Cove Security System Costs and Pricing

Cove Equipment Pricing

Like almost every home security company, Cove charges for equipment and monitoring. Those are the two main costs to consider. When it comes to equipment, we can say that Cove is on the cheaper end of the spectrum.

For instance, most entry sensors on the market are priced around $25 each, but Cove only charges $15 per sensor (or $7.50 if you catch a deal). Their touchscreen control panel called the Cove Touch is currently marked below $150, and the indoor camera is in the $50 range, though you can score one for free with any purchase of a starter system. So if you’re looking to save some money, Cove might be a smart bet.

Snapshot of Cove Equipment Prices

Cove Monitoring Plans & Prices

To give some perspective, we’ve found that most home security systems require a monthly monitoring fee, and Cove is no different. You have two plan options: Basic and Plus. Both plans come with 24/7 professional monitoring, environmental monitoring, and smartphone access. And both include something called RapidSOS Ready,1 which you can read about in our in-depth Cove home security review. As a bonus, we share all about how the police ended up at our home while using Cove (true story).

Police Officer checking up on us thanks to Cove Monitoring

Note that Cove does not connect to your Wi-Fi for monitoring. Rather, it connects to your router via an Ethernet cable. They’ve invested in AT&T’s 4G LTE Cellular network so that their systems run a cellular connection as backup. This translates to faster and more reliable communication with the monitoring center. In our roundup of the top cellular home security systems, we’ve found that most companies charge $39+ per month for this premium service. But Cove’s plans start at only $17.99 and top out at $27.99, so we were pleasantly surprised with the reasonable fees.

If cellular monitoring is something that really interests you, we’d also recommend exploring packages and plans offered by Frontpoint Security. We recently tested their options, and we wrote a hands-on Frontpoint Security review to share our findings. In the meantime, here’s an overview of Cove’s monitoring subscriptions.

Cove 24/7 Professional Monitoring Plans

Cove Home Security Packages

Cove doesn’t sell equipment packages, per se, but if you piece together a kit, here’s what you can expect to spend based on your home size.

• For an apartment or small home of approximately 1,200 sq. ft., expect to pay $200 for equipment, plus monitoring. This might include the following equipment:
  • 1 Cove Hub and Alarm Panel
  • 3 Entryway Sensors
  • 1 Motion Sensor
  • 1 Yi Camera
• For a medium home of approximately 2,000 sq. ft., you might pay $250 for equipment, plus monitoring. This may include:
  • 1 Cove Hub and Alarm Panel
  • 6 Entryway Sensors
  • 2 Motion Sensors
  • 1 Glass Break Detector
  • 1 Yi Camera
• A large home of approximately 3,000+ sq. ft. will require $350+ in equipment costs, plus monitoring. This may include equipment such as:
  • 1 Cove Hub and Alarm Panel
  • 10 Entryway Sensors
  • 2 Motion Sensors
  • 2 Glass Break Detectors
  • 2 Yi Cameras
  • Environmental Sensors

Expert Examined

From Rob Gabriele, Managing Editor & Home Security Expert

“I encourage people to take advantage of Cove’s additional security components such as their glass break sensor. Most home burglaries I’ve investigated involved the thieves gaining entry through a rear sliding glass door or window. Make sure to install at least one glass break sensor in this type of area. With Cove, you’ll receive instant notification when the sensor detects the sound of broken glass.”

Closeup of the Cove Panel

Mind you, we like having a zero-interest financing option that spreads the equipment cost over 3-5 years. But Cove does not offer this option. You’ll have to foot the equipment costs upfront. Thankfully, you’re only looking at $225 on average, which is certainly on the lower end in terms of affordability for the industry. In other words, it won’t put too much of a strain on your wallet.

Additional Costs & Fees

You might get nickeled and dimed from some companies out there — but there’s typically a reason for it. For instance, with Vivint and ADT, you have to pay for professional monitoring and a one-time activation fee. This is because you’re getting white-glove service from the pros. If you’re interested in professional installation, we recommend checking out Vivint’s smart home security systems, or ADT’s plans and packages.

On the other hand, with DIY home security systems like Cove, you’ll roll up your sleeves and do it all yourself. So naturally, there aren’t any hidden fees to worry about. All you have to worry about is the upfront equipment cost and the reasonable monthly monitoring fee.

The Value We See In Cove

We mentioned that you have to “roll up your sleeves” with Cove. But that’s not entirely true. The equipment setup is fast and easy, and in many ways it reminded us of SimpliSafe’s hassle-free DIY installation. With this in mind, we think Cove delivers lots of value for those who don’t like fussing with new technology. Just note that we recommend springing for the Plus plan, as the Basic plan is limited in features.

We think Cove is also a safe bet for folks who want to dip their toes in smart home automation, but without spending a fortune on it. Keep in mind that Cove systems integrate with Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa for voice control.2 And there’s an intelligent feature called ‘Routines’ that we found in the Cove app. This let’s you set custom ‘rules’ or automations; so for instance, we set Cove to automatically arm every night at 10pm.

Cove Routines

We do think Cove’s camera options could be expanded. As it stands, Cove only sells an indoor camera, an outdoor camera, and two video doorbells from SkyBell and Kami. Don’t get us wrong, Cove’s cameras are solid in terms of performance, and they are pretty affordable. But we have hands-on experience with the best security cameras out there, and Cove’s cameras left us hoping for more advanced features.

YI Indoor Camera for Cove

So if video is important to you, we recommend exploring Ring’s selection of cameras. Or if your budget allows, we recently tested and reviewed the Arlo Pro 3 and were very happy with our findings there as well.

Cove’s Best Features

DIY Installation	The installation only took us 10 minutes, and we think most people can have it installed and ready to go in under 20 minutes. The Install Wizard walks you through the setup process, step-by-step, and it really couldn’t be any easier.
Cellular Monitoring	Cove systems are connected to cellular signals via AT&T’s 4G LTE cellular network. We’ve found this to be the fastest and most reliable connection type for home security systems. Unlike a Wi-Fi unit, you never risk a spotty connection or going offline due to slow Wi-Fi speeds.
Mobile App	Cove includes a decent (but not great) mobile app, allowing for remote arming/disarming, as well as a feature called ‘Routines.’ With Routines, you can set custom automations that control your system without you having to lift a finger.
Voice Control	Cove plays well with both Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant, giving you hands-free control. “Alexa, tell Cove to arm my home.” Although we like Cove’s integration with these voice assistants, we do wish they offered more home automation features (smart lights, thermostats, etc.).
Disaster Protection	Both of Cove’s monitoring plans support environmental hazard protection. You can purchase a smoke/heat/freeze detector, CO detector, and flood sensor. We found Cove’s environmental equipment to be the most affordable in the industry.
Touchscreen Panel	The Cove Alarm Panel is well-made and offers lots of sensor customizations. Also in the panel is an 85 dB siren.
RapidSOS Ready	With RapidSOS Ready technology, the Cove monitoring center supposedly speeds up the dispatch process with a direct connection to 911 Centers. Once an alarm is verified, the Cove monitoring agents can send the alarm details directly to 911. We experienced 30-second response times.
Lifetime Warranty Option	If you choose the Cove Plus plan, your equipment is under lifetime warranty as long as you’re a Cove customer. Very few home security companies offer a lifetime warranty, especially on plans that only cost $24.99 per month.

Contracts and Terms

When considering a DIY home security system, a good rule of thumb is to steer clear of long-term contracts if you can help it. Fortunately, Cove offers month-to-month monitoring, allowing you to pay as you go. We’re big fans of no-contract home security systems. But with that said, contracts aren’t always bad. They can be a tool to pay off expensive equipment over the course of several years. After all, not everyone has hundreds of dollars laying around to spend on a home security system. And if you ever feel constrained by an agreement, there’s usually a way out.3

Cove Deals and Discounts

Cove home security equipment is deeply discounted right now. Currently, the company is selling all of their equipment at 50% off. Another Cove deal to look for is a free Yi camera with the purchase of a home security system. But even if you had to pay for a camera, Yi is a budget option and will only set you back $20-$30. As of this writing, Cove is not running any special promotions on their monthly monitoring plans. But with prices that rival Ring Protect subscriptions and abode Home Security costs, Cove certainly won’t break the bank.

Bottom Line: Is Cove Worth Your Time?

After using Cove’s equipment and testing out their monitoring service, we have full confidence that this young company will be a household name soon enough (they’re already investing heavily in creative marketing).4

Their home alarm systems start in the $150 range, and you can sign up with a no-contract monthly monitoring subscription for either $14.99 or $24.99 per month. In our eyes, with these prices, Cove brings stiff competition to other more established DIY brands like SimpliSafe and Frontpoint Security.

While it might not be our top-rated pick, it’s pretty high up on our list. We do wish they offered equipment packages and bundles, though. As it stands, Cove equipment is purchased à la carte, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing. We think as the company builds more momentum in the market, they’ll end up selling plenty of pre-packaged kits, which will likely bring even more savings. All things considered, we think Cove is definitely up to the task of securing your home and family.

Cove Frequently Asked Questions