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Most modern security systems don’t need a landline, but which one is best for you? I put them head to head in my own home to help you find out.
Updated July 3, 2024
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Let’s face it — most homes these days aren’t built with landlines. The days of needing to go home to check your voicemails are long gone. Nowadays, we all keep that same technology right in our pocket. However, the best security systems used to use those landlines to communicate with their monitoring centers. And some still do.
A home security system without a landline uses your Wi-Fi, a cellular connection, or both. So, how do you find those? Well, I did it for you. I bought all of the top security systems without a landline, installed them in my home, ranked them, and then shared my thoughts. Let’s get started.
| System | SimpliSafe | ADT | Cove | Frontpoint |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ranking | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th |
| Rating | 9.2/10 | 9.2/10 | 8.8/10 | 8.7/10 |
| Contract length | Monthly | 36 months or monthly with self-setup | Monthly | 36 months or monthly |
| Installation type | DIY or professional | DIY or professional | DIY or professional | DIY |
| Professional monitoring cost | Starting at $19.99 per month | Starting at $24.99 per month | Starting at $17.99 per month | Starting at $49.99 per month |
| Cellular backup network | Verizon | Verizon | AT&T | AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon |
| Equipment cost | Packages starting at $249.96 | Packages starting at $194.98 | Packages starting at $150 | Packages starting at $79 |
| Review | SimpliSafe review | ADT review | Cove review | Frontpoint review |
SimpliSafe equipment
I always start off with some research to find the top security systems in a given category. This one meant I looked for ones with Wi-Fi and cellular support. Then, I order each security system to my own home. If there's the option, I will install the system myself; otherwise, I'll get a professional install.
With the system in my home, I use it just like you would. I connect it to all of my smart devices, get alerts on my phone, and use it as my own security system. This typically goes on for about a month. That’s when I feel like I know how well the system works with my day-to-day routine.
As a security system originally made for apartments, it’s no surprise that SimpliSafe doesn’t require a landline. In fact, SimpliSafe no longer sells any components that work with a landline. And it’s one of the best DIY security systems out there. I got the system up and running in about 20 minutes, but yours will probably take a bit longer since you’ll want to use the mounting brackets instead of the adhesive strips I used.
SimpliSafe Essentials Kit
Like I said, SimpliSafe has completely moved away from landline connections. Now, they use Wi-Fi as the primary connection with a cellular backup included in monitoring plans. I couldn’t find what cellular network they used, though, even in my package of equipment. So, I reached out to their customer support, and they indicated they use Verizon.
Wireless equipment also works on battery power, though. Although most of SimpliSafe’s equipment is fully wireless, I still needed to plug in some components. Here are SimpliSafe’s equipment prices and wireless capabilities:
| Component | Wireless capabilities | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Base station | Plugged in for power with a 24-hour backup battery | $129.99 |
| Keypad | Fully wireless | $69.99 |
| Wireless indoor camera | Fully wireless | $139.99 |
| Wireless outdoor camera | Fully wireless | $189.99 |
| Video doorbell pro | Wired for power | $169 |
| Wired indoor camera | Plugged in for power | $99 |
| Entry sensor | Fully wireless | $14.99 |
| Motion sensor | Fully wireless | $34.99 |
| Glass break sensor | Fully wireless | $39.99 |
| Water sensor | Fully wireless | $19.99 |
| Smoke and carbon monoxide detector | Fully wireless | $59.99 |
| Smoke detector | Fully wireless | $34.99 |
| Temperature sensor | Fully wireless | $29.99 |
| Panic button | Fully wireless | $19.99 |
| Key fob | Fully wireless | $24.99 |
| 105 dB siren | Fully wireless | $59.99 |
Over the past few years, SimpliSafe has made some major improvements to its monitoring. And it’s not just for something to market, either. I’ve noticed the changes each year I test SimpliSafe, but the price keeps going up, too — there were three price increases in the last two years.
Anyway, I went with SimpliSafe’s Fast Protect monitoring this time at $29.99 per month. It’s also called the SimpliSafe Interactive Monitoring plan. I liked the live guard protection where an agent talked through my indoor camera whenever they got an alarm, and I didn’t respond. Although, the first time it made me jump when all of a sudden there was a strange voice in my living room. I could see some privacy issues here, but there’s a privacy shutter on the indoor security camera I reviewed that I used whenever I was home.
>> Read More: SimpliSafe Standard vs. SimpliSafe Interactive Comparison
SimpliSafe’s monitoring plans go beyond the Fast Protect plan, though. You can also get standard monitoring for $19.99 per month, a self-monitoring plan that includes video cloud storage for $9.99 per month, or just DIY it all the way without any monthly fees.
I’ve been mostly singing SimpliSafe’s praises so far, but that’s about to stop. Unfortunately, SimpliSafe doesn’t offer much in terms of smart home capabilities. And if Apple HomeKit powers your smart home, it can’t integrate at all.
For Google Home and Amazon Alexa smart homes, SimpliSafe offers basic integrations letting you control your security system with your voice. You can’t disarm your system with your voice, though. It works with August Locks too, one of the best smart lock brands. I used my system with the August Wi-Fi Smart Lock we reviewed earlier this year, so it locked and unlocked when I armed and disarmed my SimpliSafe system.
| Equipment cost | Packages starting at $249.96 |
|---|---|
| Monitoring options | Professional or DIY |
| Monitoring cost | From $19.99 |
| Contract length | Monthly |
| Installation options | Professional or DIY |
| Smart platform integration | Alexa, Google Home, and Apple Watch |
Unlike SimpliSafe, ADT still offers landline security systems, but you can get all of their latest equipment without a landline connection. They mostly offer landline equipment for their long-standing customers who’ve used the same ADT system for decades now. With a 150-year-old reputation, ADT’s continuous support for these customers makes us feel more comfortable, despite my desire to avoid using a landline.
Arming my ADT System
Thankfully, even though ADT sells systems that use a landline, you need to specifically opt-in for a landline system. That meant I could look at all of their equipment online when I built my system without worrying about whether or not any specific component needed a landline. For cellular backup, ADT uses Verizon.
When I bought my ADT system, I received a good number of components. It wasn’t the biggest system ever, but I got to test out at least one piece from every product category. Although the system wasn’t over the top, it was enough to rack up a hefty bill with the professional installation. It would have been less if I’d gone with ADT Self Setup, though. Here’s what I ended up getting, its wireless capabilities, and how much it all costs:
| Component | Wireless capabilities | Professional install price | Self Setup price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Control panel | Plugged in with 24-hour battery backup | $200 | $179.99 |
| Entryway sensor | Fully wireless | $50 | $14.99 |
| Motion sensor | Fully wireless | $100.00 | $24.99 |
| Outdoor cameras | Fully wireless | $309.00 | $179.99 |
For the sensors, the pro install ones have a better build quality than the Self Setup ones, so the price differences there made sense to me. But, that huge price difference on the outdoor camera doesn’t make much sense. Both systems use the exact same Google Nest Cam (outdoor or indoor, battery-powered).
I definitely liked the Google Nest Cam when I reviewed it, but the price of the pro install one can be a bit jarring. Still not nearly as expensive as the Vivint Outdoor Camera Pro I tested, but $309 is a lot for an outdoor camera.
If you want the most reliable monitoring in the industry, ADT’s the best choice for you. They have 12 state-of-the-art monitoring centers — each equipped with a backup generator. That’s a lot of redundancy. It’s also how they got on top of my roundup of the security systems with the fastest response times. Even though ADT’s monitoring is good, I didn’t like that they required it.
What makes their cellular monitoring so great is the support they provide. You know how there are different cellular networks? 3G used to be all the rage. That’s dated technology nowadays. I want at least 4G LTE in my security systems since it can transmit more data faster, letting my cameras stream video at 1080p.
FYI: Before choosing a company for their cellular backup, make sure you have service with the cellular provider they use. Don’t use the maps that the cellular providers give you to see if you have coverage, though. Use the FCC’s cellular coverage map for an accurate mapping of
That’s why ADT made CellBridge. It converts systems still running on 3G to a 4G LTE system. And they give it away for free. I’ve yet to see a security company give away a free upgrade to this day, but ADT did it with CellBridge.
Anyone that uses Google smart home products will like ADT a lot. They’re partners with Google and sell Google Nest security cameras. So, the security system integrates really well. I integrated my system with my Nest Hub smart home to let us control the security system with my voice.
Since I got the Nest Hub Max with a decent-sized screen, I could check my Google Nest Doorbell from my kitchen whenever someone was at the door. Then, I could use the two-way audio to let them know I’d be right there and just needed to finish getting the cookies in the oven. Check out the other ways I used my video doorbell in my Google Nest Video Doorbell review. That’s also why I think ADT is the best security system for Google Home.
As for Alexa and Apple smart homes, ADT works, but not quite as well as it does with Google Home. For instance, my Amazon Echo couldn’t automatically connect to my Google Nest cameras like my Nest Hub could. It also doesn’t work with Apple HomeKit, but you can still use your Apple Watch and Apple TV with your ADT system.
>> Learn About: Best Home Security Systems That Work With Alexa in 2024
| Equipment cost | Packages starting at $194.98 |
|---|---|
| Monitoring options | Professional |
| Monitoring cost | Starting at $24.99 per month |
| Contract length | Starting at 36 months |
| Installation options | Professional or DIY |
| Smart platform integration | Alexa and Google Home |
When I tested Cove, I got a police officer at my doorstep. But, don’t worry, it was a good thing. I’ll get more into that later.
Basically, Cove is an affordable security system that doesn’t require you to sacrifice much. It might not have a dozen monitoring centers like ADT or the option to go without monitoring entirely, but Cove does offer equipment I like that regularly goes on sale with monitoring that most anyone can afford.
Cove equipment
All of Cove’s equipment is completely wireless aside from its base station which needs to be plugged in. That came with a 24-hour backup battery, though, in case I lost power, and almost every other component used batteries and Wi-Fi for power and communication. That said, you can hardwire your video doorbell if you want. There’s also cellular backup with the AT&T network.
>> Read About: Eufy Dual Video Doorbell Review 2024
Aside from batteries, I found it pretty interesting that their outdoor camera has a solar panel for power — normally you have to pay extra for that. It did limit where I could install the camera, though. The solar panel is right on top of the camera itself, which makes for a nice aesthetic, but I couldn’t put it under the eaves above my garage, pointing at my driveway, since it wouldn’t get any sun there. I ended up mounting it on the side of my garage. It didn’t look as nice, but the camera never lost power.
To show how inexpensive Cove’s prices are, here’s a quick rundown of some highlights compared to the industry average:
| Component | Cove’s price | Industry average |
|---|---|---|
| Outdoor camera | $129.99 | $250 |
| Doorbell camera | $99.99 | $200 |
| Motion sensor | $30 | $50 |
| Door sensor | $15 | $35 |
One thing to note, all of Cove’s security cameras come manufactured by Eufy. And that’s a good thing. The security cameras were the thing I liked the most when I reviewed the Eufy security system. They even made my list of the best facial recognition cameras.
Even though Cove doesn’t need to offer much for their monitoring to be worth their low prices, their monitoring is actually pretty impressive. Like I said earlier, it was good enough to bring the police to my doorstep during my test. That’s thanks to an exclusive partnership Cove has with RapidSOS. This technology allows Cove’s monitoring centers to relay information to a 911 dispatcher in real time, meaning the police got to my house before I could even tell Cove I was just running a test.
RapidSOS only comes with Cove’s more expensive monitoring plan at $27.99 per month. You’ll also need that plan for the monitoring to work with your cameras. That said, you can always lower your monitoring to the $17.99 per month plan to save a bit when needed.
Unfortunately, Cove doesn’t do great with smart home integrations. They only integrate with Google Home and Amazon Alexa. That means I couldn’t lock my August Smart Lock when I armed my security system like I could with SimpliSafe. And Cove doesn’t sell any smart locks, either.
That said, I was impressed with the voice control I got with my Google Nest Hub and Amazon Echo. Both gave me complete control of my system with my voice, making it easy to arm the system as I ran out the door. I just wish it had more third-party integrations for smart devices.
| Monitoring Options | Professional or DIY |
|---|---|
| Installation | DIY |
| Smart Platform Integration | Alexa and Google Home |
| Equipment Cost | From $87 |
| Monthly Monitoring Cost | From $17.99 |
| Contract Length | 1 month |
To put it bluntly, I used to not really like Frontpoint. It used to be a system I’d recommend you actively avoid. But over the years, Frontpoint took feedback into consideration and made meaningful changes. Nowadays, it has some innovative smart home features, high-quality equipment, and flat-rate monitoring.
Frontpoint equipment
None of Frontpoint’s equipment can even connect to a landline. Actually, Frontpoint takes things even a step further by using your Wi-Fi as a backup to its cellular connection instead of the other way around, like most providers. To my surprise, that didn’t transfer to the wireless capabilities of the system. A good bit of components still needed to be plugged in for power.
Here’s a quick overview of Frontpoint’s equipment:
| Component | Wireless capabilities | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Indoor camera | Plugged in for power | $119.99 |
| Entry sensor | Fully wireless | $34.99 |
| Motion sensor | Fully wireless | $69.99 |
| Wireless video doorbell | Fully wireless | $299.98 |
| Outdoor camera | Plugged in for power | $229.99 |
It was a bit annoying that the outdoor camera needed to be plugged in. That meant I had to install it within 14 feet of an outlet. I opted to put it over my garage, but then there was a wire hanging down from the camera that got in the way sometimes. Otherwise, I liked the quality of the outdoor camera, especially since Frontpoint upgraded all of its cameras to meet the industry standard 1080p full HD. That gave me clear enough video to read the license plate of cars pulling up my driveway.
When I heard that Frontpoint offered flat-rate monitoring, I thought that meant it’d be inexpensive. But I was wrong there. Frontpoint only offers one monitoring plan, and that plan costs $49.99 per month. That seemed a bit outrageous to me until I learned about their cellular network.
Did You Know?Frontpoint’s pricing used to be the cheaper alternative to ADT when ADT’s monitoring used to start at $44.99 per month. That’s no longer the case with ADT’s new pricing that caps their monitoring costs at $34.99 per month. You’ll still be paying more for your equipment with ADT, though.
You see, most security companies choose one cellular provider and work with them for all systems. SimpliSafe uses Verizon. Cove uses AT&T. Well, Frontpoint mixes that status quo up for the better. Instead of just one cellular network, Frontpoint uses AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon — meaning you’ll get coverage just about anywhere. That also builds in a good bit of redundancy in case a network goes down in your area.
While I was testing Frontpoint, a snowstorm rolled through and knocked out a Verizon tower. I still had service, though, since the AT&T tower stayed up. That shows the power of Frontpoint’s triple-network system.
Yes, Frontpoint has integrations with Siri, Alexa, and Google Assistant. That means you can use almost any device for voice control. But that’s not what excites me most about Frontpoint’s smart home capabilities. It’s their geofencing.
Basically, geofencing allowed me to set specific actions for my connected smart devices based on the location of my phone. To give you an example, I set my smart thermostat to kick up the temperature whenever I was home and lower it when I left to cut down on my heating costs.
| Equipment cost | Packages starting at $79 |
|---|---|
| Monitoring options | Professional |
| Monitoring cost | Starting at $49 per month |
| Contract lengths | Monthly or 36 months |
| Installation options | DIY |
| Smart platform integrations | Google Home, Alexa, and Siri |
Yes, home security systems without landlines are absolutely reliable. While the internet used to be new technology, it’s now a robust infrastructure that spans most of the United States. That means it’s just as reliable as landlines used to be. Sure, it can go out when the power goes down and network issues can happen. But overall, Wi-Fi is as reliable, if not more so, than landlines used to be.
>> Learn More: Does My Wireless Security System Still Work If the Internet Goes Out?
On top of the reliability of your internet connection, the best wireless security systems also use a cellular backup. That means if your internet ever does go down, that cellular backup kicks in to keep your security system fully operational.
Although wireless security systems are completely reliable, you can still get landline systems today, but they’re few and far between. Unless you’re in a specific circumstance that necessitates a landline, I suggest using a security system that doesn’t use a landline. They’re more advanced, easier to use, and more reliable overall.
I get it, though. There are times when you need to use a landline. Here’s when I’d recommend a security system with a landline:
Essentially, if you can avoid using a system that relies on a landline, you should.
Instead of a landline, modern security systems use the internet and cellular services to communicate your system’s alerts to their monitoring centers. This makes a meaningful improvement to the security of your system. Here’s a quick rundown on the security vulnerabilities of landline systems:
There’s certainly no shortage of options when looking for a security system without a landline. Pretty much every security system these days offers some extent of wireless options. That said, they don’t all offer the same alternatives to a landline. Some systems use the internet with a cellular backup, while others primarily use cellular with your internet connection as a backup. And the cellular network each provider uses varies too.
I recommend looking at a cell coverage map as your first step. Then, figure out which network gives you solid coverage on 4G LTE. From there, look for a system that uses that provider.
After testing dozens of security systems, my favorite system that doesn’t use a landline is SimpliSafe. The system gives you great value from the equipment to the monitoring. For a high-end option, I suggest ADT.
Yes, some security systems still require a landline. I think those systems are using antiquated technology, though, so I’d recommend an alternative unless your home doesn’t have internet access and cellular coverage. Some systems like ADT also offer a landline connection as an alternative.
Yes, you can still get a security system if your home doesn’t have a landline. In fact, most security systems do not use a landline anymore.
Most security systems require an internet connection if they don’t use a landline. Frontpoint is one of only a few providers that use cellular as the main form of connection with your internet as a backup. So, you can still use their system without an internet connection or a landline.
No, professional monitoring does not require a landline. Your security system can still send alerts to your system’s monitoring centers over the internet or through cellular networks. That’s the way most security systems work nowadays.
