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Triton ULTRA vs. Verkada vape detectors

Triton ULTRA and Verkada’s SV23 and SV25 vape sensors are two options schools consider for vape detection. Triton ULTRA is purpose-built as a school safety sensor. Verkada’s sensors are general-purpose air quality sensors, built for many types of buildings as part of Verkada’s cloud-managed security platform.
We recommend trying both in your own building, because the best fit depends on your rooms, your network, and the systems you already run.

See Triton ULTRA in action

Triton ULTRA vs. Verkada at a glance

Capability

Triton ULTRA

Verkada

Vape detection

Detects nicotine and THC vape pens, plus separate THC detection for combusted cannabis

ULTRA Advantage

Vape Index (0–100) indicates suspected vaping or smoking; THC identification not offered

People counting

Built-in radar people counting

Not included

Occupancy visualization and loitering

Approximate positions, dwell time, and loitering alerts from radar

Not included

Emergency keywords

Spoken keyword alerts, including custom keywords through Triton Cloud

Not included

Aggression and audio alerts

Aggression and sound-level alerts; optional AI audio classification including scream/shout and glass break

ULTRA Advantage

Noise-level readings and thresholds

Cell phone detection

Included

Not included

Environmental monitoring

Air quality and environmental readings including PM, TVOCs, Formaldehyde, CO, CO2, NO2, Ethanol, Temperature, Humidity, Humidex

Air quality and environmental readings; SV25 adds CO, formaldehyde, light, and pressure

Software model

Local software included; Triton Cloud optional. Works without a subscription

ULTRA Advantage

Cloud only. Paid Verkada license required for each sensor, renewed annually or in multi-year terms.

Incident review

Triton Cloud Evidence Room pairs sensor events with supported camera footage

Sensor data overlaid or side by side with Verkada camera footage in Command

Alerts

Local email; Cloud SMS and app push; Teams, Slack, and Google Chat routes

SMS, email, mobile app, and webhooks via API

PoE daisy-chaining

Up to five sensors on one PoE+ line

One PoE connection per sensor; no daisy-chaining available

Standard hardware warranty

10 years

Published vape detection testing

98.9% overall accuracy across 8,400 events including perfumes, deodorants, etc.

No comparable published accuracy test found

Occupancy and safety alerts beyond vaping

Cameras can’t go inside restrooms and locker rooms, and staff can’t supervise them the way they do hallways and classrooms. Students know these are the places they’re most likely to get away with vaping, fights, or bullying. Triton ULTRA was designed to monitor these spaces while protecting student privacy. Its radar powers Triton’s patented occupancy monitoring and visualization (U.S. Patent No. 12,290,365), which counts people, shows each person’s approximate position, and alerts on extended stays inside the restroom itself.

Staff can watch it from a supported VMS over RTSP. Before anyone enters, they know whether a restroom is empty, crowded, or has one student who has stayed too long.

Instead of walking rounds to every restroom, a small team can check them all from one screen. They send someone only where an alert or the occupancy view shows a reason to go.

This is the biggest functional difference between the two. Verkada’s SV23 and SV25 report motion as a yes/no value from a passive infrared sensor. Counting people requires a Verkada camera with People Analytics, which can’t be placed inside a restroom.

Triton ULTRA also detects cell phones and supports spoken keyword alerts, so a student can call for help without a camera or a recording.

Software, licensing, and integrations

Verkada sensors are managed in Verkada Command, its cloud platform. Every sensor needs a paid license, sold in 1-, 3-, 5-, and 10-year terms. Licenses must be renewed to retain Command access and notifications after the 30-day grace period.

Triton ULTRA includes local software that runs without a subscription. Triton Cloud is optional and adds SMS and app push alerts, centralized management, Keyword Assist, and Evidence Room.

Native camera pairing in Command is convenient, though each Verkada camera needs its own camera license on top of the sensor license. Verkada also sends sensor alert events, rather than time-series data, to four supported third-party VMSs. Viewing non-Verkada cameras inside Command requires a Verkada Command Connector and one camera license per camera channel.

Triton ULTRA is built on open standards. Because it doesn’t depend on one vendor’s platform, it can move with you if your district changes video systems. It supports more than 25 platforms and open standards like ONVIF, HTTP, and TCP. Triton’s Evidence Room, in Triton Cloud, brings sensor events, supported camera footage, and notification logs into one review workspace.

Triton ULTRA also integrates with Verkada Command through Triton Cloud, linking sensor alerts to live and recorded Verkada footage. Districts on Verkada can add Triton’s occupancy, keyword, and cell phone features without leaving their video platform.

Triton

Local software included; no subscription required

Optional Triton Cloud subscription

SMS and push alerts, centralized management, Keyword Assist, Evidence Room

Camera integrates with Verkada Command through Triton Cloud, linking alerts to live and recorded footage

Open protocols support flexible integration with compatible systems; Has integrations with: Genetec, Milestone, Axis Camera Station, exacqVision, Wisenet WAVE, Avigilon, i-PRO VideoInsight, OpenEye, Eagle Eye Networks, March Networks, and more

Build on open standards: ONVIF Profiles S and V, RTSP, MQTT/MQTTS, TCP, HTTP/HTTPS, SMTP

Verkada

Cloud-based Verkada Command; paid license required per sensor

Subscription terms: 1, 3, 5, or 10 years; renewal required

Centralized management through Command

Seamless pairing with Verkada cameras in Command; separate license per camera

Milestone XProtect, Wisenet WAVE, exacqVision, Video Insight

Third-party integrations deliver alert events only, not time-series data; Has integrations with: Milestone XProtect, Wisenet WAVE, exacqVision, Video Insight

Third-party VMS integrations require the sensor to share a network and VLAN with the VMS server

Compare installation and long-term costs

The sensor price alone doesn’t tell you what a system will cost. A sensor with a higher hardware price can cost less overall once installation, cabling, and required software are counted.

Triton ULTRA’s local software has no required subscription. Up to five sensors can share one PoE+ line, which can reduce cable runs and switch ports where the layout allows.

Request quotes for the same rooms and capabilities, including:

Hardware, mounts, cabling, and installation

Required software licenses for the full term, including renewals

Cameras and camera licenses needed for video pairing or people counting

Warranty terms, exclusions, and replacement labor

Compare the installed price and projected spending over five and ten years.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Verkada detect THC vaping?

Verkada’s Vape Index indicates suspected vaping or smoking from several sensor readings. Its documentation does not describe identifying THC separately. Triton ULTRA detects nicotine and THC vape pens and has a separate THC detection for combusted cannabis.

Can Verkada sensors count people in a restroom?

Not on their own. The SV23 and SV25 report motion as yes or no. People counts come from a Verkada camera with People Analytics, which is placed outside private areas. Triton ULTRA counts people with radar inside the room.

Do Verkada air quality sensors require a subscription?

Yes. Verkada requires a paid Command license for each sensor, sold in 1-, 3-, 5-, and 10-year terms, and access to most of Command, including notifications, ends 30 days after licenses expire. Triton ULTRA includes local software, and Triton Cloud is optional.

Which is better if we already use Verkada cameras?

Verkada’s native camera pairing is convenient inside Command. Triton ULTRA integrates with Verkada Command through Triton Cloud, so you can add radar occupancy, keyword alerts, and cell phone detection while keeping your Verkada video system. Triton’s Evidence Room also places supported camera footage next to each sensor event, giving the same side-by-side review in one workspace.

Which has fewer false alarms?

Triton reports 98.9% overall accuracy across 8,400 tests of vape detection and non-vape rejection. We found no comparable published Verkada test. Test both systems in the same rooms, recording missed events and false alerts.

Can we test Triton ULTRA next to our Verkada sensors?

Yes. Install both with appropriate placement and current firmware, then record real vape events, nuisance alerts, missed detections, and alert delivery times.

Triton ULTRA vs. Verkada vape detectors

Triton ULTRA vs. Verkada at a glance

Occupancy and safety alerts beyond vaping

Software, licensing, and integrations

Compare installation and long-term costs

Compare the systems in your own school

Frequently Asked Questions

Sources