The Best Security Systems for Large Homes
Featuring reliable equipment, professional monitoring, and a top-rated app on iOS and Android, ADT is our number one pick.
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Last Updated on Jun 14, 2024
- 150 years of experience in home security
- Reliable equipment and monitoring
- Top-rated mobile app for both iOS and Android
- Top-tier smart home integrations
- Every camera has a wide FoV
- Smart security options for every part of your home
- No monthly fees or long-term contracts
- High-quality DIY installation guides
- Scalable security as your home and business grows
I get it. Keeping a huge house secure feels overwhelming these days. Between kids, pets, and guests coming and going like a revolving door, keeping track of who’s coming in and out gets chaotic. And keeping everything locked at night and when you’re home can seem like it takes an hour every day. For tips on keeping your house safe, take a look through our guide on how to secure your home and start using one of the best smart locks on the market to make sure your doors stay locked tight.
But you can solve all of these issues with ease by picking a security system perfect for the unique needs of your large home. With one of the best home security systems designed for a home as big as yours, you can protect every nook and cranny without losing any sleep or wasting hours locking and unlocking doors.
How do you pick a system that will accommodate your big home? Well, we’ve tested dozens of the top home security providers to learn the good, the bad, and the ugly of each system. In this article, we’ll go through our top six recommendations for large home security systems to help you find the perfect fit for you and your family.
What to Look for in a Large Home Security System
- Start-up packages: Most companies offer premade packages as a starting point for building a system fit for your needs. Look for providers that offer at least one package fit for large homes.
- Equipment options: Beyond the premade packages, you also want a provider that gives you the option to add any equipment you want. But some providers restrict the equipment you can purchase based on your monthly subscription.
- Smart home integrations: Integrating your security system into Alexa or Google Assistant unlocks their capabilities and makes them easier to use within your home.
- Security camera performance: If you’re looking for security cameras, you want ones with high-quality video footage, strong night vision capabilities, and AI human detection at a minimum.
- Price: We’re not going to play a game of The Price is Right, but you don’t want to overpay for your system. We always look for value, so a high-priced system needs to deliver quality that’s worth the price tag.
- Company reputation: From warranties and guarantees to customer support and trustworthiness, you want a provider that you know will have your back no matter the circumstances.
Comparison of the Best Large Home Security Systems
| System |
ADT
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Vivint
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SimpliSafe
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Frontpoint
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ranking | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th |
| Ratings | 9.8/10 | 9.4/10 | 9.2/10 | 8.9/10 |
| Monitoring costs | Starting at $45.99 per month | Starting at $40 per month | Starting at $14.99 per month | Starting at $18 per month |
| Installation | Professional | Professional | DIY | DIY |
| Smart platform integrations | Alexa and Google Home | Alexa and Google Home | Alexa and Google Home | Alexa and Google Home |
| iOS app rating | 4.9/5 | 4.6/5 | 4.8/5 | 4.3/5 |
| Android app rating | 4.8/5 | 4.1/5 | 4.4/5 | 3.8/5 |
| Equipment package prices | Starting at $599 | Starting at $449 | Starting at $250 | Starting at $79 |
| Read Review | ADT Review | Vivint Review | SimpliSafe Review | Frontpoint Review |
Summary of the Best Large Home Security Systems
- ADT - Best Commercial-Grade Security
- Vivint - Best Smart Security System for Large Homes
- SimpliSafe - Best for DIYers
- Frontpoint - Best Customer Support for Large Home Security Systems
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1. ADT - Best Commercial-Grade Security
Product Specs
Equipment Costs Packages starting at $599 Monitoring Options Professional Monthly Monitoring Costs Starting at $25 per month Contract Lengths 36 months and up Installation Options Professional Smart Platform Integration Alexa and Google Home ADT Overview
Because ADT is the country’s oldest and most popular security provider, you can’t go wrong with it. It was founded in 1874, so this year will be its 150th anniversary. Not many companies can say that.
It’s stuck around for so long because it continues to innovate its home security offerings year after year. To this day, it still offers industry-leading security systems that it now tailors to your specific needs. So, after a quick chat with one of its sales reps, you can get a complete security system specific to your large home.
Arming the ADT System >> Learn About: The Most Frequently Asked Questions About ADT Security
What We Like
- Intuitive apps for all your devices
- 24/7 professional monitoring
- Support that’s ready to chat whenever you need them through almost any platform, even FaceTime
- Full integration with a wide range of smart home devices
- A legacy of trust in home security
What We Don’t Like
- That 36-month contract is a real commitment
- You need to pay for monthly monitoring services
- Limited product availability for DIY security system packages
- It’s a premium service and the pricing shows it
FYI: ADT also offers top-of-the-line security systems for businesses. It recently revamped its customer engagement platform for businesses called Everon. Check out our list of the best business security systems to keep your business safe too.
ADT Large Home Packages
With a barebones package starting at $499 for equipment, ADT’s packages certainly don’t skimp on products. It separates its bundles into three main packages that you can use as a starting point to then add or remove specific products based on your home’s security needs. As a traditional home security provider, ADT is going to be a little more expensive than a DIY option, but there are pros and cons to both approaches. For more information on that, check out my comparison guide of SimpliSafe and ADT.
If your ADT package is running over budget, be sure to check out our roundup of ADT’s deals and discounts to grab some savings.
Here’s a quick overview of everything included in its three main packages:
Package Secure Home Smart Home Video & Smart Home Touchscreen control panel 1 1 1 Door and window sensors 3 3 3 Motion detector 1 1 1 24/7 alarm monitoring Starting at $45.99 per month Starting at $49.99 per month Starting at $57.99 per month Professional installation Yes Yes Yes Smart door lock 0 1 1 Smart plug 0 1 1 ADT Control app No Yes Yes Indoor camera 0 0 1 Doorbell camera 0 0 1 Package price $599 $919 $1,049 In order to add products to any of the packages, it needs to include at least one of a similar product. For example, the Secure Home package does not include any cameras, so you cannot add cameras to the package.
On top of the indoor and doorbell cameras included in the Video & Smart Home package, you can also add an outdoor Google Nest camera with a spotlight for added security. For a comprehensive breakdown of ADT’s pricing, use our complete ADT Home Security Systems Pricing and Package Costs guide.
Did You Know: While most companies raise their prices year after year, and it’s a big complaint we have with SimpliSafe, ADT recently dropped its monitoring prices which used to start at $45.99 all the way down to just $25. That came as a huge surprise to us considering we thought they already gave pretty good value at their $45.99 price point.
ADT Smart Home Integrations
With over 63 million smart homes in the United States, smart device integrations are a major component of modern security systems.1 Almost every brand offers some amount of smart home integrations nowadays, but not every integration is built the same. ADT gives you plenty of options to integrate smart devices into its system. When we tested ADT, we found it integrated with every smart device in our home from our Philips Hue smart lights to Amazon Alexa. Fair warning though, those Philips Hue smart lights cost a pretty penny. For some more information on that, check out our guide to the best smart security systems.
With that said, if you want smart home integrations with ADT, you need to buy one of its “Smart” packages. That means the package you choose needs to include its mobile app because the app is how these integrations work. Thankfully, that isn’t restricted to its most expensive packages. Its mid-tier professionally installed package also includes access to its app and all of its available smart home integrations.
You can expect your ADT system to integrate seamlessly with:
- Nest Mini
- Kwikset smart locks
- LiftMaster smart garage door controllers
- Smart lights
- Smart light switches
- Smart thermostats
- Amazon Echo speakers, including the Echo Fles and Echo Dot
- All Z-Wave products
ADT Security Camera Performance
Although ADT’s security cameras used to lack a few critical features like 1080p resolution for its doorbell cam, they’re now all Google Nest cameras, which you can read all about in our Nest Camera review. This makes ADT security systems perfect if you already use the Google ecosystem of home products. So, what can you expect performance-wise from Google Nest security cameras?
Unlike most providers, Google Nest combines its indoor and outdoor cameras into a single product. The only indoor-specific camera it has is a wired option. We cover the pros and cons of having a wired indoor camera in our Nest Cam Indoor review. These cameras feature:
- 1080p resolution
- 135-degree field-of-view (FoV)
- Support for two-way audio
- Two infrared LEDs for seeing in the dark
- HDR support to make it easier for you to see in shadowy areas
- AI human detection
ADT Home Security Camera – Day and Night While many of these features are standard on modern security cameras, we were impressed with the build quality of Google’s Nest cameras when we tested them. The 135-degree FoV is a bit narrower than that of Vivint and SimpliSafe. And those extra few degrees of view that Vivint and SimpliSafe offer will definitely come in handy when you have a wide front yard you need to cover with your cameras.
Beyond these two cameras, it also offers an outdoor camera with a built-in floodlight. This camera also features 180-degree motion detection to ensure every movement gets captured. In our experience, the combination of these two features makes it great for deterring burglars, with 50 percent of burglars choosing a different target if they notice security cameras.2 And what better way to get a burglar to notice your security cameras than with a floodlight? For more information on that, check out our guide to installing outdoor security cameras.
ADT Home Security Outdoor Camera FYI: For more tips on deterring burglars, make sure to read our guide on protecting your home from invasion, where we give practical advice for deterring criminals you can use today.
As for the doorbell camera, Nest makes a pretty great product, which you can read about in our review of the Nest Video Doorbell Camera. It gives you all the features you want in a doorbell camera, like 1080p resolution and night vision, on top of an easy installation process thanks to its built-in battery. Say goodbye to the old days of hooking up your ADT doorbell camera to your existing doorbell wiring. We cover how Nest’s cameras stack up against a couple of industry giants in our Ring vs. Nest vs. Simplisafe comparison guide.
Pro Tip: If you don’t like Nest security camera products, that doesn’t mean you can’t use ADT’s home security system. They still offer their ADT-branded security cameras, but you need to contact ADT’s customer support to get them. And we actually liked those cameras for the most part aside from the low resolution on the video doorbell.
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2. Vivint - Best Smart Security System for Large Homes
Product Specs
Equipment costs Starting at $449 Monitoring options Professional Monthly monitoring costs $40 per month Contract lengths Starting at 42 months Installation options Professional Smart platform integration Alexa and Google Home Vivint Overview
Even with almost every home security provider offering some type of smart device or smart home integration, Vivint still stands out as one of the smartest. It has a comprehensive set of smart home devices beyond your traditional home security products. This puts it in a unique position to turn your large home into a smart home with comprehensive security. So, if you want to add smart lighting to your kitchen, smart locks on all of your exterior doors, and a few smart thermostats on top of a security system, Vivint is a good choice.
Vivint Smart Hub Still feel a bit confused about the differences between Vivint and ADT? Check out our complete Vivint vs. ADT Home Security comparison we created by personally testing both systems.
What We Like
- Some deals include free professional installation of your entire Vivint system. This even includes setting up your smart home devices.
- State-of-the-art technology in all of its security camera products
- Broad compatibility with a wide range of smart devices
- You can choose to DIY your monitoring or pay for professionals
What We Don’t Like
- Financed equipment comes with a five-year contract
- Monitoring and video storage fees are comparably high
- If you move, you need to pay a $129 reinstallation fee
- Installation fees are relatively expensive ($200) when they apply
Did You Know: Vivint can help keep your pool safe too. Their professional installers can help you set up sensors to alert you if anyone goes out to your pool area. So, if you’ve got toddlers always trying to sneak outside, Vivint can help you keep them safe.
Vivint Large Home Packages
Normally, Vivint creates a customized package for you after you fill out a short survey or contact its pros. They set you up with everything you need for the smart home functionality and security you want (just make sure to watch out for upsells). Then, based on the amount of equipment you have to monitor, they quote you a monthly price for professional monitoring.
But you might want to get a feel for its pricing or build out your own system. So, Vivint created two base packages you can use as a starting point for creating a system for your large home.
Package Premium Premium Plus Control panel 1 1 Flood and water damage sensor 1 1 Break-in security sensors 4 4 Doorbell camera 1 1 Outdoor camera 1 1 Smart lock 1 1 Vivint key fob 1 1 Indoor camera None 1 Smart thermostat None 1 Smart garage door controller None 1 Cost of professional monitoring $51.47 per month $61.47 per month Package price $650.22 (normally $1,279.96) $1,650.18 (normally $2,229.92) Unlike ADT, you can add any Vivint product to any of its packages. This makes your system fully customizable to the exact needs of your home.
That said, Vivint certainly isn’t the cheapest option. If you’re looking to save on one of these systems, make sure to check out our guide to Vivint’s deals.
>> Learn More: How Much Does Vivint Cost?
Vivint Smart Home Integrations
As you might expect from us ranking Vivint as the best smart security system for large homes, it gives you a lot of options for smart home integrations. You can integrate your Vivint Security System with:
- Philips Hue lighting
- Alexa
- Google Assistant
- Google Nest thermostats
- Platforms like Airbnb
>> Learn About: Best Airbnb and Vacation Home Security Systems
On top of integrating with third-party smart home devices, Vivint also makes its own smart locks, garage door controls, thermostats, and lighting. By using Vivint smart devices, you can use them as part of your security to create effective visual deterrents. This lets you align your lighting patterns and habits with your home’s security to make it seem like you’re always home even when you go on vacation.
For example, if you’re heading off to a sweet vacation in the Bahamas next week, you can program your lights to still turn on at 5 p.m. when you’d normally get home for work and then turn off at 10:30 p.m. when you normally go to bed, making it seem like you’re home to anyone who might be casing your property.
Vivint Smart Home App Pro Tip: Want more tips like this for securing your home with Vivint’s smart home functionality? Take a look through our Vivint Home Automation and Voice Control guide.
Vivint Security Camera Performance
Because of its top-of-the-line security cameras, you can expect lots of bells and whistles on your Vivint security cameras. All of its current security cameras feature 1080p resolution and HDR compatibility, which provide visibility in all lighting conditions. Another feature we like is the use of AI technology to identify people and avoid false alarms caused by other moving objects like pets and cars (not every brand is using AI yet!). Also note that each camera supports two-way audio so you can talk to anyone inside or outside your home with ease.
Vivint Outdoor Cam Pro With the widest FoV cameras, you can set up complete coverage of your large home using fewer cameras than you can with ADT or SimpliSafe. Although all of Vivint’s cameras offer night vision, it’s not the best on the market. We found that SimpliSafe’s outdoor camera gives full-color night vision unlike the black and white provided by Vivint’s infrared LEDs. But the 4K image sensor on the outdoor camera ensures that the daytime quality is unmatched.
Doorbell Camera Indoor Camera Outdoor Camera - 180-degree FoV
- 90 dB speaker with alarm
- Bright LED ring light
- 1664 x 1664p image sensor
- High-power infrared LEDs for night vision
- Customizable detection zones
- Built-in backup storage for 10 days of footage
- 150-degree FoV
- 2 infrared LEDs for night vision
- Actively detects suspicious activity, then sounds alarm and shines its light
- Hybrid wired/Wi-Fi connection to improve speeds
- 4K image sensor
- 140-degree FoV
- 55-foot night vision range
- 85 dB speaker
- 3x optical zoom
- 10x digital zoom
- Optional spotlight attached
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3. SimpliSafe - Best for DIYers
Product Specs
Equipment Costs Packages starting at $280 Monitoring Options Professional and DIY Monthly Monitoring Costs $19.99 per month Contract Lengths Month-to-month Installation Options DIY or professional Smart Platform Integration Alexa and Google Home SimpliSafe Overview
If you’re looking to avoid those long-term contracts everyone associates with the home security industry, SimpliSafe should be at the top of your list. Taking away the contract makes it a great option for most folks. You can also avoid professional installation and monitor your own security system for just a single upfront fee.
Signing a long-term home security contract comes with a couple of unique risks for business owners. Month-to-month cash flow can vary a lot when you own a business, so no contract means you can adjust your monitoring costs on a monthly basis to free up some extra cash flow when needed. It also allows you to expand your security system as your home security demands grow, as well as take it with you if you decide to move. This is why SimpliSafe is one of our top home security recommendations for renters.
SimpliSafe keypad >> Read On: SimpliSafe Home Security FAQ
What We Like
- Professional monitoring is affordable if you need it
- Month-to-month contracts for monitoring give you the flexibility to adjust your plan as needed, when needed
- Reasonable fee for professional installation that starts at $129
- Smart home integrations with Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant
What We Don’t Like
- The most expensive plan is the only one that includes remote control and notifications
- Smart home integrations with Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant are available only with the most expensive plan
- Motion sensors have a limited FoV at only 90 degrees
- Professional monitoring costs have continuously increased
Pro Tip: Even though SimpliSafe doesn’t require monitoring, it has flexible monthly subscriptions for any combination of monitoring and video storage.
SimpliSafe Large Home Packages
With seven packages to choose from, it can feel a bit overwhelming going through SimpliSafe’s product pages. But only a few of its packages are designed for large homes. On top of “The Knox,” which SimpliSafe recommends for large homes, “The Haven” and “The Beacon” also offer well-rounded packages that cover your basic home security needs.
Package The Beacon The Haven The Knox Base station 1 1 1 Keypad 1 1 1 Entry sensors 4 4 6 Motion sensors 2 2 2 Outdoor cameras 2 None None Smart alarm indoor camera 1 1 1 Panic button None 1 1 Temperature sensor None 1 None Water sensor None 1 None Key fob None 1 1 105 dB siren None 1 1 Smoke detector None 1 1 Package price $709.90 $519.86 $479.87 
The SimpliSafe Base Station As you can tell, you should definitely customize the packages that SimpliSafe made. We found it a bit silly that the package it recommends for big houses includes only the free indoor camera it currently offers in its promotion. It doesn’t include any outdoor cameras! So, we recommend at least adding an outdoor camera for your main entryway. You might also want another indoor camera because it can act as an effective intercom in your house with its two-way audio.
>> Learn About: SimpliSafe Pricing and Package Costs
SimpliSafe Smart Home Integrations
When we reviewed SimpliSafe’s home security system, we were surprised at how well SimpliSafe integrated with Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant. It paired smoothly and it recognized voice commands exceptionally well. We could set our house to home or away mode and automatically arm or disarm our security system. If you want to see how it stacks up to our best smart home security pick, check out our comparison guide of SimpliSafe and Vivint.
Did You Know: On top of enabling voice commands, SimpliSafe can be used in automated triggers. This means that when an event with your home security system occurs, you can trigger a different smart device to do something. For example, we set up our Nest thermostat to lower the temperature of our house when we armed our security system.
SimpliSafe Security Camera Performance
SimpliSafe Outdoor Camera The reason most people choose SimpliSafe is to get a security system without a long-term commitment. So, it doesn’t always focus on pushing the latest technology in its security cameras. With that said, there are still a few standout features in SimpliSafe’s security cameras.
For an indoor camera, SimpliSafe offers what they call the Smart Alarm. It features 1560p HD resolution, so you can expect the picture quality to be a bit better than most other cameras’ 1080p resolution. There’s also a built-in siren. This indoor camera can even detect people in its view and then alert the SimpliSafe monitoring center of suspicious activity. They can then talk to the intruder with the camera’s two-way audio.
But this can cause a privacy concern for some who do not want to give indoor video feed access to the SimpliSafe monitoring center. You can turn it off easily in the app, close the stainless-steel privacy shutter on the camera when you don’t want it recording, and customize when alerts can be sent to the monitoring center.
And, if you’re looking for a more basic option, SimpliSafe still offers its old standby: the SimpliCam. This indoor camera is a workhorse, and after hours of testing, it was difficult for us to find many flaws. Check out our SimpliCam review for a deeper dive.
Headed outdoors? SimpliSafe’s outdoor camera features 1080p resolution and a 140-degree FoV. It stands out with its motion-activated spotlight, which gives it full-color night vision. The main drawback is that it doesn’t work as a stand-alone camera. This means it needs to be connected to the SimpliSafe base station to record video. Another potential issue, if you live up north, is that the minimum temperature the camera can withstand is -20 degrees Fahrenheit.
FYI: All but five states have recorded temperatures below -20 degrees Fahrenheit.3 So, the minimum operating temperature of your outdoor security cameras is not a spec you want to overlook!
As for the doorbell camera, it requires a hardwired connection, which means you need an existing doorbell. This also makes the installation process a bit more difficult. Aside from that, it’s a great camera. It features 1080p resolution and a 162-degree FoV, which is wide enough to capture the entire front yard of most homes.
When we were watching our doorbell camera live feed, we could see the difference that its HDR capabilities made. Even when it was bright out, you could still clearly see the entirety of the image. None of it was too washed out. It also gives you all of the basics you expect in a modern doorbell camera, like two-way audio, night vision, and person detection. Check out our full SimpliSafe Video Doorbell Pro review for a full breakdown of SimpliSafe’s doorbell camera.
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4. Frontpoint - Best Customer Support for Large Home Security Systems
Product Specs
Equipment Costs Starting at $99 Monitoring Options Professional only Monthly Monitoring Costs Starting at $49.99 Contract Lengths 1-36 months Installation Options DIY Smart Platform Integration Alexa and Google Home Frontpoint Overview
To stand out in the home security industry, Frontpoint puts the emphasis on customer support. After all, if you’re going to be signing a three-year contract with a home security company, you definitely want to know that it’ll be there to help you when you need it. After testing Frontpoint products for almost a decade now, we’ve always experienced the top-tier customer support that it advertises. So, we can tell you it’s more than an empty promise.
With that said, we know there’s a lot more to home security than the customer support of your provider. Beyond its great customer support, how does Frontpoint stack up against industry frontrunners like ADT, Vivint, and SimpliSafe for large homes? Let’s find out!
Frontpoint System >> Read More: SimpliSafe vs Frontpoint Comparison
What We Like
- The customer support
- That it does not force you into a long-term contract
- That you can install the system yourself
- The compatibility with Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant
What We Don’t Like
- Professional monitoring fees are not optional
- Minimum monthly fees total $49.99
- The Android app has a couple of flaws
- You need to install the system yourself; there’s no option for a professional install
Frontpoint Large Home Packages
To buy a Frontpoint home security system, you need to choose one of its premade packages, build your own package, or get help from their customer support to build a package for you. You can’t just buy one of its security cameras. This is Frontpoint’s way of making sure you get everything you need to get your system up and running.
Frontpoint offers three premade packages starting at $79, which makes it the lowest entry point pricing on this list. But, besides the hub and decals, that basic package comes only with three combined door and window sensors. Your large home definitely needs more than that, so just use it as a starting point to build your own system from there. Here’s an overview of Frontpoint’s three premade packages:
Package The Starter Pack The Home Shield Ultimate Home Security System Frontpoint Hub 1 1 1 Keypad 1 1 1 Touch screen No Yes Yes Door and window sensors 3 3 5 Home defense kit (yard sign, window decals, and door stickers) 1 1 1 Doorbell camera None 1 1 Motion sensor None None 1 Glass break sensor None None 1 Smart door lock None None 1 Flood sensor None None 1 Indoor camera None None 1 Package price $79 $169 $419 For a large home, all of these packages are pretty barebones. You might want to add at least an outdoor camera, extra sensors depending on the layout of your house, and a garage sensor. An outdoor camera adds another $137.99 to the package price, and the garage sensor adds another $26.99 to the package price. If you want a deep dive into its pricing, check out our guide to Frontpoint home security systems cost and pricing in 2024, and if you want to stay up to date on the best sales, bookmark our guide to Frontpoint’s deals.
Also, keep in mind that you’re going to have to install the system yourself. Frontpoint doesn’t have a professional installation option. For more information on that, check out our comparison of DIY vs. professionally installed systems.
Frontpoint Smart Home Integrations
Frontpoint Mobile App Despite its focus on customer support, Frontpoint still tries to stay at the cutting edge of home technology, just like us. We were really pumped to find out our Frontpoint system worked with both Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant when we tested it.
It paired easily with Amazon Alexa and did everything we expected it to. We could control our security system with our voice. But it lacked some of the automation capabilities that Vivint has.
When we tried to connect our Frontpoint system to Google Assistant, we ran into a bit of an issue. We just couldn’t find Frontpoint on our Google Assistant. It wasn’t recognizing our Frontpoint system. After a lot of trial and error, as well as a date with customer support, we eventually figured out we had to download the Alarm.com action on our Google Assistant first. If you’re looking for a better option, head over to our guide to the best Google Home security systems.
Between the lack of automation capabilities and the confusing integration with Google Assistant, Vivint might be the better choice unless you really value customer support.
Frontpoint Security Camera Performance
Frontpoint Indoor Camera If you want the basics in an aesthetically pleasing package, Frontpoint delivers. It gives you the basic features you expect in your home security system, like HD resolution, night vision, and two-way audio, in a discreet design. This makes it great for large homes that want to look inviting and friendly while still remaining secure.
When we last tested a Frontpoint security system in our home, we got one of its current indoor security systems with it. This camera delivers 1080p HD resolution, a 113-degree FoV, infrared night vision, and two-way audio, so it has all the features you need in an indoor camera. Unfortunately, it doesn’t use AI to detect humans, which caused us to get a bunch of unnecessary notifications when we were testing it out. But the aesthetic of the camera is great, and most of the people we had over didn’t even notice it was there until we pointed it out. We couldn’t get our hands on one of their outdoor cameras, but it has the same specs, with a slightly wider FoV at 117 degrees, so we’d expect its performance to be similar as well.
The last time we reviewed Frontpoint’s doorbell camera, it wasn’t making its own, and we haven’t gotten our hands on its new doorbell camera yet. So, we can’t say for sure how well it works, but it seems to have solved a lot of the pain points we had with the other doorbell cameras it included in its systems. Specifically, Fontpoint’s new doorbell camera has 1080p resolution and wireless capabilities. Before, you had to pick between a 720p camera from Skybell or a wired camera that required an actual doorbell by Alarm.com. We have a little more information on that in our breakdown of frequently asked questions about Frontpoint.
How Many Sensors Does Your Large Home Need?
The number of sensors your large home security system needs really depends on the size and layout of your home. You can start off with one sensor for each exterior door and first-floor window. This covers the main entry points that a home invader would use to break into your home. We also like to add sensors for any second-story windows or doors that have an attached porch or a low rooftop nearby.
To take your security up a notch, you can also add sensors in every main hallway so you can track movements throughout your home too. Try to plan them out so someone needs to trip a sensor in order to move from one section of your house to another. These sensors can alert you of suspicious movements that could indicate a burglar moving your valuables out of your house.
Pitfalls to Avoid When Securing a Large Home
Securing a large home is a lot different from protecting a one-bedroom apartment. It needs a lot more equipment, which usually results in a more complicated system. So, we recommend professional installation unless you’re tech-savvy. There’s just too much room for potential blind spots, which a pro won’t have.
Another common pitfall when securing a large home is focusing only on first-floor entryways. It’s not that hard for a burglar to bring a small ladder and use your second-story porch as their entrance. Make sure to at least add a few sensors at every potential point of entry, even if it’s a bit less obvious than your main entryway.
Security Camera Placement in Large Homes
Figuring out where to place your home security cameras is usually a bigger decision than what cameras to buy. So, here are a few places we like to put our security cameras when securing our large home:
- Doorbell camera: Position it so you can see the face of anyone at your door, but not so high that someone could duck under it
- Driveway camera: One camera attached to your garage pointing at your driveway helps protect your cars from potential break-ins
- Backyard camera: Some burglars use your house as a way to protect themselves from being seen by cars driving by. So, a camera in your backyard will catch these types of burglars in the act.
- Upper floor cameras: Large homes are tall too. Use that to your advantage by setting up a camera that gives you a birds-eye view of your property.
Methodology
When reviewing home security systems, our team takes a very thorough approach. All of the systems we review we have first-hand experience with. We’ve set up the systems in our own homes to give you a real account of the entire system in a real-world setting. Our methodology remains consistent across all of our rankings, with only a few changes based on the specifics of what we’re reviewing. For example, here we included smart home integrations in our ranking methodology because smart devices are an integral part of many large homes. Here’s a breakdown of the complete methodology we used to assess each of the providers in this article.
Monitoring
First, we always look at the monitoring options. Can customers choose to self-monitor? Or are they forced into a professional monitoring contract? How much does professional monitoring cost? While assessing the monitoring of a company, we also check to see what type of backup it offers. Can you connect your cameras to a cellular connection in the event that your Wi-Fi goes out?
Smart Home Integrations
Another key area we assess is how well the system integrates with smart home devices. We always favor systems that pair well with Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant. For us to rate a system highly, they need to offer all of the basic functionality, like arming and disarming the system with your voice.
That said, to go above and beyond, a system needs to allow for automated triggers with smart home devices. For example, Vivint allows you to set up automated actions with all compatible smart home devices. So, we rated Vivint as the best smart security system for large homes. On the other hand, Deep Sentinel does not offer any smart home integrations, so it lost a few points there.
Equipment
Of course, the equipment itself matters a lot. The last thing you want is to purchase a security system only to find out the security cameras are too pixelated to see anything. We thoroughly test all components of the security systems we review to find out the quality of cameras, the connection of components, and a whole lot more.
Installation
For large homes, installation is another biggie. When you’re setting up a security system for a large home, a smooth installation process can be a huge selling point. Whether it’s DIY or professional, you should be able to get your system up and running in less than an hour. We also assess the price of professional installation. It shouldn’t cost more than $130 for a provider to install the entire system for you. And it’s even better when it’s free.
Pricing
Figuring out the real price of a home security system can actually be kind of challenging. Some providers expect you to pay for your entire system with a monthly fee that includes monitoring and cloud storage for your cameras. Others want you to buy the system outright and then pay for monthly monitoring. We try to cut through these different pricing structures to help you figure out the actual costs of each system, from the equipment and installation to monthly monitoring. Our reviews even account for reinstallation fees in case you move.
Customer Support
When you’re signing up for a three-year commitment with a home security provider, you want to know that customer support is there for you when you need it. So, when we review any system, we make sure to test its customer support. We check how quickly and thoroughly agents respond to customer support requests on various platforms. Do they respond quickly to emails? Can you reach an actual person when you call the customer support hotline? Are the DIY troubleshooting guides on their website thorough and easy to follow?
Mobile Application
Modern security systems almost always have a mobile application. But the quality of each provider’s app varies pretty wildly. We test each system’s mobile application firsthand on our mobile devices. This lets us see how intuitive the interface is and how well it connects to the overall system. But we don’t stop there. After testing the app, we comb through the reviews on the app stores for iOS and Android. While looking through the reviews, we look for any reported bugs and how quickly they were solved. This lets us go beyond the star rating and find out just how well the provider supports its mobile app.
Company Policies and Reputations
While history isn’t everything, a company with a long-standing reputation for trust isn’t going to take that reputation lightly. From a provider’s policies on handling customer data to a system’s vulnerability to hacks, we can get a lot of information from a company’s policies and reputation. For example, ADT’s 150 years in business carries a lot of weight. But we don’t dismiss new providers. They just need to wow us with their offers, policies, and guarantees. Cove started in 2018 and quickly became a provider we highly recommend for DIYers looking for an affordable system.
Recap
Keeping a big house safe can be tricky. With giant windows, sliding glass doors, and a massive entryway, burglars see big homes as an open invitation. So, you need a security system that’s up to snuff for protecting your family and assets.
After testing a bunch of different security systems, we found six systems ready to keep your home safe. Each one comes with its own pros and cons. But we tried to make it easy for you to find one perfect for you by comparing each with the same set of criteria. Whether you want a security company with a long-standing history, top-of-the-line smart home integrations or a completely DIY solution, we’ve tested it all so you can easily find the perfect system for keeping you and your family safe.
FAQ About Large Home Security Systems
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Does SimpliSafe work in large homes?
Absolutely! SimpliSafe is a great example. It offers all of the equipment you need to protect your large home while still allowing for complete DIY monitoring. That means you only need to purchase the equipment upfront to avoid all contracts, commitments, and monthly fees.
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Does SimpliSafe work for large homes?
It sure does. We ranked SimpliSafe third in our list of top security systems for large homes. Its equipment is customizable enough to handle the unique needs of bigger spaces, with more rooms, windows, and doors to protect.
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What is the most affordable security system for large homes?
If you want professional monitoring, Cove is tough to beat on price. But, if you opt to self-monitor and skip the monthly fees, SimpliSafe will end up being the less expensive option over time. Although its equipment costs more upfront, ongoing costs add up quickly.
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Can any home security system work for a large home?
Technically, any system can work, but not every option on the market has the full capabilities needed to secure a large home. With more ground to cover, large homes have more vulnerable entry points than smaller ones. So, they need a more comprehensive system, with plenty of sensors, cameras, and high-quality monitoring to make sure every vulnerability is secured.
Statista. (2023). Number of users of smart homes in the United States from 2019 to 2028.
statista.com/forecasts/887611/number-of-smart-homes-in-the-smart-home-market-in-the-united-statesKuhns, J. (2023). Understanding Decisions to Burglarize from the Offender's Perspective.
researchgate.net/publication/268444817_Understanding_Decisions_to_Burglarize_from_the_Offender's_PerspectiveWeather.com. (2023). The Coldest Temperatures On Record In All 50 States.
weather.com/safety/winter/news/2022-12-16-coldest-temperature-records-united-states