Best Vacation Home Security Systems

1. SimpliSafe - Best Overall

Editors Rating:

9.2 /10

800-544-5942

View Packages

How We Review

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 listen to podcasts, you’ve almost certainly already heard that “there’s no safe like SimpliSafe.”1 But SimpliSafe boasts more than a healthy podcast advertising budget. It sells one of the best DIY home security systems on the market.

This isn’t the first time SimpliSafe has made it to the top of our “best of” lists, and for good reason. It has a top-rated mobile app, it offers top-of-the-line monitoring, and it’s dead-simple to purchase and install. (Seriously. Compare SimpliSafe with Vivint. SimpliSafe will take you about five minutes to order and about 30 to install, while Vivint will require hours of negotiating with a sales rep, going over contracts, and supervising installation.)

I can tell you first-hand, however, that your experience with SimpliSafe will vary widely depending on how much you pay. The most expensive SimpliSafe package comes with everything a vacation home owner could dream of. The cheapest? Not so much.

SimpliSafe Equipment

Does SimpliSafe offer everything you need to watch over your vacation home? Yes, with a caveat. You can get all the security devices you’d expect (burglary sensors, security cameras) plus the extras (flood sensors, temperature sensors), but you don’t have much room to upgrade.

To see what I mean, check out the camera options. You can get an indoor camera, an outdoor camera, and a video doorbell. There’s no super-powered cameras you can pay a premium for if you want to. Compared to Arlo, SimpliSafe cameras are positively basic. Want 4K video quality? Look elsewhere.

SimpliSafe Smart Home

SimpliSafe is strictly security-oriented. Unlike competitors Ring and Vivint, it doesn’t sell smart home products on its site. Want to install smart lighting at your vacation home? That’s a great idea, since smart lights can turn on when you’re gone and keep intruders guessing. But you can’t buy those bulbs from SimpliSafe.

SimpliSafe plays well with other smart devices though. You can connect the security system to your August Smart Locks and command it with Google Assistant or Amazon Alexa.

I have bad news for Apple HomeKit users. You can arm and disarm your SimpliSafe system with an Apple Watch, but that’s about it. SimpliSafe is not compatible with Apple HomeKit.

SimpliSafe Professional Monitoring

In 2023, SimpliSafe added a feature I’m really excited about: live video guard. When your alarm is triggered, a real person will watch the security footage to see what’s up. If it’s a prowler, your SimpliSafe guard can shout at them through the speaker.

Let’s say a burglar creeps into your Airbnb property at 3 a.m. You’re fast asleep, so you don’t hear the notification from your SimpliSafe app. Lucky for you, someone else is paying attention. A SimpliSafe employee uses the speaker to say, “Leave now, the police are on their way.” There’s a good chance the burglar will scram.

You can’t always be at your vacation rental to scare off intruders, but a virtual guard is the next best thing. How much do you have to pay for that service? Just $29.99 per month. It’s included in the Fast Protect plan.

SimpliSafe Mobile App

I love SimpliSafe’s app, and so do everyday users. It has a 4.4 rating on the Google Play store and a 4.8 rating on the Apple App Store. One user wrote, “The basic configuration allows for a very simple setup that will satisfy 95% of the users. For those that want to fiddle with it, you have the option to modify operational parameters on a sensor-by-sensor basis.”

“Modify operational parameters on a sensor-by-sensor basis” may sound pretty advanced, but it’s actually standard. In my testing, I found the SimpliSafe app to be user-friendly like Frontpoint’s app. It just lacked some of the more helpful smart-home automation options that Frontpoint and other premium providers offer. If you’re looking for simplicity and a well-designed interface, however, the SimpliSafe app gets the job done.

SimpliSafe Price

SimpliSafe isn’t the cheapest name in the game — that title may go to Eufy — but it’s pretty darn affordable. Expect to pay between $300 and $500 for equipment and $30 a month for advanced professional monitoring. You could save money by downgrading your monthly plan, but we wouldn’t recommend it since $30 per month is already a great value.

2. Vivint - Best with Professional Installation

Editors Rating:

9.4 /10

844-922-0575

View Packages

How We Review

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

Ever had your Sunday afternoon interrupted by a Vivint rep? Yeah, me too. (Sorry, Steve! I’ve spent hundreds of hours testing Vivint systems. You don’t need to sell me on them.)

The sales tactics can be annoying, but the system is excellent. A Vivint package can include high-quality security devices and smart devices. You can control your Vivint lights, locks, and thermostat all in the handy-dandy Vivint app.

That’s ideal when you’re 1,000 miles away. Want to unlock the family cabin so your niece can visit? Do it in the Vivint app. Need to bump up the heat so the pipes don’t freeze? Guess what: You can do that in the Vivint app too.

Of course, that comprehensive package comes with a price. Comparing Ring and Vivint is like comparing a Camry and a Tesla. Vivint may be nicer, but it also costs a lot more.

Vivint Equipment

Vivint sells basically any and every security device you could think of. Here’s a non-comprehensive list:

• Hub and touchscreen panel
• Entryway and motion sensors
• Indoor and outdoor cameras
• Video doorbell camera
• Glass-break sensors
• Smart drive
• Car guard
• Smart lock
• Garage door controller
• Smart thermostat
• Spotlight
• Water sensor
• Flood, freeze, and heat sensor
• Tilt sensor

Vivint Smart Home

Vivint doesn’t just integrate with smart home systems; it is a smart home system. You can get Vivint-brand smart thermostats, light bulbs, smoke detectors, and more.

It also integrates with other popular smart home products and systems, such as:

• Nest thermostat
• Hue bulbs
• Google Assistant
• Amazon Alexa

Apple HomeKit gets left behind, however. (Spoiler alert: Almost every security brand leaves Apple HomeKit behind.)

You can put those Vivint (and Vivint-compatible) smart devices to work. One automation that will come in handy for your vacation home is linking motion detection to lighting. When your outdoor camera senses someone at the front door, your smart lights can turn on. If that someone is your Airbnb guest, great! They can see. If that someone is a burglar, that’s also great! They’ll think twice about breaking in.

Vivint Professional Monitoring

If you sign a Vivint contract, you sign up for professional monitoring. It’s about $30 of that opaque monthly fee, but it’s worth it. The Vivint Smart Hub has a two-way talk feature you can use to contact your monitoring team directly. When I tripped the alarm during testing for our Vivint review, I used the Hub to explain what happened.

Vivint Mobile App

Vivint offers more than just a security app. It’s a smart home command center. You can use it to set rules such as “lock the door after five incorrect entry attempts” or “notify me if motion is detected in the front yard.” Not much of a techie? That’s fine. The Vivint app makes automations super simple. You just turn a slider on or off.

Smart home automation is cool, but what about the basics? I ran into zero issues with lag or bugs when I tested the Vivint app, but some Android users report super-slow video. The app’s Google Play rating is 4.1 and Apple App Store rating is 4.6. Not bad.

Vivint Price

How much does Vivint cost? That’s a little bit like asking how much a car costs. It depends on how nice of a package you choose, whether you get a loan, and how well you negotiate with the sales rep.

Expect to pay at least $600 for equipment and $40 per month for monitoring and other services. And don’t forget about fees! Take-down, installation, and repair all cost extra.

When you compare Vivint to ADT, that seems standard. The 150-year-old ADT also charges in the ballpark of $50 per month for a few years. That’s the traditional security company business model, but it seems awfully high when you compare Vivint to a newcomer like SimpliSafe. You can pay as little as $153.97 up front for a discounted SimpliSafe system, and professional monitoring starts at $19.99 a month. Of course, you get what you pay for: That lower price doesn’t include the same features or devices as a Vivint system.

3. Frontpoint - Best Customer Service

Editors Rating:

8.9 /10

844-933-2405

View Packages

How We Review

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

I’ve been testing Frontpoint security systems since the 2010s. At this point, the company feels like an old friend — partly because I can pick up the phone and chat with them anytime I want.

Seriously. Call Frontpoint, and they’ll answer — unlike some other brands. When I compared Frontpoint to Vivint, I found Frontpoint’s customer service was much better for a fraction of the price.

That stand-out customer service earned it a place on this list. Trying to deal with a security-system hiccup from several states away? Real human beings will help. That’s a huge selling point for vacation-home owners.

Frontpoint Equipment

Frontpoint offers everything you would expect from a home security company: cameras, contact sensors, and keypads. It also sells some of the extras you need to look after a second home. That includes:

• Smoke and heat sensors
• Garage tilt sensors
• Flood sensors
• Smart locks
• Wireless light controls

Frontpoint Smart Home

Frontpoint may not be compatible with Apple HomeKit — remember, few systems are! — but it works great with Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa. It also supports smart locks and smart lighting. If you’re not a smart home nerd, you may be wondering what that actually means.

When I tested Frontpoint, it meant I could automate a heck of a lot. Here’s what happened as soon as I armed the system:

• The front door locked (shout out to Yale Smart Lock!).
• The dining room light turned on (to make it look like someone was home).
• The upstairs lights turned off (to save electricity).

Not half bad, right?

Frontpoint Professional Monitoring

Compared to SimpliSafe, Frontpoint monitoring is pretty pricey. SimpliSafe’s nicest monitoring package costs $29.99 per month, but Frontpoint’s Interactive Monitoring plan is $44.99 per month — and it doesn’t include home automation. For that, you’ll have to pay an extra $5 per month for the Ultimate Monitoring plan.

If you shell out that $50, you can expect faster-than-average response times. Think 25 seconds instead of 30. Since you’re not always there to protect your vacation home, every second counts.

Frontpoint Mobile App

The Frontpoint mobile app earned a decent 3.8 rating on the Google Play store and a 4.3 on the Apple App Store. But more importantly, what did I think? When I tested Frontpoint, I found it easy to arm the system, control smart devices, and livestream security camera footage in the app.

That means you can always use the Frontpoint app to check on your vacation rental. Worried you forgot to turn down the heat between guests? Pull up the Frontpoint app and adjust the temperature.

Frontpoint Price

I have a bone to pick with Frontpoint. Its equipment is affordable, but it pretends it isn’t. Here’s what I mean: On the Frontpoint website, the first thing you see is a Starter Home Security System for $541.91 miraculously discounted to $79. Except the discount is almost always active. Why not just set a lower price, Frontpoint?

The point is, that Frontpoint package is more affordable than you may think at a glance. Read the fine print and check for discounts.

4. Ring Alarm - Best for Amazon Subscribers

Editors Rating:

7.7 /10

View on Amazon

How We Review

Product Specs

Equipment Costs	Starting at $199
Monitoring Options	Professional and DIY
Monthly Monitoring Costs	Starting at $20
Contract Lengths	1-12 months
Installation Options	DIY or professional
Smart Platform Integration	Alexa and Google Home

Ring Alarm Overview

You’ve probably heard of Ring, but you may have dismissed it for your vacation home security. Too cheap. Too limited. You need more than just a doorbell.

Well, you may want to check out the Ring website. Things have changed in the past few years, and Ring now offers a lot more than doorbells.

>> Read About: Ring 2 vs. Ring Pro Doorbell

You can get everything you need for a seamlessly integrated smart home from Ring: smart lights, flood sensors, range extenders, and more. You can also use a smart speaker to manage all of it — as long as that smart speaker is an Amazon Echo. One reason Ring Alarm didn’t make it to the top of our list? It doesn’t play nice with other brands. Google and Apple loyalists, look elsewhere.

Ring Alarm Equipment

Ring sells tons of camera options. There’s the Ring Indoor Cam, Ring Stick Up Cam, and Ring Doorbell. You can choose from solar, battery, and plug-in power. And don’t forget the floodlights and sirens.

That range extends to its other security devices too. You can buy all that from the Ring website:

• Smart smoke alarm
• Flood and freeze sensor
• Mailbox sensor
• Gate access controller
• Smart bulb
• Smart lighting transformer and bridge

The only problem? They don’t always work. When I reviewed Ring Alarm, I dinged them a point for inconsistent connectivity. It took two or three tries to get the Hub to install correctly.

Ring Alarm Smart Home

The list of smart devices you can connect to your Ring Alarm system is about a mile long. It’s perfect for the smart home geek (the smart home geek who loves Amazon, anyway).

As you may expect from a brand owned by Amazon, Ring works best with Alexa. Google Assistant can review notifications and start recording, but that’s about it. (Don’t bother asking about Apple HomeKit. You already know the answer.)

Works With Ring

• Amazon Smart Thermostat
• Honeywell Smart Thermostat
• Yale Smart Lock
• Schlage Smart Lock
• Level Smart Lock
• First Alert Smart Carbon Monoxide Monitor
• Dome Siren
• GE Smart Switch
• Leviton Smart Switch
• Leviton Smart Outlet
• Ecolink Garage Tilt Sensor
• Chamberlain Garage Door Opener
• Flo by Moen Smart Water Shutoff
• Amazon Echo Dot
• Amazon Echo Show

Ring Alarm Professional Monitoring

Ring Protect Pro is one of the best bangs for your buck in the business. For $20 per month, you get detailed notifications, cellular backup, and, of course, 24/7 professional monitoring.

For context, compare Ring Alarm to ADT. Ring is 40 percent cheaper, and it doesn’t require a contract.

More interested in security than saving money? Spring for the $99-a-month Virtual Security Guard plan.5 Similar to SimpliSafe’s live guard feature, the Virtual Security Guard plan allows a remote professional monitor to view your security camera footage and scare off prowlers.

Ring Alarm Mobile App

The Ring Alarm app is not only a nice feature, but it’s also the heart of the system. When I tested it, I realized it was the easiest way to control every device in the house. I could even change motion-detector sensitivity in the app!

Users seem impressed. It has a 4.6 rating on Google Play and the Apple App Store.

But there’s one big problem: in-app advertising. The Always Home app occasionally notifies users of promotions on Ring products. If you have a vacation home, every piece of information from your security app is important. You do not want your feed clogged with ads.

Ring Alarm Price

Ring Alarm systems start at about $200, but that number can climb quickly once you start adding compatible smart devices to your cart. A Hue lightbulb here, an Echo Dot there, and soon you could be looking at closer to $1,000.

Ring Alarm Packages

• Five-piece security kit: $199.99
• Eight-piece security kit: $249.99
• 10-piece security kit: $259.99
• 14-piece security kit: $349.99

5. abode - Best for Apple HomeKit Users

Editors Rating:

8.0 /10

View Packages

How We Review

Product Specs

Equipment Costs	Packages starting at $140
Monitoring Options	Professional and DIY
Monthly Monitoring Costs	$24.99 per month
Contract Lengths	Month-to-month or yearly
Installation Options	DIY or professional
Smart Platform Integration	Alexa, Google Home, and Apple HomeKit

Abode Overview

Apple HomeKit users, I haven’t forgotten about you! There’s one top-rated easy-install security system that fully integrates with Apple’s smart home system: Abode.

It has more than that going for it. I love its all-in-one sensor that detects light, temperature, and humidity. That’s exactly the kind of functionality you want from a vacation-home security system.

Abode Equipment

At first glance, it looks like Abode’s equipment range is pretty limited. You have the basics — siren, contact sensor, smoke alarm — but what about those environmental sensors we’ve been talking so much about?

The Abode multi-sensor detects motion, light, temperature, and humidity. Does your beach hut have a damp, leaky bathroom? The sensor can alert you before the mold starts growing. Did a bat move into the attic of your country home? The sensor will see the flapping and alert you. That one device helps the minimalist Abode package punch above its weight.

Abode Smart Home

Abode is a smart home enthusiast’s dream security system. It’s compatible with Amazon, Google, and Apple (finally!). It plays well with most brands of smart lightbulb, lock, and thermostat, and you can control all of it in Abode’s platform, CUE. In Abode’s words, CUE “makes home automation easy and approachable” with simple if/then rules for your smart devices.6

Abode Professional Monitoring

For $20 per month, Abode offers 24/7, U.S.–based professional monitoring. That’s the same price as Ring Alarm, and it’s one of the best deals in the business.

Abode Mobile App

Apple users gave the Abode app a solid 4.2, but Android users were a little harder to please. They gave the app a 3.3.

One reason for the low Android rating? Complexity. In our Abode review, we found the app’s abundance of automations (say that three times fast) a little overwhelming, but the engineers among you may appreciate the ability to tinker.

Abode Price

A bare-bones Abode package costs $139.99. You can add on the multi-sensor for $59.99, a water-leak sensor for $49.99, and anything else you need at checkout.