Advertiser Disclosure: Perimeter House may earn a commission when you purchase through links on this page. Our rankings and reviews are never influenced by compensation. How we earn →

PLAN — BUILD — PROTECT

Who are you
protecting?

Skip the generic lists. Tell us who you're protecting and we'll match the right system — with live pricing — in real time.

RESOLVED | match.homeowner latency 2.4ms
TOP MATCH FOR HOMEOWNER
SimpliSafe Pro
4 motion · 2 door · 1 backup
Best DIY system for houses. Easy setup, no contract required.
MONTHLY
$49.99
EQUIPMENT
$245
Get Quote View Plans
As featured in
Forbes CNN The Spruce SafeWise CNET This Old House Wirecutter Bob Vila SafeHome.org Security.org Forbes CNN The Spruce SafeWise CNET This Old House Wirecutter Bob Vila SafeHome.org Security.org
01 · FIND YOUR HOUSEHOLD — each card shows the configured match + price

Where do you
start?

Every household has different protection needs. Tap a card to read the matched system, or jump straight to the configured quote.

🏡 TOP MATCH

Just moved in?

Start with a full-coverage DIY kit. We rank which systems install fastest and which actually stick.

RECOMMENDED
ADT Command + Generac 18kW
6 motion · 4 door · 18kW backup
$54.99/mo
$1,284 install
Get Quote View Plans
🏢 TOP MATCH

Renting your space?

No-damage, no-contract options for any lease. Protect your stuff without losing your deposit.

RECOMMENDED
SimpliSafe + Ring Cams
4 sensor · cellular · DIY
$24.99/mo
No-drill · 20 lbs
Get Quote View Plans
👨‍👩‍👧 TOP MATCH

Family with kids?

Professional monitoring plus smart alerts. We test family-first systems that balance ease with reliability.

RECOMMENDED
ADT Command + Nest
8 sensor · 3 cam · routines
$54.99/mo
Police dispatch
Get Quote View Plans
🐾 TOP MATCH

Pet owner?

Pet-immune motion sensors exist and we rank the best ones. Stop false alerts without compromising coverage.

RECOMMENDED
SimpliSafe Pet-Safe
4 motion · 50 lb threshold
$29.99/mo
No false alerts
Get Quote View Plans
🛡️ TOP MATCH

Caring for a senior?

Simple systems with medical alert options. Large-button keypads, voice-activated controls, real monitoring.

RECOMMENDED
SimpliSafe + Medical Alert
3 motion · medical alert · voice
$29.99/mo
Large buttons
Get Quote View Plans
💼 TOP MATCH

Running a business?

Commercial-grade systems for shops, home offices, and rentals. Tested separately from home setups.

RECOMMENDED
Vivint Business + Cummins
8 zone · access · DVR
$129.99/mo
$1,499 install
Get Quote View Plans
02 · BY THE NUMBERS

Real research. Real results.

500+
Security products tested hands-on
7 yrs
Of crime & monitoring data
14,820
Trigger events logged in testing
$0
Paid for any ranking
3.2M
Annual burglary events tracked (FBI)
312 hrs
Hands-on testing per system
03 · OUR TOP PICKS · INDEPENDENTLY REVIEWED

Three systems worth
your serious consideration.

90 days of hands-on testing per system. 12 billing cycles tracked. No provider pays for placement.

RANK 01
Best Overall

SimpliSafe

9.7 /10
Monthly $19.99/mo
Equipment $245–$489
Contract None
Monitoring Optional (self or pro)
Pros
  • No contract — ever
  • Setup in under an hour
  • Transparent, flat pricing
  • Works for owners and renters alike
Cons
  • Battery-only backup (no cellular standard)
  • No built-in smart home hub

Editor's take — The strongest all-around system for most homes. No contracts, no surprises on the bill, and setup takes an afternoon — not a scheduled installer visit. Our top pick.

Get SimpliSafe Quote
RANK 02
Best Pro Monitoring

ADT

9.3 /10
Monthly $45.99/mo
Equipment $0–$1,599
Contract 36 months
Monitoring 24/7 Professional
Pros
  • 6 redundant monitoring centers
  • Pro installation included
  • 135+ years in the industry
  • Smoke, CO & flood sensors
Cons
  • Long-term contract required
  • Higher monthly cost

Editor's take — The industry benchmark for professional monitoring. No one has more infrastructure or a longer track record. Best for homeowners who want a fully managed, zero-DIY setup.

Get ADT Quote
RANK 03
Best Smart Home

Vivint

9.1 /10
Monthly $39.99/mo
Equipment $599–$1,799
Contract 60 months
Monitoring 24/7 Professional
Pros
  • Best-in-class automation
  • Sky Control Hub
  • Google & Alexa compatible
  • Outdoor camera quality
Cons
  • Highest equipment cost
  • 5-year contract

Editor's take — If smart home integration is your priority, Vivint is in a class of its own. Sky Hub ties every device together. Best for tech-forward households.

View Vivint Plans

Scores updated May 2026 · Based on 90-day testing, pricing accuracy, monitoring reliability, and customer support response time.

04 · SYSTEMS WE ACTUALLY RECOMMEND — ranked, side-by-side, swipe to compare

Four systems on the table.
Pick one. Then we'll talk power backup.

Same protocol every time: 90 days of testing, 12 monthly bills tracked, 30 false-alarm stress tests per system. Nobody pays to be on this list.

Home security system installation
PANEL · 4.2" KEYPAD · 5 ZONES
PHOTO 03 · LIVING ROOM
Side-by-side comparison · swipe to see all 4 systems
SPEC vs. RANK 01 · Best overall SimpliSafe 9.7 / 10 RANK 02 · Best pro monitoring ADT 9.3 / 10 RANK 03 · Best smart home Vivint 9.1 / 10 RANK 04 · Best budget Ring Alarm 8.6 / 10
Monthly $19.99$45.99$39.99$10.00
Equipment / install $245–$489$0–$1,599$599–$1,799$199–$399
Contract None36 mo60 moNone
Monitoring Optional24/7 Pro24/7 ProOptional
Backup power Battery onlyBattery + cellBattery + cellCellular add-on
Install type DIYPro installPro installDIY
Editor's note No contract, transparent pricing, fast DIY setup. Best value for most homes.Industry standard. Six redundant monitoring centers.Best automation integrations. Sky Hub controls everything.Cheapest pro monitoring. Tight Alexa integration.
Take action Get Quote Get Quote View Plans View Plans

Updated April 2026 · Comparing complete starter setups for a 1,800 sqft home with backup-compatible monitoring. How we test →

05 · WHAT YOU'LL ACTUALLY PAY

Four cost layers.
Know them before you buy.

Security system pricing is intentionally fragmented. Here's every cost you'll encounter, with typical ranges and what drives them up or down.

Average U.S. homeowner spends $674 first-year total cost Equipment + installation + 12 months monitoring
01
Equipment $200 – $1,800

Sensors, cameras, control panel, and hub. DIY kits start lower; professionally installed systems with more sensors cost more. Some providers offer $0 equipment upfront in exchange for a longer contract.

One-timeOptional financing
02
Installation $0 – $299

DIY systems (SimpliSafe, Ring) cost nothing to install — you set them up in an afternoon. Professional installation (ADT, Vivint) is included in some packages and costs $99–$299 in others. Always ask before signing.

One-timeWaivable
03
Monitoring $10 – $65/mo

The recurring cost of keeping your system connected to a monitoring center. Self-monitoring (you get the alerts) is free or cheap. 24/7 professional monitoring runs $19.99–$65/mo. Cellular backup adds $5–$10/mo but is essential for outage protection.

MonthlyRequired for 24/7
04
Contract 0 – 60 months

SimpliSafe and Ring have no contracts. ADT requires 36 months. Vivint requires 60 months. Contracts lock in your rate but also lock you in — read the early termination clause. Month-to-month flexibility costs slightly more per month.

OngoingRead the fine print
— QUICK COMPARISON · STARTER SETUP ← SWIPE TO COMPARE →
Provider Equipment Monitoring Contract
SimpliSafe $245–$489 $19.99/mo None
Ring Alarm $199–$399 $10/mo None
ADT $0–$1,599 $45.99/mo 36 mo
Vivint $599–$1,799 $39.99/mo 60 mo

Prices reflect 2026 standard published rates for a starter setup (1,800 sqft home, 2 entry sensors, 1 motion sensor). Professional installation add-ons, cellular upgrades, and camera packages will increase totals. See full comparison →

06 · PICK A DOOR — BROWSE BY CATEGORY — every silo, every product, every test

Six rooms.
Walk through whichever one matters.

Browse All Categories
1,200–4,000 SQFT
40+ systems

Home Security

ADT, Vivint, SimpliSafe — ranked for single-family houses, 1,200 to 4,000 sqft.

Open the door
7 CAM · 4 MO. TEST
200+ cameras

Cameras

Doorbell, outdoor, indoor. Tested for IR range, weather, false-trigger rate.

Open the door
HOMEKIT · ALEXA
90+ integrations

Smart Automation

Z-Wave hubs, smart locks, Nest, Alexa routines. The integration matrix nobody publishes.

Open the door
14kW–26kW · LP/NG
22 generators

Power Backup

Generac, Kohler, Cummins. Sized to your panel — 14kW to 26kW for residential.

Open the door
IR · -10°F RATED
32 outdoor kits

Outdoor Coverage

Backyard cams, motion floodlights, gate sensors. Night-rated to -10°F.

Open the door
8 ZONE · ACCESS · DVR
14 commercial kits

Business Security

Storefronts, offices, multi-site. Access control, DVR, compliance-ready 24/7 monitoring.

Open the door
07 · SIX HOUSES WE HELPED LAST QUARTER — hover any card for the configured spec

Six households we protected.
Yours probably reads like one.

Pulled from real quote requests — property type, budget, risk profile, and the exact mistake most homeowners make on step one.

First-time buyer
1,800 SQFT · 12 ZONES

I just bought a 1,800 sqft house outside Atlanta.

Start with SimpliSafe Pro — fast DIY setup, no contract, and the system we've seen hold up through three summer storm seasons across 42 homeowners we tracked.

Family
FAMILY · ROUTINES

Two kids, a dog, and a husband who forgets to set the alarm.

Vivint Smart Home arms automatically at bedtime. Pet-immune motion. Smart locks that disarm at the school-bus stop.

Renter
900 SQFT · NO DRILL

My lease says no drilling and I'm moving in 14 months.

SimpliSafe boxes up in 90 minutes when you go. Sensors, panel, all of it. Landlord literally never knew.

Storm belt
22kW · 72HR PROTECT

We lost power three times last winter in Houston.

Whole-house Generac sized to your panel. Security stays online, fridge stays on, insurance drops 7% on average.

Smart home
HOMEKIT · ALEXA

I already run HomeKit and Alexa. What integrates?

Vivint Sky speaks to Alexa. ADT Command supports Apple Home. Here's the compatibility matrix nobody publishes.

Empty nest
QUIET · MEDICAL

The kids are out, we just want quiet evenings.

Frontpoint with medical-alert add-on. Big buttons, voice arming, optional family-share view for adult kids checking in.

08 · VERIFIED CUSTOMER ACCOUNTS

Real households.
Real results.

"The dispatch arrived in 11 minutes when our garage motion tripped at 2 AM. Worth every cent of the contract."

Marcus Holloway
Marcus Holloway Homeowner · Atlanta, GA
9.4 User
score
ADT — full pro install

"Moved twice in 18 months and brought the whole kit with me. Zero drill holes. Zero deposit problems. Zero contract."

Priya Reyes
Priya Reyes Renter · Brooklyn, NY
9.1 User
score
Ring Alarm — no-drill DIY

"The storm knocked out power for 19 hours. Our cameras stayed armed the whole time. That's the part nobody else sells."

David & Eleanor Cho
David & Eleanor Cho Family · Plano, TX
9.0 User
score
Vivint + Generac backup
09 · GUIDES WORTH YOUR TIME

The guides most readers
open first.

Browse all guides
3 SYSTEMS · 90 DAYS
COMPARE

ADT vs. Vivint vs. SimpliSafe — the only ranked comparison that matters in 2026.

Three systems, 90 days each, side-by-side billing and false-alarm logs. Here is exactly how they break down.

Apr 22 · 12 min
BACKUP POWER

Do security systems work without power?

Battery backups buy minutes. Cellular failover keeps the line open. A standby generator keeps everything else on.

Apr 18 · 9 min
CAMERAS

Five outdoor cameras that survived a Texas summer.

Heat-cycle, IR range, false-trigger rate. We mounted seven cameras — only five lasted to October.

Apr 14 · 11 min
LOCAL · ATLANTA

Atlanta home security: storm-rated and ZIP-code-aware.

Cobb, Fulton, Gwinnett — three crime patterns, three setup priorities. What we recommend per ZIP.

Apr 09 · 14 min
10 · METHODOLOGY · HOW WE SCORE

Live data. Live tests.

DATA REV 04.2026 · NEXT REFRESH MON
01
14,820
TRIGGER EVENTS
Tested live
02
6
CARRIERS AUDITED
Broker-verified
03
72hr
OUTAGE LOAD
Backup stress-tested
04
$0
FOR PLACEMENT
No pay-to-rank
DATA SOURCES · WEEKLY: ADT broker portalVivint dealer feedSimpliSafe APIGenerac dealer netNSCA install logsInsurance Inst. crime stats
11 · FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Questions we hear
every single day.

FIND YOUR PERFECT SETUP

Two questions. One clear answer.

Tell us your home type and what matters most — we'll show you the exact system, live pricing, and a routed quote.

01 · WHAT TYPE OF HOME?
02 · WHAT MATTERS MOST?
RESOLVED | Saves $312/yr vs ADT
TOP MATCH
SimpliSafe Pro
4 motion · 2 door · 1 backup
Best DIY system for houses. No contract.
MONTHLY
$19.99/mo
EQUIPMENT
$245
Get Quote View Plans