Google cuts 50% off to retain Nest Aware users

Some Nest Aware subscribers have reported that Google is offering huge discounts when they attempt to cancel, an apparent move to retain customers despite price hikes to the service. According to reports, the offers can reduce the cost of a year’s plan in half, but eligibility seems hit or miss and potentially limited by region.

The move is a classic: meet churn at the door with an offer aimed directly at your loss level. For Nest users who have been considering whether the subscription is still worth it, the discount might be just enough to keep them around.

What’s being offered to canceling Nest Aware users

Users who have tried to cancel report they were offered 50% off the next annual renewal if they changed their mind at that time. For the base plan, that lowers a year of Nest Aware to roughly $50. For Nest Aware Plus, the discount is around 50% as well. For those who’ve accumulated more than a couple of Nest devices, this is not just a great deal on its own but will level out to about $5/month for your cloud recording needs.

Some said that lower prices on the next month’s billing also appear in certain accounts, while most reports show yearly plans. The offer is presented during the cancellation flow and seems to be angled as a one-time “stay” bonus.

How the discount surfaces during cancellation flow

Industry watchers first spotted the retention offer after discussions on the Nest subreddit, where multiple users claimed that the deal only appeared when attempting to cancel.

The offer was even mentioned by tech pundit Artem Russakovskii, who tried the process directly, proving it’s not just some long-running forum tale.

The pattern indicates that Google is offering a targeted promotion in the account management flow and not publicly promoting a sale. That would be consistent with most subscription playbooks aiming to catch churn at the last minute.

Who seems to qualify for Google’s Nest Aware discount

Not everyone gets the deal. For some subscribers, there is no discount prompt and they are not told of any special deals after following the cancellation steps. According to some user comments, the offer may be restricted to select regions — and several suggest it could even be US-only at this point.

Targeting could also be based on account history, plan type (managed vs. dedicated), billing frequency, or perceived churn risk. Retention offers are often A/B tested by companies, after all, so it’s common for two customers to see very different options at the same time.

Why Google is offering retention discounts on Nest Aware

Nest Aware was met with backlash when it announced major price hikes earlier in 2020 and subscribers were clearly none too happy about the change. Retention discounts are a typical response when budget-conscious subscribers start walking: they keep the recurring revenue but also help to defuse that frustration.

In consumer subscription arenas, short-term offers and win-back campaigns are two of the most effective levers when it comes to stabilizing subscriber counts after a price change.

What Nest Aware includes across base and Plus tiers

You don’t need Nest Aware to use Nest cameras, but it provides access to some important features. The base plan gets you an extended history of event videos (generally up to 30 days), as well as intelligent alerts and familiar face detection on compatible devices. The Plus tier typically includes event video history of approximately 60 days and introduces 24/7 continuous video history for a limited period on compatible cameras.

You can have live view and a small buffer of event video — about three hours — on supported devices even without a subscription. The subscription continues to be the gateway that most of Nest’s value passes through, for homes that depend on longer archives or advanced alerts.

What subscribers should look for before accepting offers

When a discount is available, it usually applies only to the next renewal and is not likely to have an impact on future terms. It’s a good idea to take note of the renewal date, whether or not this is an introductory price that only applies for a certain promotional period, and when regular pricing returns.

Availability can fluctuate, so suffice it to say this is a focused offer, and definitely not a guaranteed benefit. If you do not see the offer during cancellation, that probably means your account is not included in the test group or is based in a region where it doesn’t apply.

Bottom line: Google is deploying a well-worn retention trick to soothe a price-sensitive moment. For users who still like the expanded video history and smart alerts from Nest Aware, 50 percent off for a year is as good an incentive to give it another shot as you’re likely to see — if you happen to be one of the ones who gets it.