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