Best Home Security Systems

Over the past decade, we’ve researched, reviewed, compared, and ranked the best home security systems on the market to help you confidently protect what matters most in your life.

SimpliSafe is our pick for the best home security system because of its streamlined, affordable DIY home security system that comes without a contract and an optional subscription. SimpliSafe delivers no-pressure online shopping and has some of the most affordable monthly monitoring fees—best of all, you can start or stop it whenever you want.

When it comes to a full-service, professionally installed home security system, Vivint is our favorite because it's the leading company out there actively innovating to deter crime, not just record it. Vivint's state-of-the-art proprietary equipment, advanced smart home integration, and theft-deterrent features are a cut above the average system. Plus, every Vivint alarm system comes with professional monitoring.

Whether you want to protect a big house with lots of land or a smaller home or apartment, we've got a security solution that will work. From security systems that come contract-free, have no monthly fees, or deliver white glove professional service from purchase to installation, here's our complete list of the top home security systems of 2023—and tips to help you choose the right one for you.

You don't have to guess when it comes to home security. Here are the top things to consider before you decide on a system. 

Our readers have spoken—and they love SimpliSafe’s affordable, straightforward cellular security system. SimpliSafe’s name says it all. Its security systems are simple—and so is its pricing. SimpliSafe has some of the cheapest monthly monitoring fees available, and you can start or stop it whenever you want to.

SimpliSafe does home security on its own terms. That means ditching some things that turn off customers: brash salespeople and lengthy contracts.

• You choose the equipment and monitoring level you want
• No-pressure online shopping
• Professional monitoring service on demand—no contracts
• Rapid response with Rapid SOS to help you faster
• 60-day money-back guarantee
• New outdoor security camera (finally!)

Standout feature: SimpliSafe features RapidSOS (only one other system has this fast-response feature) to speed up help in an emergency. It skips sending information to a monitoring center and sends it directly to 911 dispatchers so first responders get to you (wherever you are) faster.

What SimpliSafe monitoring do we recommend? Go with the Fast Protect™ plan. It gives you mobile app control of your SimpliSafe security system and includes email and text alerts—for around $30 per month. You can also access live video if you add a home security camera.

Get the rundown on SimpliSafe’s offerings in our full SimpliSafe review.

When Vivint switched its focus from smart home to smart security, it was a game changer. If you’re on the hunt for a smart home security system that doesn’t require you to lift a finger, Vivint is the best of the bunch. Vivint’s high-end equipment with pro installation, 24/7 monitoring, smart home features, and state-of-the-art security tech make it the best wireless security system available. 

We love Vivint home security for so many reasons:

• Professional installation that’s more affordable than competitors ($49)
• Financing model where equipment payment and monitoring are separate
• Free in-home security consultations
• Smart home security smartphone app
• Full proprietary equipment line (Vivint doesn’t just rely on other folk’s tech)
• Unique car guard device
• 24/7 professional monitoring
• Three-time TMA Center of the Year award winner

Standout feature: Vivint's security cameras with Smart Deter lurker detection are a staff favorite. We can't get enough of the video doorbell that’s loaded with AI and proactive features (like the whistle) that actually shoo porch pirates away. Learn all about it in our Vivint cameras guide.

Like any luxury item, you’d expect Vivint to come with a luxury price tag. It’s a balance: its equipment is pricey, but Vivint’s monthly monitoring fees remain in line with other top security companies (the U.S. average is $31.99/mo.) The Smart Home Video monitoring plan delivers everything you could want—video plus smart home control and integration—for around $40 a month.

See everything that’s got us revved up about Vivint—read our full Vivint review.

ADT is the most experienced security company in the country. If you’ll sleep better knowing that a well-known, tried-and-true company is watching over your home, ADT is worth the money.

No one can beat ADT’s experience.

• Top-notch protection delivered for 147 years
• ADT Home Security looks out for more than 8 million people across the globe
• 6 professional monitoring centers
• Partnerships and integration with tech from Google Nest and Ford
• 6-month service guarantee (the longest money-back period in the industry)

Standout feature: ADT Home Security has six redundant monitoring centers. If one monitoring station goes down, your home’s protection transfers to another center. That’s 24/7 protection that you can rely on, even when Mother Nature does her worst.

If you’re going with one of the best home security providers out there, you may as well go all in. The Complete plan includes home automation controls, wireless equipment, and video monitoring, starting around $60 per month (Vivint starts at $45 for similar features). That works out to just under $800 a year. If you have a three-year contract, that's around $2400 over three years. That may seem steep, but keep in mind that the average loss from one burglary is around $2,600.

Learn more about what ADT has to offer in our full ADT review.

Ring is the best Wi-Fi security system if you want to build your home’s protection around cameras.

Even the best systems seem to slack when it comes to security cameras. Brands often offer a basic selection with basic features. Not Ring. It has everything from Ring doorbell cameras to Ring floodlight cameras with excellent video quality and advanced features:

• Geofencing
• IFTTT compatibility
• 3D motion detection
• Dual-band Wi-Fi
• Motion tracking
• Advanced noise cancellation
• Loud sirens

We love that you can power most of these cameras with solar accessories. Ring’s optional security lights are solar too: the perfect solution if you hate charging equipment or changing batteries.

Plus, Ring Alarm security kits are affordable. You can buy Ring’s five-piece kit and add monthly monitoring for a year for around $400—cheaper than buying just equipment with most other DIY companies.

Standout feature: For $100 more than the basic 5-piece starter kit, the Ring Alarm Pro 8-piece kit comes with a built-in eero Wi-Fi 6 router. The router stabilizes Wi-Fi with speeds up to 900 Mbps and covers up to 1,500 square feet. Plus, your Ring system has 24/7 backup internet to keep it connected.

Read all about Ring alarm equipment and prices in our full Ring Alarm review.

Frontpoint delivers all the bells and whistles of full-service professionally installed systems but puts all the control (and installation) in your hands. For those who like the independence of DIY but don’t want to compromise on equipment options or features, Frontpoint fits the bill.

Frontpoint delivers all the perks you want from any home security company:

• Smart home integration
• Lots of equipment to choose from
• Mobile smartphone app control
• Indoor and outdoor cameras
• 24/7 video recordings
• Surveillance footage you can access on your television
• Video verification to reduce false alarms
• Rapid response 24/7 professional monitoring with centers on each coast
• No pushy sales and in-home consultations
• Extras in its entry-level plan like CO and smoke detector monitoring
• No wires for burglars to cut on this wireless alarm system

Standout feature: Every system comes with Frontpoint ID Protect powered by AllState Identity Protection. Yep, this smart system protects your home and those you love and your identity—plus you get this service and its nifty features for free.

Get all the details about Frontpoint’s plans, packages, and equipment in our full Frontpoint review, and see how easy Frontpoint is to install in our complete installation guide.

If you’re motivated by good customer service, Cove will make you all warm and fuzzy inside. Cove told us its policy is to be “more than fair” with customers. That’s probably why Cove has a whopping 98%* customer retention rate. Customers love Cove, and we do too.

On top of offering affordable monthly monitoring prices—that you can get without a contract—Cove makes it painless to cancel if the system isn’t for you. Cove sets you free without punishing penalties and fees, unlike other security solutions that charge 75% to 100% of your remaining contract.

Cove has some more customer-forward goodies we love:

• Large 7-inch touchscreen panel that comes with every package
• InstaText service that lets you confirm an emergency through a quick text message
• LiveAssist service that calls you through the control panel (no phone needed!)
• Rapid response with RapidSOS to get you help sooner
• Cove Equipment Rewards that let you to upgrade to the newest safety equipment or smart home device for free
• Lifetime equipment warranty (only one other brand on our list offers a lifetime warranty)
• Rate-lock guarantee that keeps your monitoring price the same

Standout feature: Cove sets itself apart with something it calls “done-with-me installation.” This combo of pro and DIY  lets you install the system yourself, with help.

The touchscreen walks you through installation with large, easy-to-follow illustrations. We’ll take it any day over installation booklets or tiny illustrations on an app.

When it comes to monitoring, the Cove Plus plan is our pick. For $28 per month, it includes video recording and monitoring and smart device integration plus a lifetime extended warranty.

Dig into more of what Cove has to offer in our full Cove review.

If you’re looking for flexibility with the experience of ADT, look no further. ADT Self Setup offers the best of both worlds—easy DIY home security with pro or self monitoring backed by trustworthy pro monitoring from ADT.

ADT Self Setup gives you the experience of ADT and its dedicated, redundant monitoring centers without the contracts, mandatory professional installation, and in-home consultations.

If you want to go pro, the professional monitoring plan sets you back about $25 per month, and there are no contracts or commitments. And if you opt for self-monitoring, you won’t lose camera cloud storage. We love that.

We initially ranked this system higher, but after a year of upgrades from other DIY companies, we bumped it down. We’re excited to see what this newcomer does next.

Read more in our full ADT Self Setup review.

ADT Self Setup carries an enormous 15-piece system for just under $300. It includes an indoor camera and a gaggle of sensors and motion detectors. It’s hard to beat this price for what you get.

If you’re all about smart home automation, then Abode is the best smart home security system for you. It’s the only smart system on our list that works with Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant^†, Apple HomeKit, Z-Wave, and Zigbee. It lets you connect to almost any smart home device on the market, and this flexibility can’t be beaten by any other system on our list.

Abode can protect your home with its more traditional Smart Security Kit or its sleek all-in-one Abode Iota hub. Whichever way you go, Abode adds smarts to your security setup with voice control through Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, or Apple HomeKit. In fact, it’s one of the only home automation security systems out there that caters to Apple devotees.

On top of voice control, you can add smart lighting, smart locks, smart speakers, and smart smoke and CO detectors to your Abode system. Plus, pro monitoring starts at a around $20 per month.

Get the total rundown on Abode in our full Abode review.

Arlo rolled out its security system in 2022, but don't let that scare you. We have long been a fan of Arlo's cameras, which have been going strong since 2018. Arlo has straightforward pricing and equipment packages that make it a good choice for home security newbies. We particularly love its eight-in-one sensors and outstanding security cameras.

Every Arlo system comes with sensors to detect if a door or window is opening or if there's motion. Arlo decided to take these very basic devices and make them more useful. 

An Arlo sensor detects eight different things instead of just one:

• Motion Detection
• Open/Close Detection
• Water Leak Detection
• Freeze Detection
• Tilt Detection
• Light Detection
• Smoke Listening (requires monitoring plan)
• CO Alarm Listening (requires monitoring plan)

This means that you don't have to buy a particular type of sensor for each of your needs. It's one and done. 

And Arlo, like Ring, offers a wide range of camera types, from indoor to outdoor, plus spotlight, floodlight, and more. Check out all the details in our full Arlo security camera review.

Wyze Home Monitoring has just about every smart home gadget you can think of in its accessory line-up. Some of its offerings include security cameras, smartwatches, video doorbells, scales, a gun safe, and even a remote control car camera.

Not only does this security system pick have gobs of equipment, it's also affordable. Wyze security kits and monitoring are the lowest we’ve seen. You can get Wyze Home Monitoring for less than $10 per month and a base security kit for around $100. While the base kit includes only two entry sensors, a motion sensor, keypad control panel, and base station, it’s still competitive with starter kits from other top companies on our list.

Wyze has been one of our favorites when it comes to budget security cameras. Wyze Cams are jam-packed with features you don’t find on cameras twice the price. (Most Wyze cameras are under $50.) You can imagine how jazzed we were to see a monitored Wyze security system.

While we love Wyze, its monitoring is new, so we hesitate to move it up in our rankings. We’re watching and waiting to see how it performs over time.

Read more in our full Wyze Home Monitoring review.

Each system on our roundup was tested and researched in real homes by real people. We scoured customer reviews to capture their experiences and feedback. We also talked to the tech teams, CEOs, and other innovators at the companies we review. Below you can find a summary of our hands-on testing and research for each security company that made our top ten.

We put in the time to help you find out which home security systems are worth your time, money, and confidence.

We test security systems in our homes, our friends' homes, and our extended family's homes. We analyze customer ratings and reviews. We compare how each one performs in different settings and to meet different needs. We line up the pricing—upfront, monthly, and over time—to see how much investment you really have to make. 

• 3.9k+ hours of research and testing
• 15 in-home tests
• 20 security systems considered for our top 10

The security systems that make it on our top 10 list come from tried and true home security, security camera, or smart home brands. Because home security isn't one size fits all, our best security systems represent a variety of options for homeowners and renters, work for different budgets, and demonstrate a consistent interest in customer and expert feedback.

While our strongest recommendation is for security systems with professional monitoring, we also value systems that offer easy, affordable, and reliable self-monitoring options. 

While we test and research, we look at five primary factors that matter most for protecting your home and family:

Learn more about our rigorous testing process in our full methodology.