The Best Home Security System Apps

After trying all the apps from our top home security systems, we found one app to rule them all: Vivint. Vivint is our best home security system app for 2025 because it covers everything—security and smart home. There's no need to toggle back and forth between different apps for different devices or functions. 

Another point in Vivint's favor is you don't need to upgrade to a more expensive monitoring plan to get it—Vivint includes the app with every package. 

Every home security system we recommend has a mobile app, so you can check in or control your security system from anywhere. You still get a control panel or keypad in your home, but we like the freedom to keep tabs on our security system from the office, the sofa, or the beach. 

But if you don't have Vivint, there's no need to despair. Vivint is our favorite home security app, but we also found things to love in Frontpoint, SimpliSafe, ADT, and Abode apps.  

Take a peek at the rest of our top contenders to see how they stack up against Vivint's app.

A great home security app can make or break your overall experience—especially if you're self-monitoring your security system. After testing all the top contenders, we've learned what to look for—and what to avoid.

At the top of our list? Total control in one place. The best apps—like Vivint's—let you manage everything from security sensors to smart lights without jumping between multiple apps. You should be able to check live video, arm or disarm your system, and tweak smart home settings from a single screen.

We also love it when an app doesn't gatekeep features behind a paywall. Vivint includes its full-featured app with every package (no upgrade required), which isn't always the case with other companies (we see you, Abode).

Ease of use is huge, too. SimpliSafe's app is one of our favorites because it's reliable, user-friendly, and lets you share clips of all the adorable (or ridiculous) moments your cameras catch. It even works if you skip the monitoring plan—though you'll miss out on things like emergency dispatch and video downloads.

Other things to look for in a home security app:

• Access to live video and saved clips
• Real-time notifications and alerts
• Smart home integration/control
• Customizable rules and schedules
• Remote arming/disarming
• Multiple user accounts

Vivint uses geolocation and your home’s sensors to tell if your house is empty or full of a bunch of teenagers. It automatically adjusts the climate control to make sure the heat isn’t blasting when you’re out for the day (or when a crew of kids is upping the indoor temperature). 

Plus, you can set up rules to automatically lock up the house at 10:00 p.m. each night and get an alert if a door or window opens after that time. I wish I'd had this feature available when I had adventurous teens looking to exert a little too much independence.

Learn more in our complete review of the Vivint app and our Vivint security review

• Total system control: Manage your Vivint security system and smart devices all in one place.
• Activity feed: See what’s going on with detailed reports of your home's day-to-day activity.
• User customization: Create and manage personalized accounts for every member of the household.
• Smart Clips: Vivint upgraded Smart Clips from only 20 seconds to clips as long as five minutes. Now, you can save clips that are 30 seconds, 90 seconds, or five minutes long.  
• Custom actions: Set up rules and routines to make life easier. Automatically turn lights on or off at the same time each day or lock the doors after everyone’s tucked in for the night.
• Smart Deter: If you have Smart Deter on your Vivint cameras, the app will send notifications whenever a lurker is detected.

In March 2025, we set up a new SimpliSafe system and found the app reliable and refreshingly glitch-free during testing. And for forgetful folks (no judgment), being able to double-check your system status or disarm it before walking in with full arms—groceries, kids, or pups—is a serious win.

You can use the SimpliSafe app without a monitoring plan, but it’s definitely more limited. You’ll be able to view live video, get push alerts, change system settings, and control your Smart Lock. But features like emergency dispatch, video downloads, and smart home integrations are only available with a paid monitoring plan.

But there are some quirks that are frustrating—person detection from the doorbell camera doesn't have specific notifications. It only says "motion," so you don't know if it was an unknown person or the neighbor's dog that triggered the camera. And smart home integration is limited to some voice control and the SimpliSafe Smart Lock.

Find out more in our SimpliSafe security review.

It used to take a call to customer service to change user settings, update login information, and make other standard changes. When I last jumped into the Frontpoint app, those calls were no longer necessary—which is great news if you hate having to make phone calls (like me).

Learn more in our guide to the Frontpoint app or the full Frontpoint security review.

• System setup: Follow the prompts for quick, easy setup of your Frontpoint security system.
• System control: Remotely arm or disarm your system no matter where you are.
• Notifications: Get real-time alerts via text, email, or push notifications.
• Video: Check in on your home, kids, or pets with live video or recorded clips.
• Smart home control: Turn up the heat, dim the lights, or unlock the front door from your office or a ski slope.
• Account management: Edit users, link multiple systems to a single login, and increase app security with extra features like two-factor authentication. No more need to call customer service for these housekeeping issues.

Unfortunately, the ADT+ app isn’t available with every ADT home security system. You can get the ADT+ app only with some of ADT’s pricier packages or with ADT Self Setup. But it does get high customer ratings in both the App Store and on Google Play (one of the only apps to do well for Android), so the high price tag seems worth it to most users.

Learn more about ADT in our review.

• Remote arming and disarming: Control your Abode system from anywhere to let the kids in after school.

• Live video feeds: Watch your home from work, vacation or just about anywhere.

• Unified dashboard for smart home and security functions: One handy app for controlling all of your devices.

• Full administrative access: There's no more need to log into the web app.

• Single-touch quick actions: Control automations for smart lights, smart door locks, smart garage door opener, etc. with the touch of a button.

Learn more in our Abode smart security system review.

This one is an oldie but a goody. Pulse was ADT’s first mobile app for smart home automation and control. Now that ADT launched the ADT+ app, ADT Pulse is a legacy app that’s still fully supported and functional for existing ADT Pulse customers.

Even though you can’t get the Pulse app as a new ADT customer, here are a few highlights for current Pulse users:

• Arm and disarm security system
• Control smart home devices
• Access from your smartphone, tablet, or smart watch
• Lock and unlock doors
• Review and organize activity logs
• View and archive live camera footage, snapshots, and video clips

You might think the only types of security system apps out there would be apps for Android and apps for iOS, but it gets a little more complicated. Here’s our guide to navigating the differences between proprietary and nonproprietary (Alarm.com) home security apps.

Proprietary apps are developed by security companies specifically for their own systems. Each company owns its app and is responsible for features, updates, bug fixes, and customer satisfaction.

App quality varies by company, but the benefit of a proprietary app is that it’s tailor-made for your system. Depending on the resources of your security company, app development can be slower than with a generic, industry-wide app.

Many companies forgo developing their own app and partner with Alarm.com instead. Alarm.com is a home security industry leader for both security equipment and the technology that supports it—including mobile apps. The Alarm.com app is compatible with a number of security systems and generally receives high customer ratings.

The downside is that updates and new features are dependent on Alarm.com and not your home security company, so some things like compatibility with new smart home devices can be delayed.

Vivint is the best smart security app on the market. We love that you can control your home security and smart home devices in one place and customize the alerts and notifications you receive. 

If you’re ready to purchase or upgrade your system, read more about top home security providers to find the best match for your lifestyle.

• Best Home Security Cameras
• Best DIY Install Alarm Systems
• Best Home Security Systems for Renters
• The Best Apps for Safely Walking Home Alone