Top 3 Home Security Systems of 2014

Securing your home is one of the most important tasks you?ll ever undertake. There are over 5,400 burglaries each day in America, and the vast majority of them (73.9%) are on residential property. Although these statistics can be scary, arming yourself with the right security system can give you peace of mind both at home and away from home.

For these reasons, it?s crucial to find the perfect security system for your home and family. We know there?s a dizzying amount of options available, and it can be really difficult to decide on one. Should you choose the most inexpensive option or the one with the smallest contract commitment? Should you choose landline, broadband, or cellular monitoring? Or simply put, should you choose this company over that company?

This task can be too overwhelming to figure out alone. That?s why we?re happy you?re here. We?ve created this guide to our top 3 home security systems for 2014.

The Champion: Frontpoint ?????

		855-806-1191

 
Frontpoint (855-806-1191) is the reigning champion of all of the 2014 home security systems we?ve reviewed. One of the most compelling reasons for FrontPoint?s top spot on our list is its amazing track record with customer service. It?s very hard to find a customer who isn?t satisfied with FrontPoint?s easy-to-use and reliable service. In fact, FrontPoint has a Better Business Rating of A+, and has only received 38 complaints in the last 3 years, while some other security systems have received at least 10 times that amount.

What Sets Frontpoint Apart

Aside from its stellar customer service, FrontPoint stands behind a 30 day money back guarantee. In the event that you get a FrontPoint security system and experience buyer?s remorse, you can return it within 30 days for a complete refund. FrontPoint even takes care of the return shipping costs.

Another key feature of Frontpoint is its 100% wireless monitoring service. It?s the only national company to be completely wireless. What does this mean for your home security system? Simply answered, if a burglar cuts the telephone line, your alarm system will still work. Monitoring is not dependent on your telephone line or your internet service. Even in the event of a power outage, your Frontpoint system can still operate for at least 24 hours (the longest backup coverage in the industry).

Frontpoint Plans

Frontpoint offers three plans: Protection, Interactive, and Ultimate. The price of the plans range from $34.99 per month for the least expensive option to $49.99 per month for the most expensive option. Each of the plans offer free standard shipping and returns on the included equipment. You also receive 5 window decals and a yard sign to deter thieves before they even attempt to burglarize your home.

Let?s take a look at what each plan offers.

The Protection Plan ($34.99/per month) is the entry level plan from Frontpoint. Although it?s basic compared to the other plans that Frontpoint offers, it?s still comprehensive and may contain all of the features you need in a security system.

This plan offers 24/7 protection against intrusion. It is also 100% cellular, so you do not need to worry about burglars cutting the phone line and therefore disabling your alarm.

Intrusions are not the only event a homeowner needs to worry about. FrontPoint also offers fire, environmental, and life safety monitoring on its Protection plan. FrontPoint will alert you in the event of dangerously high carbon monoxide levels, which can often go undetected by humans, and carry deadly consequences. This plan also detects water floods or freezes.

Another important inclusion in the Protection plan is life safety. In the unfortunate event that you or a loved one experience a medical emergency, Frontpoint also includes a panic pendant so that you?re never too far away from help.

? The Interactive Plan ($42.99/ per month) is the medium level plan from Frontpoint. It includes all of the features in the Protection plan, along with added features. One of the best reasons to choose the Interactive plan is for its Crash & Smash guarantee. If a burglar breaks into your home and destroys your control panel as a way to disarm your system, FrontPoint?s control panel will instantly alert the monitoring system that there may be a burglary in progress and will prompt swift response.

Other features of the Interactive plan include instant email and text alerts. You will be notified immediately in the event of an attempted burglary, or in the case of fire, or flood.

Additionally, the Interactive plan gives you remote access to your security system. You can use a mobile app, powered by Alarm.com, to view the status of your security system, the alarm history, and any visitor activity.

A powerful part of the remote access system is a feature called ?light control.? Light control allows you to turn on or turn off lights or appliances in your home. Not only can you use this to turn on lights as you?re entering your home, you can also remotely turn off appliances you may have forgotten to turn off, such as lights, televisions, or curling irons.

Another feature included in this app is “Geo Services”. If you leave your home and forget to turn on your security system, Geo Services will send you an alarm reminder to arm your security system.

The Ultimate Plan ($49.99/ per month) is the final offering from Frontpoint, and lives up to its title. It is $15 more per month than the basic Protection plan but it includes all of the features found in both the Protection and Interactive plans plus advanced home automation and wireless video.

The advanced home automation suite allows you to control door locks, lights, appliances, and thermostats remotely, from anywhere. You simply need access to an internet connection to control your home from any place in the world, including your bedroom–if you don?t want to go downstairs to check the door lock.

Wireless video allows you to view your home at any time from an office computer, a laptop, a smartphone, or tablet. Frontpoint uses wireless cameras that stream live video feed. You can also set up to be instantly notified with live video if a motion sensor is triggered.

Frontpoint Equipment

With Frontpoint, you can select from three equipment packages regardless of the security plan you choose. The cost of equipment is an additional charge that is not reflected in the monthly price.

The Standard Package of Equipment (one time fee of $99.95) includes 5 pieces of equipment:

• 1 GE Security 2010 Simon XT Control Panel with Battery Backup
• 1 Large Motion Sensor that ignores small pets
• 1 Keychain Remote with one click arming and disarming
• 2 Door or Window Sensors

The Enhanced Package of Equipment (one time fee of $164.94) includes 6 pieces of equipment:

• 1 GE Security 2010 Simon XT Control Panel with Battery Backup
• 1 Large Motion Sensor that ignores small pets
• 1 Keychain Remote with one click arming and disarming
• 1 Smoke & Heat Sensor
• 2 Door or Window Sensors

The Light Package of Equipment (one time fee of $199.03) includes 7 pieces of equipment:

• 1 GE Security 2010 Simon XT Control Panel with Battery Backup
• 1 Large Motion Sensor that ignores small pets
• 1 Keychain Remote with one click arming and disarming
• 2 Door or Window Sensors
• 2 Wireless Light Controls

Pros and Cons of Frontpoint

Pros:

• No installation or activation fee
• Great customer service
• Easy 30 minute, DIY setup

Cons:

• No 2-way intercom

Which Plan Offers the Best Value?

Frontpoint?s mid-level Interactive Plan offers the best bang for the buck. It protects against crash and smash burglary tactics, and includes a mobile app for lights and appliance control. Another great feature of the Interactive Plan is Life Safety, that allows you to press a button for medical emergency service.

The Second Place Runner Up: Protect America ?????

		855-330-0268

 
Protect America (855-330-0268) is the runner up for top Home Security System in 2014. The security company promotes a triple guarantee–the lowest price with no equipment fees and a lifetime replacement plan. Protect America appeals to the budget-conscious consumer who also needs ironclad protection. Over half a million homes trust Protect America to provide security and peace of mind. The Better Business Bureau gives Protect America an A- rating.

What Sets Protect America Apart

Protect America has the distinction of providing the lowest price for a home security system in the national marketplace. This makes Protect America an affordable option to those who need a security solution at the lowest price point.

Similar to Frontpoint, Protect America offers a 30 minute DIY installation with over the phone instruction. They also provide free technical support should anything go wrong with your system.

Unlike Frontpoint, Protect America offers three monitoring solutions: landline, broadband, and cellular. Having the flexibility to choose the type of monitoring solution gives customers complete control over the security cost.

Let?s take a look at the security plans first, and then the flexible monitoring solutions after.

Protect America Security Plans

Protect America offers a whopping five security plans: Copper, Bronze, Silver, Gold, and Platinum. The prices range for $19.99 per month to $42.99 per month. All plans include 1 control panel, 1 motion detector, 1 yard sign, and 3 window decals. Also, Protect America provides 24/7 monitoring for each plan.

The Copper Plan (starting at $19.99/ per month for landline monitoring) is the basic offering from Protect America. It?s best for smaller homes, condos, or apartments. This plan includes 3 door or window sensors and 1 pet friendly motion detector.

The Bronze Plan (starting at $35.99/ per month for landline monitoring) is the second tier of protection from Protect America. This plan includes 7 door or window sensors and 1 pet friendly motion detector. It is geared toward homes under 1,200 square feet.

? The Silver Plan (starting at $37.99/ per month for landline monitoring) is the mid-level plan, providing 10 door or window sensors and 1 pet friendly motion detector. It?s only two dollars more than the Bronze plan, but it includes 3 more sensors.

The Gold Plan (starting at $39.99/ per month for landline monitoring) from Protect America offers 12 door or window sensors and 1 pet friendly motion detector. This plan is the perfect option for homes up to 3,500 square feet.

The Platinum Plan (starting at $42.99/ per month for landline monitoring) is the most comprehensive offering from Protect America. It includes 15 door or window sensors for a wide perimeter of protection. If you don?t need that many sensors, you can swap a few for other, more relevant equipment.

Protect America Flexible Monitoring Solutions

As you may have noted from the above section, the prices for each plan vary. The reason for this is because Protect America offers three distinct monitoring solutions: Landline, Broadband, and Cellular. Each of these monitoring solutions comes with a GE Simon XT control panel.

We?ll briefly go over the features of each type of monitoring solution and then we?ll look at the prices for each solution in relation to the five security plans.

Landline

This entry level solution is best suited for homes without high speed internet access or reliable cellular availability. Landline monitoring allows your control panel to connect with up to 40 sensors in your home. You can upgrade to a 2-way voice feature, which allows you to speak directly to the monitoring station through a built-in microphone.

Broadband

No phone? No problem. With the broadband solution, customers don?t need to have a phone line to signal the monitoring station. In fact, broadband is at least 4 times faster than landlines. It only takes 2 seconds to signal the monitoring station. Broadband includes interactive features at no extra charge, such as home automation and energy management.

Cellular

We recommend cellular as the best option, if you can afford to do so. Cellular offers enhanced flexibility. There are no additional wires necessary and no landlines to cut. The only wire you?ll have to deal with is the one that plugs the control panel into a power outlet. The drawback to this option is that it may not be available everywhere, and requires reliable cell phone coverage in your area.

Protect America offers additional features ? la carte. Keychains and glass break sensors are available for a one-time fee. Smoke detectors and wireless indoor pan-and-tilt cameras are also available for a fee. With these features, an additional charge is added to the one-time fee.

Additional Features

Pros and Cons of Protect America:

Pros:

• Extremely affordable
• No installation or equipment fees
• Lifetime equipment warranty

Cons:

• Hefty return fee (if you decide not to use Protect America as your security system, you will be charged a $79 restocking fee)
• No outdoor camera option

Which Plan Offers the Best Value?

We recommend the mid-level Silver Plan. It offers 10 door and window sensors, which is a good amount for most homes. We also suggest you use the cellular solution for maximum security. You don?t want to worry about cut wires, or unreliable internet service.

The Third Place Contestant: ADT Security ?????

		877-473-9434

 
ADT Security (877-473-9434) rounds out the top three home security systems of 2014. With over 135 years of experience, ADT?s name is synonymous with home security. Although established over a century ago, ADT provides cutting edge technology to its over 6.5 million customers. It is the largest security company in the United States and Canada, with a 25% share of the residential market. ADT receives a B rating from the Better Business Bureau. It?s important to note that larger companies do receive more complaints in relation to their size, but ADT gets high marks from BBB for responding to and resolving complaints.

What Sets ADT Apart

Although not the cheapest option, robust guarantees and comprehensive features make ADT the trusted security and home automation provider for millions. ADT is as an industry leader in home security and can offer superior features supported by a generous money-back guarantee. If a customer is dissatisfied with services, even up to 6 months after installation, ADT will refund the installation price and pay all monitoring fees.

Additionally, ADT offers a theft protection guarantee. ADT is so confident in their security system that, should a burglary occur when your ADT security system is armed, ADT will pay up to $500 of your homeowner insurance deductible.

ADT Security Plans

ADT prefers to customize their plans to meet your needs but, for a general overview, ADT offers three security plans: Protect, Protect + Connect, and Protect + Connect Premium. The prices of the plans vary because all plans allow you to add or subtract features to best accommodate your needs. All plans include a monitored system, two door sensors, one motion detector, a trusted ADT yard sign, and window decals.

Additionally, ADT runs special promotions from time to time. Currently, ADT offers new customers security solutions for less than $1 a day, at the rate of $28.99 per month. This rate includes monitoring for burglary and fire. With this plan, you can also arm or disarm your security system remotely.

ADT charges a one time fee for installation and activation. For installation, ADT charges $299, and there is a $25 fee for activation.

Let?s take a look at the individual offerings:

The Protect Plan (prices vary) from ADT offers 24/7 monitoring. With the base plan, you have lots of options available to you, such as monitoring for fire, smoke, or the silent killer, carbon monoxide. ADT also provides optional water detection and temperature monitoring.

The Protect + Connect Plan (prices vary) from ADT has all the features from the Protect plan, but includes remote web and mobile access to your home security system. The plan also features email and text alerts. You?ll be immediately notified when someone enters your security code, or trips an alarm. The Protect + Connect plan operates over a cellular connection, which is more reliable and secure than a landline. For other plans, cellular connection is optional, but for Protect + Connect, it comes standard.

The Protect + Connect Premium Plan (prices vary) from ADT includes all features found in Protect + Connect (with the option to upgrade to a cellular connection). This plan focuses primarily on video surveillance. You can also upgrade to powerful home automation features not found on the other two plans, including remote lock and unlock door control, lighting and thermostat control, and remote, secure video access.

With video surveillance, you can record up to 30 seconds of a triggered event. You can also save up to 30 days of continuous video onto a DVR. The video surveillance allows you to check up on babysitters, children who are home alone after school, and elderly parents.

Add-On Features

ADT offers features you can add to your plan to make them more appropriate for your needs. For example, you can add medical alert monitoring, which comes with a two-way communication intercom built into the security system. This intercom has an impressive 300 ft range, and allows distressed individuals to communicate with trained ADT professionals without reaching for the phone.

ADT also offers impressive emergency storm safety features. If you live in an area prone to floods, fires, or natural disasters that may cause a power outage, ADT offers an extra capacity battery to backup your security system.

Pros and Cons of ADT Security:

Pros:

• State of the art technology
• Most trusted and most experienced
• Amazing guarantees

Cons:

• Confusing plans & pricing
• Charges installation and activation fees
• For each plan, you?re locked into a 36 month contract

Which Plan Offers the Best Value?

When it comes to ADT Security, we recommend the Protect + Connect Premium Plan. It is the most expensive plan, but it offers the most comprehensive monitoring. It combines home automation with video surveillance, for added peace of mind.

An Infographic

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How We Determine Our Ratings

We have developed a proprietary rating system that?s influenced by a number of factors. We compare features with price to determine overall value. We also make note of consumer satisfaction (scaling from positive to negative).