Best Home Security Systems for Homeowners

ADT is one of the most recognized names in the home security business. The company was founded in 1874 as the first home security system network. Now, ADT is the nation’s largest home security provider. If you’re interested in a system, the company provides a free in-home security consultation to assess your security needs. Systems are professionally installed by an expert to ensure that your home is optimally protected. Packages include both wired and wireless options. ADT monitoring is required with any system purchase, as well as a three-year ADT contract.

While ADT prides itself on customizability, there are three main packages customers choose from — Secure Home, Smart Home, and Video & Smart Home. As you’d imagine, the equipment, features, and price go up as your package gets more robust. A bare-bones plan will run you about $919, or $15.32 monthly for 60 months (before the monthly monitoring fee), and the monitoring starts at $49.99 per month. The basic package comes with:

• A touchscreen control panel
• Three door/window alarms
• A motion detector
• 24/7 alarm monitoring
• Professional installation

That said, larger, more expensive packages come with equipment like video doorbells, security cameras, and various types of sensors from ADT that offer protection from carbon monoxide, smoke, heat, floods, and water leaks.

ADT also makes home automation an easy next step with the ADT Pulse app, now called the Control App. The app gives you access and control of your cameras, your security, lighting, smart locks, thermostat, and more. You can make almost any appliance or electronic device automated with smart switches and plugs, and ADT offers more home-automation products than any other security company on our list. ADT gives you the power to control your automated system from the standard control panel on your wall, the ADT app, or the Amazon Echo with only your voice.

Now, ADT isn’t a perfect home security system by any means. We wish they offered a better lineup of outdoor cameras, and the contract is a minimum of three years long (CA residents only have to sign on for two years). But overall, it’s certainly the best pick for homeowners.

Learn all the ins and outs in our full ADT security system review.

Vivint makes cutting-edge technology easy to use. When we tested the entire Vivint system, we noted excellent environmental protection, smarter-than-average automation, and top-notch video footage from Vivint’s indoor and outdoor cameras. These are standard for most systems, but no other security company links their security products together into such a seamless system. After a trained professional installs your security system, Vivint ties all your devices together using its highly-rated mobile app. The Vivint app makes every device in your system accessible and controllable from the straightforward interface.

If you’re at all interested in home automation, Vivint is one brand you should really check out. Their systems can include a Vivint doorbell camera, their ping indoor cameras, their outdoor cameras, smart thermostats, smart locks, and garage door controls you can all access from your smartphone or through Amazon Echo. Or, if that’s too much work, you can program the Vivint app to make decisions for you based on sensor data, history, and geolocation. Talk about smart!

Vivint’s equipment and monitoring prices tend to run higher than many competitors, but that’s mostly because of the advanced technology and automation features you don’t get with lower-cost security systems. Vivint security pricing and packages start at $29.99 per month for Smart Security. The Smart Home package, which includes smart home integration, is $39.99 per month, and Smart Home Video, which obviously includes video monitoring, is $44.99 per month.

We’re really impressed with how far Frontpoint has come over the years. While they used to require long-term contracts and offered subpar equipment, today they offer well-made equipment and lots of autonomy for customers – allowing for month-to-month monitoring – as well as a suite of really well-designed, DIY-friendly security equipment, as we noted in our Frontpoint review.

While it’s not the perfect system (to be fair, we’ve yet to find that), Frontpoint is a solid home security provider, especially if you’re not looking to get roped into a two-year-long monthly payment or punch a bunch of holes in your walls (to install the equipment or out of frustration).

Packages start at just $129.00, which you can build off of by purchasing additional sensors and components. Their most comprehensive package — the Family Lookout — will cover most single family homes and retails for $349.00. If you’re not finding what you need in a pre-made package, though, you can always build your own from scratch. More on that in our Frontpoint costs guide.

Another selling point is that Frontpoint’s professional monitoring is among the best in the business. They offer automatic sensor checks every hour, and incredibly fast dispatch times that will have authorities to your door as soon as you need them. Their monitoring package costs $49.99 per month.

Most homeowners are looking for a security system for one main reason: to keep their homes and loved ones safe from intruders. But these days home security isn’t only about keeping the bad guys out. Wireless DIY monitoring services like Cove can also help lower your homeowners rate by giving you protective devices discounts for equipment like CO, smoke, and flood sensors, smart locks, and burglar alarms. For more on our experience outfitting an actual home with Cove products, here’s our complete Cove security review.

Cove scores two out of three points on the protective devices front with a full battery of environmental sensors and their TripleTouch Alarm Response — 24/7 professional monitoring with live support both via your wall panel and smartphone.

Cove’s advanced plan, Cove Plus, is going to make the most sense here. It’s a few dollars more per month ($27.99 versus $17.99), but that extra cash gives you the option to manage the whole house via the Cove app. Cove Plus also gives you a lifetime warranty on all your Cove equipment, which typically runs between $150 to $350 per house.

Just keep in mind that Cove doesn’t sell smart locks yet. If smart locks are a must-have, you might consider SimpliSafe, a close competitor with low monthly rates and easy installations.

If you’re a homeowner, you’ve certainly heard of Brinks. What you might not know is exactly how affordable they are. While you’re going to have to contact the company for a quote for your specific needs, you can check out our Brinks pricing and package guide to get an idea of what you’ll pay. And if you’re interested in finding out more about what it’s like to use Brinks, check out our full Brinks system review.

Brinks wants you to be happy with the security you choose for your home. That’s why you can choose between DIY and professional installation. No other company on our list gives you that option. Usually you’re locked into either installation by yourself or by a professional with no wiggle room. Brinks gives you options, because there is no one size fits all when it comes to securing your home. You also get a money-back guarantee for 90 days to ensure that you’re happy with your new system. Brinks is a reliable, well-known brand for home security for a reason. They care about the services and equipment they provide and about the customers they serve.