Updated September 30, 2026 · SmartHomeCue Editorial Team
Aqara vs Surety Home
What sets them apart
| Compare |  Aqara |  Surety Home |
|---|---|---|
| Monitoring per month | $0Lower | $19 |
| Products | Camera, Video doorbell, Smart lock, Smoke alarm | Alarm, Camera, Smart lock, Video doorbell, Smoke alarmCovers more |
| Professional monitoring | No | YesHas it |
| Cloud plan per month | $0Lower | $3 |
| Price | Not confirmed | $129 |
| End-to-end encryption | Yes | Not confirmed |
| Free features | 7 days free cloud event clips | Not confirmed |
| Recording retention | 7 days | Not confirmed |
| Security update period | 2 years | Not confirmed |
| Monitoring countries | Not confirmed | United States |
Same on both: Minimum contract (0 months), Local storage (Yes), Money-back period (30 days), Top resolution (2k), Installation required (No).
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Key differences
- Monitoring per month is lower at Aqara: $0 vs $19.
- Products: only Surety Home offers Alarm.
- Professional monitoring: only Surety Home.
- Cloud plan per month is lower at Aqara: $0 vs $3.
- Support channels: only Surety Home offers Email, Chat.
- Founded is lower at Aqara: 2009 vs 2011.
- Pricing model: only Surety Home offers Monitored.
- Power source: only Aqara offers Wired.
- Ecosystems: only Aqara offers Homekit, Matter, Smartthings.
Our verdict on each
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.
Surety Home
Surety Home suits US homeowners who want cameras, alarms, locks and doorbells from one vendor, with professional monitoring optional and nothing tying them in. Hardware starts at $129, cloud storage adds $3 a month, and the DIY route tops this group on contract length.
Score breakdown
| Area | Aqara | Surety Home |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | 9.4Higher$0 on automation subscriptions and 0 months on contract length keep the recurring cost at nothing. | 8.8Entry hardware of $129 with cloud storage at $3 a month keeps the running cost low. |
| Offer | 8.97 days free cloud event clips come with entry hardware at $17.99, so a small kit starts cheap. | 9.5HigherProfessional monitoring plus local storage, with alarm, camera and smart lock spanning alarm, camera, smart lock, video doorbell and smoke alarm. |
| Trust | 8.8End to end encryption is in place, with security support running 2 years and warranty cover of 1 year. | 9.0HigherFounded in 2011, backed by SuretyCAM, LLC and a 30 day money back window. |
How they place
| Ranking | Aqara | Surety Home |
|---|---|---|
| Home security cameras | 25 of 75 | 35 of 75 |
| Security cameras without a subscription | 15 of 53 | 25 of 53 |
| Video doorbells | 20 of 54 | 24 of 54 |
| Smart locks | 14 of 42 | 18 of 42 |
| Smart thermostats | 9 of 24 | 13 of 24 |
What each covers
| Products | Aqara | Surety Home |
|---|---|---|
| Alarm | No | Yes |
| Camera | Yes | Yes |
| Smart lock | Yes | Yes |
| Video doorbell | Yes | Yes |
| Smoke alarm | Yes | Yes |
Choosing between them
Pick Aqara if cost, monitoring per month, and cloud plan per month matter most.
Pick Surety Home if offer, products, and professional monitoring matter most.
What we checked
Aqara
- aqara.com: 16 facts, checked September 30, 2026
- us.aqara.com: 3 facts, checked September 30, 2026
Surety Home
- suretyhome.com: 18 facts, checked September 30, 2026
Every fact side by side
| Fact | Aqara | Surety Home |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | Diy | Diy, MonitoredCovers more |
| Power source | Battery, Wired, PoeCovers more | Battery, Poe |
| Ecosystems | Alexa, Google, Homekit, Matter, SmartthingsCovers more | Alexa, Google |
| Legal entity | Lumi United Technology Co., Ltd. | SuretyCAM, LLC |
| Headquarters | Not confirmed | United States |
| Founded | 2009Lower | 2011 |
| Support channels | Help centre, Community | Email, Chat, Help centre, CommunityCovers more |
Smart home devices
| Fact | Aqara | Surety Home |
|---|---|---|
| Device types | Thermostat, Trv, Lighting, Plug, Hub, Sensor, BlindsCovers more | Thermostat, Lighting, Plug, Hub, Sensor, Blinds |
| Price from | $17.99 | $11Lower |
| Protocols | Matter, Thread, Zigbee, Wi fi | Thread, Z wave, Wi fi |
| Matter certified | Yes | Not confirmed |
| Hub required | Yes | Yes |
| Local control | Yes | Not confirmed |
| Energy reporting | Yes | Yes |
| Subscription per month | $0Lower | $11 to $60 |
| Warranty | 1 year | Not confirmed |
| Markets | 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, TTCovers more | US |
Where each stands against the rest
| Fact | Aqara | Surety Home | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | Not confirmed | $129above the median | $69.99 |
| Monitoring per month | $0at the median | $19highest quarter | $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 | $0below the median | $3at the median | $3 |
| Recording retention | 7 dayslowest quarter | Not confirmed | 30 days |
Median across 65 listed brands.
Pros and cons
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.
Surety Home
Pros
- Contract length of 0 months ranks 1 of 60 brands on that measure, so a monitored alarm can be tested without a long tie in.
- Cloud storage at $3 a month keeps the recurring line small, with the monitored plan at $19 a month above it.
- alarm, camera and smart lock all sit in a single account, so an alarm, camera, smart lock, video doorbell and smoke alarm can come from the same vendor.
Cons
- US covers a single market and US names the US alone, so the setup does not travel with a move abroad.
- Support runs on email, chat and help centre only, with no phone line among the listed channels.
- Monthly monitoring is a middling showing, at rank 44 of 51 brands.
Who each suits
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.
Surety Home
Who it suits
- US homeowners building one system from a single vendor, covering alarm, camera, smart lock, video doorbell and smoke alarm in a single account.
- Renters and owners who will not sign a long monitoring contract, since 0 months of commitment are required.
- People who want professional monitoring as an added step rather than the default, with DIY and monitored routes offered on the same hardware.
Who should look elsewhere
- Price first, gear second: entry hardware of $129 sits above The Home Security Superstore at $13.95 and Annke at $19.99.
- Anyone shopping outside the US, since US covers a single market, should weigh Aqara, listed at £36.98, before assuming local cover.
- Single camera buyers who do not want a hub, since a hub is required and adds cost that a camera only purchase avoids.
Country by country
| Country | Aqara | Surety Home |
|---|---|---|
| United States | No | Yes |
Questions about each
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.
Surety Home
What does Surety Home cost to run each month?+
Entry hardware on the DIY route is $129. Cloud storage for recorded video runs at $3 a month, and the monitored plan, which adds professional response, is $19 a month. Because 0 months of contract are required, those recurring figures read the same at renewal as at entry.
Is there a minimum contract on the monitoring plan?+
No minimum term is needed, since the contract is 0 months. That result ranks 1 of 60 brands on contract length, the strongest of the ranked measures here. The trade off sits on the service side, where monitoring holds a middling rank of 44 of 51.