Updated September 30, 2026 · SmartHomeCue Editorial Team
AOSU vs Lockin
AOSU vs Lockin: the differences
| Compare | AOSU ReviewVisitVisit | Lockin ReviewVisitVisit |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $35.99Lower | $129.99 |
| Products | Camera, Video doorbell | Smart lock, Video doorbell |
| Cloud plan per month | $4.99 | $0Lower |
| 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 | AI detection, video, remote access and app control with no fee |
| Top resolution | 4k | 2k |
| End-to-end encryption | No | Not confirmed |
| Recording retention | 120 days | Not confirmed |
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
- Price is lower at AOSU: $35.99 vs $129.99.
- Products: only AOSU offers Camera.
- Products: only Lockin offers Smart lock.
- Cloud plan per month is lower at Lockin: $0 vs $4.99.
- Support channels: only AOSU offers Community.
- Founded is lower at Lockin: 2014 vs 2021.
- Power source: only AOSU offers Wired.
- Ecosystems: only Lockin 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.
Lockin
Lockin suits people who want a lock and a video doorbell with no running fees. The range starts at $129.99, with cloud and monitoring both at $0. Expect US only, a 0 months commitment, and no one watching your alarms.
Score breakdown
| Area | AOSU | Lockin |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | 9.1Kits start at $35.99 with $0 monitoring and 0 months contract, plus a free Standard aosuProtect+ plan. | 9.2HigherEntry price of $129.99 with cloud plan of $0 and monitoring of $0 keep running cost at nil. |
| Offer | 9.1HigherCovers camera and video doorbell with 4k video, battery, solar and wired options and alexa, google and smartthings voice assistant support. | 9.0Range covers smart lock and video doorbell on a diy model, with video kept on the device and detection. |
| Trust | 8.5Backed by email, phone and help centre and a 30 days return window, with 120 days of cloud retention. | 8.8HigherFounded 2014, Matter certified, US market, warranty of 1 year and 30 day returns. |
Side by side, item by item
| Products | AOSU | Lockin |
|---|---|---|
| Camera | Yes | No |
| Smart lock | No | Yes |
| Video doorbell | Yes | Yes |
How they place
| Ranking | AOSU | Lockin |
|---|---|---|
| Video doorbells | 2 of 54 | 7 of 54 |
Every fact side by side
| Fact | AOSU | Lockin |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | Diy | Diy |
| Power source | Battery, Solar, WiredCovers more | Battery, Solar |
| Ecosystems | Alexa, Google, Smartthings | Alexa, Google, Homekit, Matter, SmartthingsCovers more |
| Legal entity | HONG KONG GLAZERO INTERNATIONAL TRADE CO., LIMITED | Not confirmed |
| Headquarters | Hong Kong | Not confirmed |
| Founded | 2021 | 2014Lower |
| Support channels | Email, Phone, Help centre, CommunityCovers more | Email, Phone, Help centre |
Smart home devices
| Fact | AOSU | Lockin |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | Not confirmed | $129.99 |
| Protocols | Not confirmed | Matter, Thread, Wi fi |
| Matter certified | Not confirmed | Yes |
| Hub required | Not confirmed | No |
| Local control | Not confirmed | Yes |
| Subscription per month | Not confirmed | $0 |
| Warranty | Not confirmed | 1 year |
| Markets | Not confirmed | US |
Where each stands against the rest
| Fact | AOSU | Lockin | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | $35.99below the median | $129.99highest quarter | $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 | Not confirmed | 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
Lockin
Pros
- No contract: 0 months means nothing locks you in
- Cloud plan and monitoring both sit at $0, so the buy is the whole cost
- Detection, video, remote access and app control are bundled at no extra charge
Cons
- Professional monitoring is not offered, so alarms are not watched
- US is the only listed market, so buyers elsewhere face a shipping question
- Warranty runs 1 year, shorter than the life of a front door lock
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
Lockin
Who it suits
- Renters and homeowners replacing a front door lock who refuse subscriptions
- Matter-minded buyers already running Alexa, Google, HomeKit or SmartThings
- People who want video history on their own device rather than in the cloud
Who should look elsewhere
- Buyers who want a watched alarm service, since professional monitoring is not part of the Lockin offer and Annke or Aqara suit camera-led setups
- Shoppers outside the US, because US is the only listed market
- Anyone after a wired camera or full alarm kit, since smart lock and video doorbell stops at locks and doorbells
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 | Lockin |
|---|---|---|
| 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.
Lockin
Is there a monthly fee for Lockin smart locks and video doorbells?+
No. The cloud plan is $0 and monthly monitoring is $0, so the hardware price is the only outlay. Detection, video, remote access and app control are all included at no fee, which keeps the running cost at nil for as long as you own the device.
Does Lockin require a contract or subscription?+
The contract term is 0 months, so there is nothing to cancel and no minimum term to serve. That is part of why Lockin places 1 of 60 brands on contract length, the same top spot it takes on monitoring at $0.