I’ve just purchased a new Tapo D235 along with the new Tapo H500 hub, and I’m genuinely disappointed to find that this very practical feature is still not available without a paid subscription. Users have been requesting this for several years now, and it’s surprising that there has been no progress. As many others have pointed out, several competing brands already offer similar functionality at no extra cost. For example, Reolink provides free rich notifications (including image snapshots) on their battery‑powered doorbells, with a free plan that supports daily image alerts.

Eufy provides this feature for free as well.

This shows that it is possible to offer this feature without forcing customers into a cloud subscription. What makes this even more frustrating is that Tapo promotes the hub as a comprehensive local solution. Yet this particular feature—one that clearly fits within the idea of local control—is locked behind a cloud paywall. Considering the hub itself is already a fairly expensive add‑on, this approach feels misleading and undermines the overall value of the ecosystem. Beyond the two devices mentioned above, I also own a considerable number of other Tapo products, including lights, multiple smart plugs, and an interior camera, with plans to add several exterior cameras as well. I’ve invested heavily in the Tapo ecosystem because I believed in its direction and potential. I sincerely hope Tapo reconsiders this approach and aligns the feature set with what customers reasonably expect from a “local‑first” system—especially with the release of the new Hub 500. Thank you!