Comcast Xfinity Home Review

How Comcast Xfinity Home Stacks Up 

Xfinity Home comes with standard equipment like a touch screen control panel, door/window sensors, and a keypad to arm and disarm your system. You can opt for Xfinity Home on its own or add it to your existing Xfinity package, but beware of the fine print and pushy sales reps posing as customer service specialists.

It’s hard to nail down just one price for Xfinity Home. When we looked into Xfinity Home as an à la carte option, we saw a quote of $29.95 per month. But the fine print revealed that the price jumps $10 in the second year of the contract. Prices also vary if you bundle Xfinity Home with other services like cable and internet. See how Comcast Xfinity Home compares to this year’s best home security systems.

Comcast Xfinity Home Pricing

Data as of 07/16/2019. Available plans and pricing may vary by location and are subject to change. Pricing is shown for the first 24 months with a 2-year Agreement.

Pricing with Xfinity Home is confusing, so we wanted to clear things up. We spoke with a previous Xfinity customer to hear about her experience. Our source, Joy, said that she was quoted at $39.95 but saw an extra $20 in fees when she got her bundled cable, internet, and security bill every month.

A few of the fees we found at the bottom of the plan pages included a $5 per month verified response fee, a “Broadcast fee (up to $10/mo.), Regional Sports Fee (up to $8.25/mo.) and other applicable charges.”

We can admit that none of these fees are astronomical on their own, but they can add up, especially for anyone who wants only home security. If you’re interested in multiple services, Xfinity Home plus cable and internet may be a good option for your family.

Xfinity Home Alarm Tech and Equipment 

Xfinity Home has all the essentials needed for a reliable alarm system. The starter kit comes with three door/window sensors, a touchscreen control center, and a wireless keypad to arm and disarm your system.

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 own a large dog or have kids who stay home alone because they won’t trigger the sensor and cause a false alarm.

You can also add items like the indoor/outdoor camera, Zen thermostat, smoke detector, or outlet controller to get extra control over your home through the Xfinity app. Watch a livestream from the Xfinity camera, warm your living room with the thermostat when you leave work, and keep a light on with the outlet controller.

Xfinity Smart Home Features 

Xfinity has partnered up with a series of third-party smart home providers like Nest, GE, and Ecobee. Equipment from these companies, like smart lighting, locks, and thermostats, can work with your Xfinity Home system.

Like many other home security systems, you can control your Xfinity Home 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.

Xfinity Home Installation 

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

Professional installation costs a minimum of $99.99, but it’s a one-time payment. Scheduling an installation appointment is easy too. Xfinity provides a clear time table of available times and dates to choose from that includes weekends, so you won’t have to take 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, the same Xfinity professionals can take a look at your system to see if it’s compatible or needs to be upgraded.

Xfinity Home Customer Service

Joy, the Xfinity customer we spoke with, also mentioned the customer service and “pushy” sales tactics she experienced with this company. “When I called last time there was a lot of pressure,” she said. 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.¹

How Xfinity Home Security Stacks Up

Data effective 06/28/2019. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.

Xfinity Home is hard to compare to other security systems because it’s from a cable and internet company. Systems like Vivint and ADT have an advantage over Xfinity Home because they specialize in home security. Other cable and internet providers like Cox, though, have started offering home security paired with entertainment services. Companies like Cox have caused Xfinity to step up their game, offering more competitive prices and better equipment than in the past.

Stacked against security companies like ADT and Vivint, Xfinity Home misses out on essential features and comes with unnecessary extra equipment. But compared to other ISPs with security like Cox, Xfinity Home comes out on top.

Comcast Xfinity Home FAQs

Can I get Xfinity Home if I’m not an Xfinity customer?

Yes. Prices will vary, but we got a quote of $29.95 a month for just Xfinity Home service. You can bundle your home security with cable and internet from Xfinity for a better price.

Can I install an Xfinity Home camera outside?

Xfinity Home offers only one camera, and it’s designed for indoor and outdoor use. It delivers a crisp HD live video feed night and day and is weather resistant. It’s small enough to use as a nanny cam in the nursery or mount on your doorstep to check on visitors. The Xfinity installation professional can help you find the right spot to place your camera inside or outside

Is Xfinity Home professionally monitored?

Yes, your Xfinity Home system is monitored 24/7 by trained monitoring professionals ready to help. Having the pros on your side speeds up response times from emergency responders and can minimize false alarms.

Bottom Line

Overall, we recommend Xfinity Home if you’re already an Xfinity customer. Xfinity Home doesn’t have many standout features to justify the price and fine print. But if you’re already on the Xfinity bandwagon for cable and internet, Xfinity Home is a nice perk to add to your existing setup. Either way, we recommend reading your agreement closely before signing because you’ll likely find a few hidden fees and might have trouble with pushy customer service reps down the road.

How We Reviewed Comcast Xfinity Home Security

We started our research on Xfinity Home at the source, poking through the website’s packages, plans, and fine print. We even broke the checkout feature while looking at rates in different ZIP codes. To get an accurate, firsthand account of Xfinity Home, we also interviewed a real customer. From customer service to equipment, Joy told us about her experience of using Xfinity Home for three years. With that knowledge, we compared her experience to reviews left by other Xfinity Home customers across the web. Read our full methodology to learn more about how we reviewed Xfinity Home and other home alarm systems like it.

Related Pages on SafeWise

• The Best Home Security Systems of 2019
• Security System Installation: Professional or DIY
• Mobile Apps for Home Security Systems
• ADT Home Security Review

Sources:

ConsumerAffairs “Xfinity Home”; Trustpilot, “Comcast”