Xfinity Home Security Review

Xfinity Home is a professionally installed home security system with higher monitoring fees and longer contracts than its competitors. It does have an all-inclusive app allowing for customized home automation through integration of smart devices, but it won’t connect to your Amazon Alexa or Google Home.

About Xfinity Home

Xfinity Home is an extension of Comcast Xfinity services. It uses a Comcast modem and requires high-speed Wi-Fi, but the Wi-Fi doesn’t have to be provided by Comcast. If you do use other Comcast services, however, you can enhance your Xfinity Home experience by incorporating your Xfinity X1 devices.

Xfinity Home Prices and Packages

How Xfinity Home Stacks Up

Price and Contract

Xfinity Home is one of the pricier systems on the market, and its restrictive contracts have some fine print that’s worth a closer look. Keep in mind that contract options and discounts vary depending on where you live, so if you’re planning to move, your pricing may change.

Pros

• Frequent Sales
  Monitoring is usually around $40 a month, but Xfinity frequently offers promotions to help you save on monthly fees with a two- or three-year contract.
• Discounts on Devices
  Xfinity offers packs of three or five sensors at a lower rate than if you were to buy sensors individually. The savings average between 15–20%.
• Camera Discounts
  Save 50% on any video camera when you add video monitoring to your monthly plan.

Cons

• Rate Increases
  Xfinity reserves the right to increase monthly rates at any time during your service, regardless of the rate you received when you signed up.
• Termination Fee
  If you need to cancel your contract for any reason before the contract term is up, you will pay a contract termination fee of anywhere from $200–$1,300, unless you cancel within the first thirty days.
• Leased Equipment
  There are no upfront fees for a starter pack, but you won’t own all the equipment. The Touchscreen Controller is a lease and will need to be returned if you end your monitoring agreement.

Tech and Equipment

Xfinity Home security equipment requires high-speed internet of at least 753 Kbps, but you can use your own internet provider. The sensors look modern, and all devices connect to the Xfinity mobile app so you can monitor your system from your smartphone.

Pros

• Compatible with Existing Equipment
  If there’s already a security system in your home, Xfinity may be able to use the existing equipment to tie it into the Xfinity Home system. This can reduce your installation fees.

• Free Cellular Backup
  Cellular and battery backups come with the system, ensuring continuous service even if your power or internet go out.

• DIY Camera Installation
  If you purchase cameras for your system, you can opt for DIY installation so you avoid the hassle of a professional installation appointment.

Cons

• Wired Touchscreen
  The touchscreen needs to be plugged into an outlet in order to work.

• Modem Brain Box
  The system utilizes a Comcast modem as its brain, and Comcast customers complain that the modems are unreliable.

Home Automation

We had to score Xfinity a little lower on home automation because most of the devices require third-party integration, but we’re impressed with the number of devices that work with the system.

Pros

• Third-Party Integration
  Some of the devices that work with the Xfinity Home security system include LIFX, GE, and Phillips Hue lighting; August and Kwikset door locks; Ecobee, Nest, and Carrier Côr thermostats; and Chamberlain and LiftMaster garage doors.

• Inclusive App
  Any third-party smart devices that are compatible with your system can be added to the Xfinity Home app for no additional fee, making it easy to monitor all your home’s systems from one place.

• Automation Rules
  The Xfinity Home app offers options to set a variety of rules, like “turn on porch lights at sunset, turn off at 11 p.m.,” or specific settings for when your system is set to “home” or “away,” like disabling motion sensors at night.

Cons

• Limited Voice Integration
  You can use the Xfinity X1 remote control to arm and disarm your system with your voice, but you won’t be able to use your Amazon Alexa or Google Home for arming and disarming.

• Not Enough Rules
  Customers tell us they’d like to see a wider variety of home automation settings (“rules”) to allow them to better customize their system.

Customer Service

Xfinity Home security systems do come with some customer service perks, but their overall customer satisfaction leaves a lot to be desired.

Pros

• 24/7 Customer Support
  There’s no wait to chat with an Xfinity service representative online, and if you opt for help over the phone, you can put in a request for customer service to call you so you don’t have to wait on hold indefinitely.

• Free Service Calls
  Devices have only a thirty-day warranty, but if you have any issues with equipment, Comcast will send a service technician out at no charge.

Cons

• Low Ratings
  Xfinity Home security falls under the umbrella of the Comcast cable company, which consistently receives low ratings when it comes to customer service. Comcast’s average user rating on Yelp is less than two stars.

FAQs

What are the biggest differences between Xfinity Home and a top-rated system like Frontpoint security?

The biggest difference between the two is that Frontpoint requires DIY installation and Xfinity is professionally installed. Frontpoint also offers a wider variety of packages and plan options than the Xfinity Home service.

Can I take the system with me if I move?

While you may be able to take some Xfinity equipment with you if you move, you’ll have to have it professionally installed again in your new home, which could come with a fee, depending on where your new home is located and whether or not your contract is up.

How does the Xfinity Home control panel work?

If you’re curious about what you might see on the screen of your Xfinity Touchscreen Controller, try out the Xfinity Touchscreen Controller Simulator. It allows you to click on various icons you’d find on a Touchscreen Controller to experience how the system works.

Xfinity Home Equipment

Wireless Keypad

Arm and disarm your system by typing your passcode into the keypad.

Touchscreen Controller

The Touchscreen Controller is the system’s control panel. It allows you to monitor your system’s status while you’re at home.

Door/Window Sensor

When a door or window opens, the sensors will alert your system.

Motion Sensor

The motion sensor can detect motion within an area of fifty feet.

Smoke Detector

The smoke detector will sound an alarm and send a signal to the monitoring station if a fire is detected.

Indoor/Outdoor Camera

Cameras can help you keep an eye on things happening inside and outside your home day and night.

The Bottom Line

If you’re an existing Comcast customer and you’ve been happy with your services, adding an Xfinity Home system might be a good security option for you. You’ll be able to bundle it with other services to save some money, and you’ll only have to worry about a single bill. But the low customer satisfaction ratings with Comcast are a red flag, and there are other security companies offering comparable services for less money and with higher customer satisfaction, so we recommend that non-Xfinity customers keep shopping around.

How We Evaluated Xfinity Home

For our Xfinity Home Security review, we researched all of Comcast’s security offerings, compared its features to similar security systems, and read what customers were saying. We talked with experts in home security to find out what they thought about Xfinity’s equipment and service, and we contacted Comcast for additional information about Xfinity contracts, fees, and policies. We invite you to find out more about our methodology and to take a look at our list of the Best Home Security Systems of 2018.