Surveillance Storage Cost Per Day Calculator
Recording security footage is only part of a surveillance system’s cost. The longer you keep video and the more cameras you operate, the more storage capacity you need. The Surveillance Storage Cost Per Day Calculator estimates the daily cost of that capacity using your cameras’ average bitrate, recording schedule, retention period, storage rate, and number of copies.
What the Surveillance Storage Cost Per Day Calculator does
This surveillance storage cost per day calculator estimates the ongoing daily charge for storing surveillance recordings after the retention period is filled. It first estimates how much video your cameras produce each day, then calculates the capacity needed to retain that footage and any additional copies.
The result is labeled Estimated cost per day and appears in dollars per day. It assumes that storage is billed in proportion to the amount of capacity used, that a terabyte is a decimal TB, and that each billing month has 30 days.
For readers of thebestsecuritycameras.com, the estimate can be useful when comparing recording schedules or planning how much storage a camera system may need. The default figures are illustrative: they are not a quote from a storage provider, and they exclude equipment, network charges, and other fees.
How to use the Surveillance Storage Cost Per Day Calculator
Enter the following information using the same assumptions for every camera in the calculation:
- Number of cameras: Enter how many cameras record footage to the storage you want to estimate. The calculator accepts whole numbers from 1 to 1,000.
- Average bitrate per camera (Mbps): Enter the average actual encoded bitrate for one camera in megabits per second. The calculator assumes every camera uses this same average bitrate.
- Recording hours per day: Enter the average number of hours each camera records daily. Use 24 for continuous recording, or a lower figure if your cameras record for fewer hours on average.
- Retention period (days): Enter how many days of recordings you plan to keep. For example, a 30-day retention period means the capacity estimate covers approximately 30 days of footage.
- Storage cost per TB per month ($): Enter your assumed monthly price for one decimal terabyte of storage. Use a rate that does not already include the additional copies represented by the next control.
- Storage copies or capacity multiplier: Select one, two, or three copies. This multiplies the estimated capacity to account for additional copies or redundancy.
Once the inputs reflect your setup, read the Estimated cost per day. For a useful comparison, change one assumption at a time, such as recording hours or retention days, and observe how the result changes.
If your cameras have different bitrates or schedules, a single shared average may be too broad. You can make separate estimates for groups of similar cameras and add their daily results, keeping in mind that each displayed result is rounded to cents.
How the Surveillance Storage Cost Per Day Calculator formula works
The calculation starts with the amount of footage recorded each day. A bitrate in Mbps describes data produced over time, so recording hours are converted to seconds. The calculator then converts the result to decimal terabytes:
Daily recording volume in TB = Number of cameras × Average bitrate per camera × Recording hours per day × 3,600 ÷ 8,000,000
The conversion uses eight bits per byte and one million megabytes per decimal terabyte. The calculator then estimates stored capacity and applies the monthly rate:
Estimated cost per day = Daily recording volume in TB × Retention period × Storage copies or capacity multiplier × Storage cost per TB per month ÷ 30
This is a capacity-cost estimate, not just the cost of one day’s newly recorded footage. Once the retention window is full, the storage charge reflects the retained footage for all the days in that window. Older footage is assumed to leave the retained set as new footage arrives.
Worked example using the default inputs
Assume four cameras each record at an average of 4 Mbps for 24 hours a day. Footage is kept for 30 days, the assumed storage rate is $5 per TB per month, and one copy is stored.
- Daily recording volume: 4 × 4 × 24 × 3,600 ÷ 8,000,000 = 0.1728 TB.
- Retained capacity: 0.1728 TB × 30 days × 1 copy = 5.184 TB.
- Estimated monthly capacity charge: 5.184 TB × $5 per TB = $25.92.
- Estimated daily cost: $25.92 ÷ 30 = $0.864, displayed as $0.86/day.
The $5 rate and the other default inputs are assumptions for illustration. Your actual bitrate and storage charges may differ. The displayed daily result is rounded to two decimal places.
Use cases for the Surveillance Storage Cost Per Day Calculator
Planning a home camera system: Estimate how a few cameras recording around the clock might affect your storage budget. You can compare that with a shorter average recording schedule if your system supports it.
Estimating storage for a business: Stores, offices, and other facilities can use the calculator to explore how adding cameras changes the capacity needed for an established retention period. All else being equal, doubling the number of cameras doubles the estimate.
Comparing retention periods: Keeping footage for longer requires more capacity under the calculator’s assumptions. For example, changing retention from 30 to 60 days doubles the estimated stored capacity and daily charge when the other inputs remain unchanged.
Considering extra copies: Selecting two copies doubles the capacity estimate compared with one copy; selecting three triples it. This can help illustrate the capacity impact of maintaining additional copies, provided the entered storage rate does not already include them.
Evaluating recording settings: An average bitrate affects both storage needs and potential video quality. Comparing estimates at different bitrates can help you understand the cost trade-off, although the calculator does not assess whether a particular setting provides enough detail for your cameras or location.
Other factors to consider when calculating Estimated cost per day
Actual bitrate may vary. Some cameras use variable bitrate, which can change with movement, scene detail, lighting, resolution, frame rate, and compression settings. A measured average that covers normal conditions may produce a more useful estimate than a peak bitrate or a manufacturer’s maximum setting.
Recording hours are an average. Motion-triggered recording can vary from day to day. If you enter an estimated average of six hours, actual footage and costs may be higher during unusually active periods. The calculator also assumes that each camera follows the same schedule.
Billing may not be proportional. A provider may charge for minimum capacity, fixed storage tiers, or other billing increments. The calculator instead multiplies the estimated decimal TB directly by the monthly rate, so its result may differ from an actual bill.
Copies and redundancy require careful pricing. Use the multiplier to represent additional capacity only when your entered per-TB rate excludes the corresponding copies or redundancy. If a service’s price already includes them, multiplying again can overstate the estimate.
Overhead and other costs are excluded. File-system overhead, metadata, taxes, network or transfer fees, and other service charges can affect the total. Physical drive purchases and their useful life are also outside the calculation. For a local recorder, this result does not estimate the cost of buying or replacing hard drives.
Decimal TB and billing months matter. The calculator uses 1 TB as 1,000,000,000,000 bytes and divides the monthly charge by 30. Storage systems or providers may display capacity using different units or calculate charges over different billing periods.
Frequently asked questions
Does the estimate apply before the retention period is full?
The result represents the ongoing capacity charge after the retention window is filled. If a new system starts with no recordings, it may use less capacity while footage accumulates, depending on how the storage is provisioned and billed.
What happens if cameras record zero hours per day?
The calculated daily recording volume and estimated cost are zero. In practice, a storage account or device may still have fixed charges or contain older recordings, neither of which is included in that result.
Should I enter the camera’s maximum bitrate?
Enter the average actual encoded bitrate you expect during recording. A maximum bitrate can be useful for planning a higher-capacity scenario, but it may overstate the cost if the camera usually records at a lower average.
Does the calculator include cloud transfer or equipment costs?
No. It estimates a storage capacity charge from the monthly rate you enter. Network and transfer fees, equipment purchases, taxes, and other charges need to be assessed separately.
Can I use the calculator for cameras with different settings?
The calculator applies one bitrate and one recording schedule to every camera entered. For a more representative estimate, calculate separately for groups with similar settings and add the results. Small differences may occur because each displayed daily estimate is rounded.