Best Home Security Systems of 2026

Home security is something you want to get right the first time. Trusting a home security company with your home and loved ones takes a lot. We get it. That’s why we won’t recommend a security system we wouldn’t rely on to protect our families. 

ADT and Vivint are excellent choices if you want full-service, professional installation and monitoring, advanced smart home tech and monthly financing options. If you're set on professional monitoring with do-it-yourself installation, Cove is the best value.

Thanks to its live monitoring, affordable equipment, and optional subscription, SimpliSafe is a great option if you want to install your system yourself. 

To help you find the best home security system for your needs, we tried them all. Our team has spent thousands of hours testing 20+ security systems in real homes over the past 12 years.  

After more than 150 years in the game, ADT still knows how to evolve. Its partnership with Google Nest brings next-level smarts to one of the most established security brands around. Think: Nest cameras, facial recognition, and automation that makes your home feel futuristic — without losing that tried-and-true ADT reliability.

We’re especially impressed by the Trusted Neighbor feature, which uses facial recognition to let in familiar faces (like your dog walker) and keep everyone else out. It’s the kind of smart, secure convenience we didn’t expect from an old-school system — and it works.

ADT may not be the cheapest or most flexible system, but people choose ADT because it's dependable, modern, and smarter than ever thanks to Google Nest. If you want a trusted name with professional installation and advanced smart features, ADT’s a solid pick.

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.

Vivint's engineers are constantly working on more ways to help prevent a break-in. We love Vivint for so many reasons:

• Most affordable professional installation ($49)
• $0 down financing
• Free in-home security assessment and consultation
• One app to rule them all—you don't have toggle between multiple apps to protect and control your home
• Full proprietary equipment line (Vivint doesn’t just rely on other folk’s tech)
• Theft-deterrent features
• 24/7 professional monitoring
• Three-time TMA Center of the Year award winner

Standout feature: Vivint's security cameras with Smart Deter lurker detection to help prevent break-ins.

Go with Vivint if you want the reassurance of professional installation, robust smart home security, and expert-guided customization. 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 Smart Home Video monitoring plan delivers video plus smart home control and integration for around $40 a month.

We've tested every iteration of Cove's security system, and we've been consistently impressed with how this company incorporates feedback to improve its offerings and the user experience.

Cove is a great value, with low-cost monthly monitoring that doesn't require a contract, and allows easy cancellation if the system doesn't suit your needs. 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 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: When it comes to monitoring, Cove is the most affordable, starting at $17.99/mo.

The Cove Plus plan is the one we recommend. For $28 per month, it includes 24/7 professional monitoring, video recording and monitoring, and smart device integration. Plus, a lifetime extended warranty!

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. Plus, you have the flexibility to start or stop your monthly monitoring subscription whenever you like.

If you prefer self-monitoring without a subscription, you can change your plan after the first month—just make sure to call to cancel or change your plan before the 30-day mark. 

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
• New outdoor security camera (finally!)
• Optional monthly subscription (after first month)
• 60-day money-back guarantee

Standout feature: Triple-threat monitoring and dispatch technology with video verification, Rapid SOS, and Active Guards that get you the help you need faster.

What SimpliSafe monitoring do we recommend? Go with the Interactive plan. It gives you mobile app control of your SimpliSafe security system and includes email and text alerts. You can also access live video if you add a home security camera.

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

• Cost and contracts
• Response time and monitoring options
• Security features and smart home integration
• Customer service and reputation
• Ease of installation and use

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

We recommend ADT home security for it’s dependable, modern, and smarter than ever Google Nest cameras. If you want a trusted name with professional installation and advanced smart features, ADT’s a solid pick.