Smoke alarmCovers more |
| Cloud plan per month | $4.99 | $0Lower |
| End-to-end encryption | No | YesHas it |
| Free features | Live view, motion alerts, event notifications, 2-way talk, detection zones, PTZ and siren control; kits record locally on the 32GB aosuBase with no plan, free Standard aosuProtect+ plan gives live mode only | 7 days free cloud event clips |
| Top resolution | 4k | 2k |
| Recording retention | 120 daysHigher | 7 days |
| Price | $35.99 | Not confirmed |
| Security update period | Not confirmed | 2 years |
Same on both: Monitoring per month ($0), Minimum contract (0 months), Professional monitoring (No), Local storage (Yes), Money-back period (30 days), Installation required (No).
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Key differences
- Aqara scores higher overall: 9.1 vs 9.0.
- Products: only Aqara offers Smart lock, Smoke alarm.
- Cloud plan per month is lower at Aqara: $0 vs $4.99.
- End-to-end encryption: only Aqara.
- Recording retention is higher at AOSU: 120 days vs 7 days.
- Support channels: only AOSU offers Email, Phone.
- Founded is lower at Aqara: 2009 vs 2021.
- Power source: only AOSU offers Solar.
- Power source: only Aqara offers Poe.
- Ecosystems: only Aqara offers Homekit, Matter.
Our verdict on each
AOSU
AOSU suits homeowners who want cheap cameras, a video doorbell and no subscription at all. Kits sit at $35.99 with $0 monitoring and no contract. The catch is that end to end encryption is not offered and cloud video needs a paid plan.
Aqara
Aqara suits households that want cameras, doorbells, locks and home sensors in the same system without a recurring bill. Monitoring costs $0, local storage keeps footage on your own hardware, and nothing is locked into a minimum term, which makes it a strong pick for self installers put off by subscriptions.
Score breakdown
| Area | AOSU | Aqara |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | 9.1Kits start at $35.99 with $0 monitoring and 0 months contract, plus a free Standard aosuProtect+ plan. | 9.4Higher$0 on automation subscriptions and 0 months on contract length keep the recurring cost at nothing. |
| Offer | 9.1HigherCovers camera and video doorbell with 4k video, battery, solar and wired options and alexa, google and smartthings voice assistant support. | 8.97 days free cloud event clips come with entry hardware at $17.99, so a small kit starts cheap. |
| Trust | 8.5Backed by email, phone and help centre and a 30 days return window, with 120 days of cloud retention. | 8.8HigherEnd to end encryption is in place, with security support running 2 years and warranty cover of 1 year. |
By the numbers
| Fact | AOSU | Aqara |
|---|---|---|
| Money-back period | 30 days | 30 days |
| Cloud plan per month | $4.99 | $0 |
| Recording retention | 120 days | 7 days |
Where each is licensed and available
| Country | AOSU | Aqara |
|---|---|---|
| Headquarters | Hong Kong | Not confirmed |
Side by side, item by item
| Products | AOSU | Aqara |
|---|---|---|
| Camera | Yes | Yes |
| Smart lock | No | Yes |
| Video doorbell | Yes | Yes |
| Smoke alarm | No | Yes |
How they place
| Ranking | AOSU | Aqara |
|---|---|---|
| Home security cameras | 2 of 75 | 25 of 75 |
| Security cameras without a subscription | 2 of 53 | 15 of 53 |
| Video doorbells | 2 of 54 | 20 of 54 |
Every fact side by side
| Fact | AOSU | Aqara |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | Diy | Diy |
| Power source | Battery, Solar, Wired | Battery, Wired, Poe |
| Ecosystems | Alexa, Google, Smartthings | Alexa, Google, Homekit, Matter, SmartthingsCovers more |
| Legal entity | HONG KONG GLAZERO INTERNATIONAL TRADE CO., LIMITED | Lumi United Technology Co., Ltd. |
| Headquarters | Hong Kong | Not confirmed |
| Founded | 2021 | 2009Lower |
| Support channels | Email, Phone, Help centre, CommunityCovers more | Help centre, Community |
Smart home devices
| Fact | AOSU | Aqara |
|---|---|---|
| Device types | Not confirmed | Thermostat, Trv, Lighting, Plug, Hub, Sensor, Blinds |
| Price from | Not confirmed | $17.99 |
| Protocols | Not confirmed | Matter, Thread, Zigbee, Wi fi |
| Matter certified | Not confirmed | Yes |
| Hub required | Not confirmed | Yes |
| Local control | Not confirmed | Yes |
| Energy reporting | Not confirmed | Yes |
| Subscription per month | Not confirmed | $0 |
| Warranty | Not confirmed | 1 year |
| Markets | Not confirmed | AE, IL, TR, EU, GB, MY, LK, JP, IN, NP, ID, PH, SG, KH, BN, MV, MM, VN, US, CA, UY, AR, CL, BR, GT, DO, MX, CR, TT |
Where each stands against the rest
| Fact | AOSU | Aqara | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | $35.99below the median | Not confirmed | $69.99 |
| Monitoring per month | $0at the median | $0at the median | $0 |
| Minimum contract | 0 monthsat the median | 0 monthsat the median | 0 months |
| Money-back period | 30 daysat the median | 30 daysat the median | 30 days |
| Cloud plan per month | $4.99above the median | $0below the median | $3 |
| Recording retention | 120 dayshighest quarter | 7 dayslowest quarter | 30 days |
Median across 65 listed brands.
Pros and cons
AOSU
Pros
- Kits record to the bundled aosuBase with no plan, so $0 monitoring works as a long term setup
- Cloud retention runs 120 days, with $35.99 hardware and a $4.99 cloud plan on top if you want remote records
- Local storage is supported, so footage can stay on the aosuBase instead of the cloud
Cons
- Professional monitoring is a no, so alerts are not escalated by anyone
- Cloud video needs a paid plan beyond the free Standard aosuProtect+ tier, which gives live mode only
- $0 monitoring still leaves the paid $4.99 plan for playback history
Aqara
Pros
- Nothing recurs: monitoring is $0 and the cloud plan is $0, so the kit costs what it costs on the shelf.
- Footage can stay at home, since local storage is supported, with the cloud holding event clips for 7 days as a backstop.
- The range spans camera, video doorbell and smart lock, which reaches further than Annke's camera and video doorbell for anyone building out a whole home.
Cons
- Professional monitoring is not offered, so alerts land on the household rather than a response desk.
- Support runs on help centre and community only, with no staffed channel listed for a hub that will not pair.
- A hub is required, so the entry outlay is more than the sticker price of the cheapest device in the range.
Who each suits
AOSU
Who it suits
- Homeowners who want cameras and a video doorbell on camera and video doorbell from one maker
- Renters and self installers, since installation is not required
- People who keep footage local and want to avoid a subscription
Who should look elsewhere
- Anyone who needs end to end encryption on cloud footage
- Households that want professional monitoring rather than self managed alerts
- Buyers who want a premium sensor at the £36.98 level rather than $35.99 value hardware
Aqara
Who it suits
- Households covering cameras, doorbells, locks and alarms without a monthly monitoring fee, since monitoring is $0.
- Self installers, because installation is not required and the model is diy.
- Automation builders working across matter, thread and zigbee who want local control and a hub they own.
Who should look elsewhere
- Not for shoppers who want an alarm panel or personal alarm in the same basket: The Home Security Superstore lists alarm, camera and smart lock.
- Not for buyers whose list is only cameras and doorbells, since Annke's camera and video doorbell is a shorter, more focused range to browse.
Current offers
AOSU
Current offer
Free trial
aosuProtect+ cloud storage 30-day free trial: 30 days
Offered at the start of a paid aosuProtect+ subscription; requires a linked aosu device and payment details; charged after the trial
Source, checked September 30, 2026
Country by country
| Country | AOSU | Aqara |
|---|---|---|
| Australia | Yes | No |
| Belgium | Yes | No |
| Bulgaria | Yes | No |
| Canada | Yes | No |
| Croatia | Yes | No |
| Cyprus | Yes | No |
| Czechia | Yes | No |
| Finland | Yes | No |
8 of 28 countries where either is available.
Questions about each
AOSU
What does AOSU cost to start, and what is the monthly cost after that?+
Kits are priced at $35.99, and $0 is the monthly monitoring charge, so local recording runs without a subscription. Cloud playback is the only recurring line, at $4.99 a month. The free Standard aosuProtect+ plan gives live mode only, so cloud history is what you pay for.
Do I have to sign a contract with AOSU?+
The contract length is 0 months, so nothing ties you in beyond the hardware purchase. There is no minimum term and no early exit fee to think about. If you later want cloud playback, $4.99 a month is a rolling plan you can stop at any time.
Aqara
How much does Aqara charge for monitoring each month?+
Nothing. Monitoring is $0 and the cloud plan is $0, so the only cost is the hardware itself. 7 days free cloud event clips are included at no charge, which is enough to check recent activity on a doorbell or camera. Renewal is not a concern either, because contracts run 0 months.
Is there a contract or minimum term to sign up for?+
No. Contracts run 0 months, so there is no minimum term and nothing that renews on its own. Aqara ranks 1 on contract length among 60 brands, which puts it at the front of the field for anyone who wants to walk away without notice.