The best home security systems we've tested

Tech continues to play more of a central role in our homes, and that's led to an undeniable boom in your home security options. Along with professional systems that have been around for decades, there's a newly established bumper crop of less-expensive DIY systems that you'll install yourself, as well as gadgets like cameras, smart locks and video doorbells that are worth considering, too.

BEST HOME SECURITY WE'VE TESTED
Best DIY system SimpliSafe $230 upfront Monitoring starts at $15 per month, $25 per month to include app controls and integration with Alexa. See it online
Best professionally installed system Comcast Xfinity Home $299 upfront Monitoring costs $40 per month during first year, $50 per month after that; bundling discounts available with TV and internet. See it online
Best video doorbell Nest Hello $230 upfront Continuous recording starting at $5 per month. See it online
Best for part-time monitoring Abode $299 upfront Monitoring available for $20 per month. See it online
It's admittedly a lot to take in -- and today's home security providers don't always make it easy to comparison shop. But hey, that's where we come in! Keep reading for a breakdown of all of the best options for home monitoring that we've tested, along with links to learn more about all of our top picks

Disclosure: CNET may get a share of revenue from purchases made through the links on this page.

Install-it-yourself systems
If a professionally installed system sounds like overkill, then you can save a lot of money by buying a system that you install yourself. For my money, systems like these offer some of the best bang for your home security buck.

You're not missing out on much in terms of functionality. Though professionally installed systems might offer a fancier touchscreen to control the system from, the rest of the hardware is largely the same as what you'll get if you go the DIY route, relying mostly on wireless, battery-powered sensors that you stick up around your house.

When DIY systems first started popping up as a low-cost alternative to going with the pros, few, if any, came with an option for professional monitoring. That's no longer the case. Most DIY systems now offer the option of professional monitoring -- and most of them charge less for it than the professionals do, too. The fact that most DIY systems don't require any sort of service contract is another nice part of the pitch.

Best we've tested: SimpliSafe Home Security

Chris Monroe/CNET
SimpliSafe's easy-to-install, easy-to-use system is well-positioned as one of the best values in home security. It offers a comprehensive set of features and a very good mix of battery-powered sensors, all of which performed reliably well in our tests. Starter kits start at about $230, or you can build your own custom system with the exact mix of devices you're interested in.

Professional monitoring starts at $15 per month, but you'll almost certainly want to spring for the $25-per-month plan, which adds in things like app controls and voice support via Alexa and the Google Assistant. That also means that you should go with another pick like Abode or Ring if you don't want professional monitoring but still want to control your system from your phone. Overall CNET score: 8.5

$229.00 AT SIMPLISAFE
Something else to keep an eye out for: All-in-one DIY security devices designed for smaller homes and living spaces. Basically just single-point, tabletop cameras packed with extra sensors for things like motion, temperature and ambient light, these devices can be a good fit for something like a studio apartment.

Names to look at include Canary, Honeywell and the Abode Iota -- though our favorite of the bunch, Piper, is no longer on the market after Alarm.com purchased its parent company in 2016. If we find another alternative that we like as much as we liked that one, I'll update this space.

Abode's excellent DIY system is well-worth consideration.

Other options we've tested
Abode
Our top SimpliSafe alternative, Abode's well-thought-out system supports both Zigbee and Z-Wave, it works with Alexa, IFTTT and Nest, and it offers lots of flexibility with regards to professional monitoring -- including the option of only paying for temporary monitoring during the times when you're actually out of town. Overall CNET score: 8.3

Ring Alarm
A subsidiary of Amazon, Ring's security kit is quick to install and easy to use. There's nothing all that innovative about it -- and it doesn't even offer full integration with Alexa -- but with a buy-in cost of $199 and professional monitoring available for just $10 per month, Ring Alarm stands out as a value pick. Overall CNET score: 7.5

Nest Secure
This DIY option from Google-owned Nest works great, but the upfront cost of $499 is much higher than the competition. It's a decent system, but really only worth it if you're looking to lock yourself into a Google smart home ecosystem. Overall CNET score: 7.2

Professionally installed systems
These are are mainstays of home security -- names like ADT and Brinks that you've probably been familiar with for years, along with home security systems offered by major telecom providers like Comcast and AT&T.

The pitch is pretty similar across the board. In addition to basics like motion sensors and entry sensors for doors and windows, professional setups like these will also promise to seamlessly integrate things like door locks, thermostats and touchscreens, and they'll often support voice controls via Alexa and the Google Assistant, too. Most charge an upfront equipment or installation fee and most require multi-year service contracts. As for the monthly fees for professional monitoring, those are mandatory, and will typically range from $30 to $50 per month.

Best we've tested: Comcast Xfinity Home

Joshua Goldman/CNET
It isn't available in all regions, but Comcast Xfinity Home left us impressed when CNET Senior Editor Josh Goldman tested the system out at his home in northern New Jersey. It's a robust, well-thought out system that plays nicely with your smart home gear, including longtime favorites like Lutron Caseta light switches and the Nest thermostat. "What Xfinity Home showed me," Josh wrote, "was how smart home devices make much more sense when fully integrated with the sensors and cameras of a home security system."

You'll get the best value if you're willing to bundle Xfinity Home with Comcast's internet and TV service, but you can use it as a standalone service, too. I also appreciated that the sales approach was less pushy and more helpful than the competition when I gave them a test call (I was able to get a quote for my home in about 10 minutes, and the only piece of personal info I gave was a zip code). Overall CNET score: 8.5

High-end systems like these will sometimes make it tough to comparison shop. For instance, head to ADT's website and you'll find plenty of marketing copy touting the value of the company's various home security offerings -- but you won't find much by way of pricing specifics. Instead, the site directs you to request a "free quote," either by calling the company's sales team or by submitting your name, zip code, phone number and email address. Doing the latter ensures that "an ADT Specialist will call you, from time to time, about ADT offers." Read the fine print, and you'll see that these calls are "provided" using "automated dialing technology."

Mind you, ADT is hardly alone here. Some are less egregious about it than others, but you'll find similar tactics -- and similar fine print -- on just about every website for professionally installed systems like these. If the website is unclear about what a system built for your home would cost you, then your best bet is just to call the company directly, tell them what kind of setup you'd like, and ask for a quote.

Your experience might vary based on the salesperson you're speaking with. For instance, when I first tried calling ADT, the salesperson told me that he couldn't give me a quote without running a credit check first. I politely ended the conversation and called back another day, and had a much better experience with a salesperson who priced a core system for me within 10 minutes, no credit check or other exchange of personal info needed.

SHOPPING FOR A PRO SYSTEM

Base upfront cost Monthly cost Contract length How long it took me to get that info when I called What personal data I had to give to get it
ADT $129 ($229 for a system with a doorbell camera) $47 ($67 for a system with a doorbell camera) 3-year First attempt wouldn't give a quote without a credit check, second attempt took 10 minutes. None
AT&T Digital Life $550 installation fee $40 2-year Easily available on the website. None
Brinks $399 installation fee $29 3-year Easily available on the website. None
Comcast Xfinity Home $299 installation fee (waived if bundled with TV and internet) $40 for first year, then $50 ($175 if bundled with TV and internet) 2-year 10 minutes Zip code
Vivint $99 installation fee $40 plus financed cost of devices (for a bare-bones setup, about $18 per month for 60 months) None, but equipment is financed over 5 years 17 minutes None
Whoever you end up calling, don't be afraid to put your foot down over your privacy. Companies that use robocalls and junk mail as a sales tactic don't have a right to your address or other personal info until they've earned your business, full stop. 

That caveat aside, the advantage with systems like these is that professionals will come to your place to install everything for you, and you can typically expect a higher level of hands-on tech support if you ever want to make changes to your setup, too. Pick a professional system from a telecom provider, and you'll likely be able to bundle your home security with your TV or internet service. That's a convenience that can also help you score a discount.

vivint-smart-home-2
Vivint's system works well, but the equipment doesn't come cheap.

Other options we've tested
AT&T Digital Life
It isn't cheap, but we liked this sleek system and the fact that straightforward pricing specifics were available online. Our service professionals made sure to optimize the strength of signal for each device in our setup during the installation -- a nice touch that helped make the pro approach feel worthwhile. Overall CNET score: 8.3

Vivint Smart Home
Vivint is a solid system that worked well when we tested it out, but know that you'll need to finance the cost of your devices on top of your monthly fees for five years. Just as an example, see that touchscreen panel there in the picture above? Vivint charges you a whopping $600 for it -- and it's a mandatory piece of the system. Overall CNET score: 7.6

Video doorbells
If you don't need an entire security system, and instead just want to keep an eye on activity at your front door, then you might consider installing a video doorbell to keep watch.

You've got lots of options right now, all of which will send an alert to your phone whenever someone rings to show you who's at the door. Some also track for unexpected motion or allow for two-way talk -- and we're seeing lots of new options that are capable of recognizing faces, too. That includes our top pick:

Best we've tested: Nest Hello

Tyler Lizenby/CNET
Nest's stylish video doorbell is a smart, sleek pick that aced our tests. Features like person detection and geofencing are helpful and easy-to-use, and you can also upgrade to the Nest Aware cloud subscription service to enable facial recognition and access to saved recordings.

It's obviously best for households that have already committed to Google and Nest's smart home ecosystem, but Nest's doorbell also works with both Alexa and IFTTT, which helps make it a very solid choice for just about anyone. Overall CNET score: 8.5 

$229.00 AT BEST BUY
Prices for doorbells like these typically range from about $100 to $250, and most also charge an optional fee for viewing saved video clips. To pick one, first figure out if your front door has a hardwired doorbell connection or if you'll need something battery-powered. Then, consider features -- for instance, do you keep a porch light on at night, or will you need something with night vision?

From there, think about which smart home platforms you want your doorbell to work with. On that front, you'll find lots of options that work with Alexa and plenty that work with IFTTT, and with Google and/or Nest, too. Siri is still playing catch-up, though -- the only HomeKit-compatible video doorbell we've gotten our fingers on thus far is the Netatmo Welcome, which debuted at CES this past January.

COMPARING SMART DOORBELLS

August View Doorbell Camera Ring Video Doorbell 2 Ring Video Doorbell Pro Nest Hello Video Doorbell
Price $230 $199 $249 $229
Color finish Black, red, white, blue, brass, satin nickel, midnight gray, bronze Satin nickel, venetian (both finishes included with purchase) Satin nickel, venetian, satin black, pearl white White and black
Power source Removable, rechargeable battery Hardwired or removable, rechargeable battery Hardwired Hardwired
Resolution 1,920x1,440p HD 1,920x1,080p HD 1,920x1,080p HD 1,600x1,200p HD
Field of view No information 160 degrees 160 degrees 160 degrees
Live streaming Yes Yes Yes Yes
Cloud storage Yes, free basic plan, plus 15-day storage for $3 per month and 30-day storage for $5 per month Yes, 60-day storage for $3 per month Yes, 60-day storage for $3 per month Yes, free 3-hour image history; continuous recording starting at $5 per month
Local storage No No No No
Mobile app Android and iPhone Android and iPhone Android and iPhone Android and iPhone
Web app No Yes Yes Yes
Night vision Yes Yes Yes Yes
Alerts Motion Motion Motion Motion, person, facial recognition (with Nest Aware)
Activity zones No Yes Yes Yes (with Nest Aware)
Dimensions (HxWxD) 5.2 x 1.8 x 1.3 inches 5.1 x 2.5 x 1.1 inches 4.5 x 1.9 x 0.8 inches 4.6 x 1.7 x 1.0 inches
Third-party integrations Alexa; Google Assistant; Nest Alexa; IFTTT; Wink Alexa; IFTTT; Wink Alexa; Google Assistant; Nest
Operating temperature range -4 to 122 degrees F -5 to 120 degrees F -5 to 120 degrees F 14 to 104 degrees F
Many of the major home security systems now offer video doorbells of their own, and some offer compatibility with standalone video doorbells like these, too. Keep that in mind if you think you might want to expand to a full system later on down the line.

Oh, and want more tips on picking out the right video doorbell? CNET's Megan Wollerton has you covered.

ring-video-doorbell-two-2
Ring makes a variety of popular video doorbells that are worth a look.

In This Story: #DIY #IFTTT #Simplisafe
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