The Best Home Security System

Peace of mind doesn’t have to be pricey. Home security systems often require long contracts and pro installation, but there are smart systems you can install yourself that include a monitoring plan to keep tabs on it—and only when you want that. We found Ring Alarm to be the most affordable, comprehensive, and easy-to-use DIY home security system that has both self-monitoring and professional-monitoring options and doesn’t lock you into a contract.

                        Ring Alarm

The best no-contract security system

This system offers easy-to-install whole-house protection, and it’s the only major system to integrate indoor, outdoor, and doorbell cameras without charging additional monitoring fees.

$199 from Amazon(five-piece kit)

Ring Alarm is the most comprehensive system we tested, with the most affordable monitoring plan we found. You can expand it with a variety of Ring security cameras, including indoor, outdoor, and video doorbell cameras. It also integrates with several third-party devices via the Works With Ring program, which includes brands such as First Alert, GE, Kwikset, Leviton, Schlage, Yale, and others, giving you more customization choices than other systems offer. It’s also one of the few systems to provide both arming and disarming via Alexa voice commands with a four-digit PIN. Plus, you get 24/7 live customer service.

SimpliSafe

                          

Easy, reliable monitoring

The third generation of SimpliSafe is affordable and easy to install and use, and it works with some Alexa and Google voice commands.

$250 from Amazon

SimpliSafe has a better-looking system than Ring, with voice prompts and support for Google Assistant as well as Amazon Alexa (but not Apple HomeKit). It also has add-ons such as a video camera, a doorbell camera, smoke alarms, and additional sensors. Unlike the Ring Alarm system, however, it doesn’t offer outdoor cameras or self-monitoring options; you also can’t add any non-SimpliSafe devices,

Abode Iota

Smart-home-enhanced security

Abode’s new system includes a built-in camera, supports a slew of smart-home devices, and is the only service to offer plans for three, seven, or 30 days of monitoring.

$278* from Amazon

Abode Iota is good for people looking to add a security system to a larger smart-home setup. It features support for the popular wireless standards Wi-Fi, Z-Wave, and Zigbee, as well as for smart platforms such as Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, Google Nest, and IFTTT (but not Apple’s HomeKit). It’s more expensive than our main pick, but the base station has an integrated camera and motion sensor. Live customer service is available seven days a week from 6:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Pacific, unlike the 24/7 service Ring gives you.