UniFi vs Verkada for Bay Area Properties: An Installer's Comparison

What UniFi and Verkada each are

UniFi Access and UniFi Protect are Ubiquiti's door access and camera lines. UniFi readers run on PoE Ethernet to a hub, footage records to a UniFi console such as the UNVR, and Ubiquiti's US site says 'No licenses. No subscriptions. Just ownership.'

Verkada is a cloud-managed platform. Its AC43 datasheet says that with just an Ethernet connection to Command, the controller gives admins visibility and control from any location. Its licensing page says you must hold valid licenses for all your Verkada products to access Command.

Elwin installs, configures and supports access control, cameras and intercoms for multifamily buildings, and mixed-use properties across the Bay Area, and works with both platforms. Theaccess control installation page covers how we scope doors, readers and wiring on either one.

UniFi and Verkada, side by side

Each figure below comes from the vendor's own store, product or FAQ page, spec page, datasheet or help article. Ubiquiti's US store labels its prices "Surcharge incl."; the figures below are the store figures as listed.

Software and licenses: what you pay after day one

Ubiquiti's US homepage says 'No licenses. No subscriptions. Just ownership.' and 'Native cloud management with zero cloud fees.' Its camera page answers 'Are there any fees?' with 'Absolutely not.' It calls remote management a free, optional feature.

Touch Pass is Ubiquiti's NFC badge in Apple Wallet. The G3 Intercom and the G3 Starter Kit each list "10 free 1-year Touch Passes included." Ask for the per-pass price beyond those ten before you count on Apple Wallet for all residents.

Verkada licenses are per device: one door license per door, one camera license per camera and one intercom license per intercom. Terms are 1, 3, 5 and 10 years, and the licenses co-term to a single expiration date.

If a Verkada license lapses, Verkada says you lose access to Command 30 days after the expiration date. 'Badges and Verkada Pass will still work as before, but you'll be unable to change your settings via Command.'

Both vendors' figures are for the devices and licenses. Labor, cable, locks and the network switch are quoted separately; our guide to what access control costs per door covers that side.

Wiring: what each one reuses

UniFi readers are Ethernet devices. Ubiquiti says 'For security reasons, UniFi Access readers cannot directly connect to a switch.' They plug into the hub's PoE+ ports, and the Door Hub's spec page names Cat 5e as the minimum cable category.

So a standard UniFi door uses Cat 5e or better cabling from the hub to each reader; the Door Hub spec page lists Cat 5e as the minimum recommended category. The Door Hub itself needs a PoE++ feed at 50 V DC, 1 A. The Door Hub powers the lock from a 12 V DC, 1 A relay, and Ubiquiti says any magnetic or electric lock can be powered by the hub at 12 V up to 1 A.

The Retrofit Hub supports Wiegand and OSDP readers. It runs two doors from a 12/24 V DC supply, feeds readers 12 V DC up to 0.5 A, and switches locks at 12 V DC up to 1 A or 24 V DC up to 0.5 A. Ubiquiti's FAQ says it 'can reuse existing wiring' and 'supports select third-party Wiegand readers', and that compatible third-party electric locks 'can continue to be used.'

Verkada's AC43 has one reader port per door, 'Verkada/RS-485 or Wiegand', with reader draw under 600 mA per port. Its datasheet says it supports "Verkada or third-party OSDP and Wiegand readers." Its dry relay max pass-through power is 24VDC @ 2A (resistive load). The AC12 has two RS-485 and two Wiegand reader ports at 12 V DC, 250 mA each, and lists 12VDC operation at 700mA max and 24VDC operation at 350mA max.

One limit on reuse: Verkada's pricing page says 'Apple Wallet is not compatible with AD31, AD32, or third party reader hardware.' Verkada's own AD34 reader connects over RS-485 to a Verkada controller or intercom.

Internet outages, cellular backup and power

Ubiquiti's door access page says cloud connectivity provides "instant, encrypted remote access." Its FAQ says access rights are synchronized with the Access Hub, "so if the UniFi Console goes down, door access will remain."

Verkada controllers are managed from the cloud but cache their configuration. During an outage "the access controller runs the last known configuration that it received from the cloud", events are stored locally until the internet is restored, the controller has internal storage to endure outages of 3–12 months depending on the number of events recorded, and that configuration persists through a reboot.

Verkada's help article says Verkada Intercoms "require an internet connection to place calls with one exception: local Session Initiation Protocol (SIP)." An intercom in single door controller mode continues to run the last known configuration, so users whose credentials were configured before the lapse in connectivity can still badge in.

Both are listed as internet failover for UniFi gateways, and the LTE Backup page shows "Notify me when available."

Verkada describes it as an indoor cellular gateway for connecting Verkada devices in places that are hard to wire or lack connectivity.

It adds that customers bringing their own SIM and plan do not need the data licenses.

Cameras and intercoms

UniFi Protect cameras record to a console. The UNVR has four drive bays and its spec page lists 60 HD, 30 2K or 18 4K cameras; the G5 Bullet spec page lists 4MP 2688 x 1512 resolution, a 5MP CMOS sensor and PoE power. Ubiquiti: 'Run 4 or 4,000 cameras - licensing is still $0.'

Verkada cameras record on board and back up to the cloud. Verkada: 'All Verkada cameras include guaranteed onboard storage ranging from 30 - 365 days.'

Verkada lists the CD53's streams at up to 3,000 kbps in high quality and up to 600 kbps in standard quality. Ubiquiti's camera page says all security footage remains local to your UniFi Console.

The Intercom Viewer, listed "From $199.00 $219.00 Surcharge incl.", is a "Display that works with Intercom and Reader Pro for visitor screening and remote access control."

For the entry itself, see video intercom installation, and for coverage of garages and common areas, security camera installation.

Warranty and support

Ubiquiti's limited warranty, updated October 9, 2020, lists two years after the date of delivery to the customer. The same text lists one year after the date of shipment to the authorized distributor or reseller. The warranty text applies only to products purchased from an authorized Ubiquiti distributor or reseller or from an official Ubiquiti webstore, and provides for replacing any Product with a new or refurbished version.

"Replacement ships before inspection" and the Door Hub page lists prepaid return shipping included.

Verkada's warranties are "up to 10 years, depending on the model." The AC12, AC43, CD53 and GC31-E list 10 years; the TK74 lists 5. Verkada's help article says the primary warranty limitation is that devices are not damaged due to an accident, abuse or misuse.

Verkada's support page says its technical support team is 'available 24/7', and its access control page bundles a 10-year warranty, automatic firmware upgrades and 24/7 support with all access control devices. For a warranty replacement, Verkada says 'We will typically ship you the replacement within 24-48 hours.'

Elwin installs, repairs, replaces and configures both platforms. On either one, Elwin is the single accountable point of contact from site walk through installation and support.

Which one fits your property

Start with how the property wants to pay. If it wants no yearly software license line, Ubiquiti's US site says "No licenses. No subscriptions." If it wants a cloud platform managed through Command, Verkada requires a license per door, camera and intercom, and its access control page says its access control devices come with a 10-year warranty and 24/7 support.

Then look at the wall. Verkada's AC43 supports Verkada or third-party OSDP and Wiegand readers, and the UniFi Retrofit Hub supports Wiegand and OSDP readers; the Door Hub spec page lists Cat 5e as the minimum recommended cabling. Apple Wallet on Verkada does not work on third-party readers or on Verkada's AD31 and AD32.

Then the entry. Verkada's TK74 has an on-screen tenant directory, with a tenant license per 10 tenants. Ubiquiti's G3 Intercom supports Touch Pass, and the store shows "No restock date yet" for its Intercom Viewer, which "works with Intercom and Reader Pro."

Bring these to the site walk:

• The internet service at the entry and in the network closet: who provides it, and whether cellular backup is wanted for the gateway or for one device.
• What cable runs to each existing reader and lock, and whether it is Cat 5e, Wiegand multi-conductor or two-conductor.
• Lock voltages on each door: the UniFi Retrofit Hub lists 12 V and 24 V locks, the UniFi Door Hub lists 12 V, and the Verkada AC12 lists 12VDC and 24VDC operation.
• Unit count and resident phone types, since Verkada tenant licenses are sold per 10 tenants and Touch Passes are listed as 1-year passes.
• Where a UPS, Switch Mission Critical or backup battery can live so doors keep working through a power cut.

Questions about UniFi and Verkada