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After testing dozens of security systems in our office, we liked ADT the most for its industry-leading monitoring service.
Updated March 26, 2025
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With great cameras, the most reliable 24/7 professional monitoring, and a 150-year-old reputation, ADT offers security that business owners can count on.
SimpliSafe’s new Intruder Intervention and Active Guard Outdoor Protection provide offices with a virtual security guard to keep workers safe and deter crime.
Vivint is a top-of-the-line security system for your workplace. AI-powered cameras and an easy-to-use app set this smart security system apart.
Here’s a not-so-fun fact: Around 50,000 commercial buildings are burglarized each year.1 Offices are prime targets because of all the equipment lying around that’s easy to sell off on the black market. That’s why installing a security system for your office is a must.
We have one in ours, but just like in home security, we recognize that each office has different security needs. Our ADT security system works great, but we found four other security systems, after testing dozens, that offer the protections we look for in our own open-plan workspace to give you more options. In addition to ADT, SimpliSafe, Vivint, Frontpoint, and Lorex also stood out. Keep reading to see what we found!
>> Related: Best Security System for Businesses
The trustworthy and unbiased reviews we make come from testing home security systems ourselves. We buy the equipment, install the devices in our homes, and test them for weeks or months on end. It’s how we get a feel for what it’s like to live with the system and experience first-hand the response times, features, and apps. We then take what we have learned to make our recommendations.
Multiple factors impact testing home security systems, so we look for ways to level the playing field. One strategy is testing all the equipment in the same place. In this instance, we used our own 1,000-square-foot office space. We believe that real-world testing yields more accurate results than testing in a controlled environment.
We also buy the same equipment for every security system and install them in identical spots. That way, we can compare the features and performance of individual components, like security cameras and smoke detectors.
To select the best security systems for offices, we took into consideration multiple factors. Using our experience and knowledge of the industry, we believe these are the most important ones.
We used these criteria to rank our top five picks. Here’s how we scored them.
Rating the Best Office Security Systems
Unlike other review websites, you won’t find reviews on everything from phone cases to ironing boards here. Our team at SafeHome.org exclusively covers security and safety equipment. We know how to effectively assess a security system and give our readers relevant and insightful recommendations. The team members who contributed to this review were:
Our team has over 75 years of combined experience, making us the most accomplished home security team on the internet. Since SafeHome.org began in 2016, our work has been featured in several major outlets, including The New York Times and The Washington Post. As a team, we have achieved:
Every recommendation is based on our first-hand product experience and a deep understanding of the security industry. Now, let's find out why we chose our top picks.
| System |
ADT
|
SimpliSafe
|
Vivint
|
Frontpoint
|
Lorex
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ranking |
1st
|
2nd
|
3rd
|
4th
|
5th
|
| SecureScore™ | 9.2 | 9.2 | 9.1 | 8.7 | 9.2 |
| Dedicated Business Solutions | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
| Monitoring Price | Starts at $24.99 per month | Starts at $21.99 per month | Starts at $29.99 per month | Starts at $14.99 per month | None |
| Equipment Price | Packages starting at $349 | Packages starting at $249.96 | Packages starting at $599 | Packages starting at $69 | Packages starting at $349.99 |
ADT is always one of our favorite security systems because of its professional monitoring. It has 12 centers in the U.S. and Canada that ensure continuous operation. We also learned that some of those centers are certified to provide advanced security to enterprise-level clients.Our office isn’t on that level, but ADT gave our security the same priority it gives larger businesses. Whenever we had alarms triggered, ADT’s response team was always on the phone in 45 seconds or less. Pretty impressive for a service that starts at $24.99 per month.
You can’t get more secure than a professionally designed security system, and that’s exactly what ADT offers businesses. After you call them up for a business security system, they schedule a technician to assess your office and create a custom system specifically for it.
Once ADT completes their assessment and designs your system, they send out a professional to install it as well. During the install, we kept the office running as usual, except for a few calls we had to put on hold while the technicians used their drills to anchor our cameras to the wall.
FYI: During your office assessment by an ADT professional, beware of upsells. Take the time before your technician comes out to assess your own security needs so you already have an idea of what you’re looking for.
We opted for Google Nest Cams for our office instead of ADT’s own security cameras.
We opted for Google Nest Cams for our office instead of ADT’s own security cameras.
Security cameras play a big role in office security, and we love our cameras from ADT. That’s because we got Nest Cams in our ADT package. Their business solutions still generally revolve around ADT cams, which we weren’t big fans of. We recommend specifically asking for Nest Cams, as they’re better cameras all around with all of them featuring 1080p resolution, two-way talk, strong night vision, and facial recognition.
The facial recognition is what really stood out to us. Our cameras know all 13 of us in the office; it even knows the pizza delivery guy. And so we had set up our Nest Cams in a way that it would notify us anytime it sees a stranger in the office. But the rest of the day, even though we’re all in the office, the cameras don’t bother us with false alarms.
| ADT Camera Model | Price |
|---|---|
| Nest Cam (indoor, wired) | $99.99 |
| Nest Cam (indoor or outdoor, battery) | $179.99 |
| Nest Cam with Floodlight | $279.99 |
>> Learn More: ADT Home Security Cameras Review 2025
Did You Know? Google’s own security offering, Nest Aware, has been discontinued. If you want a Google-friendly security system, ADT may be your best option.
ADT gave us brown covers for our motion sensors to match our office’s interior. They also offer black covers.
ADT owns and operates its own monitoring centers. When ADT calls you about a tripped alarm, it’s actually ADT calling –— not a third-party contractor. Can Ring say the same thing? No.3
On top of that, ADT has the largest monitoring network anywhere in the country with 12 facilities. Just to show you how impressive that is, Vivint is our second-favorite professional monitoring service, and it only has two in-house monitoring centers. Compare these two top security companies directly in our ADT vs. Vivint breakdown.
That being said, ADT’s vast network didn’t really translate to faster response times. While testing for the systems with the fastest response times, we clocked ADT at around 30 seconds. That’s about as fast as you want, though. Any faster and you won’t have time to call off the alarm before they send emergency personnel to your office. Plus, the 12 monitoring centers are really there to increase reliability; since they can take over for each other, ADT is equipped to continue monitoring rain or shine – or really, come hell or high water.
>> Read More: Ring Alarm vs. ADT
Pro Tip: If you think someone unauthorized is watching your office security camera footage, there are things you can do to stop them. First and foremost, change the login details immediately. Read our guide on how to stop security camera hacks for more tips.
| Equipment Cost | Packages starting at $349 |
|---|---|
| Monitoring Options | Professional or DIY |
| Monitoring Cost | Starting at $24.99 per month |
| Contract Length | Monthly |
| Installation Options | Professional or DIY |
| Smart Platform Integration | Alexa and Google Home |
SimpliSafe has grown a lot since its early days as a security system designed for apartments. Today, it’s a top-ranked system that offers one of the most interesting monitoring features we’ve seen – interactive monitoring during alerts or when cameras detect potential threats. We gave this feature a go when we reviewed SimpliSafe at home, and then tried it again in the office. And frankly, we liked it a lot better as a part of our office security. There are other systems that offer live video monitoring, but SimpliSafe is the cheapest by far. They charged us $31.99 per month for Core monitoring which includes their interactive monitoring for the Wireless Indoor Camera. To get it for their Outdoor Camera, they charge at least $49.99 per month. That’s still less than the competition, considering Deep Sentinel and Ring both charge over $100 per month.
Given SimpliSafe’s focus on DIY security, it might come as a surprise that they offer dedicated business solutions. Now, they offer the same equipment and monitoring options to businesses as residential customers, but they created packages specifically for different types of businesses. That’s something we can appreciate as we know most businesses looking to protect their office space are not security experts like us. Going with the Office Package offers a great starting point.
We like SimpliSafe’s idea of using two motion detectors in an office to protect areas with your most expensive equipment. The package does not include any cameras, though. We recommend adding at least a Wireless Indoor Camera if you plan to subscribe to Core monitoring so that you can use the Intruder Intervention capabilities, which we’ll explain shortly. You can also add SimpliSafe’s smart locks to any office rooms that need extra protection.
The Smart Alarm wireless indoor camera in our meeting area with its privacy shutter closed.
If your office is in a commercial complex and all you need to worry about is indoor video security, SimpliSafe is a good choice. Although they offer two indoor cameras, we recommend the Wireless Indoor Camera. Really, our only complaint is the low viewing angle for both cameras. The wireless one comes in at 125 degrees and the SimpliCam at 120 degrees, so we needed three cameras to cover our office.
As much as we like SimpliSafe’s indoor cameras, we like their Wireless Outdoor Camera more. It has a 140-degree field of view which covered our entire entryway when we mounted it up in the corner of our building. Plus, it has AI threat detection, which prompts SimpliSafe’s Active Guard Outdoor Protection feature in their Pro or Pro Plus plans. That allows their monitoring agents to access the camera, assess the situation, and scare off intruders. It’s a big reason SimpliSafe is on our list of the best security cameras for businesses.
FYI: SimpliSafe’s cameras won’t break your bank, either. Their most expensive camera, the Wireless Outdoor Camera, costs $199. For comparison, a similar camera from Vivint with AI-enabled threat protection costs $399. Check out our Vivint vs. SimpliSafe comparison to see why Vivint costs so much more.
Here’s the adhesive backing of the SimpliSafe motion sensors we installed.
SimpliSafe offers flexible monitoring plans without any required contracts. Since we don’t have a dedicated security detail – only our building does – we opted for SimpliSafe’s Core plan with Intruder Intervention. We didn’t need Active Guard Outdoor Protection since our complex takes care of outdoor security, but if we owned our building, we would have opted for a Pro or Pro Plus plan to activate it.
How well does SimpliSafe’s Intruder Intervention work? Our Managing Editor, Rob, had to work late one evening and forgot about the cameras and the fact that our system arms automatically at 8 p.m. He tripped a motion sensor and set off the Intruder Intervention feature. He described it as both reassuring and creepy – well, creepy if he were a crook sneaking around. Best of all, their monitoring is affordable, too. Here’s an overview of SimpliSafe’s pricing:
| SimpliSafe Subscription | Price Per Month |
|---|---|
| Unmonitored | Free |
| Self-monitoring with cloud storage | $9.99 |
| Standard monitoring | $21.99 |
| Core monitoring | $31.99 |
| Pro monitoring | $49.99 |
| Pro Plus monitoring | $79.99 |
Did You Know? Both the Pro and Pro Plus monitoring plans include Active Guard Outdoor Protection. The Pro plan offers overnight protection while the Pro Plus plan offers 24/7 protection. Since offices are typically occupied during the day, we think the overnight protection would be sufficient in most cases.
| Monitoring Options | Professional and DIY |
|---|---|
| Installation | Professional and DIY |
| Smart Platform Integration | Alexa and Google Home |
| Equipment Cost | Packages starting at $249.96 |
| Monthly Monitoring Cost | From $21.99 |
| Contract Length | Monthly |
Whether you already run a smart office or want to turn your office into one, Vivint can help. Not only can it integrate with just about any smart device on the market, it can also act as the brains to coordinate all of your disparate smart devices. From convenience to security, Vivint can make every aspect of an office smart. However, all that intelligence comes with a high price tag. Packages start at around $600, and a single camera costs anywhere from $250 to $400. They also require professional installation and monitoring, which adds to the overall cost.
Although Vivint offers all the same equipment to their business customers as their residential customers, they can build out custom solutions specifically for offices. Based on our experience, their technicians understand the importance of protecting sensitive client documents. So, they make sure to ask about where you store those documents and then recommend appropriate security measures. For us, it involved a smart lock on the door and motion sensor in the room.
We also appreciated that, after our technician installed our custom security system, they also helped us set up a few automations. It was enough to get us started and see what Vivint’s automation system was capable of. From there, we were able to automate everything else we wanted, like lights in the office turning on when our camera detected a potential threat at night.
>> Learn About: Vivint Business Security Solutions
Vivint’s cameras can detect packages and give us package notifications at our office.
Vivint security cameras are quite simply some of the best we’ve ever tested. 4K image sensor? Check. Full HD resolution? Check. Wide field of view? Check. That all meant we got the footage we needed, when we needed it. We could zoom in on any car in our parking lot to pull license plates or identify every face in our office building. The price is the only thing keeping Vivint’s cameras off our list of the best security cameras. Here’s an overview of Vivint’s pricing for their cameras:
| Vivint Camera Model | Price |
|---|---|
| Indoor Camera Pro | $199.99 |
| Outdoor Camera Pro | $399.99 |
| Doorbell Camera Pro | $249.99 |
Pro Tip: You can bring down the cost of your Vivint system by relying more heavily on Vivint’s sensor options. Their pros can help you lay out sensors for your office to protect against intrusions without the hefty price tag of their security cameras.
Vivint recommended a smart lock on the room in our office space where we store sensitive documents.
Normally, Vivint’s required professional monitoring is one of its drawbacks. But, for offices, we don’t find it as big of a deal. Every office security system should have professional monitoring unless you already have an in-house security team ready to monitor your system 24/7.
Just like the rest of Vivint, the price tag for their professional monitoring is on the high end for the industry, starting at $29.99 per month. From there, the rate increases based on the amount of equipment in your system, with prices increasing the most from security cameras. Monitoring for our office cost us about $45 per month. That price includes full cellular backup, though, which keeps our system running if our Wi-Fi drops out.
| Monitoring Options | Professional only |
|---|---|
| Installation | Professional |
| Smart Platform Integration | Alexa and Google Home |
| Equipment Cost | From $599.99 |
| Monthly Monitoring Cost | From $30 |
| Contract Length | 48 to 60 months |
What makes Frontpoint particularly great is that it has a little bit of everything our three other top picks do. It offers reliable cellular monitoring like ADT, it integrates with smart devices like Vivint, and it has SimpliSafe’s easy DIY setup. Best of all, their packages start at just $69.
The biggest drawback of Frontpoint is that they do not offer any business-specific packages. We had to build out our own custom package for our office. That wasn’t a big deal for us since we’re security experts. You’re probably not, though, so this can be a barrier.
Thankfully, Frontpoint offers some of our favorite customer service in the industry. So, instead of building out a system on your own, we recommend calling them up for help. They won’t send out a pro to size up your office like ADT or Vivint, but as long as you provide them with all the details of your office, they can recommend a package to fit your needs.
Did You Know? Instead of cellular backup, Frontpoint takes a cellular-first approach and uses your Wi-Fi as backup. That prevents Frontpoint’s equipment from bogging down your office network.
We bought two of Frontpoint’s indoor security cameras to keep an eye on our office space.
Frontpoint is powered by Alarm.com, which means its cameras come from –— you guessed it –— Alarm.com. Fortunately, Alarm.com is one of the most trusted names in security, and it makes reliable cameras. Don’t expect advanced threat detection like Vivint cameras offer or facial recognition like the Google Nest Cams that come with ADT systems. But, the Alarm.com cameras that Frontpoint offers come with the core features we look for. That includes 1080p resolution and night vision for clear video day and night.
Although Frontpoint’s cameras didn’t have the intelligence of Vivint or ADT, we appreciated their optional local storage. Both the outdoor and indoor cameras have an SD card slot for continuous recording. The indoor camera can record up to 29 days of footage while the outdoor camera can record up to 58 days of footage. That can give you clear evidence for prosecuting criminals and submitting insurance claims.
Here’s a quick overview of Frontpoint’s pricing for their security cameras:
| Frontpoint Camera Model | Price |
|---|---|
| Indoor Camera | $119.99 |
| Outdoor Camera | $229.99 |
| Premium Floodlight Camera | $299.99 |
The only way we could bypass Frontpoint’s entry delay is by arming it in “ARM (STAY)” mode.
Instead of adjusting their professional monitoring rate based on the amount of equipment you buy like Vivint does, Frontpoint offers flat-rate monitoring. That’s great news for large offices that need a lot of equipment. You’ll never pay more than $49.99 per month. Their response times are solid, too. We got responses within 25 seconds. The industry average is 30 seconds.
However, there’s a catch. Frontpoint alarms have a non-negotiable 30-second entry delay between the alarm being tripped and going off. That brings the total response time up to 55 seconds. That’s more than enough time for a savvy burglar to make off with a company laptop or three. The only way to get rid of the entry delay is to arm the system in its STAY mode, which is not recommended when your office is unoccupied.
When we compare SimpliSafe and Frontpoint, we’re puzzled. SimpliSafe allows you to remove the entry delay. Why not Frontpoint?
Pro Tip: During your call with Frontpoint to pick out your security system equipment, ask them about a lower monitoring rate. Their rates start at $14.99 per month for custom plans.
| Equipment Cost | Packages starting at $386.93 |
|---|---|
| Monitoring Options | Professional |
| Monitoring Cost | Starting at $14.99 per month |
| Contract Lengths | Monthly or 36 months |
| Installation Options | DIY |
| Smart Platform Integrations | Google Home, Alexa, and Siri |
Technically, Lorex does not offer security systems. They only offer security cameras. There’s no professional monitoring or sensors, but that could be all you need if you have security personnel on staff. We know it’s not for everyone, which is why Lorex is at the bottom of our list. If all you need are security cameras to help your security staff keep an eye on your office, though, Lorex fits the bill perfectly.
While Lorex offers a special shop for their business buyers, most of the equipment is available for both residential and business consumers. To use their business shop, you need to become a Lorex partner. Because of that hassle, we went through Lorex’s residential portal to buy the cameras we tested in our office. If we were buying them as our permanent security system, though, we would have applied to become a partner.
As a partner, you can access exclusive deals from Lorex. That can help if you ever expand your office and want to buy more cameras after your initial purchase. It also means when you ask customer service any questions, they’ll already know what equipment you have and can then offer more specialized support.
We tested two different Lorex cameras in our office.
Lorex’s bread and butter is security cameras. They offer hundreds of different models, so you’re bound to find the exact specs you need for your office space. Aside from Google Nest Cams, Lorex is the only other provider we know of to offer cameras with facial recognition. That’s how wide their capabilities are. They also make some of our favorite 4K security cameras.
All of Lorex’s cameras for businesses revolve around a DVR or NVR setup. That means the cameras send their footage to a local storage drive. It’s kind of like cameras that record to the cloud except the storage is in your office building. So, you’ll be responsible for reviewing the footage, clearing the drive, and saving footage you need. If you have a security staff, that shouldn’t be a problem for them to handle.
>> Learn About: Best Facial Recognition Cameras of 2025
Lorex App – Setting up the Outdoor Camera
We can keep this brief. Lorex doesn’t offer any professional monitoring. In fact, they hardly offer any subscriptions or add-ons at all. They don’t have optional professional installation, and their cloud subscription only works with specific cameras. Lorex’s pricing for cloud storage starts at $2.99 per month for up to 30 days of video storage. That’s a good price, if you ask us. So, if you plan to use Lorex’s cloud storage, make sure you get the right cameras.
Here are the models that their cloud storage works with:
| Lorex Cloud Storage Camera Models | Camera Features | Price |
|---|---|---|
| F861 Series | 4K, spotlight, battery-powered | $149.99 |
| W881 Series | 4K, spotlight, battery-powered, indoor/outdoor | $199.99 |
| W452 Series | 2K, floodlight | $249.99 |
| W463 Series | 2K, pan-tilt, indoor | $99.99 |
| W482 Series | 2K, spotlight, indoor/outdoor | $149.99 |
| Connectivity | Wi-Fi, Ethernet, or PoE |
|---|---|
| Power | Wired, battery, or PoE |
| Field of View | Up to 180° |
| Resolution | Up to 4K |
| Storage | Free local, optional cloud |
| Smart Platform Compatibility | Alexa and Google Home |
There’s no question that offices and commercial buildings need some sort of security detail. Here’s what we know:
Here’s a look at our Lorex Camera mounted outdoors with a plug-in power source.
Those numbers highlight the importance of office security. But is having security guards enough, or do you also need an office security system? Here are a few reasons why you still need a security system even if your office building has roaming security guards just like ours:
From Anthony Travaglia, Retired Police Officer, Home Security Expert
Pro Tip: If you’re putting up security cameras for your office, you should look for options that have 24/7 continuous recording. They’re excellent at keeping evidence.
The NordStellar dashboard gave us an overview of our current and historical digital threats.
Any electronic device connected to the internet is a potential point of entry for a tech-savvy bad guy (yes, even your office security system). What can you do to prevent a hack?
Office management is all about maximizing efficiency while minimizing costs. How do you make your pricey security system work extra hard?
We use residential smart locks in our office as a form of access control to specific areas in our office space.
From Anthony Travaglia, Retired Police Officer, Home Security Expert
Commercial buildings suffer environmental damage and theft, just like residential buildings. Security systems can help prevent that.
So, an office security system is a no-brainer. But which one?
To sum it up, you should choose a professionally monitored system with excellent security cameras from a reputable company. ADT, SimpliSafe, Vivint, and Frontpoint all fit the bill. If you don’t need professional monitoring because you have a security team on staff, we recommend outfitting your office with Lorex cameras to help them keep an eye on your office.
If none of those options works for you, check out our guide to the best security systems available. You’ll find more great options that may be a better fit for your business.
Some of the things that are really important for a commercial security system are less important for a home security system. For example, you can get away with self-monitoring your home security, but it’s not a good idea for an office unless you employ a security team to do it for you. Generally speaking, office security systems will have more devices and more features than a home security system.
Generally speaking, yes. Avoid recording private areas, like bathrooms and locker rooms. Notify employees they’re being recorded. And check with the relevant governing bodies to make sure you’re in the clear.
We recommend professional monitoring for commercial properties. Even if you have a security guard, they can’t be everywhere all at once. Professional monitoring is an affordable way to keep your office safe.
We think ADT is the best option for most commercial buildings. SimpliSafe, Vivint, Frontpoint, and Lorex are also great.
Yes. It’s rare, but possible, for an office security system to be hacked. To reduce the risk, choose unique, secure passwords and vet employees carefully before hiring.
You can record the areas in and around your office with high-quality security cameras. The best options will have HD resolution, night vision, and intruder deterrence capabilities.
Alarm monitors can watch over your property at all times with professional monitoring. Here’s how it works: One of your sensors detects suspicious activity. It sends a signal to a monitoring center. If the monitor can’t get in touch with someone at the office, they’ll call emergency services.
Professional monitoring is a must for office security systems, but you should be able to monitor the property yourself too. Self-monitoring through a mobile app should be available alongside professional monitoring.
Installing a smart lock gives your office an extra layer of security. It works with a code, card, or virtual wallet instead of (or in addition to) a key. You can lock it and unlock it remotely, which is useful when you have forgetful employees.
Keep your office lit when you want it (and dark when you don’t) with smart lights. You can schedule them to turn off and on with work hours. That could save you some money on electricity.
Turn any device into a smart device with a smart plug. Devices connected to a smart plug can be powered off on a timer, just like smart lights and locks. This is a good way to reduce fire risk and save on electricity for infrequently used equipment, like fax machines.
Motion detectors are one of the main components of an office security system. The motion detectors are designed to detect movement in or around your office. Then, when movement is detected, the system will alert you and/or a monitoring center so you can respond accordingly. When motion is detected, you can use your security system's mobile app to check your place of business to see what caused the motion detector to trigger an alarm or contact the proper authorities to respond to the alarm for you.
Track when doors and windows open with contact sensors. They are actually two magnetic pieces; when the door or window opens, the magnetic field breaks. That lets your monitoring center know something is amiss.
An office security system can involve a lot of equipment. Professional technicians can install it for you more quickly and effectively than you can on your own.
Statista. (2022). Number of burglaries in the United States in 2022, by location.
https://www.statista.com/statistics/195200/burglary-in-the-us-by-location-of-felony/
U.S. Chamber of Commerce. (2023). Rising Crime Is a Risk for Businesses. What Can Be Done?
https://www.uschamber.com/economy/crime-risk-to-business-2023
Ring. (2024). Understanding Professional Monitoring and Self-Monitoring.
https://ring.com/support/articles/46blt/Understanding-Professional-Monitoring-and-Self-Monitoring
Chron. What Can Vandalism Cost a Business?
https://smallbusiness.chron.com/can-vandalism-cost-business-63820.html
