> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.nightjar.ca/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Moving from Nest to Nightjar

> A realistic, step-by-step plan for leaving Nest Aware — including what you keep, what you lose, and what it costs.

People leave Nest Aware for two reasons: the subscription price keeps climbing, and every minute of footage lives in Google's cloud. Nightjar flips both — recording stays on your disk, detection runs on your hardware, and the optional cloud plan costs about half as much.

This guide is honest about the tradeoffs. What you keep: 24/7 recording, smart alerts (person, vehicle, animal, package), remote live view, and event history. What you lose: the Nest app, Google Home integration, and — this is the big one — your existing Nest cameras, at least for now.

<Warning>
  **Nest cameras do not expose RTSP.** They cannot connect to Nightjar (or any third-party NVR) directly today. A bridge using Google's Smart Device Management (SDM) API is on the roadmap — follow [issue #7](https://github.com/Snapsonic/nightjar/issues/7) — but it is **not built yet**. The practical migration path is to run both systems side by side and swap camera hardware.
</Warning>

## The plan

<Steps>
  <Step title="Inventory your Nest devices">
    List every camera and doorbell, where it is mounted, and whether it is wired or battery. Note which ones matter most — you can migrate in stages. Battery cameras are the hardest to replace one-for-one, because continuous RTSP streaming needs continuous power.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Stand up a Nightjar node">
    Follow the [quickstart](/quickstart). You need a Linux box (NUC, Pi 5, NAS) and a disk. Do this first, before buying cameras — it is free, and you can verify the node works on your network with a single cheap camera.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Pick replacement cameras">
    Any camera with RTSP works. Solid, widely available picks by Nest device role:

    | Nest device               | Replacement class                                                                          | Example                                         |
    | ------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | ----------------------------------------------- |
    | Nest Cam (outdoor, wired) | 4K/2K PoE bullet or turret with RTSP                                                       | Reolink RLC-810A class                          |
    | Nest Cam (battery)        | Wired PoE or plug-in Wi-Fi camera — battery cams generally cannot stream RTSP continuously | Reolink RLC-810A (PoE) or a plug-in Wi-Fi model |
    | Nest Doorbell             | RTSP-capable video doorbell                                                                | Reolink Video Doorbell, Amcrest AD410           |
    | Nest Cam (indoor)         | Any 2K indoor RTSP camera                                                                  | Reolink E1 Pro class                            |
    | Nest Cam with floodlight  | PoE floodlight camera with RTSP                                                            | Reolink floodlight series                       |

    **PoE vs Wi-Fi, honestly:** PoE is more reliable (one cable for power and data, no Wi-Fi dropouts) but you have to run Ethernet and probably buy a small PoE switch. Wi-Fi cameras are easier to place but still need a power outlet, and a wall of Wi-Fi cameras will congest a home network. If you are drilling holes anyway, run the cable.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Run both systems in parallel for a week">
    Keep Nest Aware active while the new cameras come online in Nightjar. Compare coverage, night vision, and alert quality. Fix camera angles and motion problems while you still have a fallback. Your Nest cameras keep working in the Google Home app the whole time — the two systems do not interact.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Export your Nest history before canceling">
    Once your subscription ends, your Nest video history is gone. Export it first via [Google Takeout](https://takeout.google.com) (select the Nest product). You can also download individual clips from the Google Home app. Do this **before** canceling — history is deleted per Google's retention policy after the subscription lapses.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Cancel Nest Aware">
    Cancel in your Google account subscriptions. The cameras themselves keep offering live view in Google Home without a subscription, so you can keep a couple around as spares, sell them, or wait for the SDM bridge.
  </Step>
</Steps>

## The cost math

Monthly subscription, side by side (prices as of the current Nest lineup):

|                | Nest Aware       | Nest Aware Plus | Nightjar Free          | Nightjar Plus | Nightjar Pro |
| -------------- | ---------------- | --------------- | ---------------------- | ------------- | ------------ |
| Price          | \$10/mo          | \$20/mo         | \$0                    | \$4.99/mo     | \$9.99/mo    |
| Event history  | 30 days          | 60 days         | 3 days (cloud)         | 30 days       | 60 days      |
| 24/7 recording | Cloud, Plus only | Google's cloud  | Your disk              | Your disk     | Your disk    |
| Smart alerts   | Included         | Included        | Free, on your hardware | Included      | Included     |

Nightjar has an up-front hardware cost that Nest does not. A realistic example for a three-camera home currently on Nest Aware Plus (\$240/yr):

| One-time hardware                       | Approximate street price |
| --------------------------------------- | ------------------------ |
| 3 × PoE camera (Reolink RLC-810A class) | \~\$210                  |
| Raspberry Pi 5 kit or used mini-PC      | \~\$100–150              |
| 1 TB disk + small PoE switch            | \~\$100                  |
| **Total**                               | **\~\$410–460**          |

Switching to Nightjar Plus ($60/yr) saves about $180/yr versus Aware Plus, so the hardware pays for itself in roughly **2 to 2.5 years** — faster if the free tier's 3-day cloud history is enough for you (then you save the full \$240/yr and break even in under 2 years), and faster still versus a household with add-on cameras or future price increases. After payback, the savings recur; the cameras are yours either way.

<Note>
  Hardware prices are approximate street prices, not quotes. The point of the math is the shape: a one-time cost that replaces a subscription that never ends.
</Note>

## FAQ

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Can I keep using the Nest app?">
    Yes, for your Nest cameras. Nest hardware keeps working in the Google Home app with or without Nightjar running — the systems are independent. Nightjar cameras are viewed in the Nightjar local UI or at [app.nightjar.ca](https://app.nightjar.ca). There is no way to see Nightjar cameras in the Google Home app.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="What happens to my old Nest clips?">
    They live in Google's cloud and are deleted after your Nest Aware retention window — and your access ends when the subscription does. Export what you want to keep via Google Takeout before canceling. Nightjar cannot import Nest history; the export is for your own archive.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Will the Nest bridge support my camera model?">
    Unknown until it is built. The planned bridge uses Google's Smart Device Management API, which covers most modern Nest cameras that work in the Google Home app, and requires a one-time \$5 registration fee with Google for Device Access. Scope and per-model support will be worked out in the open — follow [issue #7](https://github.com/Snapsonic/nightjar/issues/7).
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Do I lose remote access by leaving Nest?">
    No. Remote live view is free on every Nightjar plan, including Free, with zero port forwarding. See [Remote access](/guides/remote-access).
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>