Google Nest Subscription gives you cloud storage, video history, and emergency services for your Nest cameras and doorbells
Google Nest Subscription is a paid plan that stores video from your Nest cameras and doorbells in the cloud, lets you watch that video history on demand, and connects you to emergency responders if your camera detects certain events. Without a subscription, your cameras still work — they record locally to your home network and send you alerts — but you cannot watch past video or use the emergency features.
The subscription comes in two tiers: Nest Aware and Nest Aware Plus. Both renew monthly or yearly, and you can cancel anytime. The cost and what each plan includes varies depending on how many cameras you own and which generation of camera you have.
Key Takeaways
- Nest Aware stores 30 days of video history in the cloud; Nest Aware Plus stores 60 days and adds 24/7 emergency response monitoring.
- Pricing depends on the number of cameras and their age — older models cost less per month than newer ones.
- Without a subscription, your cameras record locally and send alerts, but you cannot view past video or use emergency features.
- You can start a free trial of either plan for 30 days before you are charged.
- Canceling a subscription stops charges immediately, though you lose access to cloud video and emergency services right away.
Nest Aware: 30 days of video history and person detection
Nest Aware stores 30 days of video history in Google's cloud servers. You can rewind through that history on your phone, tablet, or computer, and clip or download specific moments. The plan also includes person detection — your camera tells you whether motion it detected was a person, a vehicle, an animal, or a package — which reduces false alerts.
Nest Aware costs between $8 and $12 per month depending on your camera model and how many cameras you own. Older Nest cameras (like the Nest Cam IQ Indoor or Nest Hello Doorbell from 2018 and earlier) cost less; newer models like the Nest Cam with floodlight cost more. If you own multiple cameras, you can add them to the same subscription — the price goes up slightly for each additional camera, but it is cheaper than buying separate subscriptions.
You can also pay yearly for Nest Aware. The yearly price is roughly equivalent to 10 months of the monthly rate, so you save about two months' worth if you commit upfront.
Nest Aware Plus: 60 days of history and 24/7 emergency response
Nest Aware Plus includes everything in Nest Aware — 30 days of video history, person detection, and the ability to clip and download video — plus an additional 30 days of history (60 total) and access to 24/7 emergency response monitoring. When your camera detects certain events (like a person on your property at night or glass breaking), the system can alert a trained responder who can contact emergency services on your behalf if you do not respond.
Nest Aware Plus costs between $12 and $18 per month, depending on your camera model and how many cameras you own. Like Nest Aware, older cameras cost less and you can add multiple cameras to one subscription. Yearly plans are also available at a discount equivalent to roughly two months of monthly payments.
The emergency response feature is not a replacement for calling 911 yourself. It is an additional layer — if you are away from home or unable to respond, the monitoring service can dispatch help. You still need to set up which events trigger the monitoring and confirm your address and phone number in the Google Home app.
How to start a subscription and what happens during the free trial
To start a subscription, open the Google Home app, select your camera, tap the Settings icon, and scroll to "Nest Aware." You will see the two plans side by side with their current prices for your camera setup. Tap the plan you want and follow the prompts to add a payment method.
Google offers a 30-day free trial of either plan. During the trial, you get full access to cloud video history and all features. You will not be charged during those 30 days. On day 31, your payment method will be charged for the first full month, and the subscription will renew on that same date every month (or every year if you chose yearly billing).
If you cancel before the trial ends, you will not be charged at all. If you cancel after the trial ends, your subscription stops immediately and you lose access to cloud video and emergency services, though any video already downloaded to your phone or computer stays there.
What you can do without a subscription
Your Nest camera works without any subscription. It records video to your home network (not the cloud), sends you alerts when it detects motion or sound, and lets you watch a live feed from anywhere using the Google Home app. You can also talk through the camera's speaker and listen through its microphone.
What you cannot do without a subscription: you cannot rewind to watch video from hours or days ago, you do not get person detection (so you get alerts for every motion, including leaves and shadows), and you cannot use the emergency response feature. If your internet goes down or your home network fails, you also lose the ability to watch live video remotely.
How to cancel and what happens to your video
To cancel, open the Google Home app, select your camera, tap Settings, scroll to "Nest Aware," and tap "Manage subscription." Select "Cancel subscription" and confirm. Your subscription stops immediately and you will not be charged again.
When you cancel, you lose access to your cloud video history right away. Any video stored on Google's servers is deleted. If you want to keep any footage, download it to your phone or computer before you cancel. Downloaded video stays on your device even after the subscription ends.
If you cancel and then resubscribe later, you start fresh with a new 30-day trial and a new video history — your old cloud video is not restored.
Pricing varies by camera model and number of cameras
Google charges different prices for different camera models because older cameras use less cloud storage and processing power than newer ones. A Nest Cam IQ Indoor from 2018 might cost $8 per month for Nest Aware, while a Nest Cam with floodlight might cost $12 per month for the same plan on the same account.
When you add a second camera to your subscription, the price increases but not by the full amount of a second subscription. For example, if your first camera costs $10 per month, adding a second camera of the same model might bring the total to $16 instead of $20. The exact pricing depends on your camera models and your region.
You can view the exact price for your setup before you start the trial. Open the Google Home app, select your camera, go to Settings, and tap "Nest Aware" to see both plans with their current cost for your specific cameras.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use Nest Aware on multiple homes or accounts?
Each Google account can have one Nest Aware subscription that covers all cameras linked to that account. If you have cameras in two different homes on the same Google account, one subscription covers both. If you have a separate Google account for a second home, you would need a separate subscription for that account.
What happens to my video if I lose internet connection?
Your camera continues to record locally to your home network. Once your internet comes back, the camera syncs with Google's cloud servers and your video history updates. If you do not have a subscription, you can still watch live video from your phone once the internet is restored, but you cannot rewind to video from before the outage.
Does Nest Aware work with cameras from other brands?
No. Nest Aware only works with Google Nest cameras and doorbells. If you have cameras from other brands (like Wyze or Arlo), they have their own separate subscription services with different pricing and features.
Can I pause my subscription instead of canceling?
Google does not offer a pause feature. You can cancel anytime and restart anytime, but you will need to go through the setup process again and start a new 30-day trial when you resubscribe.
Is the emergency response service available in my area?
Nest Aware Plus emergency response is available in most areas of the United States, but not everywhere. When you set up the subscription, the Google Home app will tell you whether emergency response is available at your address. If it is not available, you can still use Nest Aware Plus for the extended video history, but the emergency monitoring feature will not be active.