Does Petcube Require a Subscription? (2026)

What’s Free and What Petcube Care Costs

Checked against Petcube’s Care plan page and its camera and GPS Tracker product pages on October 11, 2026. A 14-day free trial of Petcube Care comes with every Petcube camera.

What It Costs Over Several Years

Here is what one Petcube Cam costs over time with each option, using the yearly plan prices. Remember the no-plan option records nothing.

What Works Without a Plan

On the free Basic tier, Petcube’s plan page lists live video streaming and a one-year warranty. Its product pages add the rest of the camera’s built-in features: 1080p video, two-way audio so you can talk to your pet, and night vision. The Bites 2 Lite treat camera is also covered by the same “no subscription required” answer on Petcube’s store.

So a Petcube with no plan works like a window into your living room. You open the app, see what your pet is doing, and say something if you want.

What You Give Up Without Care

The free tier doesn’t record. Petcube’s plan page puts every one of these behind Care:

• Smart alerts for pet activity, sounds, and people
• Video history, 3 days on Optimal or 90 days on Premium
• Daily Diary, a short recap of the day’s busiest moments
• Video downloads and smart filters for sorting clips
• Online vet chat, on Premium only

That’s the real trade-off. Without Care, if your dog knocks something over at 2 p.m. and you check in at 5 p.m., you’ll see the mess but not what happened. That’s also where Petcube differs from cameras with a memory card slot, such as Wyze, which can record for free. Petcube’s product pages and plan page don’t mention any local recording option.

The Exception: the Petcube GPS Tracker

The GPS Tracker is the one Petcube product that won’t work without a plan. Petcube’s FAQ on the tracker page says a subscription is required because it sends location data over cellular networks, and the plan is bought in the Petcube app. If you’re comparing pet GPS trackers, count that monthly fee as part of the price.

Which Petcube to Buy

For subscription-free use, the basic Petcube Cam is the cheapest model. Petcube sells it directly too, at the same price when we checked.

If your pet roams more than one fixed camera angle can cover, the Cam 360 pans and tilts from the app.

Amazon prices change often, and Petcube was running a sale on its own store when we checked, so confirm the current price before buying.

Who Should NOT Buy a Petcube Without Care

If the reason you want a pet camera is to find out what happens while you’re out, like whether the dog barks for hours or who’s been chewing the couch, a Petcube with no plan won’t tell you. It shows only the moment you’re watching. In that case, either budget for Care or look at a camera that records to a memory card for free.

FAQ

Does Petcube require a subscription? Not for its cameras. Petcube says all of its cameras work out of the box without one. The GPS Tracker is the exception and does need a plan.

How much is Petcube Care? Optimal is $4.99 a month billed yearly ($59.88) or $9.99 month to month. Premium is $11.99 a month billed yearly ($143.88) or $16.99 month to month.

Does Petcube record without a subscription? No. Video history, clips, and downloads all come with Petcube Care. Without a plan you get live video only.

Is there a free trial of Petcube Care? Yes. Petcube includes a 14-day free trial of Care with every camera.

Does Petcube Care cover more than one camera? Premium lists unlimited cameras covered. Optimal doesn’t list that feature, so check before buying it for a multi-camera home.

Bottom Line

• You want to check in on your pet live: any Petcube camera, no plan needed.
• You want alerts and to replay what you missed: Petcube Care Optimal, cheapest on the yearly plan.
• You want a pet GPS tracker: the Petcube Tracker needs a plan, so count it in the price.

For other pet cameras, see our Furbo subscription guide. For cameras that record free to a memory card, see our Wyze guide and security cameras without a subscription guide.