We used Oden to analyze vendor docs, pricing pages, G2 reviews, and Reddit threads to see how Ambient.ai, Verkada, Rhombus, and Spot AI really compare. If you’re trying to modernize video security with AI, the marketing all sounds the same—“proactive,” “intelligent,” “agentic”—but risk tolerance, budget, and IT constraints make the right choice very different from one org to the next. This guide breaks down ratings, costs, features, and tradeoffs over the last six months so you can decide where each platform actually fits.

Which AI security platform has the best customer rating?

All four tools are highly rated, but sample sizes vary a lot—especially for Ambient.ai, which has very few public reviews.

G2 ratings snapshot (as of December 2025):

Takeaways

• Spot AI has the highest public rating (4.8/5) but with a moderate review count; Rhombus has the most statistically meaningful sample (609 reviews). Source: G2 – Rhombus, G2 – Spot AI- Ambient.ai’s 4.6/5 rating is positive but based on only four reviews, so you should treat it as anecdotal, not a benchmark. Source: G2 – Ambient.ai- Across G2, Verkada and Rhombus are consistently praised for ease of use and support, while “expensive” and licensing concerns show up as recurring cons. Source: G2 – Verkada, G2 – Rhombus- Community sentiment on Reddit is more mixed for Verkada (aggressive sales, vendor lock-in) and generally favorable for Rhombus, especially among MSPs and K‑12 admins. Source: Reddit – Verkada concerns, Reddit – Verkada “False and Fraudulent”, Reddit – Verkada vs Rhombus

How much do AI security platforms really cost?

Direct apples-to-apples pricing isn’t possible—every vendor uses quotes, bundles hardware and software differently, and offers discounts at scale. But public list prices and third‑party catalogs do give a sense of entry points.

*All prices are indicative MSRPs from vendor and reseller sources, not guaranteed quotes. Real pricing will vary by volume, discounts, region, and contract terms.

What this means in practice

• All four platforms are subscription-heavy. Verkada and Rhombus both require ongoing licenses for cameras to function fully; Rhombus states explicitly that “all of our cameras require an ongoing license to operate.” Source: Rhombus pricing FAQ- Verkada tends to be on the higher end per device; several Reddit admins note Verkada was “too expensive” when they priced 90‑day storage and instead moved to Rhombus for similar features at “a fraction of the cost.” Source: Reddit – K‑12 camera storage thread- Spot AI’s model is attractive if you want to re‑use existing IP cameras and scale by “camera feed,” but costs still add up quickly when you include IVRs and longer retention. Source: Spot AI pricing FAQ- Ambient.ai’s total cost of ownership is opaque but clearly aimed at enterprises that can justify ROI from large guard teams, GSOCs, or critical infrastructure protection, not small sites. Source: Ambient enterprise positioning Always double-check current prices with each vendor's calculator or sales team.

What are the key features of each platform?

Ambient.ai

Core positioning: Unified, AI-powered physical security platform that uses advanced computer vision intelligence and “agentic” AI to prevent incidents before they happen, layered onto existing cameras and access systems. Source: Ambient – Emerges from stealth, Ambient – Ambient Intelligence press Key Features:

• Agentic Vision-Language Model (Pulsar): Edge-optimized VLM that processes 500,000+ hours of video per day, enabling Agentic Video Walls, Activity Notifications, Semantic Search, and upcoming Agentic Investigations. Source: Ambient – Pulsar announcement- Computer Vision Intelligence (CVI): Open-set threat detection across 100+ proprietary threat signatures and context graph modeling of locations, behaviors, and objects, aimed at proactive risk alerts and 10x faster response. Source: Ambient – Emerges from stealth- AI-Powered Forensics: Entity and event-based search (e.g., “person in black shirt removing a package”), non-biometric identifiers, and conjunction search that can reduce investigation times by over 90%. Source: Ambient – AI-Powered Forensics- Access Intelligence & signals: Integrations with PACS (e.g., LenelS2 OnGuard) to automatically verify access control alarms, reportedly cutting nuisance alerts by 93–95%+. Source: Ambient – Signals Intelligence whitepaper, Ambient – LenelS2 certification- Enterprise integrations: Works with existing IP cameras (including Axis ONVIF-compliant devices) and major integrators like Convergint, making it fit into complex, multi-vendor estates. Source: Ambient–Axis integration, Ambient–Convergint partnership- Security & privacy: SOC 2 Type II certified, data encrypted in transit and at rest, no raw video stored in the cloud, and no facial recognition—explicitly positioned as “security and privacy by design.” Source: Ambient – Security & Privacy by Design, Ambient – SOC 2 Type II announcement Best For:

• Large enterprises with GSOCs that want AI to triage alarms, drive proactive detection, and unify cameras plus access control. Source: Ambient – Security automation impact- Highly regulated or privacy-sensitive environments (e.g., tech, critical infrastructure, government) that require SOC 2 and no facial recognition. Source: Ambient – SOC 2 announcement- Organizations that already invested heavily in best‑of‑breed cameras and PACS and want to “add AI” on top rather than replace hardware. Source: Ambient–Axis integration

Verkada

Core positioning: Cloud-managed enterprise building security OS that unifies cameras, access control, sensors, alarms, intercoms, and workplace tools in a single platform. Source: Verkada on G2, Verkada solutions overview Key Features:

• Unified cloud platform: Integrates video security, access control, environmental sensors, alarms, workplace, and intercoms, marketed as an “operating system” for buildings. Source: Verkada solutions page, Reuters – Verkada funding- AI video analytics: People analytics (face and clothing attributes), vehicle analytics, and license plate recognition with search, People of Interest profiles, and License Plates of Interest alerts. Source: Verkada People Analytics, Verkada Vehicle Analytics, Verkada LPR overview- Fast AI search & alerting: AI-based search across people and vehicles, reverse image and face search, and AI-triggered alerts that can route to GSOC or specific users. Source: Verkada AI video analytics overview, Verkada solutions page- Cloud-managed, plug‑and‑play hardware: Cameras ship with onboard storage and up to 10‑year hardware warranty; management is via the Command cloud console and mobile apps. Source: Verkada pricing pages (EU variants)- Ecosystem breadth: Beyond video, Verkada offers door controllers, readers, air quality sensors, alarms, guest management, and mailroom solutions. Source: Verkada Wikipedia Best For:

• Organizations that want a single-vendor, tightly integrated stack (cameras + access + sensors + alarms) in one UI. Source: G2 – Verkada- IT teams that care more about simple cloud management than mixing multiple hardware brands.

• Environments (schools, healthcare, offices) where non-technical staff need to quickly pull footage using intuitive search. Source: G2 – Verkada pros & cons

Rhombus

Core positioning: Cloud-managed physical security platform that’s “built to protect, designed to adapt,” with open APIs, AI-powered cameras, sensors, access control, and alarms. Source: Rhombus homepage Key Features:

• Integrated cloud platform: Unified console for smart cameras, access control, IoT sensors, and alarm monitoring, with 99.9% uptime and remote access from any device. Source: Rhombus homepage, Rhombus security teams page- AI & computer vision: Features include facial recognition, license plate recognition, crowd counting, heatmaps, and multi-camera investigations across locations. Source: Rhombus license comparison- Open API & integrations: 50+ integrations and a fully open API to connect with access control, sensors, and other third‑party systems. Source: Rhombus integrations- Edge storage with cloud backup options: Cameras store video locally (20–180 days) with optional cloud archiving licenses in 30–180 day increments. Source: Rhombus license comparison, Rhombus Cloud Archiving support- Transparent pricing artifacts: Public pricing calculators and license tables for cameras, access control, sensors, and alarms—unusual transparency compared with many competitors. Source: Rhombus pricing – sensors, Rhombus pricing – access control Best For:

• Multi-site organizations (schools, warehouses, mid‑market enterprises) that want a modern cloud VMS with strong AI but without going fully proprietary. Source: Rhombus warehouse & manufacturing pages, Rhombus manufacturing page- Teams that value open APIs and integrations and may already use third‑party access control or sensors. Source: Rhombus integrations- MSPs and IT teams that want predictable licensing and a partner-friendly vendor. Source: Reddit – Rhombus vs Verkada

Spot AI

Core positioning: AI camera system and Video AI Agents that turn existing video into operational intelligence for safety, productivity, and security across 1,000+ customers. Source: Spot AI homepage, Spot AI Video AI Agents press Key Features:

• Video AI Agents & operations focus: Uses agentic AI to see, reason, and act on video, surfacing incidents across safety, operations, and security, with ROI messaging around reduced downtime and shrink. Source: Spot AI Video AI Agents press- Camera-agnostic with optional free cameras: Works with 100+ camera brands and offers NDAA-compliant IP cameras “at no cost” if you want to replace existing ones. Source: Spot AI pricing & hardware- Intelligent Video Recorder (IVR): On‑prem appliance for 24/7 local storage plus on-edge AI, with unlimited cloud backup and multi-site dashboards. Source: Spot AI pricing & IVR- Centralized dashboards & search: Users on G2 highlight the ability to see all properties in one dashboard, search incidents quickly, and share clips easily. Source: G2 – Spot AI reviews- Compliance & security: SOC 2 Type II, AES‑256 encryption, SSO, HIPAA compliance, and audit logs listed as standard features on the pricing page. Source: Spot AI pricing & security features Best For:

• Multi-location operators (manufacturing, retail, logistics, auto services) who care as much about operations KPIs and coaching as traditional security. Source: Spot AI homepage- Teams that want to keep existing IP cameras but modernize analytics and dashboards. Source: Spot AI pricing FAQ- Organizations that are okay deploying IVRs but want cloud-like management and AI benefits.

What are the strengths and weaknesses of each platform?

Ambient.ai

Strengths:

• Proactive, high-accuracy detection: Ambient reports reducing false alarms by 93–95%+ and enabling 20x faster investigations at enterprise customers, including a ServiceNow case study with 94% of alarms auto‑cleared. Source: Ambient adoption metrics, Ambient – ServiceNow case study- Works with existing infrastructure: Integrations with Axis cameras and major PACS like LenelS2 allow enterprises to layer Ambient over large, heterogeneous estates instead of ripping out hardware. Source: Ambient–Axis integration, Ambient–LenelS2 certification- Strong security posture: SOC 2 Type II, encryption at rest/in transit, no inbound connections, and a clear stance against facial recognition resonate with privacy-conscious buyers. Source: Ambient – Security & Privacy by Design, Ambient – SOC 2 announcement- Enterprise references: Public references include Adobe, VMware, ServiceNow, major museums, and TikTok USDS (for Zero Trust physical security), suggesting real-world maturity at scale. Source: Ambient forensics release, TikTok USDS case Weaknesses:

• Limited public reviews: Only four G2 reviews means you can’t rely on star ratings to benchmark reliability or support experience. Source: G2 – Ambient.ai- Enterprise-only motion: No public pricing, self-service trial, or SMB packaging; access is through demos and direct sales or integrators. Source: Carahsoft – Ambient.ai demo- Tuning & false negatives still exist: A small-business G2 user notes that wildlife can trigger false alarms while some detections are missed—highlighting that even advanced AI requires tuning and will not be perfect. Source: G2 – Ambient.ai review “It’s helpful but not fallible”

Verkada

Strengths:

• Very high ease-of-use scores: G2 reviewers consistently praise Verkada’s Command console as intuitive, with fast deployment and easy clip sharing; Ratings for ease of setup and use hover around 9.4–9.5/10. Source: G2 – Verkada- Deep, integrated hardware portfolio: Cameras, access control, sensors, alarms, and workplace tools all live in one ecosystem, reducing integration work for IT. Source: Verkada solutions page, Verkada Wikipedia- Strong cloud AI features: People analytics, vehicle analytics, LPR, and unified AI search across cameras provide powerful investigative workflows that many legacy VMS solutions lack. Source: Verkada AI video analytics- Perceived high support quality: G2 pros lists often cite responsive 24/7 support and valuable 10‑year hardware warranty as major pluses. Source: G2 – Verkada reviews Weaknesses:

• Cost and vendor lock-in: G2 reviewers and Reddit admins frequently call out high ongoing license costs; once licenses lapse, functionality is limited, and Reddit users warn that cameras can become “paperweights.” Source: G2 – Verkada cons, Reddit – “Verkada False and Fraudulent”- Aggressive sales tactics & CAN‑SPAM fine: Multiple Reddit threads cite pushy outreach and reseller frustration; in 2024, the U.S. DOJ announced a $2.95M penalty and injunction for alleged unlawful commercial emails and data security failures. Source: Reddit – “Is Verkada a scam?”, DOJ press release on Verkada CAN‑SPAM settlement- Prior security & culture controversies: A 2021 data breach exposed camera footage from many customers, and reporting has documented a past “bro culture” and misuse of cameras to harass employees, though Verkada says it has since taken corrective measures. Source: Verkada data breach & controversies – Wikipedia- Closed ecosystem: Cameras are not ONVIF-compliant; community experts on Reddit caution against depending on one proprietary vendor for critical recordings. Source: Reddit – “Security Camera Systems”

Rhombus

Strengths:

• Well-liked by IT & MSPs: A popular Reddit thread from MSPs calls Rhombus their preferred cloud video platform, citing supportive account teams and channel-friendly behavior, in contrast to Verkada. Source: Reddit – Rhombus vs Verkada- High satisfaction with support & reliability: G2 reviews highlight easy UI, quick same-day support responses, and reliability across hundreds of cameras; overall rating is 4.6/5 from 600+ reviews. Source: G2 – Rhombus- 10‑year camera warranty and low bandwidth usage: Rhombus explicitly states cameras include a 10‑year warranty and use onboard storage to minimize bandwidth. Source: Rhombus pricing FAQ- Open, integrable architecture: 50+ integrations and an open API, plus ONVIF‑critic Reddit posts that still mark Rhombus as “not shady” compared with other cloud VSaaS vendors. Source: Rhombus integrations, Reddit – “Security Camera Systems” Weaknesses:

• Still subscription-locked: Like Verkada, Rhombus requires ongoing licenses; their FAQ states you cannot operate cameras without a license. Source: Rhombus pricing FAQ- Some UX rough edges: A G2 reviewer notes frustrations with the newer video search UX and difficulty zooming in during investigations, indicating the UI is still evolving. Source: G2 – Rhombus review excerpts- Per‑camera license model can add up: Annual per‑camera license fees plus optional cloud archiving and sensor licenses can become significant for very dense deployments. Source: Rhombus license comparison, Rhombus Cloud Archiving- Proprietary stack: Reddit contributors flag that Rhombus is also not ONVIF-compliant, meaning you are tied to their hardware ecosystem even if the business practices are viewed more favorably than some rivals. Source: Reddit – “Security Camera Systems”

Spot AI

Strengths:

• Top-rated user experience: At 4.8/5 on G2, Spot AI earns particular praise for easy, centralized viewing of multiple sites, fast search, and strong customer support. Source: G2 – Spot AI- Strong operational ROI narrative: Case quotes highlight replacing legacy systems and achieving more than 30 days of storage without maintaining a NAS, while reducing shrink and improving efficiency. Source: G2 – Spot AI reviews- Camera-agnostic with hardware included: Ability to work with existing IP cameras or use Spot’s own cameras at no additional cost (within licensing) makes migration easier. Source: Spot AI pricing & hardware- Modern AI roadmap: Launch of Video AI Agents and claims of indexing more video than YouTube’s daily uploads show a strong R&D focus. Source: Spot AI Video AI Agents press Weaknesses:

• Installation effort and networking complexity: Some G2 users mention intensive PoE work, unforeseen cabling, and timeouts when downloading archived footage—important if you have thin on‑site IT. Source: G2 – Spot AI reviews- Pricing can feel high: At least one reviewer notes Spot AI “can be a bit expensive,” and third‑party trackers show NVR pricing beginning around $2,199/year on a custom basis. Source: G2 – Spot AI review excerpts, SpotSaaS – Spot AI NVR pricing- Relies on IVR appliances: You gain AI and cloud‑like UX, but must deploy and maintain Spot AI IVRs at sites, which may be a downside versus fully cloud/edge-camera solutions. Source: Spot AI pricing & IVR

How do these platforms position themselves?

Ambient.ai markets itself as the leader in “Agentic Physical Security,” emphasizing autonomous operations, proactive prevention, and AI that “reasons like a human operator” instead of just detecting motion. Source: Ambient – Pulsar press, Ambient Intelligence press Verkada positions itself as a cloud-managed building security OS, highlighting simplicity, unified hardware lines, and AI video analytics for organizations across 171 countries—backed by late‑stage funding and rapid growth. Source: Verkada AI video analytics, Reuters – Verkada valuation Rhombus brands itself as a “#1 rated commercial security system” and an open, interoperable cloud physical security platform, with messaging around AI insights, 99.9% uptime, and a cybersecurity‑first design. Source: Rhombus homepage, Rhombus cameras landing page Spot AI leans into “Productivity Powered by Your Cameras” and “Video AI Agents,” explicitly targeting not just security but operations, training, and real‑time automation across 1,000+ customers and 17 industries. Source: Spot AI homepage, Spot AI Video AI Agents press

Which platform should you choose?

Choose Ambient.ai if:

1. You’re an enterprise with a mature GSOC that needs to reduce alarm noise by >90% and offload triage to AI across thousands of cameras and multiple PACS. *Source: Ambient adoption metrics*2. You must maintain strict privacy and compliance (SOC 2, no facial recognition, no raw cloud video) and want security and privacy-by-design guarantees. *Source: Ambient – Security & Privacy by Design*3. You already own enterprise-grade cameras and PACS (Axis, LenelS2, etc.) and want to layer AI software on top rather than rip-and-replace hardware. *Source: Ambient–Axis integration, Ambient–LenelS2 integration*4. You’re willing to run a POC and co-design playbooks with Ambient and your integrator, rather than buying a shrink‑wrapped product off a web price list. *Source: Carahsoft – Ambient.ai demo*5. Your KPI is risk reduction and guard efficiency, not just replacing an NVR—e.g., you want measured reductions in guard headcount hours, incident rates, or regulatory audit times. Source: Ambient – ServiceNow case study

Choose Verkada if:

1. You want a single-vendor stack for physical security (cameras, access, sensors, alarms, workplace) with a polished, unified cloud console. *Source: Verkada solutions page*2. Your team values simplicity over openness, and non-technical staff need to quickly pull clips and run searches without much training. High G2 ease-of-use scores support this. *Source: G2 – Verkada*3. You have budget for higher per-device TCO, and the predictable hardware+license model is acceptable compared to building your own best-of-breed stack. *Source: Verkada license pricing – SoftwareXP*4. You want advanced AI analytics, especially LPR and people analytics, in a turnkey package without having to integrate separate analytics vendors. *Source: Verkada AI video analytics*5. You’ve reviewed their past controversies and are comfortable with the risk, given your own legal, privacy, and procurement requirements. Source: Verkada – Data breach & controversies, DOJ CAN-SPAM settlement

Choose Rhombus if:

1. You want a modern cloud VMS with strong AI but are wary of Verkada’s controversies and sales approach; community sentiment is notably friendlier toward Rhombus. *Source: Reddit – Rhombus vs Verkada*2. You operate multiple sites (schools, warehouses, campuses) and need 99.9% uptime, remote access, and AI-powered search (faces, plates, colors) without heavy on‑prem servers. *Source: Rhombus security teams page, Rhombus license comparison*3. You care about open APIs and integrations to tie security into other IT systems (identity, ticketing, BMS, etc.). *Source: Rhombus integrations*4. You want relatively transparent pricing artifacts (public license tables and MSRPs) to model TCO, even if final quotes still come via resellers. *Source: Rhombus pricing pages, Rhombus access control pricing*5. You can live with per-camera licensing and proprietary hardware, as long as you get long warranties and easier support than running your own NVR stack. Source: Rhombus pricing FAQ

Choose Spot AI if:

1. You want to turn video into operational data, not just evidence—e.g., measuring PPE compliance, throughput, or process bottlenecks in manufacturing or logistics. *Source: Spot AI homepage, G2 – Spot AI review “paving the way for AI for the real world”*2. You already have IP cameras and don’t want a full rip‑and‑replace, but you’re willing to drop in IVRs to modernize analytics and dashboards. *Source: Spot AI pricing FAQ*3. You value high-touch support and guided rollout, as many G2 reviews credit specific CSMs by name and call out responsive onboarding. *Source: G2 – Spot AI reviews*4. You can justify a premium over DIY NVRs in exchange for AI features, central management, and unlimited cloud backup. *Source: Spot AI pricing FAQ, SpotSaaS – Spot AI NVR pricing*5. You want a vendor heavily investing in agentic AI, but you don’t need the ultra-high-end, access-control-integrated stack that Ambient targets. Source: Spot AI Video AI Agents press

Sources & links

Company Websites

• Ambient.ai – Company & product overview
• Verkada – Official site
• Rhombus – Cloud physical security platform
• Spot AI – AI camera system

Pricing Pages

• Rhombus – Camera license comparison
• Rhombus – Access control pricing
• Rhombus – Sensors pricing
• Spot AI – Pricing & plans
• Verkada – International pricing portals

Documentation

• Ambient.ai – Security & privacy by design
• Ambient.ai – AI-Powered Forensics
• Verkada – AI video analytics overview
• Verkada – People analytics help
• Rhombus – Cloud Archiving support
• Spot AI – Video intelligence overview

G2 Review Pages

• G2 – Ambient.ai
• G2 – Verkada
• G2 – Rhombus
• G2 – Spot AI
• G2 – Compare Rhombus vs Verkada

Reddit Discussions

• r/msp – Verkada vs Rhombus
• r/sysadmin – Verkada reviews and concerns
• r/cctv – “Verkada False and Fraudulent”
• r/k12sysadmin – Rhombus vs Verkada cost discussion
• r/msp – “Security Camera Systems” (Rhombus & Verkada commentary)

Additional Resources

• Ambient.ai – Ambient Intelligence press release
• Ambient.ai – ServiceNow case study
• Spot AI – Video AI Agents funding press
• Verkada – Company history & controversies (Wikipedia)
• Ambient.ai – SOC 2 Type II announcement