ADT
Our pick for: Traditional systems
Monitoring: Required
DIY installation available: Yes
Starting equipment costs: $155.98 to $1,109.60
Vivint
Our pick for: Custom installation
Monitoring: Required
DIY installation available: No
Starting equipment costs: $599.99
SimpliSafe
Our pick for: Self-monitoring
Monitoring: Optional
DIY installation available: Yes
Starting equipment costs: $1.0 million
Our pick for: Value
Monitoring: Optional
DIY installation available: Yes
Starting equipment costs: $155.98 to $1,109.60
Frontpoint
Our pick for: Tech support
Monitoring: Required
DIY installation available: Yes
Starting equipment costs: $402.96 to $790.91
Vector Security
Our pick for: Smart-home automation
Monitoring: Required
DIY installation available: Yes
Starting equipment costs: $46 to $64 per month
Our editor’s top picks
The ConsumersApproach research team compared 26 home security companies on available features and technology, customer reviews and costs. Some companies may be Authorized Partners that compensate us — this does not affect our recommendations or evaluations but may impact the order in which companies appear. Read our full methodology for more details on how we selected our top six picks.
- Our pick for traditional systems: ADT
- Our pick for custom installation: Vivint
- Our pick for self-monitoring: SimpliSafe
- Our pick for value: Ring
- Our pick for tech support: Frontpoint
- Our pick for smart-home automation: Vector Security
Home security system costs
Home security costs often include upfront equipment and setup charges plus monthly fees if you want monitoring services. However, some companies offer free or discounted equipment as long as you commit to paying monitoring fees for a long term.
Simple security systems usually cost $300 to $600 to set up, and monthly charges seldom exceed $60. However, some of the cheapest home security systems can get you started for under $100 (or $0 if you finance your equipment costs), with monthly fees of around $10.
Factors that impact the cost of your home security system
When comparing home security system price factors, consider the cost of equipment, monitoring, installation, activation, cancellation and local alarm permit fees.
- Equipment costs: Expect to pay a few hundred dollars for a basic system and $1,000 or more for top-of-the-line systems with a multitude of devices. Many security companies provide financing or rental options to help make these costs more affordable.
- Monitoring fees: Rates range between $10 and $65 per month. Fees can also vary based on the type of system you have — for example, monitoring for a system with smart video capabilities costs more than monitoring for one without a camera.
- Installation costs: A wireless system should be simple to install, and often you can do it yourself for free. Professional installation costs start at around $100, and installation costs for extensive residential camera systems are generally higher — up to around $500.Some companies that require professional installation waive these fees, though, and free installation is often included in temporary sales or promotions.
- Activation fees: Some companies charge a one-time activation fee of up to around $100 to get the system working. Others include the activation fee in the price of installation.
- Municipal fees for alarm permits: Some cities charge a yearly permit fee, usually $30 to $100, for local police to respond to emergency calls triggered by monitored home security systems.
- Termination fees: Costly termination fees could apply if you break your home security contract. Depending on the company, you might be on the hook for the balance of your equipment costs, even if the equipment was advertised as free.
Are home security systems worth it?
As you shop, it’s not uncommon to find yourself wondering if buying, installing and using a security system is worth the effort. However, our research has found that they’re often great additions to a home for multiple reasons — and experts agree.
“I think security systems are worth it, but the sad truth is most people don’t realize that until after something bad has happened,” Rebecca Edwards, lead safety expert of SafeWise.com, said. “It’s a little bit like preventive health care — we all know we should do it, but if we feel fine it can be easy to put off.”
First, and maybe most obvious, security systems are a great way to deter potential burglars. The study from UNC Charlotte cited earlier found that 83% of the burglars surveyed would try to see if a home had an alarm system before attempting to break in, and 60% of burglars surveyed said they would find another home to burglarize if a security system was present. That deterrence can add up to savings.
The average loss per burglary is $2,661, according to the FBI.
“When you look at the cost of not having a home security system, it’s definitely worth it,” said Edwards. “The average loss from a burglary in the US is around $2,600, and that’s just the monetary cost. That doesn’t even touch the emotional cost and losing your sense of safety in your home, which should be your sanctuary.”
Second, even if a security system doesn’t deter a burglar, the alarm can alert neighbors to trouble, and the monitoring center can call for the authorities. This is particularly useful if you’re not at home or you can’t get to your phone to call for help.
Third, security systems can provide more than just burglar detection. The constant smart camera monitoring and home automation services can offer comfort and a little peace of mind.
Many security system providers have smartphone apps that let you see through your security cameras no matter where you are. That means you can watch your kids or pets play outside while you cook dinner or check in with the nanny while you’re at work. You can even watch for that pesky neighbor that likes to let their dog relieve itself in your yard.
» MORE: Home invasion statistics by state
Methodology
ConsumersApproach carefully collects in-depth, verified reviews to tell each customer’s experience with a company. We believe customer experiences are a crucial indicator when evaluating companies, so these reviews are a significant factor when selecting our top picks.
To choose the top home security providers, we started with the 26 companies listed in this guide and analyzed more than 81,000 of their reviews on our site.
To narrow our list down, we first eliminated those with overall satisfaction ratings below 3 stars (as of June 2023). To ensure we considered experiences from a diverse range of customers, we also eliminated any company with fewer than 30 ratings in the past year.
We then compared the nine remaining companies on multiple factors, including:
- Availability: We made sure our top picks operate in most U.S. states and are accessible without an undue burden for new customers. (That means we didn’t think you should have to sign up for another service just to purchase your security system.)
- Unique offerings: We prioritized companies that aren’t primarily dealers for other brands on our list.
- Costs: We gave preference to companies that priced their equipment and services to provide better value.
- Installation methods: Both professionally installed and user-installed systems have their place in the industry, but we used this as a benchmark for identifying a company’s ideal customer.
- Mandatory commitments: We researched each company’s contract terms to identify how long consumers were locked into monitoring agreements.
- Features and technology: We evaluated each company’s products and services to make sure they meet industry standards.
We used these factors to identify whether these companies met our standards and how these companies could serve different consumers’ needs. That analysis informed the highlighted headline for each of our top picks and our write-ups.
Notes
The information in our write-ups is based on the following editorial guidelines:
- We don’t consider video doorbells or stand-alone camera systems to be true “home security systems.” If a company offered those products, we did not include that information in our price ranges or service details unless otherwise noted.
- The prices we publish are accurate as of publishing but do not include sales, discounts or other possible savings unless otherwise noted. Temporary promotions are often available from home security companies, so it’s worth checking current prices whenever you’re ready to buy.
- The equipment costs presented for our top picks are generally based on each company’s pre-configured equipment packages. Many home security companies allow you to “build your own” system or customize pre-configured packages, so your costs may vary.
- Equipment costs are based on the price of new equipment. (Some home security companies offer used or refurbished equipment at discounted prices.)
- Monitoring costs are how much you can expect to pay when subscribing to monitoring services in the shortest term possible. Some home security companies offer discounts when you pay for several months upfront.
