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Secure the perimeter. The best home security companies offer outdoor systems for an added hedge of protection. These systems act as your first line of defense in deterring intruders. See our favorites below.
Updated March 15, 2023
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When you think about home security, you have to think of your system as complementary parts of a comprehensive whole. Just like a hammer isn’t enough to get a woodworking project done, an alarm system isn’t going to be enough to keep out every intruder.
To do that, you’ll need a solution that will completely cover your property — inside and out. That means you want a provider that offers equipment like security cameras, flood lights, and motion detectors. You might even want a company that has smart features like AI-driven image recognition to alert you if a package was left on your porch or if a car is slowly driving by your home. Don’t worry, we’ve done the legwork for you here to develop a list of the best home security companies with a focus on the outdoors.
Are you looking for an outdoor home security system with all the bells and whistles? Then you should certainly be looking at Vivint. Vivint’s professional installation options help take the Y out of DIY, and Vivit’s suite of outdoor cameras makes it easy to keep an eye on your entire property.
We’ve had the pleasure of testing Vivint’s equipment throughout the years, and we have always been impressed with their tech-forward posture that’s coupled with an ease-of-use that’s almost unrivaled in the industry (except maybe by ADT).
And while Vivint’s pricing isn’t the most affordable, you’re certainly going to understand where the money goes when you work with their products. They’re sleek, they’re well-designed, and they’re absolutely packed with smart features that will make keeping an eye on your outdoor spaces a breeze.
Ringing the Vivint Doorbell Camera Pro
Vivint delivers excellent outdoor home security but the price tag can be hefty depending on what features you choose. Vivint is one of the smartest systems out there, as you’ll learn in our full Vivint review. Keep in mind that with Vivint, instant alerts and remote control of your outdoor cameras and your Vivint doorbell camera are only available through Vivint’s monitoring plan.
ADT is one of the more well-known and popular home security systems. The company has more than 8 million customers and offers reliable outdoor home security and protection. The company offers a range of accessories that are great for outdoor use, such as outdoor motion detectors.
Secured by ADT Decal
Also known for their great customer service, ADT offers what is essentially white glove service to their customers. And when you consider this level of service, ADT’s monitoring fees and upfront equipment costs are totally reasonable. And their guarantee is one of the best we’ve seen.
What guarantee? Well, so confident is ADT in their product that if you’re ever burglarized while your system is armed, the company will pay for a portion of your homeowner’s insurance deductible. They also make things easy to try risk-free, with their six-month money-back offer. They’re that sure that you’re going to love the service.
Not sure if you want to select between our top two outdoor security choices? You might want to read our ADT security review, or cut right to the chase and see how ADT compares to Vivint head on.
True to its name, SimpliSafe’s appeal is its ease of use. This is true of the SimpliSafe alarm system, their indoor cameras, and their recently added outdoor systems as well. Perfect for folks looking for additional home protection but not looking to drill holes in their brick or run wires through their walls, SimpliSafe is a top choice for DIY’ers.
The SimpliSafe Outdoor Camera can run off solar power
When positioned and installed properly, the SimpliSafe Outdoor Camera is a powerful tool in deterring intruders and a great asset in keeping an eye on things around your home. Just make sure it’s easily accessible and within range of your Wi-Fi.
When we reviewed the SimpliSafe Outdoor Camera, we were immediately impressed by how easy it was to set up and use. Screw in the mounting bracket, pop the camera body on, angle it down about 30 degrees, and boom — you’re in business.
Now more technically speaking, we found that the SimpliSafe Outdoor Camera performed admirably. The 1080p resolution was more than enough to get a clear picture of our property, the motion-activated spotlight helped us see at night in full color, and the smart motion detection was able to discern between people and cars. The 140-degree field of vision helped keep everything in frame, and the app made it easy to tweak the system exactly how we wanted it.
Now for the downsides. One of the main drawbacks is that the SimpliSafe Outdoor camera is only going to work with other SimpliSafe equipment, meaning you’ll need at least a SimpliSafe base station to set up and view the camera’s live feed. If you’re already a SimpliSafe user — no worries, but if you’re not looking to build out a SimpliSafe security system, you might want to think twice.
FYI: For $189.99, the SimpliSafe Outdoor Camera is more than reasonable and a great choice for shoring up your outdoor security.
Speaking of the SimpliSafe security system, it’s one of our perennial favorites in terms of total home protection. While it doesn’t offer much in the way of smart automations, this powerful (and affordable!) home security system is simple to set up, easy to use, and the components themselves are extremely well-designed. With kits starting at around $200, SimpliSafe is a safe bet for indoor and outdoor security.
If you’re looking for an out-of-the box solution for solid outdoor security, Frontpoint’s DIY packages are a great choice. They’re easy to install, their day-to-day use is seamless and hassle free, and with Frontpoint world-class monitoring, you know help can be there in an instant.
Frontpoint makes things easy by offering three tiers of security, but for folks looking for outdoor solutions, the best option is to customize your own kit. That way you can be sure you’re getting the equipment you need to keep an eye on things indoors and out. The good news is all of Frontpoint’s equipment is relatively affordable, so no matter your selections, it’s not going to break the bank.
Frontpoint – Outdoor Camera
Frontpoint is ideal for customers who are looking for DIY customizable outdoor home security. It is also great if you travel away from home often as the Frontpoint app allows you to conduct surveillance and control your system from afar. Learn more in our full Frontpoint review.
Starting with the popular Ring Video Doorbell, we’ve been reviewing Ring’s DIY security cameras and doorbell cameras for several years. Ring Alarm is the brand’s relatively new home security system, with a base station, window sensors, and Ring Alarm monitoring for as low as $10 per month. Not only is Ring Alarm one of the most affordable security systems out there, it’s also one of the easiest to install. This system is ideal for protecting and monitoring your home inside and out. You start with a 5 piece system and then add more components to fit your needs. For outdoor security, Ring’s video doorbell is one of the best on the market. The brand also has a variety of outdoor cameras, including the Ring Floodlight camera with long-range night vision and a siren, and a Ring Spotlight camera with an option for a solar panel so you can enjoy your Ring camera without draining a battery. Each of Ring’s cameras boast 1080p HD quality, motion-activated notifications, real-time video, two-way talk, and options for low-cost cloud video recording and storage. These cameras, along with the Ring app, allow you to monitor your property in clear HD anytime. Ring can be used both with and without professional monitoring.
Ring 3 Cams Outside
The Ring home security system is a good option for anyone who wants affordable outdoor security and doesn’t mind the DIY install. Still not convinced? Check out Ring Alarm’s low equipment prices, with 5- to 14-piece kits ranging from $199.99 to $329.99. And visit our full Ring Alarm review for more details.
Despite Arlo’s slightly higher prices, they certainly deserve some consideration when you’re talking about outdoor security systems. Both their Safe and Secure plans offer home protection featuring interactive notifications on your smartphone, immediate emergency response, and professional monitoring. Great news, but where they really stand out from the pack is with their outdoor cameras.
An Arlo Pro 3 security camera mounted outside.
Before we talk about their outdoor components to their security systems, let’s discuss Arlo’s two core offerings. Their comprehensive home security system costs just $179.99 for a keypad hub and two sensors. It’ll cost you $269.99 to upgrade to a five-sensor package. All of their sensors, though, have 8 detection functions, meaning they are among the most visible in the industry. All of the equipment is DIY friendly, meaning there’s no need to hardwire anything into your home, and monitoring of the system costs just $19.99 per month.
That said, if you want to upgrade with Arlo — particularly if you want to keep an eye on things outdoors — there are plenty of options.
Let’s talk cameras first. The simple way to say it is that Arlo is among the best wireless cameras manufacturers on the market. Their top-of-the line Arlo Pro 5 is a 2K wireless security camera with state of the art features like color night vision, 12x zoom, and extended battery life. It’s a bit pricey at $249.99, but right now you can get it on sale for just $199.99. If that’s a little more than you’re looking to spend, don’t worry. There are a few other options we go over in our overview of Arlo’s cameras that are a little more budget-friendly.
And when it comes to getting the most out of these cameras, Arlo offers three security packages: Secure, Secure Plus, and Safe & Secure Pro. They’re are all great options for folks looking to protect their property indoors and out — Secure, their most basic plan, will cost $4.99 per month with a single camera, and their most advanced plan, Safe & Secure Pro, will run you $24.99 per month with professional monitoring on an unlimited number of cameras as well as 24/7 emergency response, one-tap safety functionality, crash detection and response for when you’re on the go, and cellular and battery backup for all of your devices.
Nowadays, you can find outdoor home security systems with all kinds of features ranging from night vision to smart home integration. Here are some important outdoor home security features that can help you monitor your outdoor area.
Outdoor security cameras are available with a variety of features and capabilities. Some of them are wireless and others need to be wired into an existing light fixture. If you need more help deciding which camera is best for outdoors, visit our security camera buyers guide. You can choose from features like HD-quality video, smartphone monitoring and control, night vision and more.
Outdoor motion sensing security lights can send an alert to your cell phone or sound an alarm when motion is detected outdoors. These sensors are usually pet and animal-friendly.
These can be used as part of your landscape security to enhance the safety of your security. You can use motion-activated security and flood lighting to save electricity. Some of these types of lighting work via solar power.
If you’re looking for the best garage door security, many systems can send a notification to your smartphone or tablet when your garage door is opened. The secure technology helps prevent unauthorized garage entry.
Pool alarms can be used to enhance the safety and security of your pool area. A pool alarm can alert you to the presence of children or other people around your swimming pool.
If you want to know what is going on outside your home when you are not there, an outdoor home security system is best. When choosing an outdoor home security system, look for the following important features.
Every home security company lets you arm and disarm your outdoor security system, but some let you do it in style. Head to your control panel, equipped with modern touchscreen technology, and arm/disarm there. Or better yet, open your sleek mobile app and arm/disarm from pretty much anywhere in the world. There’s even remote control keychain-sized devices that’ll do the trick.
Smart Door Locks serve as the sentinel of any outdoor security system — they’re always on guard. These electronic locks are easy-to-install and offer remote entry, locking, and unlocking. The best smart door locks allow for app-based monitoring of your entryway. View real-time activity logs to keep tabs on your home, issue virtual keys to friends and family, and more.
Who’s that creeping in your front yard? Find out with Mobile Alerts. This value-packed feature compliments the best outdoor home security systems. Get helpful mobile alerts anytime your system detects suspicious activity. These alerts are triggered by outdoor security cameras, doorbell cameras, motion detectors and lights. Mobile Alerts keep you in the loop when it matters most.
At work and got a hankering to check your outdoor security camera? Maybe you’re on vacation in Italy and want to ensure all is well back home. Remote Access lets you access, monitor, and control your home security and automation system from your smartphone. It’s the single most effective way to keep a finger on the pulse of your home security status.
No outdoor security system is complete without a Doorbell Camera. This feature monitors the comings and goings of your entryway and sends helpful mobile alerts. The best doorbell cameras offer two-way talk, an impressive option that lets you speak and listen to visitors. If it’s just the mailman, say hello. If it’s a bad guy trying to break-in, tell him to scram or else.
Night Vision Cameras transform your average outdoor security system into a Fort-Knox secure force-field. OK — at the very least, they let you see at night. Get crisp, clear imaging of your front yard, back yard, side yard, and entryway. The best night vision security cameras are powered by infrared LED technology. Criminals don’t stand a chance.
Many companies offer outdoor lighting and security cameras with built-in motion detection. Any time these devices detect movement, they will send an automatic alert and can even be set to sound the alarm. Certain motion detectors feature facial recognition technology, while others can distinguish between people and pets. Get hooked up with motion detection for a more robust outdoor security experience.
Expose burglars in the act with Outdoor Lights. The best outdoor lights integrate seamlessly with outdoor security camera systems. The moment they detect motion, a flood of light washes over the scene and the camera begins recording. Go with a high-end system and receive helpful mobile alerts along with instant recordings, sent straight to your smartphone.
Smart garage doors let you open and close them from anywhere in the world. This impressive outdoor security and automation feature even sends mobile alerts if (and when!) you forget to close your garage before heading into work. The best smart garage door openers feature a nifty permissions option, allowing you to give out multiple access codes to friends and fam.
