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With one of our favorite IFTTT-compatible home security systems, your house might just become smarter than you.
Updated March 12, 2024
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Once you dig into the powers of home automation with If This Then That (IFTTT), you can feel like you have a personal butler tending to your home without paying someone’s salary. From convenience features like automatically playing your favorite jazz playlist when you start cooking to security enhancements like flashing your lights when your system detects an intruder, you can do almost anything with IFTTT.
But not all home security systems support the IFTTT platform. And even the ones that do vary a lot in the capabilities they offer. Some give you only a few ways to trigger actions, whereas the best home security systems let you use every component in your home automation. So, we’re here to set the record straight after personally testing each IFTTT-compatible home security system. Here are our favorite security systems that work with IFTTT.
| System | abode | Ring Alarm | Arlo |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ranking | 1st | 2nd | 3rd |
| Rating | 8.0/10 | 8.2/10 | 8.0/10 |
| Contract length | Monthly or yearly | Monthly or yearly | Monthly or yearly |
| Installation type | Professional or DIY | DIY | DIY |
| Smart capabilities cost | Free | Starting at $3.99 per month | Free |
| Equipment cost | Packages starting at $139 | Packages starting at $199 | Packages starting at $199 |
| Smart platform integrations | Alexa, Google Home, Apple HomeKit | Alexa and Google Home | Alexa and Google Home |
| Review | abode review | Ring Alarm Security Kit review | Arlo review |
How did we decide on the best IFTTT-compatible home security systems? First, we had to find which security systems offered IFTTT support. Security systems like to advertise that they support IFTTT, so finding them was pretty easy.
Once we identified eight systems that supported IFTTT from top brands in the industry, we ordered each company’s security system. Then, we installed them and tested the systems ourselves. We looked at the smart home capabilities, features, and how they performed day to day. And we’re sharing our experience with you here.
Supporting every major smart home system and many smart home devices, abode stands out in the way it lets you automate your smart home using your security system. It even has its own IFTTT type of automation, called abode CUE, that lets you easily set up tons of automated functions for your home. abode’s Iota Hub can even act as the central interface for all of your home automation needs.
One of the nice things about abode’s equipment offerings is that they can fit a range of budgets. Its lowest-cost starter package includes a Security Hub, a mini entry sensor, and a key fob for just under $130.
Unboxing the Abode system
From there, you can add any abode equipment to build out your security system. But the basic Security Hub does not support abode’s home automation system. For that, you need at least the Smart Security Hub with packages that start at just under $160. Still, this comes under the cost of the starter packages for Ring Alarm and Arlo, which each cost nearly $200. Take a look through our guide to abode’s packages, plans, cost, and pricing for a complete breakdown.
Here’s a quick overview of the equipment you can add to any abode package:
As for the equipment itself, most of it just works. There isn’t any specific component we can point to that really excels, aside from the Iota Hub. Of course, the $35 security camera is one of the most cost-effective on the market, but when comparing abode and Arlo, it lacks the person detection that we love. It still makes abode one of the most affordable home security systems. And the motion detector has a field-of-view (FoV) of 110 degrees instead of the standard 90-degree FoV. We couldn’t appreciate the wider FoV since we always put our motion detectors in the corner of a room.
The Iota Hub definitely stands out with its impressive list of features, from an integrated indoor camera to its powerful automation features. We struggled to put the indoor camera to much use since we wanted our Iota Hub next to our router in the corner of our living room. This meant it could barely even see the room and gave us false alarms when our dog walked past. Overall, we still like abode’s equipment for its ability to fit almost any budget and the massive amount of devices it can integrate with.
abode All-In-One Gateway components
FYI:abode runs great Black Friday deals every year. So, if that Smart Security Hub is beyond your budget, the deals it offers this year might bring the price down enough for you to access abode’s IFTTT integration.
We were really impressed with abode’s home automation capabilities. It integrates seamlessly with IFTTT, allowing you to use abode’s sensors, cameras, and alarms as triggers for your other smart home devices. For example, we set up an automation with our outdoor Philips Hue lights in our backyard. Whenever someone walked in front of our abode outdoor camera, it flashed our Philips Hue lights four times, and then they stayed on until we manually turned them off. This flashing got our attention from inside our house to check out what’s going on in our backyard. Since the lights were still on, we could clearly see any activity.
FYI: When our Philips Hue lights flashed, it was usually just a deer, but it did make us feel safer knowing we could easily see any activity behind our house. And that’s one of the main benefits of smart home security systems: peace of mind.
On top of its IFTTT integration, abode also made its own home automation application, called abode CUE. They pretty much do the same thing, but having both gives you access to more devices and apps since abode supports over 4,000 smart devices. One way we used both was by setting up a CUE automation to turn on our entry light when we opened our garage door.
Then, we set up an IFTTT automation to unlock the front door if our CUE automation initiates and our smartphone is on our property. From there, we set our entry light to turn off once we relock our front door. This meant we no longer had to fumble with keys to enter our front door and could always walk up to a lit entryway. We still kept our security up since this automation required our smartphone to be nearby.
When it comes to monthly fees, abode gives you great value. You can still access IFTTT and your smart home integration without paying any monthly fees. However, the free plan locks you out of CUE automation and still requires a Smart Security Hub or Iota Hub. abode also offers affordable professional marketing that starts at $24.99 per month. Here’s an overview of abode’s options for monthly subscriptions:
| Features | Self-Monitoring | Standard | Secure |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cost | Free | $6.99 per month | $24.99 per month |
| IFTTT integration | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Notifications | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Smart platform integrations | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Live and recorded video | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| CUE automation | No | Yes | Yes |
| 10 days of cloud video storage | No | Yes | Yes |
| Cellular backup | No | No | Yes |
| 24/7 professional monitoring | No | No | Yes |
Most home security providers require a monthly subscription for smart platform integrations, so that’s a big plus for abode when it comes to IFTTT-compatible home security systems. It means you can still use IFTTT without paying a monthly fee. This is also why abode is one of our favorite no-monthly-fee home security systems.
Did You Know? You can usually get discounts on your subscription during abode’s yearly Cyber Monday deals. We use discounted subscription rates to lock in a low price for the entire year then resubscribe during the following year’s Cyber Monday sale.
| Monitoring Options | Professional and DIY |
|---|---|
| Installation | DIY |
| Smart Platform Integration | Alexa, Google Home, and Apple HomeKit |
| Equipment Cost | From $139.99 |
| Monthly Monitoring Cost | From $5.83 |
| Contract Length | Month-to-month |
Because it’s an Amazon brand, you can expect Ring Alarm to work perfectly with any of your Amazon Alexa smart home devices. And, based on our testing, it lives up to that expectation. Unfortunately, Ring Alarm just recently made a change to its subscriptions; it now requires its basic plan to integrate with Amazon Alexa products. The Ring video doorbell we tested and a lot of other home security devices still make it a good choice for an IFTTT-enabled security system.
We all know about Ring because of its famous video doorbells. You see them everywhere. And its equipment offerings really show this emphasis on its camera technology. It has so many options for cameras, although none is as cheap as abode’s indoor/outdoor camera.
On top of many camera options, it also offers different power options. All of its camera models can be wired in, plugged in, solar powered, or battery powered. The newest models even support Power over Ethernet (PoE) to minimize your cabling. We really liked the solar-powered model for keeping an eye on our barn since we always forget to change the batteries in the cameras, but it gets more than enough sunlight. The outdoor cameras also give you an option for an integrated Ring spotlight or floodlight.
Ring cameras
Outside of cameras, Ring Alarm leaves a bit to be desired. First of all, it doesn’t have an actual smoke detector. It sells only a monitor that listens for the siren in your smoke alarm or carbon monoxide detector. We also had a tough time connecting all of the equipment to our Wi-Fi when installing our system. But we loved the motion detector because it uses patented technology to avoid sending an alert when our dog walks by. Basically, it can tell how big of an object is moving.
Pro Tip: Don’t overpay for your Ring Alarm security cameras and video doorbells! Follow our guide to getting the best deals on Ring security cameras and video doorbells for expert tips and tricks.
Although Ring integrates really well with Amazon Alexa, it’s a bit lacking in terms of its home automation capabilities. Using IFTTT, you can set only two triggers for your Ring Alarm security system. In comparison, abode lets you use 10 triggers to automate your home, and the Google Nest Thermostat alone offers four triggers.
>> Check Out: Best Home Security Systems That Work With Alexa
With just two triggers, you can automate your home with Ring only based on someone ringing your video doorbell and someone walking in front of your video doorbell. It still doesn’t support Ring Alarm’s other home security products. We don’t expect more triggers to come because Amazon Alexa stopped supporting IFTTT entirely at the end of last year.
The Ring Video Doorbell
But you can still use Amazon Alexa’s own home automation capabilities to automate your Ring Alarm security system and other smart devices in your home. For example, we used Alexa Hunches to turn off all of our entertainment devices when we armed our security system during the day. This lowered our electricity bill without inconveniencing us since we arm our security system during the day only if we’re leaving the house.
Even with Amazon Alexa’s home automation capabilities, the limited support for IFTTT was pretty disappointing.
Like we mentioned, you now need a subscription to access Ring Alarm’s home automation and IFTTT features. Thankfully, that subscription costs only $3.99 per month and includes cloud storage for one of your cameras. You can also still use your Ring Alarm products without any subscriptions; it just limits your system’s core functions. On top of Ring’s automation capabilities, the $3.99-per-month plan also unlocks the following features:
Going beyond the basic plan required to use IFTTT, Ring Alarm offers a $9.99-per-month plan that gives you cloud storage for unlimited cameras. Even better, you get 180 days of footage. That’s way better value than any competitor we’ve tested. For example, when we tested SimpliSafe, we could access only 30 days of recordings for up to five cameras on the $9.99-per-month plan.
If you want Ring Alarm’s professional monitoring, it’ll cost you $20 per month. It includes all of the features in its lower-cost plans, making it one of the most affordable professional monitoring options on the market. In comparison, while testing ADT’s security system, we found that ADT charges double for professional monitoring, but it does offer more reliable professional monitoring, with its nine in-house and dispersed monitoring centers throughout the United States.
| Monitoring Options | 24/7 professional and DIY |
|---|---|
| Installation | DIY |
| Smart Platform Integration | Alexa and Google Home |
| Equipment Cost | From $179.99 |
| Monthly Monitoring Cost | $20 |
| Contract Length | 1-12 months |
Less than two years ago, Arlo released its first complete security system. It’s definitely not new to the security industry, with 10 years of experience creating some of the best home security cameras on the market. You can also access Arlo’s IFTTT integration without any monthly subscriptions. Depending on the system you want, this can make up for the lack of entry and safety sensors in the Arlo ecosystem.
Just like Ring Alarm, Arlo started out with just security cameras too. But, without the backing of Amazon, Arlo has taken a bit longer to roll out more security products. Currently, it offers a huge selection of security cameras, a single multipurpose sensor, and a keypad security hub. So, the system as a whole still emphasizes cameras, but at least you can set up a few entry sensors around your house.
The Arlo Pro 4
FYI: While we think the idea of a multipurpose sensor is unnecessary, it does make installation a bit easier. See how Arlo stacks up against other camera-based security systems in our Blink vs. Arlo comparison.
Beyond the multipurpose sensor, Arlo has a huge selection of security cameras that range in price from $40 to $300. It really does have something for everyone. We particularly liked the integrated spotlight when we reviewed the Arlo Pro 4, as well as the long battery life with the option to purchase backup batteries. Arlo also makes one of the best 4K security cameras in the industry.
Even though we liked the equipment overall, we found the magnetic mounts to be a bit flimsy, and we always like the option for a glass-break sensor. That was one feature missing from the multipurpose sensor.
Pro Tip: Magnetic mounts are becoming more common with home security providers because they let you easily take the camera or sensor down anytime you want. But, to prevent a burglar from tampering with it, you need to install it correctly and seriously consider its location. Check out our guide on setting up Arlo security cameras for a step-by-step breakdown.
For using IFTTT to automate your home, Arlo lands between abode and Ring Alarm. It offers five triggers you can use to initiate other actions in your smart home. These triggers are:
We used the low-battery trigger to make sure we kept our cameras charged. Anytime a camera had a low battery level, our Amazon Alexa added “charge your cameras” to our to-do list. For the predefined object type, we found this to be ineffective, causing false positives fairly often.
On top of the five IFTTT triggers, Arlo also integrates with Amazon Alexa, Apple HomeKit, Google Home, and Samsung SmartThings. These integrations let you use all of the automation capabilities of your smart home system with the capabilities of your Arlo security cameras and sensors. This also lets you control your Arlo products with your voice. Wider integration capabilities are one of the things we liked more about Arlo when we compared Arlo to Ring.
>> Read More: Best Security Systems That Work With Google Home
We did notice that Arlo security cameras caused a lot of false alarms. This had our lights turning on randomly because our security camera thought it saw us, but it was actually just our dog. We were able to eliminate some of these false alarms using the activity zones feature, but we wish the cameras were better at detecting humans.
Arlo Pro 4: What’s in the box?
Thankfully, you don’t need to pay any monthly fees with Arlo to use its IFTTT and other third-party integrations. In fact, you can use most of Arlo’s features without any subscription at all, including basic notifications. This makes it great for anyone looking to avoid monthly fees altogether.
When we tested Arlo’s security system, we subscribed to Arlo Secure, which has the generous free trial of three months that comes with all Arlo products. Once the free trial ends, you’ll pay $7.99 per month if you have one camera or $12.99 per month for as many cameras as you want to keep your 30 days of cloud storage in 4K resolution. You also get access to:
For another $5 per month, you can get the Secure Plus subscription with 24/7 emergency response from Arlo. With this, you can press a button for Arlo to call an emergency service provider for you.
We would generally recommend either Arlo Secure or Safe & Secure Pro, which includes 24/7 professional monitoring and cellular backup for $24.99 per month. That’s a bit more than Ring Alarm charges for monitoring but still nowhere near what companies like Vivint charge. When we tested Vivint, we paid only $29.99 per month, but its rates for professional monitoring can go well over $40 per month depending on your system.
| Connectivity | Wi-fi, ethernet |
|---|---|
| Power | Wired, battery, PoE |
| Field of View | Up to 180° |
| Resolution | Up to 2160p |
| Storage | Cloud |
| Smart Platform Compatibility | Alexa and Google Home |
The beauty of Scout Alarm is that it’s extremely basic, so if you don’t like all the bells and whistles of advanced technology systems or difficult to use components, then Scout might be just what you’ve been looking for. Scout doesn’t require you to sign a contract, and they have some extremely affordable low monthly rates. Indeed, its lower-than-average prices make Scout one of our favorite affordable security systems of the year. Continue reading for a Scout Home Security overview and some of the Scout Home Security pros and cons.
Scout manufactures the equipment it sells. That means they cut out the middleman, so they can pass on the savings to you. They use Wi-Fi systems along with a cellular backup feature. Unfortunately, you have to subscribe to a monthly monitoring package if you want to use their equipment. The Scout equipment ranges in price from $2.50 to $129 and their monthly subscription plans range from $9.99/mo. or $107/yr. to $19.99/mo. or $215/yr.
You can use your Scout Security System with IFTTT technology for a variety of functions. For example, you can arm/disarm your system, send for help when your alarm is triggered, close the garage door when the alarm is armed, and more.
Once we ordered and installed the systems, we connected them to our smartphone and started experimenting with their IFTTT capabilities.
If you’ve ever gone down the home automation rabbit hole, you’ll know it goes pretty deep. And that’s exactly what we did to figure out the capabilities of each system we tested. It always starts with connecting the system to the IFTTT platform. Then, we create rules to automate our home in a way that improves our day-to-day lives.
Our favorites are rules that automate our door locks so we never have to wonder if we locked the doors. Usually, we can fully test each system in about three weeks. At that time, we feel like it’s part of our daily routine. Note that abode took a bit longer since it offered a few more triggers for us to experiment with.
If you want to automate your home’s smart devices, you’ll usually need a third-party application to connect all of your devices unless they’re all the same brand. That’s where IFTTT, which stands for If This Then That, comes in. It’s a free platform that lets apps and devices talk to each other. Basically, it lets you set up automation by creating rules that cause your smart devices to react to triggers. For example, you could create a rule that says when someone tags you in a photo on Facebook to save that photo to Dropbox.
When it comes to home security, IFTTT lets your sensors and cameras trigger smart devices. This lets your house react to your movements; it’s cool watching your lights turn on as soon as you walk through the front door. You can also set more practical rules, like having your doors lock when an outdoor camera detects motion.
It does take a bit of time to get used to the IFTTT platform, but it will feel intuitive in no time once you get used to it, and the possibilities are endless.
By automating your home, you can make it known to any potential criminal that your house is secured. Here are a few specific ways you can use IFTTT to improve the security of your home:
>> Read More: The Best Smart Locks of 2024
Unfortunately, IFTTT does not support every smart security device. Currently, it supports over 900 devices and apps, and that list keeps growing. A lot of companies try to lock you into their own ecosystem, which prevents some products from working with IFTTT.
You can check IFTTT’s website for a list of popular connections between devices and They even include premade rules you can use with your devices. This lets anyone easily start using IFTTT with their smart devices without any commitment or lengthy learning process.
Whether you already use the IFTTT platform to automate your home or just want to future-proof your security system, IFTTT support means your security system will stay friendly with most smart devices. The platform’s capabilities and amount of supported devices keep growing every year. Now, it supports over 900 devices and apps, which is pretty impressive in the smart home industry.
Using IFTTT to automate your security system and other smart devices takes your home security up a notch. It can lock your doors when you leave your house, flash your lights when your system senses an intruder, and start the hot tub when you walk out the back door. The possibilities really are endless when you use an IFTTT-compatible home security system.
No. The IFTTT platform was designed to be user-friendly. It gives you an easy interface to create your own automation, or you can use premade rules without ever needing to understand the “if this, then that” structure.
You do not need to know any amount of programming to use IFTTT. It’s just an app you can download on your phone to connect smart devices and apps from different manufacturers.
To begin, we recommend creating a few simple rules. For example, you might want to start with a basic rule, like turning on your lights when your morning alarm sounds. This will get you used to the interface without the risk of disabling any parts of your security system.
Unfortunately, SimpliSafe does not offer support for IFTTT at this time.
Overall, we recommend abode for IFTTT-compatible security systems. It supports 10 triggers and 10 actions, which means you can automate with almost any aspect of your home security system.
