Xfinity Home Security Review

Xfinity Home Security allows you to bundle with internet, home phone, mobile, and cable services, which isn’t available with most of the best home security systems. It also has smart home equipment like doorbells, thermostats, and smoke detectors.

Xfinity Home Security does have a few downsides. The research for our Xfinity Home review found that its customer service is lacking. And Xfinity Home Security isn’t available in all areas of the U.S. Here’s what we found after researching Xfinity Home Security and speaking with a real customer.

Xfinity Home Security offers three equipment packages that range from $360 to $600. You can also pay for your equipment over time, with monthly payments ranging from $15 to $25. This is in line with national averages for home security equipment, but pricier than some DIY  systems like Wyze and Ring.

You can combine any equipment package with either of the two monitoring plans.  And each plan has à la carte options available if you want to add more equipment to your system.

Xfinity’s monitoring plan pricing may vary depending on whether or not you're a new customer. Either way, one perk is that there's no charge for Xfinity's router and modem.

With Xfinity Home Security, you still begin by selecting the equipment package you need — then you pick the monitoring or self-monitoring plan. All plans include smart-home automation, the Xfinity Home mobile app, and live-streaming video (if you install an Xfinity camera or video doorbell).

What’s available now

• Self-monitoring (Smart Home / Self Protection): For about $10/month, you get 24/7 video recording (for up to six cameras) and use the app to monitor yourself. Professional monitoring is not included.
• Professional monitoring (Home Security): For about $45/month (after a discount for auto-pay / paperless billing) you get 24/7 professional monitoring, cellular backup, and cloud video recording.
• Advanced professional monitoring (Home Security Plus): For an extra $5 per month, you get total home protection that includes 24/7 video recording and advanced AI that detects people, pets, and vehicles.

When equipment and monitoring costs are combined, you can expect to pay a minimum monthly rate of $25 for the Smart Home plan and $60 for professional monitoring with Xfinity Home Security (if you finance your equipment costs). These prices are competitive with those of other top home security system companies. Our latest data shows the average monthly cost for professional monitoring at $32, with the most expensive package on the market topping out at $99.

Xfinity Home Security is unique because it’s tied to an internet and TV provider. Systems like ADT and Vivint have an advantage over Xfinity Home because they specialize in home security rather than dividing efforts between cable, internet, and security services.

Sometimes getting everything bundled is convenient. We totally understand. If bundling sounds good to you, you might get a break on costs by signing up for multiple services from Xfinity.

Xfinity doesn’t require a contract if you pay for your equipment up front. If you decide to go with a financing plan, you’ll be locked into a contract until you pay off your equipment. The financing terms are for 24 months, so you can plan on being under contract for two years.

There is a one-year limited warranty on Xfinity Home security system equipment, but it’s only for manufacturer defects, not for when your tot pours juice on the keypad. Xfinity can choose to repair the equipment or replace it with a similar item.

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Xfinity Home Security offers a decent selection of equipment to outfit your home. It starts with three different package sizes. Then you can build on to your package with indoor, outdoor, and doorbell cameras, smoke detectors, a smart thermostat, a smart outlet controller, or more sensors and motion detectors. You can get all this installed for around $100. Or you can install some components yourself for free.

The Base Home System includes what you need for a small home or apartment:

• 1 touchscreen control panel
• 3 door/window sensors
• 1 motion sensor
• Battery and cellular backup system
• Xfinity Home Security yard sign

Xfinity Home Security has all the essentials needed for a reliable alarm system. The starter kit comes with three door/window sensors, a touchscreen control center, a cellular backup system to keep your system running when the phone lines or Wi-Fi is down, and a wireless keypad to arm and disarm your system. Plus, you can control your system with the Xfinity Home app.

What we’re most impressed with is the motion sensor with a sky-high weight range. This pet immune sensor will ignore moving objects up to 85 pounds. (That’s double the limit of most sensors!). It’s a helpful feature if you have a large dog or kids because they won’t trigger the sensor and cause a false alarm.

You can also add extras like the indoor/outdoor camera, smart thermostat, smoke detector, or outlet controller to gain extra control over your home through the Xfinity Home app.

You could watch a live stream from the Xfinity camera, warm your living room with the thermostat when you come home from work, and keep a light on with the outlet controller.

In some cases, you can install Xfinity Home Security equipment yourself, but it usually requires professional installation. If you’re a first-time Xfinity customer or if it’s been over a year since you’ve had an Xfinity system, you’ll have to go with the pros. Advanced systems with more than four pieces of equipment will also need to be set up by a professional.

Professional installation costs around $100, but it’s a one-time payment. And scheduling an installation appointment is easy. Xfinity provides a clear timetable of available times and dates, including weekends, so you won’t have to take time off work to let the tech in for installation.

Installation techs promise they’ll arrive within two hours of your scheduled appointment time, and if they don’t, you’ll get a $20 credit. If you have an existing security system from another company, the same Xfinity professionals can take a look at your system to see if it’s compatible or needs to be upgraded.

Xfinity partners with third-party smart home providers like August, GE, Philips, and Ecobee. Equipment from these companies, like smart lighting, locks, and thermostats, can work with your Xfinity Home system.

You can control your Xfinity Home Security system through its mobile app or web portal. From here, you can watch live feeds, control your thermostat, and check on the system when you get alerts. You can also arm your system using voice control with Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant.

One feature that stands out from other security systems is the TV feature. You can watch your camera feeds, arm your system, and create smart home automations through your television with voice commands using the optional TV Control with Xfinity X1.

Joy, the Xfinity customer we spoke with, spoke about the “pushy” sales tactics she experienced with the company: “When I called last time, there was a lot of pressure.” Upgrades were always a point of conversation when on the phone with an Xfinity rep.

She also said getting in touch with a real person could be a challenge. She’d find herself on hold frequently when she tried contacting Xfinity with questions.

Joy’s experience isn’t rare for Xfinity customers. We encountered similar stories from customers online — customer reviews on sites like ConsumerAffairs  and Trustpilot give low stars compared to other systems we've reviewed.

If you’re already on the Xfinity bandwagon for cable and internet, Xfinity Home Security is a nice perk to add to your existing setup. It's also a good choice if you’re looking to bundle your home security with other valuable home services. Not many other companies can bundle services like Xfinity.

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