# UniFi Protect vs EliteCloud

The clearest difference is rating: UniFi Protect at 4.8 against EliteCloud's 4.4. UniFi Protect also leads on ratings volume (74K vs 9) and review sentiment (52% vs 33%). EliteCloud's advantage is iOS requirement (15 vs 18.0). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

UniFi Protect holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: UniFi Protect has 74K ratings behind it against 9, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 52% of UniFi Protect's written reviews are positive against 33% of EliteCloud's.

UniFi Protect ships an update every 3 weeks, EliteCloud every 5 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 27, 2026 and September 21, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | UniFi Protect | EliteCloud |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (74K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/unifi-protect/id1392492235/reviews)** | [4.4 (9 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/elitecloud/id1508242548/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **74K** | 9 |
| Positive reviews | **51.9% of reviews** | 32.7% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 weeks** | Every 5 weeks |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 249 MB | 134 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | **15** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Apple TV | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Ubiquiti Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/683620863) | [Arrowhead Alarm Products](https://appshunter.io/developer/971956695) |

## What reviewers say

### UniFi Protect

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/unifi-protect/id1392492235)

Access your camera security system from your mobile device. Stream live feeds, manage devices, and download recordings. Offers cloudless storage and customizable alerts for residential and commercial users.

**Highlights:** Adopt and manage Protect devices, Stream low-latency livestreams, Download localized recordings, Cloudless recording storage, Timelapse footage scrubbing, Personalized security notifications

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Fast and reliable
- 👍 Intuitive interface
- 🔒 Secure local storage
- 💡 Powerful AI detection features
- 👍 Seamless integration with Unifi ecosystem

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional crashes and freezes
- 🔋 Slow to connect and load video
- 🔒 Requires cloud account for remote access
- 🔍 Limited customization options
- 🔍 Inconsistent experience across devices

**Reported bugs**

- Geofencing not working as expected
- Doorbell audio/video not syncing properly
- Frequent disconnections from cameras
- Playback issues and video not loading
- Notifications not reliable or timely

**Requested features**

- Add option to snooze/silence notifications
- Improve video scrubbing and playback controls
- Integrate with Apple HomeKit
- Add custom notification sounds
- Enhance multi-view and layout options


### EliteCloud

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/elitecloud/id1508242548)

Remotely manage your EliteControl security system from your smartphone. Arm or disarm alarms, control gates, doors, and lights. Receive instant, customizable notifications for various events, ensuring peace of mind whether you're home or away.

**Highlights:** Arm/Disarm security system, Control doors, gates, and lights, Receive push notifications, Monitor system status and history, Manage users and sites, Bank-level encrypted connection

**Features:** Apple Watch app, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 User friendly and easy to use
- 👍 Great system, very pleased
- 👍 Good value, stable and consistent
- 👍 Nice upgrade, great app
- 👍 Works well, solid and easy

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Fails to connect often
- 🐛 Unreliable connection
- 🐛 Regularly disconnects
- 🐛 Slow to connect
- 🐛 "Unhealthy Connection" errors

**Reported bugs**

- 🐛 Fails to connect
- 🐛 "Unhealthy Connection" errors
- 🐛 Regularly disconnects
- 🐛 App crashes
- 🐛 Stops communicating with keypad

**Requested features**

- 💡 Per-mode notifications
- 💡 Geofencing automation for arming/disarming
- 💡 Sensor history logs
- 💡 Show garage door open/closed status
- 💡 Panic button option in the app


## Frequently asked questions

### Is UniFi Protect free?

UniFi Protect is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is EliteCloud free?

EliteCloud is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, UniFi Protect or EliteCloud?

UniFi Protect is rated higher. UniFi Protect averages 4.8 out of 5 from 74K ratings, while EliteCloud averages 4.4 from 9 ratings.

### Do UniFi Protect or EliteCloud have ads?

Neither UniFi Protect nor EliteCloud shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, UniFi Protect or EliteCloud?

UniFi Protect ships an update every 3 weeks, and EliteCloud every 5 weeks. Most recently, UniFi Protect was updated on September 27, 2026 and EliteCloud on September 21, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*