Walk into any hardware store or scroll through online marketplaces and you'll find security cameras for $50, $80, maybe $120. They look the part. They have apps. Some even claim AI features. Compared to professional security systems, they seem like an obvious choice.
We get asked about them regularly. And our answer is always the same: we don't install them, and here's why.
What you're actually buying with cheap cameras
Most of the cheap cameras available in Australia — regardless of brand name — are manufactured by a small number of factories in China and sold under various labels. They work, in the sense that they produce a video image and connect to an app. But what's happening behind the scenes is where the problems start.
Your footage lives on someone else's server
Almost every cheap camera system relies on cloud storage — meaning your footage is continuously uploaded to servers operated by a company you know nothing about, almost certainly overseas. You're streaming live video of your home, your family, and your property to a third-party server as a condition of using the product.
There have been numerous documented cases of cheap camera systems being accessed by unauthorised parties — either through weak security in the app or through the manufacturer's servers being compromised. In some cases, camera feeds have been accessed and even broadcast online without the owner's knowledge.
Security updates stop — or never happen
Consumer camera products receive firmware updates for a limited time, if at all. After a product is superseded, vulnerabilities are found and often never patched. That camera sitting on your network, watching your home, can become an open door for anyone who knows the vulnerability exists.
No integration with the rest of your network
Cheap cameras exist as an island — their own app, their own cloud, completely separate from everything else. There's no way to manage them alongside your network, no alerts that integrate with your other systems, and no path for growth.
What UniFi Protect does differently
UniFi Protect is Ubiquiti's professional camera and security platform. It's what we install on every property. Here's what makes it different.
All footage stays on your property
UniFi Protect records to a hard drive inside a device on your own network — a UniFi Network Video Recorder or a compatible Cloud Gateway. Your footage never leaves your property unless you choose to share it. There's no cloud subscription required, no monthly fee for storage, and no third-party server holding your video.
Enterprise-grade image quality
UniFi cameras produce genuinely sharp, detailed footage — the kind that's useful when you actually need it. The difference between a UniFi camera and a cheap consumer camera in low light or at a distance is significant. When you're trying to read a number plate or identify a face, image quality matters enormously.
Regular, reliable security updates
Ubiquiti actively maintains and updates UniFi Protect. Security vulnerabilities are patched promptly. The platform continues to improve with new features. This isn't a set-and-forget product that becomes a liability — it's a platform with an active development team behind it.
Everything in one place
UniFi Protect sits inside the same UniFi ecosystem as your network, access points, door access, and intercom. Everything is managed from one app. Camera alerts can trigger other actions. You can review footage, manage access, and monitor your network from a single dashboard — whether you're at home or the other side of the world.
The honest comparison: A UniFi camera costs more than a cheap consumer camera. It also stores footage locally, receives ongoing security updates, produces significantly better image quality, and integrates with everything else on your property. Over a five-year lifespan, the total cost difference is much smaller than the upfront price suggests — and the difference in what you actually get is very large.
💡 If you have cheap cameras on your network right now, it's worth putting them on an isolated IoT VLAN so they can't communicate with your other devices — even if you're not ready to replace them yet. It's a simple step that significantly reduces the risk they represent.
Ready for a proper security camera system?
We design and install UniFi Protect systems for homes, farms and businesses across the Southern Highlands. We'll spec the right cameras for your property and integrate them with your network properly.
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