The Best Home Security System Apps

The Vivint app makes it easy to secure your home and control smart home features from anywhere (like turning up the heat on the way home from the ski hill). Many home security system apps are compatible with smart home controls, but they usually require multiple apps to control everything.

With Vivint, you’ve got one app that does everything from arming your system to turning off the lights. And you don’t need to upgrade to a more expensive monitoring plan to get the app—Vivint includes it with every package. Take a peek at the rest of our top contenders to see how they stack up against Vivint's app.

Sky 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). Vivint Sky helps you conserve energy and stay comfy.

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. If you’ve got rambunctious kids looking to exert a little too much independence, this feature could be a lifesaver.

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

• Activity feed: See what’s going on with detailed reports of your home's day-to-day activity.
• Family plan: Create and manage personalized accounts for every member of the household.
• Smart clips: Save 20-second clips of security camera video to review later—whether it’s someone suspicious at the door or your dog doing something adorable.
• 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.
• Vivint playback: Add this feature to your app to store up to 30 days of continuous video.

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, so the high price tag seems worth it to most users.

Learn more about ADT in our review.

• Voice control: Use Amazon Alexa to arm and disarm your system, dim the lights, or turn up the heat.
• Alerts: Receive text/email alerts when a window/door is opened or when the status of your system changes (e.g. from armed to disarmed).
• Video monitoring: Watch live footage or store video clips to review later.
• Apple Watch integration: View camera footage, control alarms, and set automation schedules on your Apple Watch.
• Smart home control: Turn lights on and off, change the thermostat, or see if you left a small appliance on in your rush out the door.
• Custom automation: Set up schedules for everyday life or program a vacation mode.

It used to take a call to customer service to change user settings, update login information, and make other standard changes. With the latest app update, those calls are 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.
• 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.

But there are some quirks that are frustrating—users complain about push notifications that won’t turn off and restrictions that let only one user receive alerts.

The SimpliSafe app used to be limited to the most expensive monitoring plan, but SimpliSafe ditched this upsell model. Now, the app is available with all plans. A few features, like downloadable video recordings, are still limited to certain plans, but you can always arm or disarm the SimpliSafe system from the app no matter what. 

Find out more in our SimpliSafe security review.

• Alerts: In addition to the usual notifications, you get updates about fire, smoke, carbon monoxide, and water leaks.
• Event log: See who’s coming and going from your home. This is a great way to keep tabs on dog walkers and other household helpers.
• Smart home control: Incorporate third-party smart home devices like Amazon Alexa, August door locks, Google Home, and the Nest thermostat.
• Video: View live or recorded video, and share clips with friends and family on social media.

Learn more in our Abode smart security system 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 ADT Self Setup.

• Smart control: Arm and disarm the security system.
• Video control: Check security camera footage.
• Notifications: Get real-time push notifications and receive familiar face alerts.
• Talk to visitors: Use two-way talk with doorbell camera.
• Check your area: Access a crime map of your area.

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.

When it comes to apps that give you remote control of your home security system, it’s important to determine your needs.

• For homes with children: If you have children who walk home from school, you’ll probably want a video doorbell camera with live streaming and two-way communication that lets you check in so you know they got home safe.
• For families with fur babies: If you like to check in on your pets, live security camera screening is something that will help you keep an eye on them.
• For smart home aficionados: If you want to be able to control your lights and thermostat while you’re away, look for a plan and technology with home automation capabilities.

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.

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