Best Home Security Systems in Kansas City

When people talk about Kansas City, they usually mean Kansas City, Missouri. No disrespect to Kansas City, Kansas, but KCMO has the Chiefs and Royals, the historic homes of the Country Club District, the 18th and Vine festival, and the best barbecue in the country (anyone who disagrees should prepare for a fight).

But there's a darker side to KC. Kansas City's robbery and property crime rates are much higher than both the state and national averages. According to recent crime stats, 98% of US cities are safer than Kansas City, Missouri.¹

In a place with higher property crime rates, a home security system can protect you, your loved ones, and your belongings. We dug into the best home security systems in the Kansas City area, so read on to find out which local security brands we like and why.

Whether you live in downtown Kansas City or out in a suburb like Overland Park, you deserve to feel safe in your home and when you’re away from it. Choosing a local home security company can help ensure that your system comes from people who know the area and what you’re facing. Here are the local KC security brands we like best and why:

• Check out Scharig Alarm Systems for the best budget-friendly security systems.
• Try SHIELD Security Systems for shorter contract lengths.
• Rampart Security Systems is our choice for DIY security systems.
• For the best-priced starter equipment, give Atronic Alarms a call.

If you still prefer a national brand, check out our recommendations for the best home security systems.

All of these companies service Kansas City, Missouri, and surrounding areas.

You can add security cameras to your month-to-month plan by purchasing the camera upfront and increasing your monthly costs. If you’d like to spread out the equipment cost, choose the 36-month plan to pay a little more per month without buying the equipment upfront. More equipment is included, as well as a lifetime warranty and mobile access.

The Total Connect Energy package comes with a smart thermostat for $49.99 per month. Other smart home devices can be added to this package, though additional items are not included in the price and have to be paid for upfront.

Scharig Alarm Systems uses Honeywell equipment, which is a great brand. And if you already use Honeywell devices at home, this would be the best security system to integrate with your home.

Scharig’s month-to-month contract offers customers low prices for cellular monitoring and reasonable equipment costs. But Scharig also gives customers the option of spreading out the equipment costs in slightly higher monthly payments, making them our best budget-friendly choice.

All three plans monitor your security system and environmental sensors (fire, smoke, CO detectors), but it costs more to add video monitoring and smart home devices. Remote access is available only with cellular monitoring.

SHIELD stands out with its 12-month contract (and some month-to-month contracts) as opposed to the usual 36-month contract. We love how much flexibility this gives customers without raising costs.

SHIELD provides custom solutions rather than set equipment packages. Prices vary, but basic items like door or window sensors are around $50, and devices like glass break sensors, motion detectors, and smoke alarms are around $100.

A basic home security setup could be anywhere from $400 to $700 up front. SHIELD also offers an option for DIY installation. This is recommended only if you are already familiar with basic home repairs.

SHIELD Security Systems has a lot to offer: a full range of equipment and services, smartphone access, great customer service, and even a DIY installation option. Best of all, with year-to-year monitoring plans, you aren’t locked into a long contract.

DIY System
Rampart’s DIY starter kit costs $250 and all devices are easy to install with the smartphone app guide. Professional cellular monitoring starts at just $15 per month, which is the lowest price we’ve seen for cellular monitoring among local brands.

The additional equipment available to add on to the starter kit is limited, but you wouldn’t need much more for a small apartment anyway. Rampart's extra equipment prices are quite affordable, ranging from $20 to $175 for items like door/window sensors, motion detectors, and indoor cameras.

Professionally Installed System
Rampart's professional installation racks up higher fees, starting at $330 for the basic starter equipment, but is still less expensive than most national brands. Most of the equipment options are the same as the DIY system with a couple of additions. Monthly monitoring fees range from $25 to $33. Because you purchase the equipment up front, there are no long-term contracts—all customers are on a month-to-month plan.

Rampart Security Systems is ideal for students and apartment dwellers. With month-to-month contracts and low costs, not to mention DIY installation options, this is flexible, budget-friendly local home security.

Cellular monitoring starts at $40 per month and goes up depending on which additional services you add on. Unfortunately, remote access to your security system from a smartphone is counted as one of those services. Add-ons like remote access, smart home integration, and more range from $5 to $8 per month.

Atronic Alarms was the only company we contacted that responded within two hours of our email, rather than the next day. We also got more information from them in each interaction than we did from other companies.

Atronic has an extensive list of available equipment, covering all the types of monitoring we look for: security, environmental, video, and smart home. The individual prices are definitely more expensive, but the sales reps at Atronic can work with you to bring the overall price down a little. Equipment prices include the cost of professional installation, which may help explain why these prices are on the high side compared to the rest of the industry.

Atronic Alarms caught our attention with a basic security starter kit for one of the lowest prices we’ve seen. They also offer a full range of equipment options and all the add-on services you could want, though at prices that are definitely on the high side.

We researched almost three dozen security companies in Kansas City, Missouri, to bring you our recommendations. We narrowed the field down by looking for professionally monitored residential security systems with either professional and/or DIY installation.

Then we evaluated each company based on price (monthly fees and equipment costs), contract lengths and flexibility, equipment options, and customer service. We gave more weight to cellular monitoring and remote cell phone access, and we reached out to each company as potential customers to get a true feel for their service.

Finally, we compared the pros and cons for each company against each other and against the standards set by national brands like ADT and Vivint to bring you the recommendations in this article.

Alert 360 is a substantial security company with locations in Kansas City and across the southern half of the US. They offer a wide range of equipment and technology for both home security and smart home devices.

Their system is geared toward a mobile experience and everything is monitored through the smartphone app. Their prices are reasonable, though they do require a 36-month contract.

We had good experiences with their customer service team, and we were impressed with the follow-up calls we received.

But Alert 360 didn’t make the cut because we felt it isn’t truly local to KC. The nearest central monitoring station is in another state and part of the reason for choosing a local home security company is for local monitoring and faster response times.

Alert of KC offers both residential and commercial security solutions and has been in business since 1983. One of the things we liked most about Alert of KC is the option of purchasing a DIY system and one year of professional monitoring online. The monitoring is paid for up front, but it breaks down to $29.95 per month, which is a great price for cellular monitoring.

But the DIY equipment is limited. Only basic security and environmental monitoring devices are available, so you don’t have the option of adding cameras or smart home equipment. The equipment is 100% wireless, but it isn’t particularly cutting edge in its technology. This would be a good option for someone who needs only the basics on a budget.

We’re big fans of everything national security system brands like Frontpoint, ADT, and Vivint have to offer, but we also love local security companies too. Here’s a quick rundown of why.

Local Knowledge
A local home security company operated by people from your city will know best what you need to protect your home. They’ll already have a sense for which areas of town need more protection, be familiar with the seasonal rhythms of the weather (or semester routines of the university), and know what kinds of location-specific considerations to bear in mind.

Monitoring
Many of the companies we found in KCMO have their own monitoring stations, which means they are physically closer to you and can respond more quickly.

Customer Service
To a small company, every customer makes a difference, and you can feel that difference in the way you are prioritized and helped. Plus, when there are only ten people working at your security company, you get to know each one personally, and they’ll remember you each time you reach out to them. When they are closer to your location, it cuts down on wait times for service calls as well.

Customization
Both big companies and local ones give you equipment options based on what you need, but a local company is going to be more flexible and even get you a deal to make sure you have the equipment you want and need. Many local security companies can help you with smart home automation too.

If you want a home alarm system in Kansas City, you need to get an alarm permit from the police department. Without one, the police won’t respond if the alarm is tripped, making your security system essentially useless.² It costs $48 and many of these local home security companies can help you get that set up.

Yes. In Kansas City, false alarms have real consequences for residential permit holders. The Kansas City Police Department charges renewal fees based on the number of false alarms during the permit year.³

That's right—just like chronic speedsters with suspended drivers licenses, repeat false-alarm offenders in Kansas City (i.e., those with six or more false alarms in a permit year) have to go to False Alarm Class to get their permits restored. Classes are free, open to all KCMO residents, and take place once a month.

Many homeowners can get a discount of up to 20% on their insurance by having a professionally monitored security system installed. Your rate will vary based on the type of monitoring, the type of equipment, and your insurance company’s policies. Most home security companies have the documentation you need to get your discount readily available, so be sure to ask.

For more information on how to stay safe in Kansas, check out these local resources.

• Kansas Police Department Crime Map
• Project ACT (Addressing Crime Together)
• SafeWise Kansas Home Security and Crime Prevention Center

• Kansas State Safest Cities
• 100 Safest Cities in America

• How to Choose a Security System
• General Safety and Home Security—Frequently Asked Questions
• Best DIY Install Alarm Systems

1. Neighborhood Scout, "Kansas City, MO Crime Rates"
2. Kansas City, Missouri, Police Department, "Private Alarms"
3. Kansas City, Missouri, Police Department, "Private Alarms"