Whatever your reasons, if you want to avoid a long-term subscription with a vendor like ADT, you have options. We reviewed flexible security companies and picked the top five to help you find the best no-contract home security system.
- Some systems allow you to monitor your home yourself for free or a lower price. Not so fast. When choosing a no-contract security system, you’ll want to look at monthly prices, equipment cost and features, and backup options to help determine the best deal. By contrast, systems with contracts typically require a three-year minimum equipment. However, you don’t always have to buy your equipment up front; you can finance it and spread out the cost over a series of monthly fees. Also, a lot of no-contract systems are DIY. That means you’ll install them yourself versus having a professional install them for you. And that’s not all. You can avoid the strain on your paycheck with Abode’s low self-monitoring costs. We do recommend choosing professional monitoring if you can because you get an extra layer of protection when someone else is watching out for you. But if a full-time monitoring plan isn’t an option for you, Abode has an alternative that we really like. If you choose their free, self-monitoring plan, you can still add a month of professional monitoring when you leave for a well-deserved vacation. There’s no contract, and it’s just $20. Ka-ching. Finally, Abode authentication. A common concern about the security of home security systems (say that 10 times fast) is a lack of two-factor authentication.¹ Apparently Abode is paying attention because it recently announced that users can add two-factor authentication to their accounts.² That earns an A+ in our books.
A PIN or pattern Your phone number, a key fob, or something else you own Biometric identification, such as a fingerprint
So what don’t we like about this system? Unfortunately, the basic Abode kit doesn’t come with a keypad. If you’re all about apps (or the key fob), the lack of a keypad in the Abode Essentials starter kit probably isn’t a big deal. But it may make granting others the ability to arm and disarm your alarm more difficult. Either way, if you want to add a keypad to your wall, you’ll have to shell out a bit more cash in addition to purchasing the starter kit. If you’re looking for two-way talk, live video feeds, a user-friendly mobile app, and a wide range of sensors (including flood/freeze, smoke, and carbon monoxide), then Vivint Smart Home is well worth the price. Vivint Smart Home also ranks high among smart home security systems in our view, and its wide range of home automation capabilities is sure to satisfy even the most hands-on tech guru: We have a separate review of Vivint cameras if you’d like to learn more. You’ll need to pay for all your equipment up front to be able to choose no contract. And with equipment packages starting around $599, that’s a lot of cash to hand over all at once—especially when you tack on the $49 installation fee. Lastly, if you’re not a fan of aggressive sales tactics, you may want to steer clear of Vivint. While its representatives are very knowledgeable and often make helpful recommendations for additions to your system, there have been quite a few complaints about their overly aggressive door-to-door sales tactics. The price of SimpliSafe’s cheapest equipment kit will make your wallet smile. And probably make you smile too. Not to mention SimpliSafe also has low monthly monitoring costs. Now that’s a double bonus if we ever saw one. SimpliSafe keeps the focus on home security, but it does integrate with Nest devices, like the thermostat. SimpliSafe also charges more to use the app, which we kinda sorta hate. Technically, you can self-monitor for free, but you won’t really be able to do anything without the app. That makes self-monitoring incredibly difficult. Even the Standard monitoring plan is just a little too standard for us. You’ll need to upgrade to the Interactive option to even be able to get text or email notifications or access the online command center to customize your alerts and alarms. (What is this, 1999?) We hope SimpliSafe adds these features to the Standard package in the near future. Cove’s pricing is only a little above market average. And its monitoring pricing won’t break the bank either. Plus, we like that Cove still lets you pay for your equipment over time if you don’t have a couple hundred bucks in up-front costs. And just like Abode, Scout Alarm is perfect for anyone who gets antsy about drilling holes in their walls. Just peel off the adhesive backing and stick those sensors wherever you please. Also like Abode, the biggest downside to Scout is that the $229 package doesn’t come with a keypad, which means that unless you want to pay $50 more, you’ll mainly rely on your app to set up, arm, and disarm your system. While this could be a pro if you’re looking for a minimalist approach to home security, it also means you’ll have to hand over a key fob if your babysitter, visiting aunt, or anyone else needs access and doesn’t have the app—unless you want to make use of Scout’s RFID stickers, which are an ingenious way to turn literally anything into a security system key. It’s the modern version of keeping your key under your mat. Like Abode, ADT Self Setup doesn’t force you to pay for the privilege of monitoring your system. And its equipment prices are similar to other DIY brands’. And it offers all three camera subtypes: indoor, outdoor, and doorbell. Honestly, that’s a miracle for a DIY system that isn’t Ring. The equipment is also … kind of pretty? Seriously, if more security brands put as much work into their aesthetics as Scout and ADT Self Setup, people would line up around the block to get systems just for the ‘gram. But whatever your reasons for going ADT Self Setup, the biggest benefit is that you get to plant an ADT sign in front of your house. Since ADT is one of the most recognized names in home security, that’s sure to act as a deterrent to some troublemakers. So what’s not-so-great about ADT Self Setup? Sadly, the cameras still need some work. Their super-cool facial recognition feature was faulty when we tried it. It didn’t always recognize our testers. Also, the outdoor camera struggled to stay connected to the Wi-Fi and the ADT+ app. Also, ADT Self Setup is a wild card. The service has undergone a rebranding process since ADT bought it out a while ago, which has made it difficult to find accurate reviews of the current service.
Abode is our top pick thanks to its flexible monitoring plans—including the option to add professional monitoring only when you think you most need it. Scout is a close runner up. We love its à-la-carte approach to equipment selection and its low monthly costs. Vivint Smart Home impressed us with its intuitive design and loads of extra features. But the high price required to get in on that no-contract deal is a doozy. SimpliSafe hit a home run with its home security system, but we hope they’ll add more home automation features in the future. Cove is a lot like SimpliSafe, but with a bit higher-end equipment. Just like with SimpliSafe, we’re hoping Cove adds more home automation options to its system in the future. ADT Self Setup is a great way to plaster ADT’s name all over your yard without getting an ADT-sized contract (and payments). But we still aren’t sure what kind of customer service you’ll get from ADT Self Setup vs. ADT, so use at your own risk.
- Some systems allow you to monitor your home yourself for free or a lower price. When we picked Abode, Scout, Vivint Smart Home, SimpliSafe, Cove, and ADT Self Setup, we looked at the following criteria:
Professional monitoring cost Home automation features Battery backup Cellular backup Equipment
We like to save money where we can, and we think self-monitoring is a great way to save on your security budget. But wherever possible, we encourage readers to go with a professional monitoring service. It’s just safer to have someone watching your system 24/7, something you personally won’t be able to do. Apart from cost, the only real downside to professional monitoring is that your police or fire station may fine you for a false alarm from your security company. What’s more, certain automation features can improve your home’s security. Video doorbells with two-way talk and recording, automated door locks, and even appliance controls can let you breathe a sigh of relief by avoiding dangerous situations—or just not having to worry that you forgot to turn off the oven before you left. If your chosen system doesn’t come with a certain piece of equipment (say a smoke detector or night vision camera), there might be an option from another brand that’s compatible with the system. Just check the compatibility specs before you buy. If you want cameras or a smart lock, you’ll usually have to get a more expensive package, design your own package, or integrate with another brand’s product.
