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AQARA Camera G100: Two-Minute Review
Security cameras now come in many different types, including those meant for purely indoor use and those meant primarily for outdoors. However, what the AQARA G100 offers is, on the face of it, the best of both worlds
Weatherproof with an IP65 rating, it can be used indoors (to keep an eye on pets and children), or outdoors (to see who’s at the front door or in the backyard). It’s also small, perfect for placing on a bookshelf or mounting upside down on a porch using the screws and wall plugs provided.
However, what really sets the AQARA G100 apart from many of its competitors is its comprehensive smart home compatibility. While many home security cameras are now compatible with Amazon’s Alexa (including Amazon’s proprietary ring and blink), the AQARA G100 is also compatible with Google Home, Samsung SmartThings, and—importantly for those invested in the Apple ecosystem—home kits including the Apple Home Kit and HomeKit Security (HSV).
Not only can the camera’s built-in motion sensor and spotlight be used in home automation routines, but it’s also possible to stream a live feed from the AQARA G100 to Apple TV. The only technical limitation here is that Apple for some reason caps video resolution at 1080p, even though the camera is capable of a more impressive 2K resolution (2,304 x 1,296 pixels). It’s even possible to link your Apple Photos library to the Akara camera to recognize faces captured by the motion sensor.
Nor is smart home compatibility the only trick up Acre’s sleeve. It works perfectly well as a standalone security camera as well. That’s really how most buyers will use it. Powered by a mains USB-C cable, it usefully boasts a microSD card slot for storing up to 512GB of footage. This means you don’t have to pay a monthly fee to store video in the cloud as you do with many cameras, especially some cheaper models (Apple users can also use their iCloud storage via HomeKit Secure Video).
You don’t even need to pay a monthly subscription fee for basic AI functionality. However, if you want full tracking, including PET and parcel tracking, you’ll need to pay for Aqra’s Home Guardian subscription service (see details below).
If you have multiple Akara cameras, the Home Guardian Unlimited package also includes an advanced fire detection feature based on the flame detection function. However, it is not intended to replace traditional fire detection systems such as smoke alarms and heat sensors
Finally, the camera offers two-way audio so you can alert your pets if they seem distressed, or let your family members know when you’re home.
AQARA Camera G100: Subscription Options
Home Guardian Single Camera: £3.99 (approx $5 / au $8) per month, or for a single device. 39.99 (approx $50 / au $80). Includes: 90 days of video event date, person, animal, vehicle, package, fire detection.
Home Guardian Unlimited: 99 7.99 ($ 10 / au $ 16 per month), or. 79.99 (approx $100 / au $160) per year. Supports unlimited cameras in one home, 90 days history of video event, person, face, animal, vehicle, package, fire detection, premium AI event detection, AI video summary, AI video search.
AQARA Camera G100: Price and Availability
- Price £34.99,. 34.99, is AU$89
- Available from July 2025
- Sold in the US, UK and Australia
Generally, security cameras are not expensive to buy. Even the most advanced models offering solar power and mobile phone (4G/5G) connectivity cost less than £200. However, many are quite cheap because you need to pay a monthly fee to store video clips in the cloud.
The AQARA G100 is unusual in that not only is it very affordable, it also comes with a built-in microSD card slot for video storage. Yes, you’ll have to buy a microSD card, but they only cost $15 / £10 / au$20 so you’ll quickly make your money back from not having to spend the purchase price. That said, you can pay a monthly fee for storage if you want (if you want advanced AI functionality, like the ability to distinguish between different people and objects.
Given its low price tag, it’s also worth noting how well equipped the AQARA G100 is. My one criticism of Aqara’s recently launched G410 video doorbell is that, despite costing more than £100, it didn’t include waterproofing – incredibly unreliable for a product that sits outside your home all year.
Yet this G100 camera – intended for indoor and outdoor use – features decent IP65 water resistance. Not only that, but it also comes with other useful features that make it a very versatile piece of kit. These include compatibility with multiple smart home platforms as well as AI functionality.
AQARA Camera G100: Design
- Versatile indoor/outdoor growing
- Available in black or white
- Waterproof connectivity
Again, one of my criticisms of the recently reviewed Iqrah G410 video doorbell was its design, which was extremely bulky and bulky. To be fair, this is partly because it runs on four AA batteries, whereas the G100 only uses mains power. After all, it’s true to say that its stablemate, the G100, is a much more compact and better-looking piece of kit—much like a nested camera, but not quite as sturdy.
Available in black or white (we tested black), it comes with a handy mount for standing on top of a closet or bookcase. Alternatively, you can do what I did and install it inside the cabinet using the supplied wall plugs and screws (remembering to change the view setting to reverse in the AQARA app). Helpfully, the camera can be rotated 360 degrees inside the mount to get the perfect angle, while the field of view is a decent 140 degrees.
While most people will probably choose to use the camera indoors, there is an option to extend it outdoors provided you have access to mains power (it doesn’t have a built-in rechargeable lithium battery). Unusually, the supplied USB-C cable connects to the camera via a waterproof sleeve on the bottom of the camera. If you’re running the cable from an indoor power source, it can easily be converted to a longer USB cable.
A waterproof cover is also provided for the microSD card slot and reset buttons, while there is a small speaker on the back of the camera. In addition to the lens itself, the front of the camera houses a surprisingly powerful spotlight, a blue power light button, and a microphone.
AQARA Camera G100: Performance
- 2K image quality
- Good night Vision
- Slightly complicated menu
When it comes to performance, it’s fair to say that the Aqara Camera G100 is solid rather than spectacular. Sure, the 2K camera won’t win any awards and the field of view isn’t the widest. However, for the extremely low price tag we have no major complaints—it just works.
Night vision is actually pretty good thanks to dual night vision modes that give you a choice between color night vision (with built-in spotlight) or black and white night vision which is the default mode. The camera is not overly sensitive which is a good thing as sometimes they get triggered by the slightest movement.
Two-way audio through the tinny speaker is less impressive, but again it’s not unusual and in fact you probably won’t use it very often (unless you’re chatting with your dog while you’re out!). An unusual feature is the voice disguise option that can change your voice to a robot or clown, or otherwise disguise it.
This feature is also provided on Aqara’s recently launched G410 video doorbell where it makes more sense, especially for women who want to protect their identity from doorbell ringers. However, this is probably not that useful on a typical camera that is probably mostly used indoors.
One small gripe is around the on-screen menus within the app which take a bit of getting used to, partly because there are so many different options. For example, as well as being able to view the live view from the camera, you can split the video event history into different categories (person, movement, etc.). You can also program different actions, such as turning on the lights in the house when a motion sensor is triggered or opening and closing the curtains.
For advanced users, these are all probably useful, but if you want a simple plug-and-play solution, there are easier-to-use cameras out there. That said, the camera isn’t difficult to place in the first place thanks to voice-based instructions, and we had no issues with broadband connectivity between the camera and the router, despite the device only operating on the 2.4GHz Wi-Fi frequency, not 5GHz. It’s also straight to the Aqara camera in the Apple HomeKit, although as mentioned earlier, image resolution is limited to 1080p.
Should you buy the AQARA Camera G100?
Description | Note | Score |
|---|---|---|
Price | Simply put, Aqara is incredibly good value for money. Featuring a microSD card slot you don’t even need to pay a monthly subscription to store video clips. | 5/5 |
Design | Available in black or white, the Aqara is a compact circular-sized camera with a versatile mount and waterproofing for installation either indoors or outdoors. | 4.5/5 |
performance | Offering 2K video quality, the AQARA Camera G100 delivers decent quality images though the sound quality from the built-in speakers isn’t the best. | 3.5/5 |
Overall | An extremely versatile security camera with a very competitive price tag. Can be used indoors or outdoors and with multiple smart home platforms – including Apple Home. | 4.5/5 |
If buy it
If not buy it
AQARA Camera G100: Also consider
Products | AQARA Camera G100 | Blink Outdoors 4 | Color Spotlight Cam Pro (Battery) | EUFY 4K S330 Security Camera |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Subscription price | From £3.99 a month | 50 a month from 2.50 | 99 a month from 4.99 | None |
View angle | 140 degrees horizontal | 143 degrees horizontal | 140 degrees horizontal | 360 degree view |
Network connection | Wi-Fi (2.4GHz) | Wi-Fi (2.4GHz) | Wi-Fi (2.4g/5Hz) | Wi-Fi/4G |
Audio | Two-way audio | Two-way audio | Two-way audio | Two-way audio |
Video | 2,304 x 1,296 pixels | 1080p | 1080p Full HD resolution | 4K video resolution |
The power | mains | Battery | Battery | Battery, Solar |
Hardware cost | . 34.99 | £69 | £199 (battery model only) | 9 189 (with solar panel) |
Who I Tested the Kia Camera G100
- I used the camera indoors
- I installed it myself
- The camera was connected to Apple Home
As is clear from the review, the Aqara camera is a very versatile piece of kit, so I installed it in several places around the house – including the kitchen and my home office. However, it was not installed outside as I did not have a proper mains power connection outside.
Using wall plugs and screws provided I mounted the camera inside the cabinet to focus on a small balcony. I also adjusted the mount to focus on room doors and other areas to see how sensitive the lens is to movement (it’s quite sensitive).
The camera was used mostly through the AQARA app over a seven-day period. However, I also connected it to Apple Home, where I was able to control camera functionality including turning the spotlight on and off, testing two-way audio, and viewing live footage.
First reviewed October 2025
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