UniFi Protect

Not yet benchmarked

Vendor: Ubiquiti
License: Gratuit avec le matériel Ubiquiti (pas d'abonnement d'enregistrement)
Platforms: Consoles UniFi OS (UNVR, Cloud Gateway, Dream Machine)

Polished local NVR bundled free with Ubiquiti hardware, with tightly integrated apps and on-device AI. Version 7.1 as of mid-2026. Not yet benchmarked on our test bench.

Strengths

Genuinely local recording with no subscription; footage stored on your own UniFi console.
Tightly integrated hardware, apps and on-device AI (person/vehicle/animal/face, Edge AI re-identification in 7.1).

Limitations

Runs only on Ubiquiti consoles (UNVR/Cloud Gateway/Dream Machine) — strong hardware lock-in.
Third-party ONVIF cameras are supported but limited (no PTZ, reduced AI); full features need UniFi cameras.
Remote access — and, per community reports, smart detections including face — require enabling the Ubiquiti cloud account.

Criteria

Open source (auditable code)	✗
Self-hosted (runs on your hardware)	✓
Works without a mandatory vendor account	✓
Works with any ONVIF/RTSP camera (no hardware lock-in)	✗
Built-in facial recognition	✓
Encrypts stored footage at rest	—
Remote access without a vendor cloud	✗
Web + desktop + mobile apps	✓

Sources

https://blog.ui.com/article/welcome-to-protect-7-1 — officiel (v7.1 + v7.1.60 : alarm response, SIA, caméras tierces audio/motion, dewarped export) (2026-07-22)
https://help.ui.com/hc/en-us/articles/26301104828439-Third-Party-Cameras-in-UniFi-Protect — officiel (caméras tierces : audio/motion/config now supported) (2026-07-22)
https://community.ui.com/questions/4cd479d3-ecc2-4f54-b834-3cb4d434bbb5 — communautaire (encryption at rest : toujours pas confirmée/documentée) (2026-07-22)

This product has not yet been tested on our bench. The information above comes from dated documentary sources; no comparative verdict is published until a real test has taken place.