Best DIY Home Security Systems of 2024

Installing SimpliSafe

Like I said above, when I reviewed SimpliSafe, I was pretty impressed with its equipment — especially the new stuff like the aforementioned Smart Alarm camera, its new carbon monoxide detector, and its improved motion detector. I had a bit of trouble connecting the keypad to the base station, but that’s actually my fault. I got a little overzealous and did things a bit out of order, which caused some problems. If you just download the app first and follow the on-screen instructions, you won’t run into any problems.

Like most DIY systems, SimpliSafe relies on command strips to affix most of the equipment — the motion sensors, the keypad, the contact sensors — to the wall. This is a bit of a double-edged sword, especially with the heavier pieces of equipment. I understand that being able to peel and stick stuff makes SimpliSafe one of the best security options for renters, but when it comes to permanence, it’s not my favorite solution. Luckily, most of the equipment did come with mounting brackets for folks who want to drill everything into the wall. Either way, I was done with my setup in about 25 minutes.

SimpliSafe’s Costs

Another big selling point of SimpliSafe is its affordability. I have more on this in my guide to SimpliSafe’s pricing, but the quick version is this: It offers several equipment packages and an option to build your own. Here’s a quick rundown of them:

And for context, here’s a list of all of SimpliSafe’s equipment that can be used to supplement one of the above bundles or build out your own custom system. One thing to note is that you will have to buy a base station and keypad — something I’m not too fond of. The base station I can understand, but the keypad? That doesn’t make a lot of sense to me.

Keep in mind that SimpliSafe is almost always running a sale, so it’s rare that you’ll have to pay full price for one of its systems. At the time of this writing, it was offering 40 percent off any new system when you sign up for Fast Protect Monitoring.

Speaking of monitoring, there are several options. SimpliSafe offers a free self-monitoring option, which makes it one of the best no-fee systems out there, as well as regular monitoring for $19.99 per month and Fast Protect for $29.99 per month. Keep in mind that you won’t have to sign a contract with SimpliSafe, so if you ever want to adjust your level of service, you can.

Installing ADT Self Setup

The first thing I did after receiving my ADT Self Setup package was unpack everything. What immediately jumped out at me was the size and shape of the base station. It’s a rectangular tower about six inches tall and four inches at the base. It wasn’t going to fit in with my entertainment system where I originally intended to put it, nor would it look good there. Fortunately, I had some extra space next to my router.

Next, I downloaded the ADT+ app as instructed in the manual and entered my details. From there, it was just a matter of turning on the base station, connecting it to Wi-Fi using the app, and then turning on each individual component. I also had to download the Nest Home app and create an account for the Nest Cams, by the way. But don’t worry; you’ll be able to link your Nest account with ADT to view your cameras from the ADT+ app.

All told, I spent about 45 minutes setting up ADT Self Setup. The component that needed the most time to install was the outdoor camera because I had to mount it on my exterior wall with screws. But overall, ADT Self Setup is a true DIY option from ADT.

>> Learn More: Where to Place Security Cameras

ADT Self Setup’s Cost

As you probably know, ADT’s pricing isn’t the most wallet-friendly, but ADT Self Setup is breaking that stigma. It is more budget-friendly than ADT for two reasons. Being a DIY system is the first reason. It doesn’t require an installation fee so that’s $99 saved instantly compared to the original ADT system. The second reason is the lower equipment cost. ADT Self Setup’s packages are somehow cheaper than ADT packages by a lot. Here’s a quick comparison:

Not only are ADT Self Setup packages cheaper, they also come with almost the same number of components as their ADT Pro Install counterparts. That said, ADT Self Setup doesn’t offer financing options, so the package fee is going to come right out of your pocket. With ADT Pro Install, you can choose to finance your equipment.

Now, for monitoring, here’s a quick and easy rule of thumb to remember: If your ADT Self Setup includes security cameras, you’ll pay $34.99 per month for the Essential + Video plan. Otherwise, you can choose the $24.99 Essential plan. That’s the same as what pro-installed ADT systems charge. However, ADT Self Setup allows self-monitoring, just like SimpliSafe.

Installing Cove

Cove is one of the few systems that provide a physical manual to help you get set up, but there are really only four steps. Those are:

• Plug in your panel.
• Complete the on-screen install wizard.
• Place your yard sign and window stickers.
• Forward your security ownership certificate to your insurance carrier.

The second step — after setting up the panel — will walk you through placing all of your sensors and cameras, which can all be mounted with minimal headache. The majority of their equipment can be affixed using included command strips, while bigger pieces of equipment like outdoor cameras will require screws.

When I was reviewing Cove, I was able to get everything set up in about 20 minutes, start to finish. That said, I have the same complaint about Cove that I do about SimpliSafe: Sometimes the command strips didn’t feel secure, so I screwed some of the components into my walls and door frames. The last thing you want is to wake up at 2 a.m. with your heart racing because a sensor popped off the wall and tripped your alarm. Trust me; it’s happened to me.

Cove’s Costs

Similar to Frontpoint and Alder, Cove does require professional monitoring, but it doesn’t require a long-term contract like Alder and ADT do — just month-to-month. Also, that professional monitoring costs less than half what it does with the other systems on the list. Cove’s basic monitoring plan is just $17.99 per month. Keep in mind that if you want mobile app control or smart home integrations, you’ll have to go for the premium plan — Cove Plus — which costs $27.99.

If you’re in the market for a Smart-Home compatible security system, check out the next entry on the list or read my list of the best smart security systems in the industry today.

Regarding equipment costs, you’re going to find that Cove is extremely affordable. I have more on that in my guide to Cove’s prices, but here’s a rundown of the equipment costs:

It doesn’t offer any pre-made packages, instead asking customers to build out their own systems. I actually prefer this method because it ensures you’re going to get exactly what you need and nothing that you don’t.

In all, I paid about $300 for my Cove system. For context, the Frontpoint system was about $500, and the SimpliSafe System was about $600. If you’re looking for security on a budget, Cove should definitely be on your shortlist.

Installing Alder

Alder offers a super-simple setup. I found its equipment to be really well designed, with a low profile and sleek, rounded edges. Everything can be mounted using command strips or some minor hardware installation — no need to get out the stud finder or hardwire anything. In all, it took me about 35 minutes to get everything up and running.

One of the really cool things about Alder is that it doesn’t require a base station. Unlike SimpliSafe or Frontpoint, Alder’s keypad is the connection point for all of its equipment, meaning it pulls double duty. I really liked this approach and didn’t have to figure out a place to stash another piece of equipment. This is really handy because my partner is really particular about what can and can’t go on the mantel.

Alder’s Costs

Here’s where Alder loses some points with me. There is nothing transparent about its pricing on its website, and you have to call a customer service representative to build out your system. I have more on this in my guide to Alder’s prices. I’m a millennial. You know how much I hate picking up the phone.

That said, even though it’s a DIY system, you don’t have to pay any upfront equipment fees — it’s all built into your monthly contract. That’s right. You’ll have to sign a 36-month contract with Alder, but some people don’t mind the commitment when you can avoid a big equipment bill upfront, like what you might see with SimpliSafe. Keep in mind that your monitoring costs are going to be between $30 and $55 per month, so that’s something to consider when you’re factoring this system into your budget.

If you’d rather not sign on the dotted line, you might head over to my list of the best no-contract security systems. You obviously won’t see Alder over there, but there are plenty of good options for commitment-averse folks.

Installing Frontpoint

When comparing Frontpoint and SimpliSafe, you’ll see that Frontpoint offers a few more options for equipment compared to SimpliSafe. The major components are all there — the security cameras, the entryway sensors, the motion sensors — but Frontpoint also offers a few bells and whistles, like garage door tilt sensors and glass-break sensors. We’ll get more into that in the section below, but for now, let’s talk about what it was like to set up this system.

In a word, easy. In two words, very easy. You can read more about this in my Frontpoint review, but everything is packaged thoughtfully, and the setup process is intuitive — whether this is your 100th DIY project or your first. Once you plug in the hub and download the app, you’ll be walked through step-by-step, detailed instructions on how to install everything.

There are two things I’d like to mention. First, Frontpoint’s hub is one of the most aesthetically pleasing pieces of security equipment I’ve used. It has a sleek, opalescent look that you won’t feel you immediately need to hide behind a houseplant. Functionally, it works using dual connections: Wi-Fi and cellular LTE, with the latter being the primary. This redundancy is to add increased dependability, which I really appreciate.

Second, Frontpoint has some of the best customer service for a security system. I ran into a bit of a hiccup when one of my entryway sensors wasn’t connecting to my hub, but after a quick call, everything was up and running — no wait times, no hassle of replacing equipment. In all, it took me a little over half an hour from boxes to a fully protected home.

Frontpoint’s Costs

Similar to SimpliSafe, Frontpoint offers a few security packages. Here’s what that looks like:

I do want to point out that you can pretty much ignore that regular price column. Frontpoint is always running a sale, so I’ve included the current discounted prices as well. While they might not be exactly the same when you’re shopping, they’ll be a lot closer to the sale price than the retail price.

For a little more context, below are the discounted prices Frontpoint offers for you to customize your system or build your own.

When it comes to monitoring, Frontpoint is a bit of an outlier. All of its systems are professionally monitored, with no option for self-monitoring. This is a pretty big drawback in my eyes. And, at $49.99 per month, it’s not exactly cheap. I would argue that it could be worth the investment for some folks since Frontpoint has some of the best professional monitoring in the industry.

Installing abode

Despite all of the high-tech bells and whistles, the core abode system is extremely easy to set up and install. Plug in your Gateway, connect it to your home internet network using the included Ethernet cable — don’t worry, this step is just for the setup; you can connect it to your Wi-Fi later — and download the app. The app will tell you step by step how to set up and install the other pieces of equipment you purchased, like your motion sensors and security cameras.

The one drawback I found during this setup process was that the Gateway tends to make a lot of noise throughout the day, depending on how active your system is. Mine was always beeping and booping — so much so that I took to calling it R2-D2. It actually got a little annoying living with it day-to-day, but the good news is I was able to quiet him down by going into the system settings on my phone and selecting “Mute all sounds.” Easy enough!

abode’s Costs

Like I said above, abode keeps things affordable. While it’s not as cheap as Cove, it’s still squarely in the “reasonable” category. Here’s a quick rundown on what you’ll pay for one of its security bundles:

Similar to Frontpoint, abode tends to keep its “regular” prices really high and always offer a sale. I’m not a huge fan of this sales tactic, but I did include the sale price at the time I wrote this list to give you an idea of what you should expect to pay.

Keep in mind that you can bolster these systems with individual pieces of equipment or create your own system. Here’s a list of abode’s component prices:

My test system cost me around $450 when all was said and done, but you might want to pick up some professional monitoring; that will run you $20 per month. I wrote up an article on professionally monitored versus self-monitored security systems so you can figure out which is best for you, but abode offers the flexibility of both. Also, since its contracts are month-to-month, you can always change things up.