Security Cameras / Google Nest Cam Indoor, Wired (3rd Gen, GA09973-US) vs Aqara Camera Hub G5 Pro, PoE (CH-C03E)
Google Nest Cam Indoor, Wired (3rd Gen, GA09973-US)
$99.99
VSAqara Camera Hub G5 Pro, PoE (CH-C03E)
$199.99
Google Nest Cam Indoor, Wired (3rd Gen, GA09973-US) vs Aqara Camera Hub G5 Pro, PoE (CH-C03E)
Aqara Camera Hub G5 Pro, PoE (CH-C03E)
HomeKit Secure Video over PoE with RTSP and ONVIF — the least locked-in camera here.
Wins overall by 2.1 points
Quick Verdict
The Aqara Camera Hub G5 Pro, PoE (CH-C03E) takes this by a clear 2.1 points. HomeKit Secure Video over PoE with RTSP and ONVIF — the least locked-in camera here. The Google Nest Cam Indoor, Wired (3rd Gen, GA09973-US) only makes sense if it wins on a category you care about more than the total.
The Google Nest Cam Indoor, Wired (3rd Gen, GA09973-US) and Aqara Camera Hub G5 Pro, PoE (CH-C03E) are both current-generation security Camera models, and the Google Nest Cam Indoor, Wired (3rd Gen, GA09973-US) is $100 cheaper than the Aqara Camera Hub G5 Pro, PoE (CH-C03E) ($99.99 vs $199.99). On Subscription Freedom, the Aqara Camera Hub G5 Pro, PoE (CH-C03E) leads (9.5 vs 2.5/10) — what the camera still does when you pay nothing — this category's trap dimension, because several drop to live view with no recording at all. On Local Storage, the Aqara Camera Hub G5 Pro, PoE (CH-C03E) leads (6.5 vs 0.5/10) — recording that stays in your house: card slot, hub, NAS — and whether the card or hub is in the box. On Openness & Smart Home, the Aqara Camera Hub G5 Pro, PoE (CH-C03E) leads (9.5 vs 4.5/10) — RTSP, ONVIF, NVR and NAS support plus Alexa/Google/HomeKit/Matter — whether the camera works outside its own app. Overall, the Aqara Camera Hub G5 Pro, PoE (CH-C03E) scores 7.6/10 across our 8 scoring categories versus 5.5/10 for the Google Nest Cam Indoor, Wired (3rd Gen, GA09973-US). Below, we break down the full spec sheet, category-by-category scores, and exactly who should buy which one.
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Spec | Google Nest Cam Indoor, Wired (3rd Gen, GA09973-US) | Aqara Camera Hub G5 Pro, PoE (CH-C03E) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $99.99 | $199.99 |
| Release Year | 2025 | 2025 |
| Max Resolution | 2K HDR (2560x1440) | Quad HD 2688x1520 (4MP) |
| Frame Rate at Top Resolution | Not published by Google | Not published by Aqara on the US product page |
| Field of View | 152 degrees diagonal | 133 degrees diagonal |
| Power Source | Wired only — USB-C indoor power adapter. Google notes a cable is needed for 24/7 recording | 802.3af PoE (48V, 0.27A) or USB-C 5V/2A. The box holds a power cable and an RJ45 waterproof kit — no PoE injector and no PoE switch |
| Battery Life Claim | Not applicable — mains powered only | Not applicable — PoE or mains powered |
| Night Vision | Colour low-light imaging; Google claims 120% more light sensitivity than the 2nd gen | Colour night vision from a 1/1.8in sensor at f/1.0, with a 3W 3000K spotlight available if you want it |
| Weather Rating | Indoor only | IP65, rated -30C to +50C |
| Wi-Fi / Network | Not published on the US store listing | Dual-band 2.4GHz and 5GHz with WPA3 on the Wi-Fi model; this PoE model can use Ethernet instead. Also carries Zigbee 3.0 and Thread radios |
| Local Storage | None. No Nest camera has ever had a microSD slot, a hub, or a NAS path | 8GB encrypted eMMC on board plus SMB NAS backup, or HomeKit Secure Video. There is no microSD slot |
| With No Subscription | Live view, alerts, two-way talk, and up to 6 hours of Event Video Previews — 10-second clips, not full event recordings | Everything. All seven AI detections run on the camera and recording goes to eMMC, your NAS or HomeKit Secure Video with no plan |
| Cheapest Plan ($/mo) | 10 | 0✓ |
| RTSP / ONVIF / NVR | No RTSP, no ONVIF, no NVR support | RTSP and SMB NAS from launch; ONVIF added in firmware 4.3.4, which Aqara confirmed publicly and which lets UniFi Protect adopt it as a third-party camera |
| Warranty | 12 months | 12 months |
| Colors | Snow, Hazel, Berry | White, Gray |
Category Scores
Video Quality
The Google Nest Cam Indoor, Wired (3rd Gen, GA09973-US) leads clearly here, 8.5 against 7.5 — a 1.0-point margin on real sensor resolution, frame rate and bitrate at the advertised top mode — not the marketing number. If that is what you are buying for, the Aqara Camera Hub G5 Pro, PoE (CH-C03E) does not close the gap elsewhere.
Night Vision
The Aqara Camera Hub G5 Pro, PoE (CH-C03E) leads clearly here, 9.0 against 8.0 — a 1.0-point margin on how usable the image is after dark, and whether colour needs the spotlight burning. If that is what you are buying for, the Google Nest Cam Indoor, Wired (3rd Gen, GA09973-US) does not close the gap elsewhere.
Subscription Freedom
The Aqara Camera Hub G5 Pro, PoE (CH-C03E) leads clearly here, 9.5 against 2.5 — a 7.0-point margin on what the camera still does when you pay nothing — this category's trap dimension, because several drop to live view with no recording at all. If that is what you are buying for, the Google Nest Cam Indoor, Wired (3rd Gen, GA09973-US) does not close the gap elsewhere.
Local Storage
The Aqara Camera Hub G5 Pro, PoE (CH-C03E) leads clearly here, 6.5 against 0.5 — a 6.0-point margin on recording that stays in your house: card slot, hub, NAS — and whether the card or hub is in the box. If that is what you are buying for, the Google Nest Cam Indoor, Wired (3rd Gen, GA09973-US) does not close the gap elsewhere.
Power & Battery
The Aqara Camera Hub G5 Pro, PoE (CH-C03E) leads clearly here, 5.0 against 4.5 — a 0.5-point margin on freedom from a power cable: battery capacity, solar top-up, and how honest the runtime claim is. If that is what you are buying for, the Google Nest Cam Indoor, Wired (3rd Gen, GA09973-US) does not close the gap elsewhere.
Installation
The Google Nest Cam Indoor, Wired (3rd Gen, GA09973-US) leads clearly here, 8.5 against 5.5 — a 3.0-point margin on how much extra hardware, wiring, drilling or network work stands between the box and a working camera. If that is what you are buying for, the Aqara Camera Hub G5 Pro, PoE (CH-C03E) does not close the gap elsewhere.
Openness & Smart Home
The Aqara Camera Hub G5 Pro, PoE (CH-C03E) leads clearly here, 9.5 against 4.5 — a 5.0-point margin on RTSP, ONVIF, NVR and NAS support plus Alexa/Google/HomeKit/Matter — whether the camera works outside its own app. If that is what you are buying for, the Google Nest Cam Indoor, Wired (3rd Gen, GA09973-US) does not close the gap elsewhere.
Value
The Aqara Camera Hub G5 Pro, PoE (CH-C03E) leads clearly here, 8.0 against 7.0 — a 1.0-point margin on what you get for the money once the subscription, the card and the missing adapter are priced in. If that is what you are buying for, the Google Nest Cam Indoor, Wired (3rd Gen, GA09973-US) does not close the gap elsewhere.
Best For
Choose the Google Nest Cam Indoor, Wired (3rd Gen, GA09973-US) if…
- • Installation matters most to you — the Google Nest Cam Indoor, Wired (3rd Gen, GA09973-US) scores 8.5/10 here (how much extra hardware, wiring, drilling or network work stands between the box and a working camera).
- • Video Quality matters most to you — the Google Nest Cam Indoor, Wired (3rd Gen, GA09973-US) scores 8.5/10 here (real sensor resolution, frame rate and bitrate at the advertised top mode — not the marketing number).
- • You want to spend less — it's $100 cheaper.
- • Your main use case is indoor.
Choose the Aqara Camera Hub G5 Pro, PoE (CH-C03E) if…
- • Subscription Freedom matters most to you — the Aqara Camera Hub G5 Pro, PoE (CH-C03E) scores 9.5/10 here (what the camera still does when you pay nothing — this category's trap dimension, because several drop to live view with no recording at all).
- • Local Storage matters most to you — the Aqara Camera Hub G5 Pro, PoE (CH-C03E) scores 6.5/10 here (recording that stays in your house: card slot, hub, NAS — and whether the card or hub is in the box).
- • Openness & Smart Home matters most to you — the Aqara Camera Hub G5 Pro, PoE (CH-C03E) scores 9.5/10 here (RTSP, ONVIF, NVR and NAS support plus Alexa/Google/HomeKit/Matter — whether the camera works outside its own app).
- • Your main use case is poe-nvr or no-subscription.
Pros & Cons
Google Nest Cam Indoor, Wired (3rd Gen, GA09973-US)
Pros
- +The best-looking daylight image of any $100 indoor camera here, and it holds colour far lower into dusk
- +Free tier is genuinely better than Ring's or Arlo's — 6 hours of event previews beats nothing at all
- +Gemini search across history is the only AI feature in this set that changes how you use the app
- +Google's 24/7 continuous recording (Advanced plan) is a real capability Ring only sells as a $3/mo add-on
Cons
- −Those free 6 hours are 'Event Video Previews' — 10-second clips, not the event recordings Google's older 3-hour free tier gave
- −Zero local storage. No card, no hub, no NAS, no offline fallback of any kind
- −Nest Aware became Google Home Premium in 2025 and the useful tier (Advanced, 60-day history plus 24/7) is $20/mo
- −Google does not publish the Wi-Fi bands, the frame rate, or the bitrate anywhere on the US listing
- −Indoor only — the outdoor 2nd-gen wired version is a separate $149.99 purchase
Aqara Camera Hub G5 Pro, PoE (CH-C03E)
Pros
- +The most open camera here: RTSP, ONVIF, SMB NAS, HomeKit Secure Video, Alexa, Google, SmartThings and Matter all at once
- +Being a Zigbee hub and Thread border router as well means it replaces a $60-$100 hub you would otherwise buy
- +f/1.0 over a 1/1.8in sensor gives colour at night without leaving a spotlight on, at half eufy's price
- +PoE means one cable for power and data, and it runs from -30C, the widest temperature range in this set
Cons
- −PoE injector and switch are not included — budget another $20-$40 unless you already own PoE infrastructure
- −8GB of eMMC and no microSD slot: without a NAS or HomeKit Secure Video your on-camera history is measured in hours
- −2688x1520 is 4MP, noticeably short of the 4K on the Lorex and UniFi cameras at similar money
- −Aqara publishes no frame rate or bitrate for the camera anywhere on its US page
- −ONVIF arrived by firmware update, so a unit on old firmware will not be adopted by a third-party NVR until you update it
Shop by Need
FAQs
Is the Google Nest Cam Indoor, Wired (3rd Gen, GA09973-US) or Aqara Camera Hub G5 Pro, PoE (CH-C03E) better overall?+
Based on our 8-category scoring, the Aqara Camera Hub G5 Pro, PoE (CH-C03E) comes out ahead overall. See the full breakdown in the scores section above — the right pick still depends on which categories matter most for your use case.
Which is better for Subscription Freedom, the Google Nest Cam Indoor, Wired (3rd Gen, GA09973-US) or the Aqara Camera Hub G5 Pro, PoE (CH-C03E)?+
The Aqara Camera Hub G5 Pro, PoE (CH-C03E) scores higher on Subscription Freedom (9.5/10 vs 2.5/10) — what the camera still does when you pay nothing — this category's trap dimension, because several drop to live view with no recording at all.
Which is better for Local Storage, the Google Nest Cam Indoor, Wired (3rd Gen, GA09973-US) or the Aqara Camera Hub G5 Pro, PoE (CH-C03E)?+
The Aqara Camera Hub G5 Pro, PoE (CH-C03E) scores higher on Local Storage (6.5/10 vs 0.5/10) — recording that stays in your house: card slot, hub, NAS — and whether the card or hub is in the box.
Which is better for Openness & Smart Home, the Google Nest Cam Indoor, Wired (3rd Gen, GA09973-US) or the Aqara Camera Hub G5 Pro, PoE (CH-C03E)?+
The Aqara Camera Hub G5 Pro, PoE (CH-C03E) scores higher on Openness & Smart Home (9.5/10 vs 4.5/10) — RTSP, ONVIF, NVR and NAS support plus Alexa/Google/HomeKit/Matter — whether the camera works outside its own app.
Which is better for Installation, the Google Nest Cam Indoor, Wired (3rd Gen, GA09973-US) or the Aqara Camera Hub G5 Pro, PoE (CH-C03E)?+
The Google Nest Cam Indoor, Wired (3rd Gen, GA09973-US) scores higher on Installation (8.5/10 vs 5.5/10) — how much extra hardware, wiring, drilling or network work stands between the box and a working camera.
Is the Google Nest Cam Indoor, Wired (3rd Gen, GA09973-US) worth the price difference over the Aqara Camera Hub G5 Pro, PoE (CH-C03E)?+
The Google Nest Cam Indoor, Wired (3rd Gen, GA09973-US) is the cheaper option at $99.99 versus $199.99. Whether the pricier model is "worth it" depends on how much you value its lead in Subscription Freedom.
Which is better suited to my use case?+
The Google Nest Cam Indoor, Wired (3rd Gen, GA09973-US) is the better fit if you mainly care about indoor. The Aqara Camera Hub G5 Pro, PoE (CH-C03E) is the better fit for poe-nvr or no-subscription.
What's the warranty on the Google Nest Cam Indoor, Wired (3rd Gen, GA09973-US) vs the Aqara Camera Hub G5 Pro, PoE (CH-C03E)?+
The Google Nest Cam Indoor, Wired (3rd Gen, GA09973-US) ships with a 12-month warranty; the Aqara Camera Hub G5 Pro, PoE (CH-C03E) ships with a 12-month warranty. Always confirm current terms on the manufacturer's site before buying.
Should I wait for the next model instead of buying either of these?+
If either model is more than two years old, a successor may be close — check the "Latest Model" link on each product page. Otherwise, both are current, well-supported options and there's no strong reason to wait.
Cheaper Option
Wyze Cam v4 — $35.98
Specifications and prices for both products last verified . Scores are calculated from published specifications — see how we compare products.