The myQ Smart Garage Camera is designed specifically for Chamberlain and LiftMaster garage door opener owners and integrates directly into the myQ ecosystem. But like most security cameras today, the full feature set is locked behind a subscription. Here’s exactly what you get at each tier and whether it’s worth paying for.
The bottom line upfront: Without a paid plan, you get live view and motion alerts only — no video history. If you buy a myQ camera expecting to review footage after the fact, you need a subscription.
What You Get Without a Plan
Out of the box, without any subscription, myQ cameras give you motion detection alerts and live view — you can open the app and watch a real-time stream at any time. What you don’t get is any video history. Once a motion event passes, it’s gone.
The myQ Garage Camera comes with a 30-day free trial of the video storage plan. After that it reverts to no plan unless you subscribe. myQ cameras also have no SD card slot, so a subscription is the only path to video history — there’s no local storage workaround.
The myQ Video Storage Plans
myQ currently offers three paid tiers — Basic, Essential, and Ultra:
Plan Comparison at a Glance
Which Plan Should You Get?
Basic ($24.99/yr) is only available if you have a Chamberlain Secure View garage door opener with an integrated camera. It’s a solid entry-level option for 7 days of history, but it lacks smart detection and detection zones. If you qualify and only need basic video history, it’s the cheapest path in.
Essential ($79.99/yr) is the plan most myQ camera owners should get. It covers any single myQ device, gives you 14 days of history, and unlocks smart detection for people, vehicles, packages and animals, plus detection zones so you can filter out irrelevant motion. For a single garage camera this is the sweet spot.
Ultra ($149.99/yr) makes sense if you have two or more myQ cameras. Unlimited device coverage means it quickly becomes more cost-effective than paying for multiple Essential plans. It also adds 30-day history, video search, and the ability to connect locks and thermostats — useful if you’re building out a broader myQ smart home setup.
The no-SD-card problem:
Unlike cameras from Wyze, Reolink, or Blink that allow local storage on a microSD card, myQ cameras have no local storage option. A subscription is the only way to access any video history — there is no workaround. This makes the Essential plan more or less mandatory for anyone who wants full value from the camera.
Essential for 1 Camera, Ultra for 2+
Without a plan you can’t review past footage — and myQ cameras have no SD card slot, so there’s no local storage alternative. For most owners with a single myQ camera, the Essential plan at $79.99 per year is the right call. It unlocks smart detection, detection zones, and 14 days of history. If you have two or more cameras, the Ultra plan’s unlimited device coverage makes it the better value at $149.99 per year.
Looking for a garage camera with free local storage? Check out our guide to garage door security cameras for alternatives that don’t require a subscription.
This article is part of our myQ Garage Camera Reviews guide.
