Best Home Security Systems of 2023

ADT is our pick for a traditional, professionally installed home security system with monitoring. While these systems often cost more than do-it-yourself (DIY) options, many people appreciate the confidence that having their system installed by a knowledgeable technician provides.

ADT has a track record in the security industry that’s over 145 years old, and it offers all the features and equipment we expect from a modern home security company.

Vivint might be the right choice if you’re looking for comprehensive home automation along with your security system. Like ADT, its systems require professional installation (which comes free with your system), but there’s no long-term commitment required if you purchase your system upfront.

As we read consumer reviews, Frontpoint stood out because of how often people praised its simple DIY installation process. DIY wireless systems like those available from Frontpoint are good for both homeowners and renters, and they make it easier to take your security system with you when you move.

If you’re looking for a security system but want to avoid paying a monthly fee, SimpliSafe might be the company for you.

SimpliSafe doesn’t require you to sign up for monitoring services when you buy your system, so it’s a good option if you’re looking to avoid ongoing costs. However, not having monitoring means you need to be comfortable with notifying the authorities yourself when your alarm goes off.

Like SimpliSafe, Ring offers home security systems that you can install on your own without any long-term monitoring contract. However, Ring also offers some unique equipment and service options (like online security tools) that make it a good option if you’re looking for an affordable security system — even if you do want monitoring or professional installation.

With so many options and new technologies available, choosing a security system can feel daunting. If you don’t know where to start, follow these steps to find the right security system for you.

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.

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.

"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."

The average loss per burglary is $2,661, according to the FBI.

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.

Like any other internet-connected device in your home, a security system does come with privacy concerns.

Because most security systems connect to your Wi-Fi, bad actors can potentially access it through your home network. These hackers can access your system's cameras, disable your alarms and worse. A good way to protect yourself is to follow privacy best practices for any smart device in your home:

• Use a strong password for your router. Incorporate capital letters, symbols and numbers to make your password stronger.
• Make access codes hard to guess. Don't use 1234 or 1111 as your system's PIN.
• Use two-factor authentication. This option makes it harder for someone to access your security system's app or your online account without one of your other devices, like your phone.

Also, investigate how the security company collects your data and what they do with it. (Most companies have a data collection policy accessible online.) While you're at it, check to see if your security company has access to your camera's footage, when they access it and how they store the footage.

ConsumerAffairs 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 our top home security providers, we started with a list of the 26 companies on this guide at the time and analyzed the more than 81,000 reviews for them on our site. To narrow our list down, we first eliminated those with overall satisfaction ratings below 3.5 stars (as of Dec. 18, 2022). To ensure we considered experiences from a diverse range of customers, we also eliminated any company that had fewer than 30 ratings in the past year at that point.

We then compared the nine remaining companies on multiple factors, including:

• Availability: We made sure our top picks operate in the majority of the 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 as well as 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 at the time 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 based on the monthly costs users can expect to pay when purchasing monitoring services on the shortest term possible. (Some home security companies offer discounts when you pay for several months at a time.)