Best Door and Window Sensors of 2021

A contact sensor is one of the simplest ways to create a security perimeter around your home. This tiny device helps you know when a window's open or a door's ajar. Our top door and window sensor pick is the YoLink Smart Home Starter Kit, which uses a hub to connect to your internet router for mobile app controls. It comes with four long-range sensors, and it's surprisingly affordable to add more.

Like the other entries on this list, there's no professional monitoring available, but that's better left to a dedicated home security system (which also uses entry sensors). Check out our door and window sensor picks below.

While YoLink looks expensive from the outset, it's actually affordable on closer inspection. Sure, the list price is around $90, but it consistently sells for about $50–65 on Amazon. Considering you get four sensors, this often drives the per-sensor cost under $15. Add-on sensors are also very affordable, costing less than $20 each in a one-pack or a three-pack.

We're big fans of YoLink's straightforward mobile app and smart home compatibility. The smart home hub works with Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, and IFTTT, so you can ask for the status of your sensors anytime or program smart devices like smart lights to react when a door opens. Google Assistant doesn't respond to sensors like Alexa and IFTTT, but you can still check the status using a voice command.

YoLink doesn't come with a siren, which limits how non-app users in your home learn about a potential intruder. Fortunately, you can create an Alexa routine to share notifications via a smart speaker. You can also buy an add-on siren for around $30 if you're not interested in building a smart home.

YoLink is easy to set up with the app, and you install everything with a speedy adhesive pad. The sensors that come with the kit aren't for outdoor use, so you likely won't use them at maximum range. That doesn't stop some users from placing them in mailboxes for handy notifications. Still, YoLink sells an add-on outdoor sensor for around $30 if you want something more durable.

Overall, YoLink offers a great experience for folks looking to create a security perimeter around their property. The bundle of sensors is fairly affordable, and the quarter-mile range is a huge advantage over other smart entry sensors. While some drawbacks exist, YoLink's accessories help make up the difference if you can spend some extra cash.

The Aqara app is easy enough to use, but we think this brand's bigger strength lies in how it links to other smart devices. We love Aqara's smart home compatibility with Amazon Alexa, Apple HomeKit, Google Assistant, IFTTT, and Zigbee. This makes Aqara a little more flexible than YoLink, though it's not cross-compatible with most other Zigbee hubs. Still, we think this is a great door and window sensor option for most smart homes.

Although we take issue with the Aqara Smart Hub costing around $50 by itself without sensors, we're glad that it comes with a built-in siren to help you listen for intruders. It also has LED lights you can use as a strobe alarm or nightlight. The hub doesn't come with any sensors, but at least it's affordable to add more Aqara door sensors (about $18 each).

Overall, we think Aqara is a good alternative to YoLink as long as you don't mind spending extra on the hub. Still, its tiny sensors, loud alarm, and excellent smart home options make it worth your consideration.

We recommend using this for off-limits areas like sheds and storage units or in areas that are dangerous or private. So while you'll miss out on app notifications, it won't be hard to hear if the alarm sounds.

The blaring alarm reaches 120 dB, which is about as loud as a police siren. If you want something easier on the ears, you can change the alarm to silent mode or chime. We think the door chime is a nice addition to busy homes so you can know when the kids head out to soccer practice.

GE even sells a Deluxe Wireless Door Alarm with a programmable four-digit keypad that prevents intruders from disabling or turning them off. But it isn't as affordable as the base version.

Overall, we like GE Personal Security's simplicity for folks that don't want a mobile app or smart home controls. It's even a great supplement to pricier smart sensors so you can place those on high-priority doors and windows while using the GE almost anywhere else.

While the Eve app isn't necessary to use these sensors, it's the only way to view statistics like time and duration of sensor activity since Apple Home doesn't track that information. You also need it to install the occasional firmware update. Still, Apple Home is the better option for using the sensor, thanks to its customizable notifications and rules for how the sensor interacts with another smart device.

Eve, like other entry sensors, installs using a simple adhesive pad. But it goes a step further by including spacers to help align the magnet with the sensor. This is a nice touch because it's sometimes difficult to align the magnet on thicker window frames.

Although the Eve sensor works without a hub, your phone needs to be in Bluetooth range to communicate with the device. You need an Apple Home Hub like the HomePod Mini, Apple TV, or iPad at home if you want to check the sensor from anywhere, which adds to this sensor's already high price.

Because Eve is a standalone sensor without a hub, it costs more than hub-centric sensors from YoLink and Aqara. While these other brands have cheap add-on sensors, you'll pay the same $40 every time you expand your Eve system. It also doesn't have an Android app—you must use an iOS device. There's no siren on this unit (or even the option to add one).

Overall, we think Eve is the best way to add a door and window sensor or two to an Apple home. Beyond that, you might consider Aqara, which is more affordable for HomeKit systems with lots of sensors. If you're an Android user, then YoLink is the better option.

This Z-Wave door sensor's battery lasts up to three years—longer than the one- to two-year lifespan of most other sensors on our list. Unlike power-hungry Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, Z-Wave is specific to smart home systems, so it doesn't use much energy when there's nothing to sense.

Another thing we like about Ecolink is that it comes with two cases in the box—white and brown—so you can choose one that blends into your home more easily. This is a nice change of pace compared to the predominantly white color of smart devices.

The wireless door sensor also has a trick up its sleeve. There are wiring terminals inside that connect to existing wired security systems. We know wired systems are rare these days, but it's nice to have a reliable way to maintain those older systems if their sensors stop working.

Still, Ecolink doesn't come with a hub, so you need something like the Aeotec Smart Home Hub, which uses the SmartThings app. These types of hubs aren't cheap, which is why Ecolink ranks so low on our list. Overall, Ecolink is a reliable choice for folks using Z-Wave but is expensive if you don't already use a smart hub.

The Geeni Wi-Fi door sensor is smart; it works with Alexa and Google Assistant. But it isn't smart enough to connect with Apple HomeKit and IFTTT. Although Geeni comes with built-in Wi-Fi—you don't need a hub—we think YoLink is a better option overall.

Overall, Geeni's a good option for standalone security, and it comes in a two-pack for around $30. If you have a teen who sneaks out at night or kids who come home early from school, this sensor can tell you when the front door opens and closes.

The Kangaroo Motion + Entry Sensor was out of stock as we wrote this review so it didn't make our top five this year. Still, it's a nifty little Wi-Fi sensor that doesn't require a hub for around $30. We love that it has a built-in motion sensor so you can watch for activity inside your home.

It works with Alexa and Google too, but you need to pay for a monitoring subscription to unlock smart home and enhanced text message and phone call notifications. A subscription is not required for mobile app notifications.

Learn more in our Kangaroo review.

We previously featured Wyze as our top pick for door and window alarm sensors, but the system's latest version leans heavily into paid professional monitoring. You must pay for monitoring when you buy the starter kit, even if you plan to watch the sensors yourself.

Overall, Wyze's add-on sensors are the cheapest on the market, costing only $10 each in a three-pack. Unfortunately, Wyze isn't a great fit for folks looking to keep starting costs low.

Learn more in our Wyze Home Monitoring review.

YoLink is a great starting point if you want to add multiple smart door and window sensors around the house without a home security system. The starter kit comes with four sensors, and it's cheap to add more in larger homes. We like YoLink's broad smart home compatibility that gives you notifications on your phone or smart speaker.

The sensors are compact and fit on door frames, window sills, and even cookie jars (for those cookie thieves in your house). Whatever you want to keep closed, these devices make it easy and cheap to do. If you're looking for entry sensors with professional monitoring and companion security devices, we recommend checking out our list of the best home security systems.

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We wanted to feature contact sensors that don't require monitoring or too many other components. So we started with online reviews to find the best candidates. Most of the sensors we chose in our lineup connect to your home's Wi-Fi and send updates directly to your phone.

From there, we looked at the price per sensor, user experience, ease of installation, mobile app support, smart home compatibility, and other factors that make the best door and window sensors.

Learn more about how we conduct reviews, like this one, in our full methodology.

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