What is the best smart home security system?
SimpliSafe is currently my favourite smart home security system. It is very easy to set up and install, and there’s a wide range of optional extras to build a whole-home system. But what helps this house alarm stand out from its rivals is the option to pay £27.99 a month for professional monitoring. Since Ring and Eufy don’t offer this service in the UK, it’s something that puts Simplisafe at the top of our list. The Yale smart alarm also offers full, 24/7 professional monitoring, but at a higher monthly cost of £36 per month.
If you don’t need professional monitoring, then check out Ring alarm and the Eufy home alarm kit. Both offer excellent alarm kits that connect to their wider smart home systems comprising security cameras, video doorbells and more. I especially like how Eufy records footage locally, thus avoiding the cloud storage fees imposed by Ring. Or, if you want a security system on a budget, Blink performs well and its simple security cameras are often priced from below £30.
Finally, if you want to build a large smart home system, I recommend TP-Link Tapo, since the H500 smart HomeBase hub has Matter support that makes it compatible with a huge number of smart home devices and accessories, beyond just security products.
How to choose the best home security system for you
Most smart home security and alarm systems are designed to be installed with simple DIY skills. They connect to your router and use wireless, battery-powered sensors that attach to doors, windows and walls with included adhesive pads or screws and wall plugs. You might need a ladder and a drill to mount outdoor security cameras and sirens – and some basic electrical knowledge if hardwiring a video doorbell – but that’s as complex as it gets. After installation, the systems are usually set up using a smartphone app. Verisure is one of the few systems that requires professional installation.
The essentials
When choosing a home security system, start with the essentials. This usually includes a hub or base station that connects devices (like door sensors and motion detectors) to a smartphone app and the internet. Basic kits usually also include the aforementioned sensors and a keypad or fob for arming and disarming the system; some come with external sirens too. Additional sensors, cameras and other devices can be bought separately and added to expand your system.
Key features
Key features to look out for are battery and cellular backup, which keep the system working during a power cut or broadband blackout. Smart home compatibility can be a useful extra, where voice assistants like Siri, Alexa and Google Assistants control the alarm. If you already own connected cameras or a video doorbell, then it’s worth checking if there’s an alarm system that works with your existing devices for a more seamless installation.
Subscriptions
Costs vary depending on system size and subscription options. Some systems charge a monthly or annual subscription fee for cloud video storage; these fees also sometimes unlock extras like smarter, AI-powered person recognition for security cameras, and cellular backup.
Alarm systems from Simplisafe, Yale and Verisure charge for professional monitoring, where an agent responds to alerts and can even call the emergency services on your behalf. Professional monitoring is not available in the UK from Ring, Tapo or Eufy – but the latter two remain good options if you want to monitor things yourself, since they store camera footage locally and charge no ongoing fee.
Other smart security brands to consider
We haven’t yet tested every smart security system on the market. Other options, which we will be looking at soon, include smart, expandable and app-controlled systems from Nest, Blink, Abode, Somfy and Philips Hue, whose security devices integrate with its smart lighting products.
Nest is owned by Alphabet and therefore a sibling of Google and taps into the Google Home smart home ecosystem, with Google Assistant voice control.
Similarly, since Philips Hue is already such a big name in the smart lighting market, we’ll be reviewing its security products too. The Hue brand doesn’t offer a fully-fledged home alarm system, but its new security camera, door sensors and video doorbell, along with lighting that reacts to motion detection, could offer something unique among its rivals.
Professionally installed alarm brands to consider
All of the products highlighted in this article are intended for DIY installation. This makes them accessible and, while they come with instructions to help you install everything in the best location, their performance can vary depending on how and where each component is installed.
For a fully hands-off approach, where professionals take care of everything for you, there are other options to consider. These include Verisure, which works in a similar way to Simplisafe but requires professional installation. Verisure provides 24/7 UK-based monitoring, where trained staff respond to and verify alarm triggers, make contact with you, and call the emergency services and/or private security guard if required. There’s a smartphone app too, and even a deployable smoke screen to disorientate burglars.
Other options include companies you’ll likely have heard of, since they’ve been in the security and home alarm business for years. These include ADT and Banham Security, and while they might lack the smart home gadgets of Ring and Eufy, they have masses of experience – case in point, Banham celebrates its centenary this year.
Professionally-installed systems tend to be more expensive than DIY alternatives. But with the extra cost comes reassurance that the various cameras, sensors and other components have been installed correctly, and in the best possible location. These systems also incur costs for their professional monitoring services – but this is where they really come into their own, offering a level of protection that Ring, Eufy, Tapo, Hue and others simply can’t match.
Why you can trust us
The Independent is committed to providing unbiased reviews and expert shopping advice across a range of home improvement products. Our team of experts has spent years testing and rating the latest smart home tech in our homes, gardens and under real-world conditions, so you can be sure our verdicts are authentic and based on personal experience with each product featured. When it comes to security systems, our expert testers consider everything from app features and ease of setup to ongoing subscription costs.
