Frontpoint vs. Link Interactive

Frontpoint and Link Interactive offer similar features, but which one’s better for equipment and price? Find out!

Best Overall
  • pro
    Excellent customer service
  • con
    More expensive than Link
Runner-up
  • pro
    Tons of different sensor options
  • con
    No standout equipment
Mindy Woodall
Aug 31, 2022
Icon Time To Read7 min read

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Frontpoint and Link Interactive are like the quote from that Austin Powers movie: “We’re not so different, you and I.”1 They both offer DIY-installed security systems with home automation options and customer support that will make you feel loved.

So which one should you ultimately choose? We think Frontpoint takes the edge overall for excellent customer service and standout equipment. But if you want a super-customizable system with lower monitoring costs, then Link Interactive is an excellent choice.

Frontpoint vs. Link Interactive package comparison
Company
Monitoring price range
Contract
Home automation integrations
Learn more
Frontpoint

$39.99–$59.99/mo.

None OR 24 or 36 mos.

Yes

Link Interactive

$30.99–$47.99/mo.

None OR 12, 24, or 36 mos.

Yes

Data effective 8/31/2022. Offers subject to change.

Frontpoint vs. Link Interactive pricing, contracts, and fees

Link Interactive has cheaper monitoring than Frontpoint, but neither company charges unnecessary fees.

Frontpoint and Link Interactive both require professional monitoring plans. (You can’t monitor these systems yourself.) Both Link Interactive and Frontpoint offer three monitoring plans to choose from. The plans all have roughly the same features.

Let’s take a look at Frontpoint’s options.

Frontpoint monitoring plans
Plan
Price
Mobile control
Camera support
Learn more
3-year Plan

$39.99/mo.

Yes

Yes

2-year Plan

$49.99/mo.

Yes

Yes

Month-to-month Plan

$59.99/mo.

Yes

Yes

Data effective 8/31/2022. Offers subject to change.

All of Fronpoint's plans give you access to the Frontpoint mobile app—although it's a little bit pricey. If you want camera control with Frontpoint, be ready to sign on for that top-tier option.

Link Interactive monitoring plans
Plan
Price
Mobile control
Camera support
Learn more
Standard

$30.99/mo.

No

No

Gold

$39.99/mo.

Yes

No

Elite

$47.99/mo.

Yes

Yes

Data effective 8/31/2022. Offers subject to change.

Frontpoint and Link Interactive offer basically the same features, but Link Interactive comes out to be about $10 cheaper per month for a plan with mobile app access.

Want to self-monitor your security system?
Info Box

Sometimes you just want to handle everything yourself. Check out our review of the best self-monitored home security systems to find an alarm setup you can watch yourself.

Contracts

Neither Link Interactive nor Frontpoint requires you to sign a contract. Frontpoint does month-to-month agreements for its most expensive plan, as long as you request the plan over the phone and pay for all your equipment upfront. Link Interactive also offers a month-to-month option, or you can choose from a 12-, 24-, or 36-month contract.

Frontpoint contract length: None, 24, or 36 months

Link Interactive contract length: None, 12, 24, or 36 months

Fees

Good news! Neither Link Interactive nor Frontpoint charge any over-the-top fees. You don’t have to pay for installation (since you do it yourself), and you don’t have to pay to activate your system either.

Just about the only fee you’ll pay is if you sign a contract with Link Interactive and then cancel your service early. In that case, you'll pay a pretty big chunk of change for ducking out of your agreement.

Frontpoint vs. Link Interactive fees
FeesFrontpointLink Interactive
Installation feeNoneNone
Activation feeNoneNone
Cancellation feeN/A75% of remaining contract
Details

Data effective 8/31/2022. Offers subject to change.

Want to skip the contract?
Light Bulb

Check out our favorite no-contract home security systems.

Pricing winner: Link Interactive

We have to give this one to Link Interactive. Its monitoring plans are cheaper than Frontpoint’s for pretty much the same features. Just make sure you get a plan that has mobile app access if you want to control your security system from your phone.

Frontpoint vs. Link Interactive equipment

Frontpoint and Link Interactive use similar equipment but Frontpoint offers some unique components.

If you look at enough security systems, all the equipment starts to look the same. That’s because it usually is. A lot of security companies all use the exact same devices from Alarm.com, GE, Honeywell, and 2GIG.

Link Interactive and Frontpoint both use standard Alarm.com equipment, but Frontpoint goes a step further and offers some of its own pieces as well.

Frontpoint security equipment

Frontpoint hub and keypad

Source: Frontpoint

The stars of Frontpoint’s system are its hub and keypad.

Think of the hub as the brain of your system. It’s a smooth white square that won’t look out of place sitting on your front-room table, or on that bookshelf in your living room.

The keypad is pretty simplistic, but that makes it easy to operate your system with just a few button pushes. If you want to upgrade, Frontpoint also offers a full-on touchscreen control panel.

Frontpoint sensors

Frontpoint has everything from motion sensors to smoke detectors. It has pretty much every sensor you could want plus a few smart home devices.

Frontpoint sensors and equipment: 

  • Hub
  • Touchscreen
  • Keypad
  • Door/window sensor
  • Garage door sensor
  • Glass-break sensor
  • Motion detector
  • Flood sensor
  • Carbon monoxide sensor
  • Smoke/heat detector
  • Panic button
  • Garage door controller
  • Smart outlet
  • Smart lightbulb
  • Yale smart door lock
  • Key fob
  • Smart thermostat
  • Premium indoor camera
  • Outdoor camera
  • Doorbell camera
  • Yard sign
  • Window decal
  • Door sticker

Link Interactive: security equipment

Link Interactive touchscreen control panel

Link Interactive has a standard array of third-party equipment from Alarm.com, which works really well but doesn’t out from the home security crowd. You’d get the exact same stuff from companies like ADT or Protect America.

You do have a few control panels to choose from though, unlike Frontpoint’s minimalist little keypad. Link Interactive offers three different control panels:

  1. 2GIG Go!Control panel
  2. Qolsys Premium Smart Home panel
  3. Qolsys Premium Smart Home with Power G

The 2GIG Go!Control gives you a smaller screen and fewer features. The Qolsys panels are full touchscreens with included cameras that take a photo every time someone disarms the security system. Just in case some stranger somehow snagged your code.

Link Interactive sensors

Link Interactive has all the sensors Frontpoint does, plus a few extras you don’t usually see from other companies.

Link Interactive sensors and equipment:

  • 6 different door/window sensors
  • 4 kinds of garage door devices
  • Tilt sensor
  • 3 different motion sensors
  • Glass-break sensor
  • Panic button
  • Indoor strobe light and siren combo
  • Wireless doorbell (an analog non-camera doorbell)
  • Keypad (a simple analog keypad)
  • Siren
  • Smoke/heat/freeze sensor
  • Heat detector
  • Firefighter module (listens for your smoke detector’s alarm and alerts the central monitoring station that there might be a fire in your house)
  • Smoke ring (works with your regular smoke detector to alert the central monitoring system if there’s smoke in your house)
  • Disaster sensor (detects floods, freezing temperatures, and excessive heat)
  • 2 kinds of flood sensors
  • Smoke detector
  • Carbon monoxide detector
  • 2 smart locks (Yale and Kwikset)
  • 2 kinds of smart thermostat
  • Lamp module
  • Smart light bulb
  • Automation repeater (boosts your control panel’s Z-Wave signal for smart home devices that are far away from the panel)

Instead of offering just one type of each sensor, Link Interactive offers a bunch of different versions in case you need something specific.

Frontpoint vs. Link Interactive cameras

Frontpoint and Link Interactive offer the exact same cameras. No joke, they’re the same standard Alarm.com models you can also get from Brinks Home, Protect America, ADT . . . we could go on.

Frontpoint camera models:

  • Alarm.com Skybell doorbell camera
  • Alarm.com Indoor Camera
  • Alarm.com Premium Indoor Camera
  • Alarm.com Outdoor Camera
Frontpoint indoor camera

Source: Frontpoint

Link Interactive camera models:

  • Alarm.com Skybell doorbell camera
  • Alarm.com Indoor Camera
  • Alarm.com Premium Indoor Camera
  • Alarm.com Outdoor Camera

All the cameras record in high definition and have features we look for, like night vision and motion detection. They’re not the best home security cameras we’ve ever seen (or the best doorbell camera), but they’ll get the job done.

Equipment winner: Tie

Frontpoint and Link Interactive have pretty similar equipment (and the exact same cameras), but Frontpoint has some unique devices the company designed itself (the hub and keypad) and Link Interactive offers tons of different kinds of sensors so you can get the best one for your needs.

We’re calling this one a tie.

Frontpoint vs. Link Interactive home automation and mobile control

Frontpoint and Link Interactive both support Z-Wave and voice assistants.

Both Frontpoint and Link Interactive give you lots of home automation options and let you control your system from your phone.

They both use Z-Wave, which means you can add on a ton of different compatible Z-Wave devices, whether you bought it directly from the company or not.

Frontpoint home automation integrations:

  • Mobile app
  • Z-Wave
  • Amazon Alexa
  • Google Home

Link Interactive has the same smart home integrations as Frontpoint. Just like Frontpoint, it’s missing an Apple Homekit integration and it doesn’t work with IFTTT (If This Then That).

Link Interactive home automation integrations:

  • Mobile app
  • Z-Wave
  • Amazon Alexa
  • Google Home
FYI
Bullhorn

Z-Wave is a super common connection type for smart home devices—so your options for lights, locks, and thermostats are just about unlimited, regardless of whether you choose Frontpoint or Link Interactive.

Home automation winner: Tie

Frontpoint and Link Interactive have the same home automation integrations, so it’s an easy tie! Both systems also let you control your security system through your smartphone.

Frontpoint vs. Link Interactive installation

Frontpoint and Link Interactive both have DIY installation, and they’re pretty easy to set up.

Whether you choose Frontpoint or Link Interactive, you’re gonna have to get down and dirty for installation. Okay, not that dirty—installation is pretty easy either way.

Both systems have DIY installation, so you do it all yourself. Both systems also come preconfigured, which means you set up all your sensors and stuff during the ordering process, so by the time the equipment shows up at your house, it’s all set and ready to go.

Installation winner: Tie

Both these systems have easy DIY installation and come with everything preconfigured. Total tie.

Frontpoint vs. Link Interactive customer experience

Frontpoint and Link Interactive both have solid customer support, but Frontpoint takes the gold.

We’re impressed with both Frontpoint and Link Interactive’s customer service. We’ve had positive experiences with both companies and the customer reviews back us up—both Frontpoint and Link Interactive get high marks on Trustpilot2,3 reviews and Better Business Bureau grades.4,5

That said, Frontpoint takes the customer support lead. It gets slightly better customer reviews than Link Interactive on Trustpilot and takes first prize by a hair.

Customer experience winner: Frontpoint

Both these companies have really solid customer support, but Frontpoint takes the lead by just a little bit.

Recap

Frontpoint and Link Interactive are super similar in features and service, but Frontpoint wins out for customer service.

Frontpoint and Link Interactive are so similar that which one you choose really just comes down to what you need.

Do you need a super customizable system with loads of different sensor options, plus lower monitoring costs? Then Link Interactive is your best bet. Do you want standout equipment backed by the best customer service? Go with Frontpoint.

Pricing winner—Link Interactive: These two companies have similar monitoring features, but all of Link Interactive's plans are cheaper than Frontpoints.

Equipment winner—Frontpoint: Frontpoint offers some equipment you can’t get from other companies, whereas Link Interactive sells standard Alarm.com equipment. That said, Link Interactive has more types of equipment than Frontpoint, so you can customize your system.

Home automation winner—Tie: Frontpoint and Link Interactive support Z-Wave, so you can use all kinds of smart devices with either system.

Installation winner—Tie: Both Frontpoint and Link Interactive have DIY systems with easy installation and no activation fees. It’s a draw.

Customer experience winner—Frontpoint: Link Interactive and Frontpoint both have excellent customer support, but Frontpoint gets slightly better reviews that give it a lead.

Still can’t make up your mind? Check out our individual reviews to find out more about Frontpoint and Link Interactive.

Read our full Frontpoint security review.

Read our full Link Interactive security review.

Sources

Mindy Woodall
Written by
Mindy Woodall
Mindy has been writing about technology for seven years. She covers all things smart home for Reviews.org, and keeps track of the latest robot gadgets. Mindy attended the University of Utah and her work has been featured on the likes of Parents.com, Digital Care, Hostfully, and more.

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