Kaitlyn Cimino / Android Authority
TL;DR Nest Aware users are unhappy about rising prices despite worsening service quality.
Users are bringing up issues with broken video history playback, unreliable familiar face detection, and more.
Many are switching to alternatives like Ubiquiti or Reolink that offer better reliability and local control without subscription fees.
Google recently increased the prices of its Nest Aware and Nest Aware Plus subscriptions, but many users say the service isn’t improving to match the higher cost.
The standard Nest Aware plan has gone from $8 per month ($80 per year) to $10 per month ($100 per year), while Nest Aware Plus has jumped from $15 per month ($150 per year) to $20 per month ($200 per year). While price increases are very common in tech subscriptions, this one has struck a nerve. Users are frustrated that they’re now paying more for a service they feel is becoming less reliable.
Just yesterday, we covered growing complaints about the declining performance of Google’s smart speakers and hubs. It’s clear that Nest camera users are facing similar frustrations, especially judging by reactions in this Reddit thread.
How do you feel about the Nest Aware price hike and current service quality? 9 votes I’m fine with the new prices. Nest cameras and Nest Aware still work well for me. 11 % I'm annoyed by the price hike, but I'll stick with Nest cameras and Nest Aware for now. 0 % I'm actively looking for alternatives like Ubiquiti or Reolink. 78 % I've already canceled or plan to cancel Nest Aware soon. 11 %
In the r/googlehome community, long-time Nest users are voicing their frustration about Nest Aware features not working despite rising prices. A popular thread titled “Please explain to me why you’re raising my prices when 90% of the time this is what I get when I try to look at the history?” has sparked a chain of comments highlighting the ongoing service problems.
One of the biggest complaints is that Nest Aware’s video history feature, a major selling point of the subscription, has become very unreliable. Users frequently see “couldn’t load video” errors when trying to review footage.
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