Best Home Security Systems in Seattle

Our Picks for the Best Seattle Alarm Systems

While well-known names like ADT and Frontpoint may be the first security brands that come to mind on your hunt for Seattle security systems, there are plenty of local providers worth considering.

Our top picks for Seattle and Tacoma alarm systems run the gamut from affordable starter packages to monitoring options that let you use existing security systems. 

These home security companies offer options for security cameras, smart home automation, and the kind of customer service and industry reputation that’s hard to put a price on.

Compare Seattle Security Systems

Great Western Security

Great Western Security treats customers like family. The Seattle alarm company has been designing custom security systems in the Seattle/Tacoma/Bellevue area for more than 30 years and gleans stellar Google reviews. From condos to gated communities, Great Western tackles it all.

Great Western Security partners with Monitronics, an award-winning monitoring service with Five Diamond Certification.¹ Starting at monthly monitoring rates of just $1 a day, it’s an affordable way for families to get professionally monitored security while gradually building out their security and home automation systems.

While Great Western Security typically requires three-year contracts, they’re packaged with attractive bottom lines. The website advertises a $99 offer that includes the following:

• Residential security system
• Control panel
• Keypad
• Siren
• Three door sensors
• Motion detection sensor 

If you opt out of a contract, you’ll front the cost for your equipment and the Honeywell Total Connect App. No matter which option you choose, you’ll be impressed with Great Western’s customer service, flexibility, and customized approach.

The Bottom Line: Whether the job is large or small, Great Western Security partners with homeowners and renters to provide reliable home security in the greater Seattle area.

Washington Alarm

Washington Alarm, which bills itself as the “Northwest’s most trusted alarm company,” has provided commercial and residential security systems for 70 years. 

Customer reviews across Google and Facebook support its reputation as an industry leader and Seattle’s #1 security company.² And Washington Alarm’s Alarm.com security equipment is backed by a CSAA Five Diamond-certified central monitoring station.

Washington Alarm relies on three-year contracts for home security, but they offer free installation and six residential security bundles with affordable pricing. The basic intrusion-detection starter bundle begins at $199 and includes the following:

• Keypad
• Siren
• Motion sensor
• 3 window and door contacts

Packages scale up from there with options for fire, video surveillance, and smart home automation. Customer service on the phone was courteous and prompt, but Washington Alarm could benefit from more transparency online regrading prices and monitoring fees.

The Bottom Line: If you’re looking for an industry leader, Washington Alarm combines the best of both worlds with a trusted local reputation in home security and friendly customer service.

BlockWatch Alarm

This Seattle-based company throws a unique spin on neighborhood watch programs. In addition to its crime prevention groups sponsored by the Seattle police department, Blockwatch Alarm applies a community policing approach to alarm monitoring. Using your existing equipment, you can sign up for monitoring that pushes system notifications to five trusted friends, family, or neighbors who can verify the alarm and notify the police.

Blockwatch Alarm installs security systems in Western Washington and the Seattle area. If your neighborhood has three or more homes with a Blockwatch Alarm system, you’ll get a discount. Despite being monitored by the community, your security system will still be eligible for discounts on homeowners insurance.

Using your existing Ring security cameras or Frontpoint peel-and-stick components and paying a low monthly fee may sound fantastic, but BlockWatch Alarm isn’t for everyone. It’s best for areas with an already-established crime prevention group and a network you can leverage to help monitor your home.

The Bottom Line: BlockWatch Alarm is an affordable way to use your existing equipment and self-monitor your home with the help of community policing groups.

Other Seattle Home Security Companies Worth Considering

Our top picks are the cream of the crop but there are a few other Seattle alarm companies that may fit your needs: 

Absolute Security Alarms has garnered many kudos from customers in the Seattle area and doesn’t require contracts, although its equipment packages starting at $850 are pricey for some homeowners. 

Protective Systems has an established reputation of nearly 50 years providing security systems to Seattle and one of the least expensive monthly monitoring rates. But its customer service, which automatically forwards to a national hotline and a voicemail inbox, leaves much to be desired.

Another Seattle provider to consider is Xfinity, whose services in the Seattle area extend into the home security market. While Comcast doesn’t have a sterling reputation for customer service, many Seattle customers find its affordable internet and security bundles a hard bargain to beat.

Should I Buy a Local or National Security System?

National brands like ADT and Brinks certainly have advantages. If lots of package options and integrated smart home automation devices are your priority, going with a national security company like ADT makes sense.

Local home security companies have a leg up on understanding and designing custom security solutions according to Seattle-specific crime challenges. And they often offer a more personalized approach to customer service.

What to Know about Buying an Alarm System in Seattle

Make the best decision for your family by reviewing specifics about Seattle crime rates, environmental factors, and false alarms before you purchase a security system.

Crime Rates in Seattle

While violent crime in Seattle is relatively low compared to other cities across the nation, property crime is still a significant problem with a stark divide in rates depending on neighborhood.³ 

Seattle’s high rate of package theft should be part of your security system considerations. To deter porch pirates, you may want to install a doorbell security camera in your Seattle home. 

You can learn more about local crime rates by consulting our guide to the safest cities in Washington.

Environmental Factors in Seattle

Seattle’s reputation as a rainy city is something to consider when you’re deciding about environmental monitoring devices. While flooding isn’t common, it can happen in the winter months. So you may want to install flood sensors, particularly if you have a basement. 

Seattle’s Department of Emergency Management has also ranked earthquakes as a significant threat to Seattle residents, so ensuring your security system has a backup is critical.

Seattle False Alarm Fees

The city of Seattle established a false alarm program in 2004 which significantly reduced the burden of response on the Seattle police department. If your security system generates a false alarm, the city will work with your alarm company directly to recuperate its costs. 

The Seattle police department requires your alarm company to be licensed and registered, pay alarm fees directly, and provide physical evidence such as camera footage or confirmation of forced entry before they’ll deploy emergency services.

Seattle alarm fees start at $30 if you cancel the alarm prior to dispatch and escalate to $230 for a false alarm that is activated for panic or duress. In order to avoid expensive false alarm fees, most monitoring services in Seattle have verified alarm protocols that rely on video footage or local security response teams.

What to Consider When Buying a Security System in Seattle

Before you purchase a security system in Seattle, carefully evaluate the specifics of your neighborhood and your household to decide which security solutions are the right fit.

Seattle Neighborhoods

Seattle crime rates vary drastically by neighborhood, so check out Seattle’s crime maps to see the specific risks your home is likely to face. Some neighborhoods such as South Park, Rainier Beach, and Beacon Hill experience higher crime rates, while places like Bryn Mawr and Lake City are known for their safe streets.

Professional Monitoring or Self-Monitoring

We recommend professional monitoring because of the reliability it offers. But if you prefer to self-monitor, take a closer look at BlockWatch Alarm and the accompanying Seattle crime prevention programs to see if you can leverage neighborhood watch networks for your home security.

Pet-Friendly Security Sensors and Video Cameras

Got pets? You’re in good company in Seattle. Seattle has some of the highest rates of pet ownership in the nation and often ranks on top ten lists as a pet-friendly city. If your four-legged friend is frequently home alone, opt for a pet-friendly security system with sensors equipped to minimize false alarms.

Seattle Safety Resources

Before you buy or install a home security system, check out the Seattle Police Department’s (Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) tips that are part of an effort to improve Seattle crime rates through community policing.

Seattle Police Department Community Policing

Other Safety Resources 

Safewise Washington Home Security and Crime Prevention Center

Seattle Police, Fire and Public Safety Resources

Seattle Fire Department

Seattle Emergency Management Resources

Tacoma Pierce County Crimestoppers

Seattle Statistics and Trends

• Washington State Safest Cities
• 100 Safest Cities

Sources:

1. Google “Great Western Security Seattle”; Better Business Bureau, “Great Western Security”; PR Newswire, “Monitronics Selected As Winner For Fifth Consecutive Consumers’ Choice Award”
2. Google “Washington Alarm, Seattle”; Facebook, “Washington Alarm”
3. Seattle Times, “No, Seattle Doesn’t Have the Nation’s Highest Rate of Property Crime”, “Crime Rates Down in Most Seattle Neighborhoods — But There’s a Big Divide Between North and South”