Monitoring around the clock
Operators answer the alarm, try to reach you, and request police, fire or medical response when it is warranted. Whether responders come, and how fast, is up to the emergency service, not the monitoring center.
Home security
Security is the response, not the camera.
Professionally monitored alarms, video doorbells, smart locks and cameras from national providers such as ADT and Vivint. We compare the monitoring plan, the equipment and the contract, in that order, so the one you pick fits the home you have.
How we compare Security
Compare the monitoring first. Then the hardware.
A camera you watch yourself is a gadget. A system that alerts a monitoring center, confirms the alarm and asks for help is security. The monitoring term and what happens if you move matter more than the brand of doorbell.
Doorbells and cameras
See the porch, check on the house, and keep recordings in the cloud.
Locks, lights and more
Smart locks, lights, thermostats and garage doors that work together from one app.
Alerts that reach you
Phone notifications backed by professional response, day and night.
What getting connected involves
From the street to the shelf
Our checklist
Three terms to read before you sign
The questions a good salesperson answers before you ask. We answer them on every order.
Talk it through- 1How long is the monitoring agreement?
Terms of 36 to 60 months are common. We tell you the length and what ending it early costs.
- 2Who owns the equipment?
Financed equipment becomes yours; leased equipment does not. It changes what happens when you move.
- 3How does the system signal?
A cellular connection keeps monitoring working when the home internet is down.
Providers
Home Security providers we can order
A lockup here is a carrier-issued mark, shown only where we hold that carrier’s agreement. Everything else your ZIP turns up is compared the same way, by name.
Also compared
- Smithville
Availability varies by address. Every provider we compare →
Good to know
Home Security questions, answered.
Which security providers do you compare?
National monitored-security providers, including ADT and Vivint. Which ones we can order for you is shown on our Providers page; packages and availability vary by area.
Is installation included?
Most providers offer professional installation and some sell self-install kits. The provider handles equipment, installation and monitoring.
Do I need home internet for an alarm?
Many systems use Wi-Fi and cellular together, and monitoring usually has a cellular path. If you also need internet, we can compare it on the same call.
How do I start?
Call the number on this page. We go through the options for your home and, where we cannot order a provider ourselves, tell you how to reach it.
Call us and we will use your number to deal with that inquiry, and pass it to the provider if you place an order. Automated calls and marketing texts need your separate say-so, which an agent asks for on the call. Consent is not a condition of purchase. See our TCPA Consent.