Best overall: SimpliSafe
SimpliSafe Security System
5.0
NerdWallet rating
on SimpliSafe's website
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details
5.0
NerdWallet rating
Equipment cost
$249.96
Base kit includes one base station, one keypad, one entry sensor, one motion sensor. Sometimes you can get one free Smart Alarm wireless indoor security camera and a free trial of professional monitoring if they're running a promotion.
Professional monitoring monthly cost
$29.99
Self-monitoring available for $9.99 per month. You can also access basic features with no plan.
Hazard detection
Add-on smoke/CO detector, water and temperature sensor.
Haven plan includes hazard sensors, alarm system, siren and panic button for $520.
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details
on SimpliSafe's website
Read NerdWallet's full review of Simplisafe.
Best multifunction sensors: Arlo
Arlo Security System
4.5
NerdWallet rating
on Arlo's website
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details
Equipment cost
$199.99
Base kit includes one keypad sensor hub, two sensors, and a free three-month pro monitoring trial.
Professional monitoring monthly cost
$24.99
Some sensor features not available without subscription. Self-monitoring for cameras starts at $7.99 per month.
Hazard detection
Sensors can detect water and temperature and alert you when a smoke/CO detector goes off.
No smoke/CO detector.
View
details
on Arlo's website
Read NerdWallet's full review of Arlo.
Best DIY system: Ring
Ring Security System
4.5
NerdWallet rating
on NerdWallet
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details
4.5
NerdWallet rating
Equipment cost
$199.99
Base kit includes Alarm Base Station, keypad, door/window contact sensor, motion detector, Alarm Range Extender and free 30-day trial of Ring Protect professional monitoring. "Pro" starter kit comes with a Wi-Fi router.
Professional monitoring monthly cost
$20
Self-monitoring available with plans starting at $3.99 per month.
Hazard detection
Add-on smoke/CO detector and listener, flood and freeze sensor.
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details
on NerdWallet
Read NerdWallet's full review of Ring.
Best smart home integration: Abode
Abode Security System
4.5
NerdWallet rating
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details
4.5
NerdWallet rating
Equipment cost
$139.99
Base kit includes security hub, key fob and mini-sensor for door/window.
Professional monitoring monthly cost
$24.99
Self-monitoring with extra features is $7.99 per month, but you can still use the alarm system for free.
Hazard detection
Add-on smoke alarm monitor and leak detector.
No smoke/CO detector.
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details
Best monitoring: ADT
ADT Security System
4.0
NerdWallet rating
on NerdWallet
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details
4.0
NerdWallet rating
Equipment cost
$194.98
Base kit comes with one ADT Smart Home Hub, one ADT Door/Window Sensor and the ADT+ app.
Professional monitoring monthly cost
$24.99 and up
$59.99 with cameras. A monitoring plan is required with equipment purchase, but you can choose self-monitoring starting at $24.99.
Hazard detection
Add-on CO detector, smoke detector and water/temperature sensor.
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details
on NerdWallet
Read NerdWallet's full review of ADT.
Best professional installation: Vivint
Vivint Security System
3.0
NerdWallet rating
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details
3.0
NerdWallet rating
Equipment cost
$599.99
Base kit includes Vivint Smart Hub Control Panel, four door/window sensors, and one motion sensor.
Professional monitoring monthly cost
$41
Professional monitoring plan is required with equipment purchase. $46 with cameras.
Hazard detection
Add-on smoke/CO detector and water sensor.
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details
How to choose a home security system
Professional vs. self monitoring
You can choose to have your home security system professionally monitored, or you can respond to alerts yourself. Some providers, such as Vivint, only let you use professional monitoring with their equipment, but others offer both options.
Professional monitoring comes with additional fees: typically around $20 to $50 per month. However, the benefits can be worth the price in an emergency.
When an event triggers your alarm, your provider’s call center is instantly notified, and a representative calls you to check in. If you don’t respond, they contact emergency or police services.
Some providers, such as SimpliSafe, offer the option to let a representative access your camera footage to investigate what triggered the alarm before calling authorities.
If you opt for self-monitoring, you’ll need to respond to the phone alerts your alarm system sends you and decide what steps to take.
Some providers, such as Ring, offer professional monitoring without a contract, so you can purchase temporary alarm monitoring during a vacation, for example.
Smart home integration
Smart home devices let you control your home’s temperature, lighting, music and more from your phone, computer or tablet.
Many home security systems also integrate with existing WiFi-connected smart home networks, such as Google Home and Alexa, to give you the ability to activate and disarm your alarm system — and check your cameras — from your personal devices too.
If you already use a specific smart home network, you may want to choose a security system that integrates with that network. Abode, for example, integrates with a wider variety of smart home systems, while Google Nest is best matched with other Google Home products.
How we picked top home security systems
We aggregated the largest providers by market share and search volume, then ran them through a comprehensive rubric, measuring each product on pricing, video features, monitoring, privacy records and customer reviews. We included the top seven providers in this roundup, and there were several providers with a high search volume that did not score high enough to be included.
Methodology
We collect data from providers and do firsthand testing as necessary. Our process starts by gathering information from providers and contacting providers for further information where needed. This information, combined with our specialists’ hands-on research, makes up our proprietary assessment process that scores each provider’s performance. The final output produces star ratings from poor (1 star) to excellent (5 stars). Ratings are rounded to the nearest half-star. Learn more about our ratings methodology here.
