Ubiquiti UniFi Cloud Gateway MaxApple Home
There is not enough model-specific evidence to draw a supported connection. Read the evidence and limits below.
Product Library / Hubs & Controllers
Research profile · last verified 2026-10-03Ubiquiti UniFi Cloud Gateway Max
⚠ Similar names, different products: ⚠ UBIQUITI SELLS THIRTEEN CONSOLES AND MOST OF THEM ARE NOT WHAT A CAMERA BUYER NEEDS. The Cloud Gateway ULTRA sits one rung below at $129 and looks like the obvious cheap entry — it is a router, and Ubiquiti's own spec sheet for it names no camera recording storage at all. The thing to look for is not the price or the name but the phrase 'selectable NVR storage' and a Protect tick in the specification table. Also distinct: the Dream Machine and Dream Router lines, the UNVR and Enterprise NVR recorders (which scale to hundreds of cameras), and the CloudKey+ — all run Protect, all cost differently, and none is this product.
Compatibility at a glance
Does it work with your platform?
Choose your platform to see its setup and functions. Your choice carries across product pages.
A connection can work while individual controls or automations remain unconfirmed. Read the connection details ↓
Protocols: ETHERNET · BLUETOOTH[1][17]
Before you buy
What do you need to make it work?
Same position — no Apple Home, HomeKit or Matter claim appears on any Ubiquiti surface read. Ubiquiti does not name Matter anywhere in its physical-security documentation, so there is not even a protocol-level route to reason about.[3][19]
Ubiquiti UniFi Cloud Gateway MaxGoogle Home
There is not enough model-specific evidence to draw a supported connection. Read the evidence and limits below.
Same position as Alexa — Ubiquiti says nothing about Google on any page we read.[3][19]
Ubiquiti UniFi Cloud Gateway MaxAmazon Alexa
There is not enough model-specific evidence to draw a supported connection. Read the evidence and limits below.
Not established. Ubiquiti names no voice assistant and no third-party smart-home platform on any of the three first-party surfaces read for this record. That is qualified silence rather than an evidenced absence — a vendor that publishes no compatibility list has told you nothing, not told you no. ⊕ Worth knowing about the architecture rather than guessing from it: UniFi Protect is designed as a self-contained local system with its own apps, which is the shape least likely to carry a cloud voice integration — but shape is not evidence.[3][19]
Ubiquiti UniFi Cloud Gateway MaxSmartThings
There is not enough model-specific evidence to draw a supported connection. Read the evidence and limits below.
Same position — SmartThings is not named on any Ubiquiti page we read.[3][19]
Follow the documented setup. Read the equipment details and connection limits below.
Connect over your home network
Ubiquiti UniFi Cloud Gateway Max
- Ubiquiti UniFi Cloud Gateway MaxUbiquiti UniFi Cloud Gateway Max
- Local networkHome networkLocal network connection
- Local integrationHome AssistantPlatform app
What you gainReach the device through its documented local network integration.
Keep in mindRead the setup notes for required credentials, firmware, pairing and supported functions. Local communication does not establish every function or remote access.
Which features come through?
Check the function table and setup notes for this route. An alternative connection does not inherit every capability of the recorded primary connection. A Thread border router, a Matter controller and a platform home hub are different roles; suitable hardware may provide more than one.
Sources for these setup paths
- Setup documentation · checked 2026-10-03
These paths summarize documented setup options. Check the function table for the connection covered by each recorded capability.
The Home Assistant route here comes from the Home Assistant side rather than from Ubiquiti. Home Assistant's official UniFi Protect integration carries its top quality rating and runs entirely on your own network with no round-trip to anyone's servers and no waiting for it to check, the top of both scales it is measured on. It says it 'supports all UniFi OS Consoles that can run UniFi Protect', which is what this box is, and it brings in the cameras, floodlights, sensors, chimes, sirens and the recorder itself, with live streams, motion and object detection, event notifications and recorded footage. ⚠ Two conditions Home Assistant states outright: only UniFi Protect running on a UniFi OS console is supported, and 'Home Assistant requires UniFi Protect 7.2.105 or later', with early-access builds explicitly unsupported and liable to break. So keep this box off the early-access channel if Home Assistant is part of the plan.[4][20]
One device can provide more than one role. These are setup requirements, not a shopping list of separate purchases.
What could you do with this?
Put its functions to use.
Start with a documented control or event. The selected connection shows what is confirmed for that platform.
We have not established a control or event to illustrate for this product. Check the connection and equipment information above.
No device actions or events are documented.
No device actions or events are documented.
No device actions or events are documented.
No device actions or events are documented.
No device actions or events are documented.
A documented control or event is one part of a setup. It does not by itself establish a complete automation.
A platform connection does not confirm every function. Controls and reported events are shown separately from what an automation can use.
- Controls
- None documented by the vendor
- Reported events
- None documented by the vendor
Individual function comparisons are not available. The control and event summaries above distinguish an unanswered question from a documented absence.
Listed device functions are established from vendor documentation. An ability missing here is unestablished, not necessarily absent.
Connection details and setup sources
| Ecosystem | Support | The catch |
|---|---|---|
| Amazon Alexa | InconclusiveWe researched this and the evidence doesn't settle it — the catch explains why[3][19] | Not established. Ubiquiti names no voice assistant and no third-party smart-home platform on any of the three first-party surfaces read for this record. That is qualified silence rather than an evidenced absence — a vendor that publishes no compatibility list has told you nothing, not told you no. ⊕ Worth knowing about the architecture rather than guessing from it: UniFi Protect is designed as a self-contained local system with its own apps, which is the shape least likely to carry a cloud voice integration — but shape is not evidence. |
| Google Home | InconclusiveWe researched this and the evidence doesn't settle it — the catch explains why[3][19] | Same position as Alexa — Ubiquiti says nothing about Google on any page we read. |
| Apple Home | InconclusiveWe researched this and the evidence doesn't settle it — the catch explains why[3][19] | Same position — no Apple Home, HomeKit or Matter claim appears on any Ubiquiti surface read. Ubiquiti does not name Matter anywhere in its physical-security documentation, so there is not even a protocol-level route to reason about. |
| SmartThings | InconclusiveWe researched this and the evidence doesn't settle it — the catch explains why[3][19] | Same position — SmartThings is not named on any Ubiquiti page we read. |
| Home Assistant | WorksWorks with this ecosystem[4][20] | The Home Assistant route here comes from the Home Assistant side rather than from Ubiquiti. Home Assistant's official UniFi Protect integration carries its top quality rating and runs entirely on your own network with no round-trip to anyone's servers and no waiting for it to check, the top of both scales it is measured on. It says it 'supports all UniFi OS Consoles that can run UniFi Protect', which is what this box is, and it brings in the cameras, floodlights, sensors, chimes, sirens and the recorder itself, with live streams, motion and object detection, event notifications and recorded footage. ⚠ Two conditions Home Assistant states outright: only UniFi Protect running on a UniFi OS console is supported, and 'Home Assistant requires UniFi Protect 7.2.105 or later', with early-access builds explicitly unsupported and liable to break. So keep this box off the early-access channel if Home Assistant is part of the plan. |
? Inconclusive means we researched that ecosystem and the evidence doesn’t settle it — the catch says why, and the sources are listed below. It is a statement about the available evidence, never a verdict on the product. A Setup Check researches your exact setup where the official sources don’t answer.
Plans and ongoing costs[3][19]
✓ Works without a subscription: Yes.
Vendor account required: Not established — we have not sourced this yet.
⭐ ONE OF THE CLEAREST NO-SUBSCRIPTION ANSWERS IN THIS CATALOGUE, because Ubiquiti puts it in writing and in the negative rather than leaving it to inference. Asked whether Protect carries fees, its own page answers: 'Absolutely not. Our goal is to provide you with a feature-rich security solution without any hidden or recurring fees.' And on scale: 'Run 4 or 4,000 cameras - licensing is still $0. UniFi Protect handles all AI and recording on your local UNVR or Enterprise NVR, eliminating cloud fees, subscriptions, and paid AI add-ons.' The AI detection that most camera vendors on this site paywall runs locally here at no charge. ⚠ The cost is front-loaded instead: this console plus a disk plus PoE cameras is a large first cheque compared with a $99 camera and a $5/month plan. Ubiquiti's store does sell one yearly add-on beside this console, CyberSecure at $99 a year, which adds extra network threat signatures; it touches neither the cameras nor remote access, which Ubiquiti calls 'a free, optional feature'.
Maintenance and offline use
- Works without the internet: Yes — the core function runs on the device or your home network. A vendor cloud may still be involved in remote access.[8][15][22]
- Mains device meant to run continuously — it is simultaneously the household router and the video recorder, so its uptime is both the network's and the cameras'. Power is modest for what it does: 'USB type C (5V DC/5A)' with an included adapter and a maximum draw of '16.1W'. Networking is five 2.5 GbE RJ45 ports, one of them the default WAN. ⚠ It has no PoE output of its own — the tech specs list none — so cameras need either a PoE switch or per-camera injectors, which is a cost this console does not include.
- Security updates: UniFi publishes no security-update support date for this model. That is a gap in what the manufacturer has published, not evidence either way — some makers declare a support period and some say nothing at all.[6][21]
The catch
The price you see is not the price you pay to record anything. Storage is a build option, and Ubiquiti is explicit that a disk is what saves footage — so the cheapest configuration gives you live view and nothing kept. It also puts no Wi-Fi in the house: Ubiquiti's specification for this gateway lists five Ethernet ports and names no wireless radio at all, so access points are another line on the bill. The console has no PoE output either, so powering cameras means a PoE switch or injectors on top. And read the camera ceiling in the units that matter: fifteen HD cameras sounds generous until you notice it is five at 4K, and Ubiquiti's own flagship camera is 4K. Against all that, what is absent is the running cost — no subscription, no licensing, no paid AI tier, in Ubiquiti's own words.
Who it's for
A household willing to spend once instead of monthly, that wants its video recorded and analysed on a box it owns rather than in a vendor's cloud — and that is comfortable running its own network gear, because this is a router first. For a Home Assistant home it is the shelf's most thoroughly supported option — the official integration is Platinum-rated and fully local. A household that just wants two cameras and an app should look at the subscription cameras instead; this is a system, not a device.
This opens UniFi's own website. We earn nothing from this link.
Sources & method
Numbered sources below back the facts marked with the matching number above. This is a research profile: compiled from manufacturer documentation, certification registries, and published testing — we state facts, not verdicts, and we have not physically tested this unit. How we work →
22 numbered sources· read them in the source's own words
- [1] techspecs.ui.com, UniFi Cloud Gateway Max (UCG-Max) — Read on the maker's own site, verified 2026-09-17Backs: Product identity, Protocols, Power source, Installation, Required hub or bridge
- [2] store.ui.com, Cloud Gateway Max product page — Read on the maker's own site, verified 2026-09-17Backs: Price, Product identity, Market availability
- [3] ui.com, UniFi Physical Security — Read on the maker's own site, verified 2026-09-17Backs: Subscription, Research status, Amazon Alexa compatibility, Google Home compatibility, Apple Home compatibility, SmartThings compatibility
- [4] home-assistant.io, unifiprotect integration — Read what the other company publishes, verified 2026-08-17Backs: Home Assistant compatibility
- [5] This catalogue's own hub-edge data, swept 2026-08-19 against the 111 manufacturer records in src/data/manufacturers/., verified 2026-08-19
- [6] Ubiquiti's own surfaces, read 2026-08-20 with the tab content open for the first time (the 2026-08-20 tab-expansion ruling). (1) ui.com/security-updates — a live advisory stream, latest seen "Security Advisory Bulletin 066", tagged Official, spanning Cloud Gateways/CloudKeys, Protect and Network; 3,777 characters rendered with 2,503 more present in the DOM. (2) techspecs.ui.com — the specification tables that were unreadable until now: the G4 Doorbell page renders 2,326 characters and carries 20,364 in the document (mechanical, optics, video, system, network rows in full). NO support-period language appears in any of it. (3) help.ui.com's "Ubiquiti's Vintage and Legacy Products" article, which defines both end-states without a duration: Vintage products "will continue to receive critical bug fixes and security updates, and remain compatible with our management tools and customer support"; Legacy products "have stopped receiving updates and are no longer distributed by Ubiquiti". Neither definition carries a date, a number of years, or a trigger, and this product is listed in neither state. (4) The ~195,000 characters of Ubiquiti compliance and legal pages already read on an earlier pass, which contained zero support-period language. — Read the original source directly, verified 2026-08-20Backs: Security-update support period
- [7] Ubiquiti's own technical specifications page for the UCG-Max, read 2026-08-20 through the rendered rung. The enumerated specification carries networking hardware and nothing else: "5 (2.5G/1G/100M/10M)" Ethernet ports, "(1) 2.5 GbE RJ45" default WAN, "Ethernet Bluetooth" management, "(1) Factory reset" button, a "0.96\" status display", "IDS/IPS Throughput 2.3 Gbps", "55,000+ with CyberSecure" IDS/IPS signatures, an "Application-Aware Layer 7 Firewall", and "USB type C (5V DC/5A)" power. No sensor and no smart-home controllable function appears anywhere in it. — Read on the maker's own site, verified 2026-08-20Backs: Capabilities
- [8] Ubiquiti Help Center, "How UniFi Protect Protects Your Data" — under "Recordings Stay Local": "All video recordings are stored locally on your UniFi OS Console, such as the UNVR or Cloud Gateway Max. You are in full control of your data retention, storage configuration, and access policies. There's no cloud backup of your video by default." Under "AI is Local, Too": "All detection, recognition, and AI-enhanced video processing happens on your local network, not in the cloud." Corroborated by "UniFi Local Management": "UniFi Local Management is essential for instances when users experience an Internet outage and need to manage their deployment locally or for customers who prefer a fully airgapped setup without any cloud management." (https://help.ui.com/hc/en-us/articles/28457353760919-UniFi-Local-Management, read 2026-08-22) — Read the original source directly, verified 2026-08-22Backs: Works without the internet
- [9] Ubiquiti, UniFi Cloud Gateway Max (UCG-Max) tech specs — the Overview table, verbatim: "UniFi Application Suite — Network ✓ Protect ✓ Access ✓ Talk ✓ Connect ✓" · "Managed UniFi Devices 30+" · "Managed Cameras (15) HD (8) 2K (5) 4K" · "Managed Access Hubs 50" · "Simultaneous Users Connected 300+". — Read on the maker's own site, verified 2026-09-02Backs: What it provides to your home
- [10] the record's own customer-facing prose fields as they stood before 2026-09-06 (no new external read), verified 2026-09-06
- [11] https://techspecs.ui.com/unifi/cloud-gateways/ucg-max (read 2026-09-10), under 'Software Application Requirements': 'Mobile App — UniFi iOS and Android: Version 10.17.2 and later.' — Read on the maker's own site, verified 2026-09-10Backs: App platforms
- [12] https://techspecs.ui.com/unifi/cloud-gateways/ucg-max (read 2026-09-10) lists 'Management: Ethernet, Bluetooth' and names no wireless LAN radio, no 802.11 standard and no band anywhere on the sheet. The Wi-Fi bands stay blank. Worth a separate look rather than a silent edit here: this record lists Wi-Fi among its protocols, and Ubiquiti's specification for this gateway does not describe a Wi-Fi radio. Out of this spec's scope, which changes only the three descriptive attributes. — Read on the maker's own site, verified 2026-09-10
- [13] Record audit, 2026-09-17: the note's claim of three surfaces on 2026-08-17 compared with the entries carrying that date, verified 2026-09-17
- [14] this record's own lifecycle note as it stood before 2026-09-19 (no new external read): its wording was rewritten so it reads in plain language. No fact, date, source or value changed, and the earlier wording is kept on this record., verified 2026-09-19
- [15] Ubiquiti's own Trust Center page says a UniFi Cloud Gateway keeps routing traffic, enforcing firewall rules and accepting a local login when Ubiquiti's cloud is unreachable, and that a UniFi setup can be run entirely offline. Camera recordings the gateway keeps for UniFi Protect stay on it and are never stored in Ubiquiti's cloud. Phone alerts and software updates need the internet. — Read on the maker's own site, verified 2026-09-22Backs: Works without the internet
- [16] the record's own customer-facing prose fields as they stood before 2026-09-23 (no new external read), verified 2026-09-23
- [17] Ubiquiti's specification page for the Cloud Gateway Max (UCG-Max), read in full on 2026-10-03. "UniFi Application Suite Network ✓ Protect ✓ Access ✓ Talk ✓ Connect ✓"; "Managed Cameras (15) HD (8) 2K (5) 4K"; "Port Layout 2.5 GbE RJ45 5 (2.5G/1G/100M/10M)"; "Default WAN Ports (1) 2.5 GbE RJ45"; "NVR Storage Selectable NVMe SSD up to 2 TB"; "Max. Power Consumption 16.1W"; "Power Supply USB type C (5V DC/5A) (Adapter included)"; "Management Ethernet Bluetooth"; "Mobile App UniFi iOS™ and Android™: Version 10.17.2 and later". No Wi-Fi radio, 802.11 standard, band or PoE output appears anywhere on the sheet. — Read the original source directly, verified 2026-10-03Backs: Product identity, Protocols, Power source, Installation, Required hub or bridge, What it provides to your home, App platforms, Capabilities, Research status
- [18] Ubiquiti's US store page, read in full on 2026-10-03: "Cloud Gateway Max UCG-Max $279.00 $307.00 Surcharge incl.", described as "Compact 2.5G Cloud Gateway with 30+ UniFi device / 300+ client support, 2.3 Gbps IPS routing, and selectable NVR storage.", with storage options "No Storage 512 GB 1 TB 2 TB". Offered beside it: "UI Care 5 Year Coverage" at "$59.00/unit" and "Enhanced Cyber Security CyberSecure protection powered by Proofpoint's security experts and 1,000s of threat signatures with real‑time updates. Billed Annually. $99.00/unit". — Read the original source directly, verified 2026-10-03Backs: Price, Product identity, Market availability
- [19] Ubiquiti's UniFi Physical Security page, read in full on 2026-10-03. 'What do I need to get started?' answers "A UniFi Console running Protect" and gives Cloud Gateways as "Capable of managing up to 20 HD cameras or 7 4K cameras." 'Are there any fees?' answers "Absolutely not. Our goal is to provide you with a feature-rich security solution without any hidden or recurring fees." The licensing section reads "Run 4 or 4,000 cameras - licensing is still $0. UniFi Protect handles all AI and recording on your local UNVR or Enterprise NVR, eliminating cloud fees, subscriptions, and paid AI add-ons." The access answer ends "Remote management is a free, optional feature." — Read the original source directly, verified 2026-10-03Backs: Subscription, Amazon Alexa compatibility, Google Home compatibility, Apple Home compatibility, SmartThings compatibility
- [20] Home Assistant's UniFi Protect integration page, read in full on 2026-10-03. Hardware: the integration "supports all UniFi OS Consoles that can run UniFi Protect." and "Only UniFi Protect running on a UniFi OS Console is supported." Software: "Home Assistant requires UniFi Protect 7.2.105 or later." and "Early Access and Release Candidate versions are not supported by Home Assistant." Device support: "All known UniFi Protect devices should be supported.", with sections for cameras, floodlights, smart sensors, viewers, the smart chime, relays, sirens and the NVR. Footer: "Its IoT class is Local Push." and "🏆 Platinum quality". — Read what the other company publishes, verified 2026-10-03Backs: Home Assistant compatibility
- [21] Ubiquiti's community release feed filtered to security updates, read in full on 2026-10-03 (rendered; a plain read returns only a loading shell). Newest entry "Security Advisory Bulletin 069", tagged 'Official' and 'Cloud Gateways / CloudKeys', released 11 days before the read; the list runs back to Bulletin 040, several tagged 'Cloud Gateways / CloudKeys' and 'Protect'. No entry or page text states how long any product receives security updates. — Read the original source directly, verified 2026-10-03Backs: Security-update support period
- [22] Ubiquiti's Trust Center page, read in full on 2026-10-03 ("This was last updated on July 13, 2026."). Under the cloud being unreachable: "Network Continuity Devices continue to route traffic, enforce firewall rules, and authenticate users." and "Local Administration You can still log in to your on-prem UniFi Cloud Gateway, CloudKey, or self-hosted Network Server via local IP or a direct connection (e.g., VPN)." Under where cloud integration is required: "If you prefer, you can operate your UniFi deployment entirely offline, using local login access or manual VPN/port forwarding for remote management." Under UniFi Protect: "Footage is never stored in our cloud." — Read the original source directly, verified 2026-10-03Backs: Works without the internet
Compatibility and lifecycle information reflects the last-verified date above and can change without notice (firmware updates, cloud-service changes, discontinuations). It is provided as-is, for information — verify with the manufacturer before purchasing. Spot an error? Tell us and we'll fix it. Full terms: Terms of Service.
Check Ubiquiti UniFi Cloud Gateway Max with your setup.
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