Best Home Security Systems of 2023

You have a lot to choose from when it comes to home security systems in 2023. There are a lot of ways you can customize a home security system depending on your home and preferences. 

The best home security systems are easy to use, have fast response times, and give you a range of smart home features and integrations. It’s also important to research monthly fees and contract options.

• A good balance of cost to features
• Professional monitoring option
• Mobile app features and cost
• Contract terms that fit your lifestyle
• The right installation for your needs (DIY or professional)
• Smart home integration(s) that work with your other devices

The most important question to ask with any home alarm system you’re considering is how well it will protect your home, belongings, and loved ones. A close second is figuring out if it’s worth your money.

Things that can impact your overall cost:

• Equipment costs: Most DIY home security systems require you to buy all of your equipment upfront, which can cost between $200 and $1,000 or more. The good news is you can choose the equipment that works best for you—multiple security cameras or none at all? Just the basics (base station, motion detector, window sensor) or the latest and greatest security and smart home innovations?
• Fees: You may be charged fees for installation or activation. These fees can depend on the size of your system and whether or not you choose professional installation.
• Long-term contracts: Some alarm companies require contracts that can last anywhere from 36 to 60 months. Most contracts come with steep termination fees (up to 100% of the remaining contract) if you cancel early. The plus is that contracts can mean no big upfront costs for equipment.
• Professional monitoring: We recommend professional monitoring with every home security system. It’s a direct link to help when you need it, whether you’re home or on vacation. The average cost for pro monitoring, based on all the systems we’ve tested, is around $32 per month.
• Mobile app features: Most home security and alarm systems have a mobile app that you can view a live stream, download recordings, and manage settings. Some home security companies require a subscription to use certain features so it's important to look at what you get with each plan, along with what the mobile app offers. 
• Smart home control, mobile apps, and video monitoring: These features are usually upgrades that depend on the type of plan and equipment you want. The more perks you add to your system, the higher the monthly price may climb.

We recommend picking a system that offers professional monitoring, just in case you need it. While self-monitoring sounds doable in theory, most folks find they can’t be on alert 24/7 and would rather leave it to the professionals. So even if you plan to self-monitor, it’s good to choose a system with a professional option available.

We especially like home security companies that use enhanced resources and technology to deliver assistance as quickly as possible. Both Cove and SimpliSafe use RapidSOS, a data platform used by emergency response centers to help provide faster, more accurate help to people in need.

We also appreciate home alarm companies that let you opt in to short-term monitoring for vacations, like Abode.

If you prefer to save money by DIYing your home, look for security systems you can set up yourself. If the idea of figuring out installation makes you feel faint, look for systems with professional installation.

On top of pro installation by trained experts, full-service home security companies like ADT and Vivint include a complimentary security assessment of your home that includes identifying all security vulnerabilities and recommendations to maximize your home’s security.

If you’re all about that smart home life or think you might get into home automation in the future, know that not every system works with every piece of smart home equipment.

Some of the benefits of integrating your security system with smart home devices include:

• Voice control of your system
• Ability to check on and control locks, cameras, sensors, and more from anywhere
• Energy efficiency and possible savings on utilities
• Extra security to let in kids after school, dog walkers, house sitters, etc.

SimpliSafe changed the way home security companies do things. It lets you order online instead of getting on the phone, it doesn’t do contracts, and it’s super affordable. We love that SimpliSafe makes it easy to set up a basic security system without draining your savings. 

SimpliSafe is perfect if you want a well-known brand that will protect your house for way less money than you’d pay for the ADTs of the world. Most people know the name “SimpliSafe” by now (potential burglars included), and it makes it cheap and easy to set up an alarm system in your house.

Plus, SimpliSafe is no slouch on the equipment front. A cheap security system doesn't have to mean cheap options. You can find everything from window sensors to leak detectors to carbon monoxide sensors.

To learn more, read How Much Does SimpliSafe Cost? and SimpliSafe Cameras Review.

View Plans | Read Full SimpliSafe Review

If you want a beautifully designed security system that works even better than it looks, then Vivint is for you. Vivint offers high-end smart home technology alongside some of the best cameras in the industry. 

Everything Vivint does, it does well. Where other alarm companies offer a hodgepodge of third-party equipment, Vivint designs its own stuff. 

Some options, like ADT, have good equipment but so-so cameras. Vivint’s cameras have some of the best features on the market, including video analytics and 4K image sensors (as well as more standard fare like motion detectors, two-way audio, and night vision).

Vivint home security also has professional installation, so you don’t have to break a sweat setting up your system. And it has full smart home support, so you can automate everything from your door locks to your bedside lamp.

If you want a security system that will protect your home and also make your neighbors say, “Wow, where’d you get that?” then Vivint’s got what you need.

To learn more, read How Much Does Vivint Cost?.

View Plans | Read Full Vivint Review

Everyone knows ADT. It’s been in business for over a century, and it’s available all across the US. (And a few other countries as well. For any Canadians out there, it used to be one of the most popular alarm systems in Canada. It's since become TELUS SmartHome Security.)

If you want the system with the most clout, then ADT delivers. Potential burglars will see the yard sign and skip your house faster than you can say “break-in.” Not to mention that ADT uses professional installation so you don’t have to do the work yourself.

ADT also offers a DIY system with lower costs, self-monitoring and no contracts. Check out our ADT Self Setup review or read on to learn more. 

Aside from its famous name, ADT has a wide range of security equipment to protect your home. And the system requires professional installation, so you don’t have to worry about sticking sensors on your doors backward or something.

ADT also works with Z-Wave and supports a bunch of different smart home devices as well as some indoor and outdoor cameras. But you have to subscribe to the right monitoring plan to get support for stuff like that.

Check out How Much Is ADT? to learn more.

View Plans | Read Full ADT Review

Cove is like a slightly fancier version of SimpliSafe. Both systems cost the same, but if you like the look of a touchscreen control panel, then Cove will give your style a bit of a boost.

We recommend SimpliSafe over Cove because it has a wider range of equipment. But Cove is a nice alternative for people who want something affordable yet sleek.

If great customer service is a priority to you, Cove is notorious for customer care. The company includes some unique services like: 

• Cove Equipment Rewards: Upgrade to the newest equipment for free
• Rate-lock guarantee: If you are a Plus plan member, Cove locks in your monthly rate for life, so you will never have to worry about your rate increasing. 
• Lifetime equipment warranty: You won't have to worry about your equipment going out on you with this warranty.
• InstaText: Get notifications and respond to emergencies through text messages.

Cove also has a full range of support articles and videos in case you get stuck while you’re setting things up, but we doubt you’ll need them. If you do need additional assistance, the Cove touchscreen can walk you through installation with easy-to-follow steps and pictures.

Cove’s equipment doesn’t just look good. It's also super easy to set up and backed by good customer support.

Read Full Cove Review

ADT Self Setup - previously known as Blue by ADT - is a DIYer’s dream. It's definitely one to look at for users who like a cheap security system. It has a bunch of smart home integrations that let you add third-party devices. Plus, ADT Self Setup offers a free self-monitoring option and affordable professional monitoring if you don't want to monitor your system yourself.

As far as home automation goes, ADT Self Setup is compatible with Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, IFTTT, and Z-Wave Plus. Some other ADT Self Setup equipment is also compatible with HomeKit so you can connect a ADT Self Setup security system to almost anything.  

View Plans | Read Full ADT Self Setup Review

The Ring Alarm security system came out just two years ago, and it’s been making waves ever since for its radically affordable pricing plus smart home support. If you want the ultimate affordable alarm system, then you’ll pay less for a Ring starter kit than you did for those new AirPod Pros you just lost.

Equipment’s not the only thing that Ring Alarm sells on the cheap; just look at the professional monitoring. Normally, we’d expect to pay anywhere from $15 to $60+ per month for professional monitoring. Ring Alarm gives it to you for a cool $10 per month with Ring Protect Plus. That’s pretty much the lowest price possible.

You can also self-monitor your system for free (although you won’t get all the features you’d get with a paid plan).

We also love that Ring still has decent smart home support. Some other cheap security and alarm systems, like SimpliSafe and Cove, don’t work so well with smart home devices like lights and locks. Ring Alarm supports Z-Wave so you can integrate your smart outlets with your overall security system.

The only thing we don’t like about Ring is the privacy concerns that have caused some users to turn to other systems.

View on Amazon | Read Full Ring Alarm Review

Frontpoint’s system works for just about everyone: big house or small house, renter or homeowner, technophile or aspiring Luddite. We like Frontpoint’s simple, secure equipment and its smart home features (especially the Yale smart door lock). Just expect to pay a bit more for the monitoring service.

Frontpoint is friendly. Its customers routinely leave glowing reviews,^2,3 and our own experience with Frontpoint’s reps has always been that they’re helpful and easy to talk to.

If you’ve ever tried to call in to something like your internet service provider and had a horrible customer experience (*cough* Comcast *cough*), then you know how important it is to have good support when something goes awry. And Frontpoint is like the Tom Hanks of home security companies—just so nice, you know?

If you’re having trouble installing your doorbell camera or telling your door sensor from your flood sensor, Frontpoint has a bunch of support resources on its website. And you can even contact its reps through social media platforms (like Twitter) if that’s your jam.

Frontpoint also has flexible monitoring options for your convenience. You can pay more for no contract or less with 24- and 26-month commitments.

View Plans | Read Full Frontpoint Review

If you hate digging for your phone or punching in a code every time you walk in or out the door, then Scout might be a good fit for you.

Scout has something we haven’t seen from any other security company: an RFID door panel. Never heard of RFID? You’re not alone.

RFID stands for Radio Frequency Identification. For this purpose, it basically means you can use little stickers or tags (with RFID functionality) to arm and disarm your security system instead of the traditional keypad.

Scout's door panel is unique, but that's not all Scout has going for it.  Scout also has good support for that smart home you’re working on. It’s one of only two systems on our list that supports both Z-Wave and Zigbee smart home protocols. (The other one is ADT Self Setup.)

You’ll also save some money with Scout. Its equipment, including cameras, is super affordable. Scout’s doorbell camera costs only $99, which is cheap for a doorbell cam that still records in crisp 1080p HD.

View Plans | Read Full Scout Review

Link Interactive is the king of choices. You can choose a contract or no contract—and if you opt for a contract, then you can choose the length. Link Interactive also has more diverse equipment options than any other company we’ve seen, and it’s pretty affordable to boot.

If you need some super-specific sensor you can’t find anywhere else, then Link probably has it.

Link Interactive has flexible contract and equipment options, reasonable pricing, and super friendly customer service. It gives you a ton of different ways to protect your home with a bunch of smart home integrations so you can smartify your family’s lives.

If you need specific devices, like an outdoor sensor for a pool cover or a stovetop sensor so you can stop wondering if you’ve left the burner on, then Link Interactive has what you need. And if you buy some random Z-Wave smart home device on Amazon, Link’s customer service reps will even tell you how to install it.

View Plans |Read Full Link Interactive Review

Brinks Home smart home security equipment comes with some pretty neat monitoring alerts.

False alarms can be a huge pain in the you-know-what. If you have enough false alarms that make their way to police dispatch, you might even have to pay a fine. That’s why when your alarm system goes off, most monitoring centers will try to call you before they get the cops involved.

Brinks Home security takes that a step farther, though. Its reps can contact you through text message, phone, or email, depending on which you prefer. If, like us, you avoid answering your phone as much as possible, then text messages might be a better way to reach you.

Brinks Home can also notify other people on your contact list in case you don’t pick up.

View Plans | Read Full Brinks Home Review

Want to compare security systems you can install yourself? Check out our Best DIY Security Systems review. And let us know about your alarm system of choice in the comments.

• Vivint is like the BMW of home security systems. It’s professionally installed, it will look good in your house, and it supports a ton of smart home devices.
• ADT is super expensive for what you get, especially if you go for ADT Command. But, like Vivint, ADT comes professionally installed, and its monitoring centers are super reliable.
• SimpliSafe is the poster child for easy-to-order, super affordable security systems. Plus, installation is a cinch.
• Cove is a lot like SimpliSafe as far as pricing goes, but its equipment is a little fancier overall. But Cove’s camera options aren’t the best.
• ADT Self Setup gives you unique equipment features plus affordable professional monitoring. Quite the powerhouse combo.
• Ring Alarm has the most affordable equipment and monitoring around. This is the one for you if you want a security system that will be easy on your wallet.
• Frontpoint gets an A+ for its excellent customer experience. Its system is pretty good too—but with pricey monitoring plans.
• Scout Alarm is the only option on our list that offers RFID tags for arming and disarming your system. If you prefer the keypad-less route, Scout’s a good pick.
• Link Interactive has a huge array of devices available. (And we mean huge.) If you want a super customizable system, this one’s for you.
• Brinks Home uses multiple channels to contact you in the event of an alarm so you won’t miss the memo.

We research, test, and compare home security systems based on these five categories:

1. Price
2. Equipment
3. Mobile app 
4. Smart home integrations
5. Security cameras
6. Customer experience

To decide which home security system is the best, we looked for innovative technology, a wide range of smart home integrations, reliable security sensors, and professional monitoring. We looked for more than just basic contact sensors and a control panel; we wanted the full smart home plus security experience with value trumping cost.

We’ve performed hands-on testing with several of these systems (Vivint, SimpliSafe, ADT, ADT Self Setup, and Ring), and we’re testing new systems all the time to gain new insights.

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• SimpliSafe vs. ADT Review