Most Affordable Home Security Systems in 2025

SimpliSafe Pricing

SimpliSafe’s prices are budget-friendly, but we recommend holding out for a sale, like the one that’s on now. All SimpliSafe packages are half price, and you get a $200 Visa gift card if you spend $300 or more. That’s easy to do when SimpliSafe has some must-have security devices for any home.

To give you an idea of the savings, here’s a comparison of the regular price versus the sales price.

SimpliSafe Equipment

SimpliSafe doesn’t offer as many equipment options as other companies, but they cover all the necessities. When it comes to SimpliSafe’s cameras, for example, choose between the SimpliSafe Wireless Indoor Camera, the SimpliSafe Outdoor Camera we tested, and the SimpliSafe Video Doorbell we reviewed. Everything you could need without any fluff.

We recommend starting with one of the equipment packages we mentioned above. They’re designed for different needs and home sizes. From there, you can add more devices. Of course, if you don’t see a package you like, you can always start with the base station and keypad and go from there.

We bought SimpliSafe’s Foundation package and added a Wireless Indoor Camera and a smoke and CO detector.

SimpliSafe Monitoring

SimpliSafe offers free self-monitoring that includes real-time alerts and live camera footage. Storing videos requires the $10 a month plan. We recommend professional monitoring, and not just because of SimpliSafe’s latest deal. Our pick is the $31.99 per month Core plan. In addition to professional monitoring, it adds cellular backup, voice control, and Intruder Intervention.

With Intruder Intervention, SimpliSafe’s monitoring agents can access your Wireless Indoor Camera during active alerts. They’ll assess the situation, then use the camera’s two-way talk to guide you to safety or scare off intruders.

>> Find Out More: Best Self-Monitored Systems

Our Experience Testing SimpliSafe

SimpliSafe’s professional installation costs start at $125, but we recommend doing it yourself. It only took us 30 minutes to set up six devices and an outdoor camera. We didn’t even use tools for most of the equipment. They either plugged into an outlet or stuck to a wall.

Just a piece of advice, if you don’t plan on moving anytime soon, use the included screw mounts instead of the peel-and-stick adhesive to attach sensors to walls. While the adhesives hold up well, we’ve had a motion sensor fall to the ground a few months into testing. The screw mounts are more secure.

This is the same Entry Sensor we use for our garage door.

Living with SimpliSafe day-to-day was pretty much stress-free. We like how the keypad is easy to use, even if you’re not techie. It’s not a touch screen, and there are buttons dedicated to arming and disarming the system.

Alerts came in quickly, too. Text alerts are included in professional monitoring plans. They typically arrive within 5 to 10 seconds of a sensor being triggered. The same is true for app alerts, which are included in all plans (even the free, self-monitoring plan).

SimpliSafe does have its downsides, too. For example, the equipment selection is more limited compared to brands such as Vivint and ADT. We had to put an indoor camera in the garage because SimpliSafe doesn’t have a garage door sensor. If you’re in the market for solid equipment at affordable prices, though, SimpliSafe is the best option.

>> Compare: SimpliSafe Vs. ADT

Cove Pricing

We appreciate that Cove doesn’t force customers to buy pre-built packages, which might include things you don’t need. Instead, you’ll build out a system from scratch, starting with the only two components absolutely necessary – the hub and the touch screen keypad. Those are valued at $300, but are on sale for $90 during Cove’s ongoing Summer Sale (70 percent off).

You can add as many extra devices as you need, with discounts on nearly everything except hazard monitors and security cameras. Cove uses third-party cameras from Eufy, which might be why we’ve never seen them on sale. Still, it’s possible to build a comprehensive security system for under $200.

Cove Equipment

Cove equipment is sleek, which means it’ll suit most decors. It has a nice heft to it, too. The touch-screen hub, for example, weighs a full three pounds. We live in an older home, so that’s too heavy to mount on our walls. So, we let our hub sit nicely on an end table in our living.

There’s a nice range of equipment as well. It includes indoor, outdoor, and doorbell cameras on top of all the standard home security sensors and some environmental sensors, too.

Cove’s low prices meant we could afford tons of equipment while sticking to our budget.

>> Also See: Video Doorbell Buying Guide

Cove Monitoring

Like SimpliSafe, you can monitor your Cove system yourself for $10 per month. You’ll also get notification alerts and live streaming. We recommend choosing one of the professional monitoring plans, which start at $19.99 per month.

Both professional monitoring plans offer environmental monitoring, InstaText notifications, cellular backup, access to the app, and hourly automated check-ins. The $29.99-per-month plan adds smart features and camera support. We only recommend it if you buy cameras with your system.

>> More Options: Best Systems With Cellular Connections

Our Experience Testing Cove

We found that Cove’s lack of experience came with both pros and cons. The biggest benefit is the price. Their low prices make a full security system affordable. We bought an entry sensor for every door and window in our home, since they only cost $4.50 a piece. Check out our guide to window alarm sensors to find out if you need sensors for your windows.

The trade-off is that Cove’s devices are not state-of-the-art. The cameras we tested don’t offer facial recognition to reduce false alarms or burglar deterrent features. Plus, since they are made by Eufy, they only work in the Eufy app. We got a motion alert from the Cove app and had to switch to the Eufy app to check it out, which isn’t ideal.

Our Cove security system came shipped neatly organized in a box for easy installation.

ADT Pricing

No question that ADT’s prices are more competitive than they were in the past. Entryway sensors that used to cost $30 to $50? They now cost only $20, roughly the same price as SimpliSafe’s door/window sensors. You can get motion sensors now for only $40, devices that used to cost $100.

Even better, ADT regularly offers huge discounts on their packages that compete with SimpliSafe’s sales. They regularly discount packages over 60 percent off, making their premium packages cost as much as their basic packages. If you DIY your install, you don’t need to sign a long-term contract either.

ADT Equipment

ADT offers some of the best equipment on the market, though it doesn’t necessarily offer a wide selection of devices. They offer every component we use to protect our home, though, and they’re some of the highest-quality versions we’ve tested.

As for cameras, those all come from Google Nest, one of the best manufacturers of security cameras, doorbell cameras, and smart home accessories. They also offer other smart home devices like thermostats. However, if you’re looking for niche equipment like garage door tilt sensors, you won’t find it through ADT.

Here we are DIY-installing our ADT entry sensors ourselves to avoid their professional installation fee.

ADT Monitoring

ADT has always offered the best professional monitoring in the business. The company has a dozen monitoring centers across the country. They also use text-based alerts to speed up and streamline the alarm process. ADT’s SMART monitoring sends a group message to you and your chosen contacts, so everyone is informed and can verify or cancel alarms.

Unfortunately, ADT’s pricing is not as flexible as SimpliSafe. While prices start at $24.99 per month, systems with cameras require the top plan. For DIY installs it’s $39.99 per month and $49.99 per month for professionally installed systems. You do unlock some advanced features in these plans like facial recognition, activity zones, and Trusted Neighbor, which we’ll talk about in the next section.

Our Experience Testing ADT

We’ve been testing ADT for years, so we’re used to their white-glove professional installation. It was weird installing our ADT system ourselves, but the experience went off without a hitch. We followed the instructions on the app step-by-step and had our system up and running in about 30 minutes.

After finishing the install, it worked like any other ADT system we’ve tested in the past. Everything functioned in harmony; even the Google Nest Cams worked well with the ADT system. We particularly liked their Trusted Neighbor feature that automatically lets in particular guests using our Nest Video Doorbell’s facial recognition capabilities.

Here’s everything that came with our Google Nest Cam.

abode Pricing

abode is cheaper than SimpliSafe, and that’s true across the board. For instance, abode’s cheapest camera costs just $60, $40 less than SimpliSafe’s cheapest offering. Their subscriptions are about 25 percent lower than SimpliSafe, too, including monitoring and cloud storage plans.

Even abode’s premium iota hub that enables their advanced home automation capabilities costs the same as SimpliSafe’s base station and keypad, which can only integrate with Alexa and Google Home for basic voice control.

abode Equipment

All of abode’s equipment offers great value. It’s not the highest quality on the market, but for the price, it’s hard to beat. They offer a huge selection, too, including everything from glass break sensors and smart locks to security cameras and video doorbells.

Where abode’s equipment gets confusing is with their three hubs. There’s the Security Hub, Smart Security Hub, and Iota Hub. Each hub offers different levels of smart home capabilities, but we recommend the Iota for abode’s full suite of capabilities. It only costs $50 more than the other two hubs, too.

We bought the abode Iota Security Kit along with a few extra entry sensors and a motion detector.

>> Find Out More: Best IFTTT Systems

abode Monitoring

If you’re looking for an affordable security system, avoiding a monthly fee is a major plus. abode’s free plan offers more capabilities than SimpliSafe and ADT. They include full access to their app and all their smart home integrations in their free plan. SimpliSafe and ADT lock app features and smart home integrations behind their subscriptions.

As for professional monitoring, abode keeps their prices low, as long as you’re willing to sign up for a year upfront. An annual plan brings their monitoring price down from $24.99 per month to $16.58. Or, for just cloud storage, they charge $7.99 per month or $6.25 when billed annually.

>> Head-to-head: Abode vs. SimpliSafe

Our Experience Testing Abode

There’s no question that abode is affordable, but it’s intelligent, too. Their smart home capabilities are one of their main selling points, and, after testing it ourselves, we can see why. We integrated our system with all of our current smart home equipment thanks to their ZigBee and Z-Wave compatibility, which supports over 4,000 smart home devices.3

After integrating our equipment, we used abode’s CUE system to set up all of our home automation. Since their camera features AI that can differentiate between people, pets, and packages, we set an automation that turned on our porch light when there was a package at our doorstep to deter porch pirates.

>> Read About: Can Smart Lights Deter Burglars?

We like the design of the abode Keypad, and the tactile feel of the buttons is surprisingly satisfying.

We should point out that even though abode supports smart home integrations with their free plan, they require a subscription to access their CUE automation system. That said, the free plan still supports IFTTT, which is a similar open-source home automation system, keeping them on our list of the best no-monthly-fee security systems.

Frontpoint Pricing

Not all Frontpoint pricing is available on the website, like the professional monitoring plans. The Ultimate Monitoring plan is $49.99 per month, which is more expensive than ADT and Vivint. There are two cheaper options, but they require calling Frontpoint to activate.

The equipment prices are available online, and are low. Bundles start at $69 after discounts. We haven’t even seen SimpliSafe or Cove drop prices that low during their best sales.

Frontpoint Equipment

Frontpoint systems center around a proprietary hub that connects their equipment sourced from several manufacturers. Most of their equipment is made by Alarm.com but not all of it. For instance, their smart lock is made by Yale. Either way, Frontpoint sources some of the highest-quality equipment on the market. You’ll even find Yale on our roundup of the best smart locks.

>> Learn More: Frontpoint Home Security Camera Review, Cost & Pricing in 2025

We bought the Frontpoint Essential Home Security System and added four entry sensors.

Frontpoint Monitoring

Frontpoint offers three monitoring plans on its website, but two of them require a phone call to subscribe. We called to inquire and learned the Video-Only Plan is $14.99 per month and is a self-monitoring option with live and recorded video included. The Interactive Plan is $44.99 per month and has professional monitoring for intrusion and hazards as well as home automation, but not much else.

We opted for the $49.99 per month Ultimate Monitoring Plan so we could test all of Frontpoint’s capabilities. If you don’t need security cameras, you can get by with the Interactive plan, although we’d say it’s pricey for a mid-tier plan. ADT charges as low as $29.99 for similar capabilities.

Our Experience Testing Frontpoint

Even though, in some ways, Frontpoint charges more than most companies on this list, we find that they consistently deliver good value. For instance, their home automation options compete with the likes of Vivint, but they charge less than half the price for equipment. We particularly like their geofencing capabilities that alert us if we leave our front door unlocked after leaving our home’s perimeter.

Here’s a look at the size of Frontpoint’s Door/Window Sensor compared to our hands.

Brinks Pricing

Brinks doesn’t look like much of a discount system – on paper. Its cheapest packages, for instance, cost around $360. That’s not exactly Vivint territory, but it’s more than ADT charges these days for its lowest-priced packages. The company runs frequent sales, though, and that can save you big. If you time things right, for example, you can sometimes get a Brinks camera for 50 percent off when you purchase another camera at full price. Plus, Brinks offers professional installation for free. You won’t find a deal like that with Vivint or ADT.

>> Check Out: Best Systems for Those With Poor Credit

Brinks Equipment

It’s worth pointing out as well that Brinks offers some solidly built, sophisticated equipment. Affordability isn’t always about the bottom line. Value matters too, and you get a lot for your money with this company. For instance, every Brinks device integrates with both Alexa and Google Home, so you can control everything with a voice command or two. The touchpad hub includes its own SD card that records video anytime anyone tampers with the system. Even if someone should manage to take down your hub, you’ve got a record of exactly what happened.

We used to knock Brinks when the company didn’t offer its own video doorbell. That changed in the last year. And when the company decided to produce its own model, it made sure to do it right. This doorbell lets you set up virtual zones so you decide what triggers the motion detection. It comes with intelligent notifications that can tell the difference between people, animals, and vehicles. And it’s compatible with smart home devices. We connected ours to our front room lights so that any time someone stepped foot on our front porch it looked like we were home, even when we weren’t.

Brinks equipment

Brinks Monitoring

Brinks offers two monitoring plans, the Home Complete and the Home Complete with Video. Of course, that means you can’t self-monitor, but we always recommend professional monitoring anyway. You can never tell when you’re going to be too busy to respond to an alert. As an added bonus, both plans also include cellular backup. Even if your Wi-Fi should go down, you can be sure your system will keep working.

>>Check Out: Brinks vs. ADT

Our Experience Testing Brinks

Like Vivint, Brinks requires calling and speaking to someone about your needs. Our Brinks representative tailored a system for us based on our home layout and security requirements. Next, we scheduled an installation. The good news is that Brinks didn’t charge us for this service. The bad news is we had to commit to a three-year monitoring contract.

As part of the installation, the technician demonstrated voice control with Google Home and Amazon Alexa. We used it to arm and disarm the system when our hands were full and unlock the smart lock to let guests in. The smart features were more impressive than SimpliSafe, but not on the same level as Vivint or ADT.

While both brands started in the 1800s, Brinks and ADT serve different security needs. We like that ADT is more user-friendly and compatible with the Nest Cam range. Brinks equipment range is limited, although we do like that it has a touch-screen panel, something ADT lacks.

ADT also has 12 monitoring centers across the country that back each other up. Brinks offers backup servers and generators, but this doesn’t match ADT’s physical redundancies. Brinks also requires you to use the Alarm.com app, while ADT has its own app. It’s not a dealbreaker, but these differences explain Brinks’ more budget-friendly pricing.