Best Cellular Home Security Systems

At first glance, ADT appears to be more expensive, and it is. However, their products and services along with their flexibility and customization justify the higher price. Basically, you get what you pay for. They offer a wide variety of features from which you can choose to start with or add on to later. For example, you can opt for a security system, video cameras, environmental sensors, and an ADT Health medical alert. Plus, ADT’s home automation offers a generous menu of features to pair your system with third-party devices like smart locks and voice assistants.

ADT’s security packages start at $27.99 per month, and what you get will depend on which equipment, options, and the length of contract you choose.

Get lots more information on this 150-year-old brand in our hands-on ADT review.

Vivint is a leading security and smart home technology provider with more than one million customers throughout the U.S. and Canada. Vivint’s pricing works a bit differently than its peers. Individual equipment costs aren’t readily available, so the best way to find out how much a Vivint package will cost you is to call Vivint and speak to an agent, who will help you build a package that fits. This means you will only be paying for the equipment you need and not for those you don’t. For more details about this cutting-edge brand, visit our hands-on Vivint Smart Home review.

More specifically, Vivint has four packages with two different ways to pay. Their packages range from $11.83/mo. to $29.83/mo. plus a service fee. Or, you can pay for the equipment up front. Their upfront options range from $709.98 to $1789.83. Additionally, Vivint has a Flex Pay program that is basically a payment plan, but it also has some additional advantages as well. With Flex Pay, there’s no activation fee, no installation fee, lower service plan price points, and after the financing term, your monthly payment drops. The Flex Pay financing options are either a 42- or 60-month contract with approved credit.

SimpleSafe is one of the fastest growing home security companies in the country, they have an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau, and are currently providing home security to over 2-million customers. Not to mention they manufacture their own equipment so they can pass those savings on to you.

This company offers some extremely affordable equipment and monitoring services. The SimpliSafe equipment packages start at $99 and their monitoring packages start at $14.99/month. You can either select one of their packages or customize your own. Read our full breakdown of SimpliSafe’s costs and package options for lots more detail.

SimpliSafe is an award-winning, no-frills wireless, portable, home security system that works exceptionally well. The equipment was easy to install, with no tools or wiring required — something we really liked when we reviewed SimpliSafe in full. Finally, SimpliSafe’s camera, the SimpliCam, rounds out the SimpliSafe system as one of the best options for basic intruder protection.

This system is 100% cellular so no landline is needed. The SimpliSafe equipment also works whether you opt for a monitoring package or not. Additionally, there are no contracts to sign, they offer free shipping, a 60-day money-back guarantee, and will even pay for the return shipping if needed. And, they frequently offer discounts on select packages, making them even more affordable.

Cove is a relative newcomer to the home security game with a basic mission to make home security as affordable and hassle-free as possible. Read about our own 10-minute installation in our hands-on Cove home security review.

Cove’s two packages start at $14.99 and offer round-the-clock cellular monitoring with live assistance via text and operator, and smart home automation you can integrate with Alexa and Google Home.

The big bonus with Cove’s premium plan, Cove Plus ($24.99), is that you can control your Cove system with their smartphone app. (That includes integrating your 1080p HD video cameras, a feature not included with the basic plan.) Those additional 10 dollars also lock your rate in and give you a lifetime warranty on your Cove equipment, which ranges from $150 (for a small home) to around $350 if you’ve got 3,000 square feet of house.

If you can live without the smartphone app and don’t need live camera feeds, both Cove plans give you professional monitoring over a cellular connection with unique RapidSOS technology that sends first responders not just alerts, but detailed information about the nature of the emergency and where in the house the alert originated. Data like this can shave minutes off response efforts.

Frontpoint has an A+ Better Business Bureau rating and is one of the most popular DIY home security/automation companies in the industry. They offer affordable prices and send you a package with customized (pre-configured) equipment that can be immediately installed and used in less than 30 minutes with no special skills or tools required.

A 1-year or 3-year monitoring contract is required and they start at $34.99/mo. They also have three different equipment packages that start at $99.00. In addition, they have a wide variety of security and home automation options available, including indoor and outdoor video surveillance cameras with night vision, environmental disaster sensors, geo services, and an app you can use to access, monitor, and control your system remotely. Learn the ins and outs of Frontpoint’s costs in our full Frontpoint pricing guide.

Cellular monitoring matters, perhaps now more than ever. Of course, Alder users understand this, and they benefit from the most secure and reliable cellular connection around. But there’s more to these systems — like video surveillance options, home automation features (Alexa and Z-Wave compatible), and let’s not forget the equipment itself. Almost all of Alder’s devices are made in-house. This translates to high-quality, innovative products that just so happen to be covered by a lifetime guarantee. Read more about this fairly new brand in our full Alder review.

But one of the most impressive things about Alder is their commitment to customer satisfaction. It’s one thing to have your home and family secured, but it’s another thing to be backed by a company that truly cares. We get that sense with Alder — from their CEO down to their monitoring agents, they hold strong values that permeate through their whole operation. For these reasons and more, Alder gets our pick for the best cellular home security system available.