Frequently Asked Questions

Straight answers, not marketing copy. If your question isn't here, use the chat in the corner or check the Help Center.

What Guardian is

What is Guardian?

Software that turns your existing security cameras into an alert that actually wakes someone up. When a person is detected while your site is armed and it isn't expected, Guardian pushes a notification, then a text message, then an actual phone call, until someone acknowledges it. You get a live camera view and a one tap button to call your local emergency number yourself.

Does Guardian stop break-ins or guarantee anything?

No, and we won't pretend otherwise. Guardian's job is deterrence and notification, not prevention. It can't stop someone from attempting a break in, and it doesn't guarantee any particular outcome or response time. What it does is make sure you find out the moment it's happening, with a live view and a fast way to call for help.

Does Guardian call the police for me?

No, and that's deliberate. Guardian never calls or contacts police on your behalf, and there's no auto dial. When an alert fires, you get a live camera view and one button that opens your own phone's dialler with your address and incident details ready to read out. You always decide, every time, whether to make that call.

Ring tells me who's at the door. Isn't that the same thing?

Different job. A doorbell camera answers "who's there?" Guardian answers "is this someone who shouldn't be?" after hours, and if not, rings your phone until you're awake and looking, live view on screen, your emergency number one tap away. You can run both, they don't compete for the same moment.

Pricing and plans

What does Guardian cost?

Guardian Home is $49 a month for households. Business plans start at $299 a month (Starter), with Standard at $599 and Premium at $1,199 for multi-site and priority support. Every plan is month to month with no lock-in, cancel anytime.

Do you sell or install the cameras?

No. Guardian doesn't sell, ship, or install any hardware, and there are no setup fees. You buy your own camera and small hub computer at retail from the shopping list in your dashboard, typically around $300, and Guardian is the software subscription that layers on top.

How do I cancel?

Settings, then Billing, then cancel. It takes effect at the end of your current billing period, no fee, no retention call. Your footage keeps its normal 30 day retention, and your camera and hub hardware are yours to keep, Guardian never had them.

How alerts work

How does the alert escalation actually work?

Push notification first, then a text message about 30 seconds later if nobody's responded, then an actual phone call around 90 seconds after that, and finally your next emergency contact if it's still not acknowledged. A real phone call rings through silent mode and Do Not Disturb the way a push alone can't, provided you've set up Emergency Bypass.

What if my cleaner or a family member sets it off?

Guardian doesn't yet recognize specific faces. What it does have is expected access windows (a Tuesday evening cleaner slot, for example) and personal disarm codes, so someone entering during their allowed window, or who disarms with their own code, won't trigger a full alert.

If I disarm quickly, does that cancel the alert?

Disarming stops anything further from escalating, but if a person was detected the instant before you disarmed, that first notification may already have gone out. It isn't retroactively cancelled. A personal disarm code and expected access windows are the best way to avoid this.

What happens if the power or internet gets cut?

Your hub sends a regular heartbeat. If it goes silent unexpectedly, Guardian treats that as its own alert, not just a dropout. Going dark doesn't make you invisible to Guardian, it makes you loud.

Setup and cameras

How long does setup take?

Usually 30 to 40 minutes. Save Guardian as a contact and turn on Emergency Bypass first, that has to happen before your test alert or it might not ring through. Then pair your hub by scanning a QR code, fully automatic. The trickiest part today is entering your camera's connection details if the auto-discovery scan doesn't find it.

Which cameras work with Guardian?

Your dashboard shows a shopping list of recommended, tested WiFi options. If you own a camera not on that list, contact support with the make and model before assuming it'll work, compatibility is still being expanded.

Does Guardian work with wired or PoE cameras?

Not officially supported today. Guardian's guided install and QR pairing have only been built and tested against the WiFi cameras on the shopping list. A wired system might work with more manual configuration, but there's no guarantee, contact support with your make and model first.

Is there a native iPhone or Android app?

Not yet. Guardian runs as a web app today with the phone call and text escalation ladder. A native app with critical alert style notifications is planned for a future release.

Privacy and footage

What does Guardian record?

Video only, never audio. Alert clips and snapshots are kept for 30 days by default and then automatically deleted, unless you've saved one into an incident, which you can export and keep permanently. There's no continuous 24/7 cloud recording.

Who can see my footage?

You. Guardian staff can't casually browse footage, every access requires your own account session and is logged. You own your footage, Guardian only holds it as custodian.

Do I need to tell my staff about the cameras?

If you're running Guardian at a business with employees, NSW's Workplace Surveillance Act generally requires written notice and visible signage. Guardian's compliance pack includes ready templates for both. This doesn't apply to a private home.

Can I ask for my data to be deleted?

Yes, at any time, you don't need to be cancelling and you don't need a reason. Contact support with what you want deleted and it's handled from there.

Will Guardian lower my insurance premium?

We can't promise that, it depends entirely on your insurer, worth asking them directly. What Guardian can do is help with claims, every incident exports as a timestamped evidence pack that tends to make a claim faster to process.