The Best Security Systems Without Contracts

SimpliSafe’s Best Feature

Intruder Intervention was easily SimpliSafe’s best feature when we tested it. Typically, monitoring centers call your registered emergency contacts during emergencies. With Intruder Intervention, they can use the Wireless Indoor Camera’s two-way talk. Not only is that easier to reach you when you’re home, it can also deter intruders if the camera is within their earshot.

Intruder Intervention is available in the Core, Pro, and Pro Plus professional monitoring plans. Since SimpliSafe is contract-free, you can switch between these options whenever you want to change your level of coverage.

We created a SimpliSafe security system from the ground-up and could easily integrate more devices any time.

How SimpliSafe Contract-Free Monitoring Works

SimpliSafe’s self-monitoring and professional monitoring plans are contract-free. When you switch between them, the change occurs at the beginning of the next billing cycle. We started with the free self-monitoring plan, then upgraded to Core to try out Intruder Intervention.

Core is one of four professional monitoring plans SimpliSafe offers. Standard is ideal if you don’t need security camera support. Core includes the Intruder Intervention we mentioned earlier, and Pro and Pro Plus feature Active Guard Outdoor Protection. It’s similar to Intruder Intervention, but for outdoors. Here’s a breakdown of SimpliSafe’s subscriptions:

How SimpliSafe Protects Homes

SimpliSafe has fast response times, partly thanks to Intruder Intervention. Most security systems we’ve tested have a response time of 30 to 45 seconds. With SimpliSafe, a monitoring agent contacted us via the Wireless Indoor Camera within 10 seconds.

If you don’t respond, SimpliSafe’s monitoring center calls within 30 seconds, which is standard with most systems we’ve tested. The monitoring center also uses the camera to verify if police response is needed. We think this type of protection is worth the $32.99 per month fee, considering a similar alternative, like Frontpoint, is more expensive and requires a long-term contract.

>> Compare: Frontpoint vs. SimpliSafe

Cove’s Best Feature

Cove offers buy now, pay later via Affirm, but you might not need it since Cove’s pricing is cheaper than SimpliSafe and ADT Self Setup. Cove runs sales throughout the year, although even without discounts it’s one of the most affordable security systems.

Cove’s monitoring plans are more affordable than SimpliSafe, but there are only two to choose from. Basic protection is $22.99 a month. For security camera support, you’ll need the $32.99 a month option.

How Cove Contract-Free Monitoring Works

Like SimpliSafe, you can switch between professional monitoring plans any time you want. The only catch is that if you need security camera support, you’ll need Cove+. Video support isn’t the only benefit. Here’s a rundown of what’s included in each plan.

Cove’s motion sensors shine bright red when they detect movement.

How Cove Protects Homes

Cove isn’t as advanced as the Vivint system we tested, but that doesn’t make it any less reliable. Cove’s main hub and touchscreen panel have a built-in 85 dB siren. When an alarm is triggered, you’ll get text and app notifications within 20 seconds and a phone call in under 45 if you don’t respond.

Like SimpliSafe, Cove doesn’t offer home automation features. The closest you get is voice control with Alexa and Google Assistant. If you’re looking for a security system with home automation, check out our next pick.

ADT Self Setup’s Best Feature

ADT Blu’s biggest differentiator isn’t the cameras or the price — it’s the combination of both without a contract attached. Most security systems that offer ADT-caliber monitoring lock you into a multi-year agreement. ADT Blu removes that barrier entirely. You get access to ADT’s six-center monitoring network, SMART Monitoring text alerts, and video verification on the professional plan, all on a month-to-month basis that you control.

The 2K camera lineup reinforces that value proposition. The ADT Blu Outdoor Camera and Doorbell Camera both carry an IP65 weather rating, and the Doorbell Camera’s 180-degree field of view is the widest of any ADT camera. At $69.99 to $109.99, all three cameras undercut SimpliSafe’s comparable models while delivering the same or better resolution. That combination of hardware quality and monitoring flexibility is what earns ADT Blu the top equipment and monitoring spot on this list.

How ADT Blu’s Contract-Free Monitoring Works

There are four plan tiers — two self-monitoring and two professional monitoring — and you can move between them anytime without a cancellation fee. If you start on the Professional Monitoring with Cameras plan and want to step down, you can switch to self-monitoring the following month. That said, self-monitoring on ADT Blu still carries a monthly fee. Unlike SimpliSafe, which offers a completely free self-monitoring tier, ADT Blu’s lowest plan starts at $9.99 per month for camera-only setups and $14.99 per month for full systems.

What you get at each tier is clearly delineated. Self-monitoring plans include cloud video storage and ADT+ app access, but you’re responsible for reviewing alerts and contacting emergency services yourself. Professional monitoring plans hand that responsibility to ADT’s monitoring centers — six redundant facilities across North America that averaged 29-second response times in our testing. There’s no contract on either side of that divide, which means you can run self-monitoring during quieter periods and upgrade to professional monitoring before a vacation, then step back down when you return.

How ADT Blu Protects Homes

ADT Blu’s hardware covers the essential entry points and perimeter of most homes. The ADT Blu security cameras all deliver 2K HDR video with smart detection that distinguishes between people, animals, vehicles, and packages. We tested detection accuracy over 30 days and found the Outdoor Camera reliably differentiated delivery drivers from passing pedestrians, generating fewer false alerts than comparable cameras we’ve tested at this price point. The peel-and-stick sensors — door and window, motion, and environmental — connect wirelessly to the ADT Base, which maintains cellular backup when Wi-Fi drops, so coverage doesn’t lapse during outages.

On the monitoring side, ADT Blu customers on professional plans get the same six-center redundancy that ADT Pro Install customers have relied on for decades. If one monitoring facility goes offline — whether due to a regional outage or a natural disaster — the others take over seamlessly. SMART Monitoring sends group text alerts to all household members within seconds of an alarm, giving everyone the chance to confirm or cancel before an agent calls. That’s the same response infrastructure you’d get from a professionally installed ADT system, available here on a month-to-month basis with no strings attached.

Ring Alarm’s Best Feature

We already mentioned that Ring is one of the best security systems with video doorbells, but we also like its security camera range. The Ring Indoor Cam we reviewed was one of the standouts. We could adjust the camera’s motion sensor sensitivity and control how many notifications it sent.

The Ring Spotlight Cam includes many of the same features. One of the standouts is the 110-decibel siren, which you can use to scare off intruders from the Ring app. We also liked that you can exclude areas to reduce notifications for street traffic and pedestrians.

>> Learn More: Ring Security Camera Costs

How Ring No-Contract Monitoring Works

All Ring plans are self-monitoring packages. For professional monitoring, you’ll need the AI Pro plan, which is only $20 a month. It also comes with AI video description, facial recognition, and smoke and CO2 monitoring  Here’s how each package compares:

>> Compare: Arlo vs. Ring comparison.

Our Ring Floodlight Cam also required hardwiring, for which we paid a local electrician to do.

How Ring Protects Homes

Ring offers motion detectors and entry sensors, but we didn’t find them as effective as SimpliSafe or ADT. Sometimes they didn’t detect activity or the notification arrived late. The security cameras are more reliable.

>> Read More: Door Alarm Sensors: What They Are and How They’re Used

The professional monitoring response is also slower. The average response time was around 45 seconds, which puts it behind SimpliSafe, Cove, and ADT. We got a faster reaction when pushing the SOS button in the app. This dispatches police, fire, and medical services.

Ring offers a virtual security guard plan that’s similar to SimpliSafe’s Intruder Intervention feature, but it costs $99 a month. The plan also includes live video monitoring and video verification for faster police responses. Considering SimpliSafe’s plan is just $32.99 a month, it’s hard to justify the price of this option.

Abode’s Best Feature

Abode is one of our favorite Vivint alternatives because it offers customization, advanced smart home features, and affordable pricing. Our favorite feature is the CUE automation engine. You don’t need to be a tech genius to use it. The app walks you through how to customize rules, schedule automations, and set up easy-to-activate routines. We created a rule for our Nest Thermostat to warm up the house before we get out of bed.

How Abode’s Contract-Free Monitoring Works

You can set up automations without an Abode monitoring plan. We recommend signing up for a subscription to access the CUE platform. This is the feature that stood out to us the most when we compared Abode to SimpliSafe.

The premium self-monitoring plan is $8.49 a month and includes CUE, camera recordings, and an in-app panic alarm. The Pro Plan is $26.99 a month and adds professional monitoring. Like Ring, you can save money by paying annually.

How Abode Protects Homes

Abode’s home automation features are impressive, but we were disappointed in the lack of equipment options. Abode only offers one camera, and there isn’t a smoke alarm. You’ll only find a device that listens for sirens from smoke alarms. You can connect third-party equipment to make up for it, but it’s not the same as integrating native devices.

We didn’t find the lack of equipment impacted Abode’s reliability. During our testing, app alerts arrived within 10 seconds of tripping an alarm. We also like that the Pro Plan offers cellular backup, in case the internet drops out. Our system also sent accurate, personalized notifications for people, packages, and pets.

Abode doesn’t offer a lot of security equipment, but you can integrate third-party devices to round out your system.