Cloud Gateway Max vs. Cloud Gateway Ultra: Which UniFi gateway is right for you?

Choosing the right UniFi Cloud Gateway can make or break your network performance. For growing offices, high-traffic sites, or demanding remote setups, every port, throughput metric, and storage detail matters.

Two models stand out in UniFi’s current lineup: Cloud Gateway Max and Cloud Gateway Ultra. Both offer controller integration, security, and streamlined deployment—but they’re built with different goals in mind.

Let’s break it all down.

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🚨 Before we dive in, please don't self-host your UniFi Controller if you take care of client networks. Sooner or later this will cause issues! It's fine for home users, but definitely not recommended for IT service businesses and MSPs. If you want secure, reliable and a scalable hosting solution check out UniHosted.

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Table of Contents

• At a glance: What's the difference?
• Full spec comparison
• How to choose the right model
  • Choose Cloud Gateway Max if:
  • Choose Cloud Gateway Ultra if:
• Final thoughts

At a glance: What's the difference?

Cloud Gateway Max is the heavy hitter. It’s built for multi-gig performance, higher IDS/IPS throughput, and ready-to-go NVR storage. If you're pushing a lot of data or want serious headroom, this is your box.

Cloud Gateway Ultra is more compact and flexible. It supports NVMe SSDs, which makes it a great candidate for custom storage setups. It’s designed for small-to-medium networks that still need full UniFi power.

Full spec comparison

Here’s a complete side-by-side look at both models:

Feature	Cloud Gateway Max	Cloud Gateway Ultra
Ideal for	Medium-sized sites	Small-to-medium networks
UniFi devices	30+	30+
Client devices	300+	300+
Total throughput	2.5 Gbps	1 Gbps
IDS/IPS throughput	1.5 Gbps	1 Gbps
WAN ports	(1) 2.5G RJ45	(1) 2.5G RJ45
LAN ports	(4) 2.5G RJ45 (1 is remappable to WAN)	(4) GbE RJ45 (1 is remappable to WAN)
Wi-Fi	None	None
Storage	512 GB NVR microSD card included	NVMe SSD slot (supports up to 2 TB)
Power redundancy	UniFi Power Backup ready	UniFi Power Backup ready
Mounting	Rack	Rack

How to choose the right model

Choose Cloud Gateway Max if:

• You have multi-gigabit internet or LAN infrastructure.
• You plan to use IDS/IPS features heavily.
• You want a ready-to-use NVR for UniFi Protect.
• You prefer a fixed, integrated storage setup.

Choose Cloud Gateway Ultra if:

• You're running a smaller site with standard gigabit speeds.
• You want to control or upgrade your storage (via NVMe).
• You're okay with lower throughput in exchange for flexibility.
• You’re working with a more constrained budget.

Final thoughts

Both gateways offer UniFi’s signature simplicity and power. You’ll get remote management, security inspection, and seamless integration with switches, access points, and Protect—all without needing a separate console.

The real decision comes down to performance vs. flexibility. Need speed and turnkey NVR? Go Max. Want modular storage and don't mind gigabit? Go Ultra.

And if you're looking to host your UniFi controller in the cloud instead of on-site, we’ve got you covered. We help users deploy and manage their UniFi networks without hardware headaches—reach out if you’d like help getting started.

If you would like me to personally walk you through UniHosted, you can schedule a call with me here.