AI Video Surveillance Pricing Per-Camera Plans and a Free Forever Tier
Surveillant pricing starts at $100 per camera per month, with a free forever plan that needs no credit card. Every plan is per camera with no hardware to buy and no long-term contract, so you pay only for the cameras you connect.
Last updated July 2026
Per-camera pricing · Smart Sampling on every plan · Choose by number of cameras
No credit card. See AI analysis on your own footage: 2 cameras, 1 live stream, 2 videos/day up to 5 min, 5 GB storage, 3-day retention, Surveillant AI Base model.
Plus plan
Get started with AI-powered surveillance. 2 cameras, $100/camera/mo.
USD
per month
$1,008 billed annually
- Up to 2 cameras monitoring
- 10 videos/day upload & analysis
- Videos up to 1 hour each
- 50 GB cloud storage
- Surveillant AI Base model analysis
- Email alert notifications
- Natural language video search
Pro plan
Advanced AI surveillance for growing security needs. 6 cameras, $108/camera/mo.
USD
per month
$3,780 billed annually
Everything in Plus and:
- Up to 6 cameras
- 50 videos/day upload & analysis
- Videos up to 4 hours each
- 500 GB cloud storage
- Surveillant AI Pro model available
- Custom AI detection prompts
- Webhook & Slack notifications
- Up to 5 users
- Priority support
Elite plan
Enterprise-grade surveillance for large operations. 20 cameras, $100/camera/mo.
USD
per month
$10,494 billed annually
Everything in Pro and:
- Up to 20 cameras
- 200 videos/day upload & analysis
- Videos up to 12 hours each
- 2 TB cloud storage
- Zone-based polygon detection
- Schedule-based alert activation
- Advanced alert lifecycle management
- Up to 20 users
- 24/7 dedicated support
Enterprise plan
Custom surveillance solutions for large-scale deployments
Please message us and we'll tailor a plan to your camera count.
Everything in Elite and:
- 20+ cameras, unlimited number of cameras
- Unlimited video uploads
- Unlimited storage
- On-premise deployment option
- Custom integrations & API
- SSO / SAML authentication
- Advanced access control
- Transparent token/cost tracking
- Unlimited users
Every Plan Includes
Core capabilities to power your security operations, regardless of plan size.
Multi-Format Video Upload
Upload MP4, MOV, AVI, WMV, FLV, MKV, WebM up to 500MB with chunked upload
Dual Analysis Modes
Frame-by-frame with Smart Sampling or whole video AI analysis via Surveillant AI
Natural Language Search
Search footage with plain text queries powered by Surveillant AI
Smart Alert Rules Engine
8 alert types: intrusion, loitering, weapon detection, custom AI, and more
RTSP & ONVIF Camera Support
Connect existing IP cameras via RTSP streams and ONVIF protocol without replacement
Live Streaming with Continuous AI Detection
Watch live HLS video in-app while Surveillant AI analyzes every camera continuously for people and vehicles
NVR Compatibility
Works with Hikvision, Dahua, Uniview, Axis, Bosch, Hanwha NVR systems
Encrypted Storage
AES-256 encryption at rest and in transit, SOC 2-aligned (Type II audit in progress)
Technical Support
Tier-based SLA with expert support for all subscribers
REST API Access
Full API with webhooks for custom integrations
AI Video Surveillance Pricing Models Explained
AI video surveillance is sold three ways: per camera per month, tiered by feature, or hardware plus a multi-year license. Surveillant uses the per-camera subscription model at $100 per camera per month on Plus and $108 per camera per month on Pro, with no hardware purchase, because the cameras you already own do the capturing and our software does the thinking.
The number that varies most across vendors is not the software line. It is whether you are also buying cameras. Analytics-only add-ons that bolt onto an existing VMS commonly run $3 to $15 per camera per month, while full cloud platforms that include AI analysis, storage, retention, and alerting price higher because they replace several line items at once. Systems built on proprietary cameras add roughly $600 to $3,500 per camera up front before any software is billed.
Last updated July 2026
| Pricing model | How it bills | Up-front hardware | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Per camera, per month | One predictable rate per connected camera | None | Teams with working cameras who want cost to scale linearly (Surveillant sits here) |
| Tiered by feature | Advanced analytics and longer retention sit in higher tiers | None | Sites that need heavy analytics on a few cameras only |
| Hardware plus license | Capital purchase, then a per-camera license, often multi-year | Roughly $600 to $3,500 per camera | Greenfield sites wanting one vendor for cameras and software |
Ranges reflect 2026 vendor and reseller estimates and change over time. For the full breakdown of every cost component and cost by camera count, see our guide to AI video analytics cost.
Common Questions
How much does AI video surveillance software cost?
Surveillant starts at $199/month on the Plus plan (2 cameras) and $649/month on the Pro plan (6 cameras). A free forever plan covers 2 cameras with no credit card. Pricing is per camera with no hardware purchase and no long-term contract, and every connected camera is analysed continuously, around the clock.
How much is Surveillant per camera?
Surveillant is $100 per camera per month on the Plus plan and $100 per camera per month on the Elite plan (20 cameras). There is no separate hardware cost because Surveillant runs on your existing RTSP and ONVIF cameras, so the per-camera price is your main recurring cost.
What are the pricing models for AI video surveillance?
Three models dominate. Per camera per month is the most predictable and is what Surveillant uses. Tiered by feature puts advanced analytics and longer retention into higher plans. Hardware plus license means buying proprietary cameras, roughly $600 to $3,500 each, then paying a per-camera license on top, usually on a multi-year term. The hardware decision, not the software rate, drives the total.
How much does cloud video surveillance cost?
Cloud video surveillance is billed per camera per month and typically bundles AI analysis, storage, retention, and alerting into one rate. Surveillant runs $100 per camera per month on Plus and $108 per camera per month on Pro, with a free forever plan for 2 cameras. Because it runs on your existing RTSP and ONVIF cameras, there is no hardware line and no installer visit.
Can I change plans later?
Yes, you can upgrade or downgrade your plan at any time. Changes take effect immediately and billing is prorated.
Is there a free plan?
Yes. Surveillant Free is permanent and requires no credit card. You get 2 cameras, 1 live RTSP stream, up to 2 video uploads per day (5 minutes each), 5 GB of storage, 3-day retention, and Surveillant AI Base model analysis with a $2/month AI usage cap. Upgrade any time directly from your dashboard.
What video formats are supported?
We support MP4, MOV, AVI, WMV, FLV, MKV, and WebM formats. Individual files can be up to 500MB with chunked upload support for reliable transfers on any connection.
What is frame-by-frame vs whole video analysis?
Surveillant offers two analysis modes. Frame-by-frame mode uses Smart Sampling to extract key frames at a tier-based FPS rate and analyzes each frame individually with Surveillant AI. Whole video mode sends the complete video to Surveillant AI for holistic analysis, ideal for understanding sequences of events and temporal patterns across the full footage.
What AI models power the analysis?
Surveillant uses our proprietary Surveillant AI vision platform. The Plus tier includes the Surveillant AI Base model for fast, cost-effective analysis. Pro and above unlock Surveillant AI Pro for deeper understanding and more accurate detection. All tiers include transparent token usage tracking so you can monitor AI costs per analysis.
What camera brands are compatible?
Surveillant works with any IP camera that supports RTSP streams or ONVIF protocol. We have verified compatibility with Hikvision, Dahua, Uniview, Axis, Bosch, and Hanwha NVR systems. No camera replacement is required. Connect your existing infrastructure directly.
What alert types are available?
The alert rules engine supports 8 detection types: intrusion detection, loitering, weapon detection, crowd formation, vehicle violations, abandoned objects, PPE compliance, and custom AI detection prompts. Elite plans add zone-based polygon detection, schedule-based activation, and full alert lifecycle management. Notifications are sent via email, webhook, or Slack.
How does Smart Sampling work?
Smart Sampling extracts frames at a base rate of 0.05 fps (1 frame every 20 seconds) on every plan, then automatically increases sampling 2-3x when motion or people are detected. This delivers full coverage of security-relevant activity at a fraction of the cost of frame-by-frame analysis. Per-camera FPS overrides are available for fine-tuned control.
How is my data secured?
All data is encrypted with AES-256 at rest and in transit. We operate on SOC 2-aligned controls with a Type II audit in progress, and we are GDPR-ready. Enterprise plans include SSO/SAML authentication, advanced access control, and configurable data residency options.
Do you offer volume discounts?
Yes, we offer custom pricing for large deployments. Contact our sales team to discuss your requirements.
Need a Custom Solution?
For large deployments, on-premise installations, or specific compliance requirements, contact us for a custom enterprise solution.