Best Home Security Systems of 2023

ADT is our pick for a traditional, professionally installed home security system with professional monitoring. The company 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.

The Video & Smart Home package is our favorite. The system comes with a digital touchscreen panel, three door/window sensors, a motion detector, a smart lock, a Nest camera and a Nest doorbell. It costs $1,387 if you pay upfront, or you can finance it over 24, 36 or 60 months ($18.49 to $46.23 per month).

Packages include a six-month money-back guarantee. Plus, if a burglary occurs while the system is armed, ADT will pay $500 off your insurance deductible (terms and conditions apply).

• DIY or pro installation
• 24/7 professional monitoring
• Variety of equipment options
• Six-month money-back guarantee
• Reliable service
• Customizable systems

“It's easy to use and their customer service is outstanding,” a ConsumerAffairs reviewer in Alabama said about their ADT alarm system.

Others agree — multiple reviewers told us the company is very reliable, the response time is incredible and the cost is reasonable.

"Compared to a lot of companies that I've had to deal with, ADT has been really nice and on top of things,” a reviewer in Alabama told us, highlighting the customer service and installation.

Pam in Indiana pointed out that ADT feels more secure than some of the DIY options: “ADT is not that expensive and the monitoring is excellent. They do a great job and I would choose them over Ring. A lot of those systems can be hacked and from what I've been told, it's very hard to hack the actual ADT system.”

Dennis in Michigan put it more simply: “The system works and that's all I care about.”

ADT isn’t the cheapest, you have to sign a 36-month contract, and the surveillance cameras are really only worth it if you have a reliable internet connection.

Some reviewers told us about technical difficulties. “Sometimes the cameras go offline and I don't get the video,” according to Deena in Washington, even though “the system works well most of the time.”

• Costs: ADT’s professionally installed packages cost more than some DIY options, but you might feel more confident having your system installed by a knowledgeable technician. Be aware that there’s a $59 fee if they have to come to your house and fix something, though.
• Monitoring contract: With professional systems, you have to sign a three-year contract for monitoring services. If you cancel early, ADT can charge you 75% of the monthly service fees due for the balance of your term.
• Internet requirements: You need a working internet modem and Wi-Fi in your house for the Video & Smart Home system. It has to be good enough to accommodate upload speeds of 2.5 Mbps for each doorbell and 2.0 Mbps for each camera.

With ADT, you can shop for packages or build your own system. All professionally installed systems come with a command panel, entry sensors, motion detectors, a security key fob, yard signs, window decals and 24/7 professional monitoring.

Check out ADT Self Setup, the new DIY option, for reliable alarm monitoring without paying for professional installation. It’s one of our favorite wireless systems.

• Smart Home package: Includes a touchscreen panel, three door/window sensors, a motion detector and a smart lock. It costs $679.20 when you pay upfront, or you can finance starting at $11.32 per month over 60 months. Ongoing monitoring services cost $49.99 per month.
• Video & Smart Home package includes a digital touchscreen panel, four sensors, smart door lock, Nest Doorbell and Nest Cam. It costs $1,109.60 when you pay upfront, or you can finance starting at $18.49 per month over 60 months. Ongoing monitoring services cost $61.99 per month.

Vivint is exceptional if you want comprehensive home automation along with your security system. It offers a broad range of home automation and smart-home technologies, including smart hubs, smart locks, garage door controllers, smart thermostats, smart lighting and car security devices.

The Vivint Outdoor Camera Pro (Gen 2) has Smart Deter technology and a computer vision chip. If it detects a person for too long, it shines a light and plays a loud noise (85 decibels) to deter potential intruders. As of publishing, it costs $399.99.

Vivint is one of our top picks for smart security systems and outdoor security cameras. With the app, unlock the doors, turn on lights, control the temperature and keep an eye on your front porch.

• Customizable systems
• Home safety features
• Contract-free option
• 60-month interest-free financing
• Frequent sales and discounts
• Great customer reviews

Robyn in Arizona appreciated that their installation tech “was extremely kind and patient with me throughout the purchase and install process. He was very knowledgeable and efficient. He had to do extra work in order to install my outdoor cameras but he did it so quick and it looks perfect.”

Other happy customers frequently told us about the knowledgeable staff, easy installation process and high-quality equipment.

Glenn in Utah highlighted that the cameras are “amazing with great clarity and zoom. I felt the price for the service was fair and we feel secure now.”

“I didn’t in any way feel oversold. I got as comprehensive a package as I wanted and felt the pricing to be fair and reasonable,” Omar in Texas said.

Compared with some of our other top picks, Vivint can get expensive — especially when you customize your system with lots of extra cameras. It does offer good financing deals if you don’t mind signing a five-year contract.

• Contracts: A month-to-month service agreement is only available if you purchase all your equipment upfront ($599.99 minimum). If you choose to finance, you have to commit to a 60-month monitoring agreement. Vivint charges cancellation fees of up to $300 if you change your mind.
• Additional costs: Installation is anywhere from $49 to $199, and you have to pay extra to warranty the equipment. There are also some smaller fees, like a monthly $1.48 cellular network maintenance charge. Talk to a Vivint specialist about any ongoing promotions that may include free installation.
• No trial period: Unlike our other top picks, Vivint doesn’t offer a free trial period or a money-back guarantee.

Every system includes 24/7 professional monitoring services.

• The Vivint Starter Kit includes a hub control panel, flood/water damage sensor and four break-in security sensors. Equipment costs $599.99 upfront, or you can finance for $10 per month over 60 months. Ongoing monitoring fee is $41.47 per month.
• The Premium Package includes everything in the Starter Kit plus a doorbell camera, outdoor camera, smart lock and Vivint key fob. Equipment costs $1,479.96 upfront, or you can finance for $24.67 per month over 60 months. Monthly monitoring fee: $51.47.
• The Premium Plus Package includes everything in the Premium package plus an indoor camera, smart thermostat and smart garage door controller. Equipment costs $2,429.92 upfront, or you can finance for $40.50 per month over 60 months. Monthly monitoring fee: $61.47.

Frontpoint stands out for its simple DIY installation process. Its wireless systems are good for both homeowners and renters, and they make it easy to take your security system with you if you move.

The Home Shield package makes a good starting point for most equipment needs, and you can add gear as necessary. The high-resolution wireless doorbell camera is included with The Family Lookout package ($349) and can be added to any package for $187.48.

Frontpoint is one of our picks for the best DIY home security systems overall. It offers reasonably priced equipment with awesome features. Systems are designed to be simple to set up by yourself, but tech support is available if you need help.

• Easy installation
• 30-day money-back guarantee
• 3-year limited equipment warranty
• App for remote monitoring
• Video analytics for smarter monitoring
• 24-hour battery backup

Several people we talked to appreciate Frontpoint’s clear installation instructions and effective problem resolution.

It’s also nice that you can expand your system over time. Robert in Alabama told us that setup “took 30 minutes, and the quality of the equipment is great. … It's been there for 15 years. Over the time, I would have thought a lot more sensors would have gone bad, but everything in the house is perfectly covered and there are no issues.”

Amanda in Florida likes “the fact that they let you purchase your equipment so that you own it outright. Their system is able to run on cellular backup if you don't have Wi-Fi.”

Frontpoint’s monitoring is a little more expensive than some of its competitors' services, and you have to sign up for a three-year commitment for some packages.

We also noticed a trend of dissatisfied customers complaining about the cancellation policy. “They make it impossible to reach anyone by phone. There also is not an online option to cancel services,” according to Larissa in Louisiana.

• Cancellation policy: Early termination of the 36-month contract may result in Frontpoint charging a fee of 80% of the monthly charges for the remainder of the contract term.
• Internet connection: Like with ADT, you also need a Wi-Fi network that supports a bandwidth of at least 2 Mbps upload speed per camera.
• Might not be ideal for older houses: A reviewer in Washington told us that the motion sensors don’t work as well if you have thick crown molding around your doors or windows, which is common in some older/Victorian homes.

All packages come with access to the Frontpoint app and a home defense kit (yard sign, door stickers and window decal). Professional monitoring is regularly priced at $49.99 per month and requires a month-to-month or 36-month contract.

• The Starter Pack: For $129, you get the Frontpoint hub and keypad, a door/window sensor and a motion sensor.
• The Home Shield: For $269, you get the hub and keypad, three door/window sensors, a motion sensor, smoke and flood sensors and an indoor camera.
• The Family Lookout: For $349, you get the hub and keypad, three door/window sensors, a motion sensor, an indoor camera, a doorbell camera and a keychain remote.

SimpliSafe is a low-cost, low-commitment option — great if you want a security system but don’t have the budget to pay $50 or $60 for monitoring each month. You can self-monitor for around $10 per month. Even with professional monitoring, it only costs around $30 per month.

SimpliSafe is more customizable than a lot of other security companies. The outdoor security camera can be added to any system for $189.99 each. Professional monitoring is optional, and if you do eventually want it, you can sign up without a long-term contract.

We appreciate the versatility of the system and the ability to customize systems to different specific needs. SimpliSafe is also one of our picks for the best self-monitored security systems, and it has great camera options.

• 60-day money-back guarantee
• No contract required
• Customizable systems
• Optional alarm monitoring
• Easy to install
• Low monthly monitoring fees

People generally like that systems are customizable, easy to set up and reasonably priced.

“The alarm system is very user-friendly. The monitoring is very effective, staff is very professional and responsive. Overall, using the in-home equipment is quite easy and verbal notifications are flawless,” according to Dale in Tennessee.

Keith in Tennessee said it’s “very reliable even in rural areas. Battery backup, internet out, no problem, you're still connected by your cell network. Easy to manage as well.”

“I built my system to include a base station, several door sensors, motion sensors and outdoor cameras,”  Barbara in Pennsylvania said. “When the components arrived, they were extremely easy to set up and test. I did run into a couple minor equipment glitches, which Simplisafe was quick to replace, no questions asked. I love that I can remotely access my system and adjust settings all from my phone.”

Not all of SimpliSafe’s features and services are available if you self-monitor your system. That means things like smart home integration won’t work if you don’t pay a monthly fee, even if your equipment is technically capable of doing so.

• Equipment costs: While SimpliSafe offers several equipment packages, they don’t provide any savings over building your own system, so it’s probably a better idea to buy your equipment a la carte and avoid paying for things you don’t need.
• Monitoring options: You don’t have 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.
• Not good for landlords: You have to be physically present to update the system or reinstall the keypad, according to a customer in Florida.

The Foundation is the most basic package — for $134.73, you get the base station and keypad, one entry sensor and one motion detector. This kit was designed for small homes and apartments. We like The Lighthouse, priced at $255.71, because it’s the cheapest package that comes with an outdoor camera.

Once you pick your equipment, then you can decide which monitoring plan you want:

• Fast Protect Monitoring: For $29.99 per month, you get 24/7 professional monitoring with high-priority dispatch and unlimited camera recordings.
• Standard Monitoring: For $19.99 per month, you get professional monitoring services but without camera recordings.
• Self Monitoring with Camera Recordings: For $9.99 per month, you get unlimited camera recordings and alerts, but no emergency dispatch.

Ring 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. Like SimpliSafe, you can install the system on your own, and there’s no long-term monitoring contract.

Ring offers two kinds of alarm systems, but we like its Alarm Pro kits because it has extra network security. The 8-piece Alarm Pro Security Kit costs $299.99 and comes with a built-in eero Wi-Fi 6 router, which delivers fast, reliable internet and supports speeds up to 500 Mbps.

Ring really stands out for offering a cheap DIY monitoring option. We like that systems are expandable, so you can easily add more cameras and security lights if you ever want to. Ring is also one of our top picks for DIY home security cameras.

• 30-day trial period
• No long-term contracts
• User-friendly mobile app
• Lots of camera options
• Video surveillance capabilities
• DIY installation

“The overall security system is great because it allows you the ability to connect between different devices,” according to a Cameron in California.

Many customers appreciate the user-friendly app, which lets you view and manage devices from anywhere. Erin in Ohio particularly likes to customize the notification settings “so that I'm not alerted every time I receive an Amazon package.”

Jessica in North Carolina likes that the “price is very affordable” and the “video and sound quality are great.” Others agree — Ring is inexpensive, easy to use and has great video and sound quality.

Not everyone is satisfied with the recorded video feed.

“It's ok for cameras but does not record quick enough motion or detects people far away sometimes,” Erika in Texas said. “It would be excellent if the camera does that. I like the cheap monthly payments and affordable cameras but need some work.”

Overall, Ring’s base alarm kit packages are relatively inexpensive and often a good value, but some of the add-on accessories can get pricey. If your budget is tight, we recommend pricing out your system on Ring’s website and comparing it against your other options.

Starting costs for home alarm systems range from $199.99 to $379.99. All come with a base station, keypad, door/window contact sensor and motion detector, and you can customize by adding extra cameras, glass break sensors, smart doorbells, lights and more.

Ring offers three monitoring options:

• Basic: For $3.99 per month, you get video recording for one Ring doorbell or camera and access to the app for arming and disarming the system.
• Plus: For $10 per month, you get video recording for multiple Ring devices at one location, plus extra digital features through the app.
• Pro: Starting at $20 per month, this plan provides 24/7 professional alarm monitoring.