UniFi Protect storage calculator
By Devin Chua · Data checked by Owen Nakamura · Updated · Prices checked UniFi Protect stores recordings on its own console (a Dream Machine, NVR or Cloud Key with a disk), not directly on a NAS, so size that internal drive first. A typical G4/G5 4K camera at H.265 writes about 105 GB a day, so eight cameras for 30 days need roughly 30 TB. The calculator sizes it; below, when a NAS fits Protect and when it doesn’t.
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Size it exactly
Pre-filled for this question: change any input to model your own setup.
25.3 TB of footage over 30 days, +20% overhead = 30.4 TB
Seagate Skyhawk AI 20TB Video Internal Hard Drive HDD – 3.5 Inch SATA 6Gb/s 512MB Cache for DVR NVR Security Camera System with in-House Rescue Services20 TB · CA$61.75/TBCA$1,235Buy on Amazon
Western Digital 18TB WD Purple Pro Surveillance Internal Hard Drive HDD - SATA 6 Gb/s18 TB · CA$66.94/TBCA$1,205Buy on Amazon
Seagate Skyhawk 4TB Video Internal Hard Drive HDD - 3.5 Inch SATA 6Gb/s 64MB Cache for DVR NVR Security Camera System with Drive Health Management4 TB · CA$73.65/TBCA$295Buy on Amazon
Western Digital 8TB WD Purple Surveillance Internal Hard Drive HDD - SATA 6 Gb/s8 TB · CA$75.62/TBCA$605Buy on AmazonHow Protect records, and the bitrates
UniFi Protect records to storage attached to the Protect host (UNVR, Dream Machine Pro/SE, Cloud Key Gen2 Plus), typically with its own hard drives. It records continuously by default, with smart-detection events indexed on top. Ubiquiti's cameras are H.265-capable: a G4/G5 Bullet or Pro (4K) lands around 8–12 Mbps, a G4/G5 at 2K/4MP around 4–5 Mbps, so the storage maths is the same as any H.265 camera; use the calculator with those bitrates.
When a NAS fits Protect, and when it doesn't
The honest answer: UniFi Protect wants its own storage and does not record straight to a general NAS the way Frigate or Surveillance Station do. So a NAS is not a drop-in Protect recorder. Where a NAS does fit is as a backup target: the UNVR and newer Protect hosts can export or back up footage to network storage, so a NAS holds a second copy off the recorder. Size the Protect host's internal drives for your live retention (that is what the calculator does), and add a NAS if you want a resilient backup of the footage.
If you specifically want to record cameras straight to a NAS, Protect is the wrong tool: Frigate or Synology Surveillance Station record to the NAS directly.
Frequently asked questions
How much storage does UniFi Protect need?
It depends on camera resolution and count: a 4K H.265 G4/G5 camera writes about 105 GB a day, so eight cameras for 30 days need roughly 30 TB. Size the Protect host's internal drives with the calculator using your cameras' bitrates.
Can UniFi Protect record to a NAS?
Not as its primary storage: Protect records to storage attached to the Protect host (UNVR, Dream Machine, Cloud Key), not directly to a general NAS. A NAS fits as a backup target for exported footage, not as the live recorder.
What bitrate do UniFi G4/G5 cameras use?
Roughly 8–12 Mbps for a 4K G4/G5 Pro or Bullet at H.265, and about 4–5 Mbps for a 2K/4MP model. Enter those in the calculator to size Protect storage for your setup.
Should I use a NAS or a UNVR for UniFi Protect?
A UNVR (or Dream Machine Pro/SE) for the live recording, since Protect needs its own storage, and optionally a NAS as a backup target for the footage. If you want to record directly to a NAS, use Frigate or Surveillance Station instead of Protect.
Read more
Devin Chua works out which drives, RAM and NVMe cache fit which NAS model at nasdrives.ca, and what the RAID choice means for usable capacity, checked against what is in stock on Amazon.ca.
Data checked by Owen Nakamura, Technical editor (data checking)