Alternatives
Official UniFi Hosting vs UniHosted (2026)
Official UniFi Hosting is Ubiquiti's own cloud-hosted UniFi control plane — a paid subscription managed through Site Manager at unifi.ui.com. UniHosted is managed UniFi hosting built for MSPs, with a free tier, per-controller pricing, and hands-on support. Here's how they compare.
Written by Iron Brands
Co-Founder at UniHosted
Published August 26, 2026
UniHosted
Managed UniFi hosting
Official UniFi Hosting
Ubiquiti
| Category | UniHosted | Official UniFi Hosting (Ubiquiti) |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | Managed UniFi hosting built for MSPs | Ubiquiti's own cloud-hosted UniFi control plane |
| Pricing model | Per controller, unlimited sites | Device-count tiers (100–1,000 devices) |
| Entry price | Free (up to 5 devices) | From $29/month |
| Free tier | Yes | No (trial available) |
| Multi-client / MSP fit | Yes — dedicated controllers per client | No — single shared instance |
| Custom domain | Yes | No — managed via unifi.ui.com |
| Daily backups | Automatic daily backups, managed restores | Limited |
| Migration help | Hands-on, included | Self-serve documentation |
| Support | UniFi engineers, live video calls | Standard Ubiquiti support channels |
| UniFi applications | UniFi Network | UniFi Network + Talk Relay |
| Gateway requirements | None — works with any gateway | Independent gateway (UXG) for gateway features |
Looking for the full landscape? See our UniFi hosting options compared for managed providers, Cloud Keys, and self-hosted setups.
What Is Official UniFi Hosting?
Official UniFi Hosting is Ubiquiti's own hosting service for the UniFi control plane — no Cloud Gateway, CloudKey, or self-hosted server required.
It is sold as a subscription through the UI Store, starting at $29/month. Plans are based on the number of UniFi devices you manage, ranging from 100 to 1,000. Once set up, the instance is managed through UniFi Site Manager at unifi.ui.com — the same interface used for Cloud Gateways and CloudKeys.
It runs the UniFi Network application and UniFi Talk Relay. If you use a gateway, it must be an Independent Gateway (such as a UXG series device) — a hosted instance cannot pair with a Cloud Gateway, since those run the UniFi application themselves. When you cancel, the instance stays active until the end of the prepaid period and is then terminated.
Where Official UniFi Hosting Works Well — and Where It Falls Short
Ubiquiti's first-party hosting is a solid option for single organizations. MSPs managing many client environments run into its limits quickly.
Where it works well
- First-party hosting, run and operated by Ubiquiti itself
- Single-organization deployments without client separation needs
- Network-only management — no need for Protect, Access, or other apps
- Teams already working in Site Manager at unifi.ui.com
- Predictable device-count tiers for up to 1,000 devices
Where it falls short for MSPs
- No free tier — starts at $29/month per hosting plan
- Single shared instance, no per-client controller isolation for MSPs
- No custom domain — controllers live behind unifi.ui.com
- No hands-on migration assistance or live support calls
- Cancellation terminates the instance at the end of the billing period
Pricing Compared
Official UniFi Hosting scales by device-count tier. UniHosted prices per controller with unlimited sites, and starts free.
| Plan | Devices | Monthly |
|---|---|---|
| UniHosted Starter | 5 | Free |
| UniHosted Core | 125 | $59 |
| UniHosted Scale | 500 | $149 |
| UniHosted Enterprise | 500+ | From $0.40/device |
| Official UniFi Hosting | 100–1,000 per plan | From $29 |
UniHosted annual billing saves two months. All paid UniHosted plans include daily backups, migration tools, custom domains, and hands-on support with live video calls. Full details on the pricing page.
Frequently Asked Questions
The practical details about hosting, migrating, and managing UniFi in the cloud.
No. Official UniFi Hosting is a paid subscription starting at $29/month, with plans based on the number of UniFi devices you manage (100 to 1,000). UniFi Site Manager at unifi.ui.com is free, but it is a management layer — not hosted infrastructure. UniHosted offers a free tier for up to 5 devices.