Updated September 30, 2026 · SmartHomeCue Editorial Team
Aqara vs Lorex
What sets them apart
| Compare |  Aqara |  Lorex |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £36.98 | $29.99 |
| Monitoring per month | £0 | $0 |
| Products | Camera, Smart lock, Smoke alarm, Video doorbellCovers more | Camera, Smart lock, Video doorbell |
| Money-back period | 14 days | 30 daysHigher |
| Free features | 7-day free cloud clips plus local microSD recording | local recording, live view, playback and alerts without plan |
| Top resolution | 2k | 4k |
| Recording retention | 7 days | 60 daysHigher |
| Cloud plan per month | Not confirmed | $5.99 |
| Security update period | 2 years | Not confirmed |
Same on both: Minimum contract (0 months), Professional monitoring (No), Local storage (Yes), Installation required (No).
We earn a commission when you sign up through links on this site. Partner status can affect where a brand appears in our rankings.
Key differences
- Aqara scores higher overall: 9.4 vs 9.2.
- Products: only Aqara offers Smoke alarm.
- Recording retention is higher at Lorex: 60 days vs 7 days.
- Support channels: only Aqara offers Community.
- Support channels: only Lorex offers Email, Chat.
- Money-back period is higher at Lorex: 30 days vs 14 days.
- Founded is lower at Lorex: 1991 vs 2016.
- Lorex is available in 4 more countries.
- Power source: only Lorex offers Solar, Poe.
- Ecosystems: only Aqara offers Smartthings.
Our verdict on each
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.
Lorex
Lorex suits households that want cameras, video doorbells and smart locks from the same brand, with local recording, live view, playback and alerts working before any plan is bought. Entry hardware starts at $29.99, and the Lorex Connect cloud plan is $5.99 a month on top of that.
Score breakdown
| Area | Aqara | Lorex |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | 10.0Higher£3.49 entry hardware, £36.98 camera pricing, £0 monitoring and a 0 months contract term. | 9.1No contract term at 0 months, a monitoring charge of $0, and cloud extras at $5.99. |
| Offer | 9.2Matter certified kit, 7-day free cloud clips plus local microSD recording on cameras and 2 years of hardware warranty. | 9.2The range spans camera, smart lock and video doorbell, and the core camera features work before any cloud plan is bought. |
| Trust | 8.7Lumi United Technology Co., Ltd. backs the range, with 2 years of security support and phone, help centre and community for help. | 9.3HigherTrading since 1991 as Lorex Technology Inc., with a 30 days return window. |
Choosing between them
Pick Aqara if cost and products matter most.
Pick Lorex if trust, money-back period, and recording retention matter most.
How they place
| Ranking | Aqara | Lorex |
|---|---|---|
| Home security cameras | 13 of 75 | 19 of 75 |
| Security cameras without a subscription | 8 of 53 | 12 of 53 |
| Video doorbells | 11 of 54 | 16 of 54 |
| Smart locks | 8 of 42 | 10 of 42 |
Every fact side by side
| Fact | Aqara | Lorex |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | Diy | Diy |
| Power source | Battery, Wired | Battery, Wired, Solar, PoeCovers more |
| Ecosystems | Alexa, Google, Homekit, Matter, SmartthingsCovers more | Alexa, Google, Homekit, Matter |
| Legal entity | Lumi United Technology Co., Ltd. | Lorex Technology Inc. |
| Headquarters | China | Canada |
| Founded | 2016 | 1991Lower |
| Support channels | Phone, Help centre, Community | Email, Chat, Phone, Help centre |
Where each stands against the rest
| Fact | Aqara | Lorex | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum contract | 0 monthsat the median | 0 monthsat the median | 0 months |
| Money-back period | 14 dayslowest quarter | 30 daysat the median | 30 days |
| Cloud plan per month | Not confirmed | $5.99highest quarter | $3 |
| Recording retention | 7 dayslowest quarter | 60 daysabove the median | 30 days |
| Security update period | 2 yearsbelow the median | Not confirmed | 3 years |
Median across 65 listed brands.
Pros and cons
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.
Lorex
Pros
- Local recording, live view, playback and alerts all work with no plan, and local storage is supported, so footage can stay on a drive the buyer owns.
- Cameras, video doorbells and smart locks come from the same brand, and installation is not required, so a homeowner can cover a front door and garden without hiring an installer.
- Cameras reach 4k and run on battery, wired and solar options, covering outdoor and off-grid spots.
Cons
- Professional monitoring is not offered, so an alarm travels no further than the owner's own devices and the DIY approach is the only route.
- Cloud video is kept for 60 days, so anything that must stay retrievable longer has to sit on local storage.
- Entry hardware at $29.99 is above The Home Security Superstore at $13.95 and Annke at $19.99, so the ticket at the till is the weak spot.
Who each suits
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.
Lorex
Who it suits
- Households that want footage kept on their own drive rather than rented cloud space.
- Renters and owners fitting cameras, a video doorbell and a smart lock without tradesmen.
- Buyers who read the running cost before the ticket, since Lorex carries no contract term.
Who should look elsewhere
- Households after a professionally monitored alarm, since Lorex does not offer professional monitoring and a monitored brand fits that need better.
- Shoppers on the smallest budget, because entry hardware at $29.99 sits above The Home Security Superstore at $13.95.
- Buyers who want cloud features folded into the hardware price, because the Lorex Connect plan is $5.99 a month on top.
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 | Aqara | Lorex |
|---|---|---|
| Australia | No | Yes |
| Canada | No | Yes |
| Mexico | No | Yes |
| United States | No | Yes |
| United Kingdom | Yes | Yes |
Questions about each
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.
Lorex
What does Lorex cost to get started?+
Entry hardware starts at $29.99 for a camera, and the range also covers video doorbells and smart locks, so the same brand can cover a whole front door. Nothing recurring is due at the point of sale, and the purchase carries no contract, so the hardware price is the whole commitment at checkout.
Is there a monthly subscription?+
The Lorex Connect cloud plan is $5.99 a month and is the only recurring charge. The monthly monitoring cost is $0, so hardware already paid for adds no monitoring bill, and the cloud plan stays optional rather than required for core use.