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The Best Home Security Systems

Discover the best home security systems of 2025 to keep your family and property safe. Compare top-rated options for smart protection.
Clark Halen Clark Halen May 5, 2025
best home security cameras systems

Featuring affordable packages and smart home automation, ADT tops our list as the best home security system in 2025, especially with its new Trusted Neighbor feature.

Best Equipment and Professional Monitoring
ADT-Logo

ADT

SecurityScore: 9.8 /10
  • 145+ years of home security innovation
  • 6-month money-back guarantee is best in the business
  • Complete home security and smart home automation
  • Reasonably priced hardwired and wireless systems
SHOP ADT
Best Home Security Video Monitoring
SimpliSafe-Logo-White

SimpliSafe

SecurityScore: 9.2 /10
  • Best-in-class customer service team
  • Simple DIY setup only takes minutes
  • Impressive home automation capabilities
  • Surprisingly affordable home security system
SHOP SimpliSafe
Best Professional Installation
vivint

Vivint

SecurityScore: 9.4 /10
  • Sleek and modern equipment design
  • Advanced but easy to use smart home features
  • Free, professional installation
SHOP Vivint

Trying to pick out the best home security systems is a difficult task. We’ve developed a handy guide to home security systems, but ultimately the best one for you is the one that best suits your needs and budget. Our experts have tested dozens of security systems over the years, and it is always difficult to get a consensus on the best picks from them. There are just so many good systems out there, and each one fits just a little bit differently.

For example, if you want professional installation and top-of-the-line devices, ADT should be your ideal choice. However, if you want to avoid monthly fees and prefer the DIY approach, you’ll want to take a hard look at Cove. There’s a lot to get into, so let’s dive into the details of our latest findings and which home security systems we’ve selected as the best for 2025.

Lineup of the security systems we’ve tested

Lineup of security systems we’ve tested

The Best Home Security Systems of 2025

  • ADT – Best Equipment and Professional Monitoring
  • SimpliSafe – Best Home Security Video Monitoring
  • Vivint – Best Professional Installation
  • Alder Security – Best Professional Monitoring Response
  • Cove – Most Affordable DIY System
  • Frontpoint – Best Customer Service and Support
  • Brinks Home Security – Best Smart Home Integrations
  • abode – Best No-Contract Monitoring
  • Ring Alarm – Best Security Cameras and Video Doorbells

Overview of the Best Home Security Systems

System adt system vivint alder security cove security frontpoint security brinks home adobe security ring
Ranking 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th 8th 9th
Ratings
9.8/10
Best equipment and monitoring
9.2/10
Best video security monitoring
9.4/10
Best professional installation
9.0/10
Best monitoring response
8.7/10
Most affordable
8.9/10
Best customer service
8.6/10
Best smart home integration
8.0/10
Best no-contract monitoring
7.7/10
Best security cameras and doorbells
Installation type DIY or professional DIY or professional Professional DIY or professional DIY or professional DIY or professional Professional DIY or professional DIY or professional
Monitoring type Professional Professional or self-monitoring Professional Professional Professional Professional Professional Professional or self-monitoring Professional or self-monitoring
Requires professional monitoring Yes No Yes Yes No Yes Yes No No
Requires contract Yes No Yes Yes No Yes Yes No No
Read Review ADT Review SimpliSafe Review Vivint Review Alder Security Review Cove Review Frontpoint Review Brinks Home Security Review abode Review Ring Alarm Review

Which Home Security System Is Best for You?

1. ADT – Best Equipment and Professional Monitoring

SecurityScore: 9.8 /10
855-908-4461 View Sale
Links to ADT
$199 Life Safety Package; DIY only
adt system
How We Review

Product Specs

Equipment Costs Packages starting at $349
Monitoring Options Professional and DIY
Monthly Monitoring Costs Starting at $24.99 per month
Contract Lengths Month-to-month or 36 months and up
Installation Options Professional and DIY
Smart Platform Integration Alexa and Google Home

ADT Overview

Arming the ADT Home Security Control Panel

In testing ADT, we found that the ADT+ app plays a key role in making sure everything is running smoothly.
ADT may be 150 years old as a company, but it’s still at the top of its game. Its latest security system uses some of the most advanced equipment. ADT security cameras, for example, are from Google Nest and they come with facial recognition. We have ours pointed at where we hid our backup keys, and it notifies us anytime it sees a stranger.
ADT has also become more flexible, now allowing DIY installation and self-monitoring. Still, we think ADT is best for those who want a full-service security system – professionally installed and monitored. It’s the best in the industry at offering those services, and while it’s not the least expensive security system, it has gotten more affordable over the past couple of years.
Pro Tip:
If you’re put off by the costs, you can wait for an ADT sale. ADT runs sales during the holiday season and special days with discounts as high as 60 percent off.
>> Related: Google Nest Cam (Battery) Review

What We Like

  • Excellent professional installation service for those who want it
  • Offers equipment from Google Nest
  • Over 150 years of experience as a company
  • Reliable monitoring with multiple monitoring facilities for redundancy

What We Don’t Like

  • Could require you to sign a contract if you finance your equipment or get professional installation
  • Customer service is hit-or-miss
  • The professional monitoring service can cost up to $49.99 per month
  • High-tech but limited security camera and doorbell camera options

Equipment

ADT System Components

Our ADT security system was mostly wireless, but key components such as the hub and a couple of cameras were wired.
adt dashboard
In addition to security cameras, Google Nest also provides video doorbells and smart home equipment for ADT. 1 Our package included one each of the indoor and outdoor cameras, a smart video doorbell, and the Google Nest Hub Max — a smart display. You can read our independent Nest Hub Max review for more details, or you can check out our guide to the Google Nest Cam .
Of course, ADT primarily offers security and safety equipment, and it’s got that part well-covered. We bought motion sensors, door and window sensors, glass break sensors, and even smoke alarms. It doesn’t have a garage tilt sensor, but there are workarounds if you ask the technician installing your equipment.
Speaking of installation, ADT used to require all customers to have their systems installed by a technician. It’s the best professionally installed security system, so we had no problem with that, but to those who want it, ADT now also offers DIY installation. See our ADT Self Setup review for more details.
>> Check Out: DIY vs. Professionally Installed Security Systems
ADT Door/Window Sensor On Window
adt boxes
We also like the simple minimalist design of ADT’s new sensors, like that entry sensor we had installed on our window frame.

Monitoring

Similar to how it offers DIY installation now, ADT has also made self-monitoring possible, but only for ADT Self Setup systems. Since we had ours professionally installed, we had to sign up for professional monitoring and sign a three-year contract. It’s probably not the most ideal for renters (try ADT Self Setup if that’s you), but if you’re looking for professional monitoring anyway, we highly recommend ADT.
One reason is ADT’s monitoring network that consists of 12 facilities spread throughout North America. These centers act as backup for each other so the service stays up no matter what. In comparison, Vivint (#3 on this list) has only two facilities, 2 and Frontpoint (#6 on this list) outsources the job to Rapid Response. 3
With ADT monitoring, we got response times of between 30 to 45 seconds after an alarm is triggered. That’s pretty good. We would have preferred it a little bit faster (around 15 seconds), but that’s the industry average.
>> Compare: Vivint vs. ADT Home Security Systems
Feature Highlight: Trusted Neighbor
is one of ADT’s most interesting features. It uses Nest Cam’s facial recognition and the system’s Yale smart lock integration to let people you trust inside your home. You can use it for anything from letting your regular house cleaner in to arranging for a trusted neighbor to help get your pets out safely in case of fire. Try out this feature by signing up for ADT’s Complete plan ($49.99 per month) and buying cameras and a smart lock compatible with Trusted Neighbor.

Cost

ADT’s prices are reasonable, at least compared to brands of similar recognition. There are predefined packages available, but we built our own system with security sensors, security cameras, and some smart home gadgets, and all this cost us about $800. We didn’t pay it upfront either; we’re paying about $35 monthly over a 24-month term. You can even pay over 36 or 60 months.
Just keep in mind that professional monitoring isn’t free. It’s costing us $49.99 per month because we have security cameras, so we had to sign up for the highest monitoring tier. That said, systems without cameras start at $34.99. If you want to save more money, sign up for ADT Self Setup . Its monitoring plans cost $10 less than the professionally installed system. Or, you could go with a different system entirely if budget is a priority. SimpliSafe and Cove , for example, offer monitoring starting at about $20 per month. Both systems also made this list.
ADT isn’t the most affordable home security system. But if you’re looking for top-notch protection with quality equipment and reliable monitoring, we know for a fact that ADT provides great value.
>> Discount Guide: ADT Deals and Discounts for 2025

ADT User Experience

All in all, we appreciated how hassle-free ADT made it to secure our home. It handled everything from professional installation to monitoring. That kind of service obviously didn’t come cheap, but we feel that we got our money’s worth.
There are a few potential pain points, like ADT’s lack of a touch screen keypad. We have to arm/disarm our sensors using a physical keypad. It’s not the end of the world. It actually helps make ADT approachable no matter how comfortable you are around technology. Plus, there’s always the ADT+ app if you’re more of a “tapping” than “pressing” type. We found the app refreshingly simple to use, but intuitive. It’s a great experience overall.
adt sensor
Feature Highlight:
If you’re a family, set up ADT’s SMART Monitoring. It’s basically a group chat you and your family members can use to communicate during emergencies. This can potentially speed up alarm response, as any member of the chat can confirm or waive off alerts – not just the family head.

2. SimpliSafe – Best Video Security Monitoring

SecurityScore: 9.2 /10
800-544-5942 View Sale Links to SimpliSafe
40% off + Free Scout (ends 04/30)
simplysafe How We Review

Product Specs

Equipment Costs Packages starting at $249.96
Monitoring Options Professional and DIY
Monthly Monitoring Costs Starts at $21.99 per month
Contract Lengths Month-to-month
Installation Options DIY or professional
Smart Platform Integration Alexa and Google Home

SimpliSafe Overview

SimpliSafe System’s full device lineup

We’ve tested a wide range of SimpliSafe’s devices, including cameras, sensors, and the keypad controller

SimpliSafe is versatile just like ADT. You could go with professional installation or the DIY route, whichever floats your boat. You could also choose to monitor the system on your own or pay for professional monitoring. We signed up for the Core plan because of the Intruder Intervention feature, but even when we tested SimpliSafe without a monitoring plan, it provided us great coverage.

There are also no long-term contracts. You can upscale or downscale your monitoring service according to your budget and needs. We’ve had a SimpliSafe system for three years now, and whenever we need to test it, we just reactivate our monitoring plan and pay for one month at a time. That’s the flexibility of one of the best DIY security systems on the market.

FYI: SimpliSafe never once asked us to sign a contract, but subscription offerings are paid for on a monthly basis. If you sign up and decide to cancel one week in, your monitoring plan will remain active for the rest of the month that you paid for.

What We Like

  • No long-term contracts to sign
  • Easiest installation of any DIY system we tested (professional installation optional)
  • Competitive pricing for monitoring plans
  • Cellular and battery backup

What We Don’t Like

  • Limited home automation capabilities
  • Professional installation (optional) starts at $125
  • Limited security camera options
  • Hasn’t had a new package since 2018 (but new products have been released since)

Equipment

Even though Simplisafe has roots as a DIY home security system, the company doesn’t have cheap products. All of these sensors and cameras we’ve tested are more than capable of protecting our homes. Although you’ll never need 100 devices to secure your home, SimpliSafe can support that many. To put it in more practical terms, you can easily scale a SimpliSafe system if you want to start out with just a few sensors and add more devices over time.

The SimpliSafe Entry Sensor looked pretty conspicuous on our wooden door frame.

To test SimpliSafe’s video monitoring capabilities, we set up the Wireless Indoor Camera, Outdoor Camera, and Video Doorbell Pro. We placed the Outdoor Camera in our backyard because the video doorbell was able to cover the front of our house. While the camera selection isn’t as large as some other companies’ on this list, SimpliSafe has enough devices to monitor and secure your home.

Pro Tip: SimpliSafe is one of the most affordable security systems on this list. But there are specific dates throughout the year when you can get it even cheaper. Keep an eye on our SimpliSafe deals page to find out when you can snap them up for a bargain.

Monitoring

Although you can self-monitor SimpliSafe, signing up for a monitoring plan has great perks. One is cellular backup, which means your SimpliSafe system can continue to send you alerts even if your internet is down. It’s actually one of the top cellular security systems right now.

As for which plan to sign up for, we recommend the Core plan if you have security cameras, especially the Wireless Indoor Camera. With this plan, SimpliSafe monitoring centers can use any SimpliSafe camera to verify alerts. In addition, when we ran our break-in simulations, SimpliSafe used the Wireless Indoor Camera to talk to us via its speakers. That feature is called Intruder Intervention, and it’s meant to deter burglars.

Pro Tip: The Pro and Pro Plus plan enables Intruder Intervention-like monitoring on the outdoor camera. Pro is best for overnight protection as it only allows outdoor monitoring between 8 p.m. and 6 a.m. (local time). Pro Plus, on the other hand, enables around-the-clock outdoor camera monitoring.

Cost

SimpliSafe is somewhere in the middle in terms of equipment cost. It’s cheaper than traditional systems like ADT and Vivint, but it’s a little pricier than some DIY options like Cove.

Our 14-piece kit with cameras and a video doorbell cost us just over $500, which we paid upfront. Much like ADT, though, you can finance your equipment but only for up to 24 months. There’s also a $150 minimum order required to finance equipment.

Other than the equipment fee, there were no mandatory fees to use SimpliSafe. DIY installation cost us nil. Professional monitoring was also optional, but we highly recommend it. Here’s SimpliSafe’s pricing:

  • Standard plan: Offers just professional monitoring with cellular backup for $21.99 per month
  • Core plan (formerly Fast Protect): Includes Standard plan features, plus video storage for 10 cameras, Live Guard Protection for the Smart Alarm indoor camera, and video verification for $31.99 per month
  • Pro plan: Includes everything in the Core plan plus Active Guard Outdoor Protection between 8 p.m. and 6 a.m. (local time) for $49.99 per month.
  • Pro Plus plan: The same features as Core and Pro, but offers Active Guard Outdoor Protection 24 hours a day for $79.99 per month

FYI: The Pro Plus plan sounds expensive – and it is – but for the features it offers, it’s actually cheaper than similar options on the market. Deep Sentinel, for example, charges a minimum of $100 per month to monitor one outdoor camera similar to what SimpliSafe does.

SimpliSafe User Experience

SimpliSafe is built on simplicity, so before buying one, make sure it’s the type of system you want. You’re not going to get a touchscreen control panel and a bunch of home automation features from it. Instead, you’ll rely on a semi-digital keypad and an app to control your security system.

simplifysafe ring

The SimpliSafe keypad

But as far as the user experience goes, we loved our SimpliSafe system, especially its responsiveness. It arms and disarms quickly – almost instantaneously when using the keypad. It has a loud 105 dB siren. It also has backup power and cellular connectivity for when the power and internet goes out. That cellular connectivity requires a monitoring plan. Still, SimpliSafe is simple and reliable.

3. Vivint – Best Professional Installation

SecurityScore: 9.4 /10
844-922-0575
View Sale
Up to 4 Months Free Monitoring
vivint How We Review

Product Specs

Equipment costs Starting at $599
Monitoring options Professional
Monthly monitoring costs Starting from $30 per month
Contract lengths Starting at 42 months
Installation options Professional
Smart platform integration Alexa and Google Home

Vivint Overview

Vivint Base Hub

Like the rest of the equipment from Vivint, the Smart Hub touchscreen is a premium device
Vivint’s equipment – like the tablet-like, wall-mounted panel above – is smarter and more advanced than that of SimpliSafe. (See our Vivint vs. SimpliSafe comparison.) We can best describe Vivint as a smart home security system because of its extensive automation capabilities. And of course, a system like that requires expertise to set up. Fortunately, Vivint offers professional installation services that rival ADT.
We’ve had several Vivint systems installed over the years and it has been consistently good. The service consists of an expert consultation where the technician looks at the key areas of protection, followed by the installation. After that, the technician showed us a welcome video on his tablet and explained how the system works. That level of service added to Vivint’s premium feel.
>> Learn More: The Best Professionally Installed Security Systems

What We Like

  • Integrates with plenty of smart home brands and products
  • Modern equipment (like the touch screen control panel)
  • Lifetime warranty on equipment
  • Standout professional installation service

What We Don’t Like

  • Pricey equipment, particularly security cameras
  • Long-term contracts (up to five years)
  • Not as easy to move as DIY systems
  • Non-transparent pricing

Equipment

Vivint has sensors, some smart home devices like smart thermostats and smart locks, and smoke alarms for fire protection. It’s all pretty standard.; that is, until you get to the security cameras. In our opinion, Vivint cameras are the smartest in the industry.

Vivint Outdoor Camera Pro (Gen 2)

vivint camera
The Vivint Outdoor Camera Pro (Gen 2) provides high-quality video and AI-powered detection capabilities
We say that because of the Smart Deter feature. When we tested the Vivint Outdoor Camera Pro, we saw it use AI to detect people just like the Nest Cams do. On top of that, it uses rules and algorithms to detect suspicious behavior.
For example, when a neighbor stopped in front of our yard to admire our Halloween decorations (we presume), Vivint warned us that there could be a lurker on our property. He had been standing there for a couple of minutes, which the camera thought suspicious.
The custom automations from Vivint make it even more capable of deterring would-be criminals. For example, we made a rule that an alarm would sound if anyone stays in front of our house for more than two minutes. Sure enough, our neighbor lingered in front of our house for that amount of time and a warning tone sent him scurrying away. Naturally, we apologized and explained the situation to him.
>> Also See: Vivint Doorbell Camera Review

Monitoring

One of Vivint’s downsides is that if you don’t pay for the equipment upfront, you’ll have to sign a contract. That contract will be as long as your equipment financing term, which is usually four to five years. That’s longer than ADT’s standard three-year contract. Vivint also doesn’t give users much leeway to change their minds, as there’s only a three-day cancellation period. If you cancel beyond that, you’d have to pay a termination fee. SimpliSafe gives users 60 days to change their minds.
Was Vivint’s monitoring worth it, at least? Of course! It wouldn’t have made this list if it weren’t. In fact, it’s better than most systems because Vivint has two monitoring centers. There’s one in Utah and another in Minnesota. We know that’s not as many as ADT’s 12 facilities nationwide, but Vivint’s monitoring centers have proven themselves fast, responding to our simulated break-ins within 30 to 60 seconds.
>> Learn More: Vivint FAQ
Pro Tip: As you’ll find out in just a bit, Vivint monitoring ranges from $29 to $49 per month. The final amount depends on how much equipment you need and if you want automation features in the plan. Cloud storage is also included in the price.

Cost

We’re not going to sugarcoat it: Vivint is a bit pricey. The outdoor camera from earlier cost us $399.99. The indoor camera and video doorbell, both of which have the same AI features, each cost $249.99. That’s nearly double the standard security camera cost in 2025. Those cameras are also better than most you’ll find in the market though. And that’s true for most of Vivint’s products. They are expensive, but they are top-of-the-line.
Vivint’s monitoring plans are also pricey. They start from $29.99 for basic monitoring and can go as high as $49.99 per month if you want home automation and security camera support. This puts it on par with ADT’s professionally installed monitoring subscriptions.
Watch out for the installation fee. It can cost up to $200 if you’re having security cameras installed. That’s $200 that you could better spend on additional equipment. But if you’re willing to wait, Vivint occasionally offers free installation deals. Check out our page on Vivint deals for more information on that.

Vivint User Experience

Vivint Door Sensor

vivint door sensor
The Vivint Door Sensor has a modern look, but its white color stood out on our wood door frame
Vivint may seem like a complex system at first, what with all that talk about the system’s advanced automation and smart features from the cameras. But in reality, it’s user-friendly. It’s the type of system you can set and forget. And because it’s installed by an expert, there’s not much setting up to do.
We programmed our system to arm everyday at 11 p.m., making sure it’s armed before we sleep. We also have lights that turn on when our front door sensor is triggered. Its automation-rich app might make Vivint seem complicated to use, but in our opinion, those automations are exactly the reason that Vivint is user-friendly.

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