If you’ve ever signed up for internet, you’ve probably agreed to some kind of contract. With UniFi, whether you’re using it at home or running it across your business, there’s a chance you’ve got a service agreement sitting somewhere that spells out what you’re paying for, what your obligations are, and what Ubiquiti (or your ISP, if you’re using UniFi gear with their services) owes you in return.

But where do you find that contract? And once you find it, what are you actually looking at? This guide will help you check your UniFi contract and make sense of what’s in it.

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🚨 Before we dive in, please don't self-host your UniFi Controller if you take care of client networks. Sooner or later this will cause issues! It's fine for home users, but definitely not recommended for IT service businesses and MSPs. If you want secure, reliable and a scalable hosting solution check out UniHosted.

1. Who is your contract actually with?
2. Where to find your UniFi service contract
3. What to look for in a UniFi service contract
4. What’s not in the contract—but still matters
5. Common red flags
6. When should you renegotiate or switch?
7. Final Thoughts

1. Who is your contract actually with?

Let’s get this cleared up first. If you’re running UniFi hardware and managing your network with the UniFi Controller (aka the UniFi Network Application), you’re not in a service contract with Ubiquiti.

Ubiquiti sells the hardware and software, but they don’t provide “service” in the traditional sense like an ISP does. So unless you’ve signed up for something like UniFi Protect cloud storage or UniFi Talk, you’re not paying Ubiquiti any monthly fees.

But if you’re getting internet from a provider who gave you a UniFi system, or if you’re using a hosted UniFi controller (like the ones we run at UniHosted), then you probably have a service contract with them.

That’s the contract you want to look at.

2. Where to find your UniFi service contract

If you’re a home user who bought your UniFi hardware from Amazon or a local IT shop, there’s no contract to check. The device is yours. You're just managing it yourself.

But if you're working with:

A managed service provider (MSP) who set up your UniFi gear
A cloud controller host (like us)
A third-party UniFi hosting provider
Or if you’re using UniFi Talk or UniFi Protect cloud storage

Then you've likely agreed to a set of terms and conditions or signed an actual service agreement.

Here's how to find them:

a. Check your original onboarding email or account portal

Most providers send a welcome email or onboarding document with your terms included. Search your inbox for terms like:

“UniFi service agreement”
“Terms of service”
“SLA”
“Managed network agreement”

Or, log into your customer portal. Many providers include downloadable PDFs or links to your contract.

b. Ask your IT provider

If a third-party installed and manages your UniFi environment, shoot them a quick message. Ask:

“Can you send over a copy of the current service agreement for our UniFi deployment?”

They’ll either send a PDF or direct you to an online version.

c. For cloud services like UniFi Talk or Protect

You can check Ubiquiti’s official terms by logging into your UI Account at account.ui.com, or by visiting:

https://www.ui.com/legal/terms/
https://unifi.ui.com (for Talk and Protect subscriptions)

These cover subscription-based services and outline cancellation, billing, and usage policies.

3. What to look for in a UniFi service contract

Once you’ve got your hands on the document, there are a few key sections to focus on. Not every contract will use these exact names, but the details will usually be there.

a. Scope of service

What exactly is covered? Some providers will only host your controller. Others will also:

Handle firmware updates
Perform backups
Troubleshoot outages
Add/remove devices
Do security audits

Knowing what’s included—and what’s not—helps you avoid surprises.

b. Device limits

Some plans limit how many devices (APs, switches, gateways, cameras) you can manage under a single plan. Others offer flexible “pay as you go” pricing (like we do at UniHosted).

Look for lines like:

“This plan includes up to 20 UniFi devices”

Or:

“Additional devices are billed at $1/month each”

This section helps you understand what you’re actually paying for.

c. Support levels

Support might include:

Business hours email support
24/7 emergency support
Response time guarantees

If you rely on your network for your business, this section matters a lot. You’ll want to know if your provider promises to respond in 1 hour—or 24.

d. Uptime guarantees (SLA)

This section spells out your uptime expectations and what happens if the provider doesn’t meet them.

Example:

“We guarantee 99.9% monthly uptime. If uptime falls below 99.9%, you’re eligible for a service credit.”

Make sure you also read the fine print here. Most SLAs exclude outages caused by third parties (like your ISP or a power cut).

e. Data and backups

This is where your contract should talk about:

How often your controller is backed up
Where those backups are stored
How long backups are retained

If your network config is important to you (and it should be), make sure backups are happening and can be restored if needed.

f. Termination and cancellation

Look for:

How much notice you need to give to cancel
Whether there are early termination fees
How long your contract lasts (month-to-month, 12 months, etc.)

Some providers lock you into long-term contracts. Others let you cancel any time. Know what you’ve agreed to.

g. Security and privacy

Your UniFi controller contains info about your entire network: IP addresses, connected clients, MAC addresses, and more.

Make sure your provider’s contract includes language about:

Data encryption
Access controls
Who can see your data
Whether your data is shared with third parties

If you’re a business handling client data, this is non-negotiable.

4. What’s not in the contract—but still matters

Not everything important is always written down. Here are some extra things you should ask your provider:

a. Where is the controller hosted?

Ask if it’s on a shared server or a dedicated VPS. A dedicated environment is usually more secure and faster.

b. Are updates tested before they’re pushed?

Some providers roll out UniFi updates the second they drop. Others (like us) test new versions before applying them to make sure nothing breaks.

c. How fast is the dashboard?

Performance matters. If the controller is slow, it’ll slow you down every time you try to manage the network. Ask if they offer local caching, content delivery networks (CDNs), or geo-distributed servers.

5. Common red flags

Here’s what to watch out for when reading through a UniFi contract:

Hidden device fees: Some providers charge you for devices you’re not even using.
Vague backup terms: “Regular backups” isn’t enough. You want to see “daily backups with 7-day retention.”
Slow support windows: If support says they’ll get back to you “within 3 business days,” that’s a problem.
No SLA at all: If they don’t promise any uptime, you’re rolling the dice.
Over-complicated cancellation: You shouldn’t have to jump through hoops to cancel.

6. When should you renegotiate or switch?

If your contract is outdated, overpriced, or missing things you now need, it might be time to switch providers—or at least ask for a new agreement.

Here are a few signs:

Your network has grown and your plan doesn’t fit anymore
You’re paying for devices you don’t use
Support is slow or unresponsive
You want more control or better visibility
You just want a simpler, clearer contract

7. Final Thoughts

Understanding your UniFi service contract gives you control. Whether you’re self-managing, working with a provider, or hosting in the cloud, the terms you agree to should match your actual needs.

At UniHosted, we keep our contracts simple and honest. No hidden fees. No long-term lock-ins. You can start for free, only pay for the devices you use, and cancel anytime. Give us a try at UniHosted

If you would like me to personally walk you through UniHosted, you can schedule a call with me here.

Checking UniFi contracts – check and understand your UniFi service contract

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