Nest Aware Price Jump

[DJHussey]

Just got my email notification. 25% increase from $120 to $150/year?  I don't think so.  Looks like I'll cancel before my renewal, have no cloud storage for now until I find a more reasonable alternative.

If you're going to raise prices that much, give us some reason to stay with the service. 

[MplsCustomer]

@Enfuego767 

Until now, Google Nest has not raised the price on their Nest Aware and Nest Aware Plus subscriptions since they were first introduced in May 2020:

https://www.xda-developers.com/google-launches-nest-aware-subscription-service/

[MplsCustomer]

@Jdmaharg 

If you check the post on XDA-Developers above, you'll see that when the new Nest Aware and Nest Aware Plus subscriptions were first rolled out in May 2020, the initial annual subscription rates were $60 and $120, respectively. And we've paid $120/year for Nest Aware Plus in 2021, 2022, and 2023.

[roboref]

Who the hell cares! There’s no reason for ANY increase. It’s a **bleep**ing camera and doorbell!  I can install a doorbell for $20 and a set of 6 outdoor cameras for $50 which is way cheaper than their **bleep** service for $80 a year!!!! 

[APC80]

And fix the Max.. cameras been bust since the updated software roll out. It has no nest aware, it has no video calling. Why are you asking for increased subs again?

[Luceriv]

£10 increase on subscription fee from £50 per year!!

HOW DO YOU JUSTIFY THAT, GOOGLE? 

Definitely worth looking elsewhere.  

[Jdmaharg]

They can't and they won't 

[kpathome]

i'm quite confused about the price increases.  mine is going up 60% from $100 to $160, way excessive. 

[Jdmaharg]

Make room for AI

[Bel2]

Mine from $ 140 to $ 230

[ArrEmm13]

Hi Folks,  CHECK YOUR BANK STATEMENTS.

Google has been DOUBLE CHARGING many of us for years, ever since the "migration" from Nest to Google Nest. It's easy, just run a search in your bank statements for "Nest."

I'm seeking others who would be willing to chat about a potential class action lawsuit for this exact reason. They're never going to give us our money back.  Reply here if interested, I'll be speaking with my attorney next week.

[MplsCustomer]

@ArrEmm13 

We migrated our Nest Account to a Google Account in April 2020, have an annual subscription, and have never been double-billed.

[KiiFromGoogle · Accepted solution]

Hi everyone, 

Thanks for visiting the community. Subscription prices can change to keep up with market shifts, which can include inflation and local tax updates.

To learn more, we've answered some common questions about this pricing update over on our Help Center: Learn more about price changes for Nest Aware. 

We appreciate you sharing your thoughts and experiences related to this update, and we'll take it as feedback.

[DJHussey]

I 'Love' that this is the recommended answer. Lol. No bias here. 

[f16_fixr]

This is BS!!!!  You don't increase your prices by skipping a few years then all of a sudden dropping a BOMB on your customers like this!!!!  I have 5 Nest cameras "guarding" my home and to realize that I won't even have one of those cameras recording video footage now, should something happen on my property, is complete crap!!  Come on people!!!

I will be cancelling my Nest Aware subscription ASAP...  

[MplsCustomer]

@f16_fixr 

Before you cancel your Nest Aware subscription, note that I don't think you can get a refund on an annual subscription, and the price increase doesn't take effect until your next annual renewal. (In our case, that's not till June 2024.)

[hirsch22]

No refund, but also no stop to the service you just prepaid for. 

Cancel now. Spend the coming months exploring options, including resubscribing to Google. Zero downside, and maybe they increase their effort to provide a product worth the price. 

[tuffnca]

verify your email because my annual renewal is July 2024 but the email stated it will increase in November, hmmmm ?

[MplsCustomer]

@tuffnca 

The Google Nest email says "This new price increase will go into effect on your next bill that occurs on or after November 6, 2023."

Since our annual subscriptions are prepaid and non-refundable, and since your next bill is in July 2024, I don't think you will need to pay the increased price until yours renews in July. Otherwise they would be retroactively increasing the price on a prepaid subscription.

[MTPot]

How does Google jutify 25% to 33% jump in prices?  Everything is done via Internet, software & storage servers.  This is total greedy BS.  Perhaps, Google needs to un-ass California?  

[Bel2]

Mine was more than 60%! I’m very upset! 

[Dc77]

Yeah, no.

just got my email that I’m going from $50/yr 1st gen Nest Aware to $80/yr plan, which doesn’t include 24/7 recording.

that’s a *60%* increase. And that comes with downgraded service.

I’ll buy a new doorbell for that. One that comes with cheaper video recording.

sorry, but the "market rate" and "local taxes" have not gone up 60% in 4 years.

[tlovett1]

You are about to lose a LOT of customers! Great job price gouging! I will not be renewing! 

[Dc77]

they "can include inflate and local tax updates" (emphasis mine) but in this case, they do not — and it is disingenuous to suggest they do.

the "Market Shifts™" Google is "keeping up with" is "every other company is price gouging their customers, so we want in on some of that sweet, sweet extortion money."

unplanned, unexpected, unwarranted 60% price increases are a thing that loses you customers.

But then, since when has Google ever been concerned about losing customers?

Anyone else get the email that Google Play Movies & TV is going away? How many other Google-branded products have they just up and decided to drop as soon as there was not a steady profit stream after people had fully integrated them? G+? Google Wave?

[siglerjorge]

30% increase in taxes??? The hell tax is that?\

[Barnet]

This is just rubbish.  You chaps from Google just keep putting out the same bland silly non statements.  You have upset a lot of people with these ridiculous price rises without giving your customers a proper and detailed explanation. By the comments in this forum, you will lose a lot of customers.

"Subscription prices can change to keep up with market shifts, which can include inflation and local tax updates." - So prices can go up because of inflation or tax changes.  But has inflation and tax changes caused you to put up prices by these exorbitant prices?  Inflation is nowhere near the 20% increase for me, and 60% for other people that have commented.  What tax changes?  Provide details of the tax changes.  If you cant, then why not just own the increase and say that it's all about profit and not covering increased costs - Google feels it can improve profit margins by putting up prices by these amounts?? Don't hide behind opaque non committal statements, and don't treat your customers with such arrogance.  Hubris has been the downfall of many companies.  I fear Google is exhibiting all the signs of such behaviour.....

[Lisa12]

It's totally reasonable that businesses can increase prices inline with the cost of running the business and providing a quality product however a 25% increase is excessively above inflation and some of the google nest cameras have had software changes rendering them almost useless such as my floodlight hardwired camera which is no longer clear enough to recognise facial features especially of a night time. Your subscription fees were already quite high incomparrison to other products on the market, this just makes it a rort.

[Scott164]

This response still does not provide justification for price increases that far exceed the rate of inflation. In fact, the answer seems intended to obscure the true reason for the increase. 

[Barnet]

Are you going to answer the questions and concerns raised by me and the others on this "chat" or are you going to continue to ignore us, your customers? This is an abject lesson in how not to deal with customers.

[hirsch22]

Times are tough.  Google is struggling to make ends meet.  Where's your charitable spirit?  Give until it hurts. 

[Barnet]

Hi KiiFromGoogle.  The silence from you is deafening.  Are you going to answer the questions raised by people on this thread?  Please don't ignore us.  Also, please don't let people come to the conclusion that Google really doesn't care about its customers and is increasing prices purely to increase profits which is the conclusion that most people will come to in the absence of a proper response from you.  Please come back to us KiiFromGoogle.  We very much look forward to hearing from you.  Thanks in advance.

[skreger67]

30%?  Really?  At least make it incremental over time.  Give some folks an opportunity to adjust because that's what we do, we adjust to corporate greed slowly.  It's like the crab boiling in the pot.  People are having enough trouble making ends meet just to have you add 30% to their security costs.  Shame on you Google!  Just another example of corporate greed.  Apparently you don't care.  Even started a thread to deal with the backlash but still don't care. 

[taradavey]

I just shelled out and bought 2 new nest cameras with my tax refund because I now live alone in a dodgy area and haven't felt safe.
Less than 2 weeks later I get an email about the price increase for the subscription and now my cameras are basically redundant as I can't afford that subscription price, and if somebody does something at night the footage will be erased by morning.

A huge f*** you to google. Wasted $500 on buying cameras and I now can't afford the subscription.

[Tom1230]

Can you return them? 

[Jdmaharg]

That's how Google "DO!"

Great hardware.  No doubt.  Terrible software and support.   We all should expect and demand more transparency from Google before shelling out for under serviced hardware. 

[pgekas]

What a fantastic opportunity for Google competitors! I, like many, have Nest Aware and Nest Aware Plus (different properties) and would weigh up Google vs others. So, I'm investing in Google hardware and looking for a new supplier ... any new security system suppliers offering rebate on upgrades from Google?
No doubt Google will see an increase in their ARR (Annual Recurring Revenue) but it will not be 25% as there will be so many who dump the Google subscription products

[Bel2]

Mine increase 60%, I’m very upset about it and feeling a hostage by Nest! 

[MplsCustomer]

@Bel2 

If your price jumped 60%, perhaps you're still on 1st gen Nest Aware subscriptions, and should consider migrating your Nest Account to a Google Account (we migrated in 2020) and getting either a Nest Aware (now $80/year) or Nest Aware Plus (now $150/year) subscription that covers all cameras and doorbells in the same Google Nest "home/structure".

[Dc77]

The 60% increase is exactly that - moving $50/yr 1st gen Accts (in my case) to new $80/yr Accts, with fewer features!

it’s unconscionable

[tuffnca]

my biggest concern is that my email stated on your next annual payment however I renewed in July 2023 and the email states it will increase in November, what's up with that ???

[Sue3333]

I’m still trying to take all this option stuff in . My brain is overwhelmed abit .

To clarify for me if one was to upgrade to that nest awareplus ( I have three 1st gen nest cams / wired) then I would get back to live / recorded history 24/7 again for 10 days befor it rolls off. Right?

willi be able to get the email/ text  alerts on my iPhone option when I’m away from my house if someone enters my house? 
what about my phone nest app I use now will it still be operational ? 
Or do I have to use a google type app instead?