How to choose a home security system

Home security systems and modern smart home capabilities and compatibilities allow you to tap into their sensors and cameras directly from your phone.

Once upon a time, installing a security system could be a very costly affair: A professional monitoring company would provide the gear, locking you into an expensive, multiyear contract. In today’s DIY smart home world, though, new competitors have entered the fray that make home security much more enticing. Essentially, they let you buy the components you need, set them up yourself and subscribe to a monitoring plan — or not — and control everything completely from your phone. But you will face the difficult to choose the right smart home equipment.

There’s no one-size-fits-all security system. Instead, these systems are designed to be piecemeal, allowing you to pick and choose among:

Door/window sensors, which alert you when a door or window has been opened

Motion sensors, which can detect someone walking through your living room

Glass-break sensors, which use either sound or vibration to detect if a window has been broken

And other specialized modules

All that to say: You can build a system that works really well for your unique home. Some systems can even integrate with other smart home devices like smart locks, as well as 24/7 professional monitoring — which will automatically alert emergency services in the event of an alarm triggering — for a fee. Most DIY systems are more affordable than the professional systems of old and don’t come with contracts. It’s up to you whether this monitoring is worth the cost, but it may get you a discount on your home insurance that makes up for it.