Home security system prices can vary widely between companies, and if it seems like you’re paying for a brand name—you probably are. One of the best ways to make sure you get a good deal on a home security system is to carefully evaluate the companies you're interested in buying from. This site is a great way to compare prices between companies – but make sure you also do your own research to find customer reviews of each security company.
Compare at least 3 or 4 companies to find out who offers the best deal. Home Security Comparison recommends using BuyerZone for this – it's a free service that will connect you with up to 5 different providers in your area. You can get in-home consultations from any or all of them, then compare their home security system prices. Complete this simple form and you'll be on your way to a thorough comparison.
As you compare home security companies, avoid those that push hardware that ties you to one monitoring service. Quality security hardware is compatible across a range of brands and monitoring services, so you can switch if you need to without buying all new equipment.
Pay attention to how the salesperson treats you, too. Pushy sales reps who try to load you up with the most expensive equipment possible are often more interested in a quick buck than in providing real security for your family. Avoid them – there are too many respectful, professional companies out there to do business with the weasels.
Also watch out for contract lengths. Some companies will try to lock you into multi-year contracts at expensive monthly rates. For an alarm monitoring service, you should expect to pay between $20 and $50 per month, but most services come in around $25 to $35 per month. Many will ask you to sign at least a one-year contract, but avoid 5 year contracts if you can.
When they used our home security system price comparison tool, our users found the following prices on top brands of security systems. We also included the prices they paid for alarm monitoring.
The hardware that makes up your security system is important: the sensors have to detect intruders, the control panel has to reliably arm and disarm the system, etc. However, in a real emergency, there's one piece that's truly essential: the monitoring service.
When your alarm sounds, the company should call you first to see if there's a real problem. False alarms are a real problem in the industry – over 90% of calls are false alarms – and police departments do not take kindly to being called out on those occasions.
If you tell the monitoring service that there's a problem, or if you don't answer, they call the police. Their trained operators should even ask questions to determine if you're being held against your will.
There are a couple of things to look for. Make sure the monitoring service is certified by the appropriate agencies: the state Burglar & Fire Alarm Association, the local police, etc. Ask if they have guaranteed response times, both to call your home when the alarm goes off, and to call the police if there is a real problem.
You should go with a service that exclusively handles home security. Some services provide paging or answering services, too, and that lack of focus could lead to problems down the road.
A common special offer that might make it hard to compare different security companies is the "Free hardware when you sign up for monitoring service" pitch. Since home security system prices can be anywhere between $250 and $1000 for hardware and setup if it's not included, you can potentially save a lot of money this way.
Don't be fooled! If one company is going to include the hardware for free, they'll be making up their costs somewhere else. Ask about cancellation fees, installation costs, and any other money you'll have to pay to get the services. Make sure you get a written contract you can review on your own, without the rep looking over your shoulder.
Despite these warnings, "free hardware" isn't necessarily a sign that you're going to ripped off: some perfectly legitimate companies will set you up for free, knowing that in many cases, you'll stick with their monitoring service for years to come. As long as you do your homework to compare your total costs, you can get some pretty good deals from alarm companies.
Ready to start comparing home security system prices and companies? Submit a free request for quote and you'll be contacted by reputable alarm companies in your area that are ready to provide price quotes and recommendations.
