Ecobee Smart Security subscription changes are reshaping how the company charges for doorbell and camera monitoring, and existing customers with multi-camera setups need to pay attention. Starting now, Ecobee is rolling out three subscription tiers that fundamentally alter what features come bundled and at what cost, potentially leaving longtime users with fewer capabilities unless they commit to keeping their current plans through the end of 2026.
Key Takeaways
- Ecobee Smart Security subscription changes introduce three tiers: Core (free), Plus ($5/month), Advanced ($10/month for unlimited cameras)
- Multi-camera support moves from bundled plans to the Advanced tier, limiting Plus subscribers to single-camera detection
- Existing subscribers lock pricing through December 2026 if they don’t change or cancel plans; any change triggers new pricing immediately
- 24/7 Professional Monitoring is now optional, not bundled, giving users more control but requiring separate payment
- Activity Feed now stores up to 6 months of whole-home history across supported devices
What Ecobee Smart Security subscription changes actually mean for you
The new structure simplifies Ecobee’s offering but introduces hard limits. The Core tier remains free and includes built-in protection, but detection features are gated behind paid plans. Plus ($5/month or $50/year) adds People and Package Detection for one camera, 30-day event history for one camera, and smoke alarm listening. Advanced ($10/month or $100/year) unlocks the same features for unlimited cameras—a critical difference for anyone running two or more cameras.
This tiering strategy matters because existing Ecobee Complete subscribers who paid $10/month bundled monitoring and multi-camera support. Under the new model, those customers either pay $10/month for Advanced (same price, but monitoring is now optional) or drop to Plus and lose unlimited-camera coverage entirely. The flexibility sounds good in theory. In practice, it penalizes multi-camera households.
The loyalty cliff: why your current plan expires after 2026
Ecobee is locking existing subscribers into their current pricing and feature set through December 31, 2026, or January 2027 if your subscription remains active and unchanged. This is the company’s way of softening the transition, but it also creates a hard deadline. On January 1, 2027, if you haven’t grandfathered your old plan, you’ll be moved to the new tiered structure automatically.
The catch is ruthless: any plan change, cancellation, or lapse ends your legacy pricing immediately. This means if you pause your subscription for a month, upgrade to add a new camera, or downgrade to save money, you lose the grace period and jump to new pricing right away. Customers with Smart Doorbell Camera (wired) installations need to understand this before making any subscription adjustments.
How the new tiers compare to your current setup
If you’re currently on an Ecobee Complete or multi-camera plan, the Advanced tier is your only path to keep unlimited-camera detection. The Plus tier cuts you off at one camera for People and Package Detection, making it unsuitable for whole-home security. The Advanced plan also includes enhanced energy savings features, which may offset the cost for some users, but it’s not a replacement for the simplicity of your existing bundled plan.
For comparison, some users have explored cellular-based alternatives like Cove, which offers cheaper monitoring subscriptions but operates on a different architecture and ecosystem. Ecobee’s Wi-Fi-based approach remains tightly integrated with its SmartCamera with voice control and Smart Doorbell Camera, so switching ecosystems entirely is a bigger decision than just comparing subscription costs.
What you need to do right now
If you own multiple Ecobee cameras or a Smart Doorbell Camera and want to keep unlimited multi-camera detection, take no action on your subscription until late 2026. Your current plan is locked in at current pricing and features through the end of the year. Document your current plan details—take a screenshot of your subscription settings in the Ecobee app (Account > Subscriptions) or via subscribe.ecobee.com—so you have proof of what you had when the transition happens.
New customers get a 1-month free trial with eligible device setup, which gives you a chance to test the tiers before committing. If you’re considering adding a second camera, do it before making any subscription changes, since adding devices can trigger the loss of grandfathered pricing.
Is 24/7 Professional Monitoring worth the extra cost now?
Professional Monitoring is no longer bundled into Ecobee’s plans—it’s now an optional add-on you pay for separately. This unbundling gives you control: you can run Advanced for $10/month without monitoring, or add monitoring if you want professional emergency response. Previously, Ecobee Complete bundled both, forcing you to pay for monitoring even if you didn’t need it. The tradeoff is that monitoring costs are now opaque. Ecobee doesn’t publish the add-on price publicly, so you’ll need to check the app or contact support to see what it costs in your region.
How long is the 6-month Activity Feed history available?
The new Activity Feed improvement allows you to review up to 6 months of whole-home history, a significant jump from previous retention windows. This applies to all subscription tiers with the feature enabled, giving you a longer window to review events and catch security issues you might have missed initially. The extended history is one of the few genuine improvements in the new structure.
Will my old Ecobee doorbell work with the new plans?
Yes. The Smart Doorbell Camera (wired) works with all three tiers, but detection capabilities are limited by your subscription level. If you’re on Plus, you get People and Package Detection for that one doorbell. If you add a second camera on Plus, you lose detection on both devices. Advanced unlocks detection across all cameras.
The Ecobee Smart Security subscription changes are a case study in how simplifying pricing can actually complicate life for existing power users. Existing multi-camera subscribers should treat the 2026 deadline as a hard cutoff and plan accordingly. If you’re happy with your current setup, do nothing and enjoy the grace period. But come January 2027, be ready to either commit to Advanced or accept single-camera limitations.
Where to Buy
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Edited by the All Things Geek team.
Source: T3
