Do I Need a Nest Aware Subscription for Each Camera?

By Benny Kounlavouth,

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When I was reading an article about Nest home security cameras recently, I wondered what is required for each individual camera as far as subscription costs. But, do I need a Nest Aware subscription for each camera?

Each Nest Aware camera requires its own subscription, but discounts are applied when multiple cameras are in question. The first Nest camera will cost $100 per year, while any additional cameras after that will be half of the cost at $50 per year.

Nest Aware is the name of the subscription service for a Nest home security camera, also known as “Nest Cam.”

Users who connect their Nest Cams to this subscription service directly access various features and controls from the smartphone app.

The Features of Nest Aware

Nest Aware is an optional feature that can be applied to any number of Nest Cams throughout the home.

While a subscription purchase is not necessary for the cameras to function properly, the service does offer additional intelligence to every Nest camera and comes with more features that the device is not automatically equipped with.

A Nest Aware subscription will allow your camera to alert you when it senses motion or sees any kind of activity within the camera’s view. This includes when a person walks up to the area in which your camera is pointed.

The cameras will also record and store the data to create a history of videos for the user to refer to later on and see everything that has happened within the camera’s view all the way back to the beginning of a 30-day period.

Nest App Notifications

Each Nest camera has advanced software built into the device that is intended to react to movement and noise within its view.

With the help of a Nest Aware subscription, your camera will send all of its video histories to an external cloud that will help to improve the detection features.

More specifically, the cloud will be able to integrate the camera’s video history with special algorithms that will make the camera more aware of what is going on around it to alert the user better if something is going on.

Nest Aware subscriptions also offer alerts to users from their smartphone app that will tell them exactly what the camera has sensed in the area that is being monitored.

Advanced Notifications

Some of the more advanced features that Nest Aware offers to its subscribers are detailed alerts when people are in the camera’s view. More specifically, the camera will alert the user when a person is seen and when a person is speaking within the monitored area.

The cameras will be able to learn the faces of frequent visitors and send familiar face alerts to the user. This smart automation technology is unique when compared to other cameras. Most home security cameras have face recognition but cannot differentiate similar faces.

For instance, if a close friend stops by the house every Sunday and is captured by the camera near the front door, the Nest Aware system will alert the user of a familiar face after the camera has had time to learn the specific facial features of that person.

Super Sight View

Nest cameras that are equipped with Nest Aware features will be able to engage in a super sight view. This means the camera can track movement close up or zoomed in to enhance the video quality for the user.

All Nest cameras will store video history for up to 30 days after it is recorded, no matter the level of subscription for the device.

How to Purchase Nest Aware

Nest Aware can be purchased as an add-on while buying your Nest cameras. Under the option titled “Nest Aware Cloud Recording” at the time of purchase, customers are able to create an account to add this service to the device.

This will directly link to all of the options for subscription length and pricing. Customers then have the choice between annual or monthly subscriptions.

Nest Subscription: Cost

The price for the first Nest Aware subscription can be paid at a rate of about $10 each month or can be purchased upfront for an entire year at a flat price of $100.

If there are any additional Nest cameras being added to the home that need a subscription to Nest Aware, the price will be $50 for the year or about $5 each month.

This pricing discount will continue for any other Nest Cams that are signed up for Nest Aware within the same location.

If the camera has already been purchased and the user would like to add the services of Nest Aware to their existing device, this is also possible.

Previous Nest Camera Owner

If you already own a Nest camera, you can add a subscription to any of the cameras at any time by going to the Subscriptions page within the Nest store.

From there, the Manage option will allow the user to subscribe to their additional device to Nest aware and follow through with the same payment process as described above.

Subscription plans are offered in different lengths of time, including 5, 10, and 30-day plans throughout the month.

The discounts that are applied to all additional subscriptions for multiple Nest Cams will only be valid if these services are purchased directly from the Nest website.

Additionally, the company offers a free trial for customers to try the service before committing to a membership plan.

How to Add a Camera to Nest Aware

If you are a current owner of a Nest Cam then you are likely loving the new setup. This adoration may have led you to acquire another Nest cam to add to your Nest Aware family.

Users will be happy to know that they can add an existing camera to Nest Aware.

Users must ensure that they have the Nest app they need and add the camera to that specific app. Ensure that the app looks for nearby devices or that the QR code is used to find the camera. Once it’s found, click continue and enjoy the new camera on Nest Aware.

The process is easy, but it can get tricky when it comes to setting it up with the Nest Home vs Nest App. Below we have outlined the steps for both options to make them easier for you to work with.

Google Home App vs Nest App

Before you get started, you need to download the Google Home App or the Nest App. Both function equally as well; the Google Home App just controls more brands of devices than the Nest app.

Additionally, some cameras require you to use one app over the other; here is a list to help guide you:

Camera Name	Google Home App	Nest App
Nest Cam – Wired	Yes	No
Nest Cam Floodlight	Yes	No
Nest Cam – Battery	Yes	No
Nest Cam IQ Indoors	No	Yes
Nest Cam IQ Outside	No	Yes
Nest Cam Inside	No	Yes
Nest Cam Outside	No	Yes
Nest Dropcam	No	Yes

Using this list, you can easily choose which camera app you need to successfully finish the addition process to Nest Aware. Once you know, simply download the app and launch it.

Add Camera to Google Home App

If you have selected a camera that needs the Google Home App to function, you need to log in to your Google account on the Google Home App.

Once this is done, tap the plus button, which prompts the add device screen.

Click the new device button and choose the camera you want to add. Make sure to choose the right home to add it to so it reads properly. Then click next.

The app will look for the camera and sync to it once you prompt it to select it. The app will use pop-up screens to walk you through the rest of the installation process.

Add Camera to Nest App

When setting up the Nest App, you need to open up the app, ensure you are logged in, and select the home you want to use.

After selecting the home button, tap the gear icon on the screen. This is the settings button.

Press the plus button to add the camera. Use the QR code that came with the box the camera was in. if you don’t have the box use the numbers at the tip of the QR code on the camera.

The rest of the setup occurs via pop-up screens inside the app.

Is it Necessary to Subscribe to Nest Aware?

Although all Nest cameras will work without a subscription to Nest Aware, more advanced features are available to users who choose to pay for the subscription.

Without a subscription, users are not given the ability to interact with their devices as much as they could or to gain the full experience that comes with making their homes safer.