Brinks Home Security Systems

We’ve all seen their armored security trucks carrying cash and valuables on the streets. Now we see their security system yard signs all across American neighborhoods as well. Brinks is a security-centric brand, so it makes sense to consider their services, especially now that they have an affordable home security system.

Let’s dig deeper into how Brinks Home holds up as a home security brand. We tested Brinks in our own house — yard sign planted out front and all, as you can see below. After hands-on time with the system, we’re ready to share our honest take, especially on overall value and cost. Without spoiling too much: Brinks Home is one of the more affordable professionally installed systems we’ve put through its paces, making it worth a serious look if you want expert installation without the premium price tag.

The Best of Brinks Home

Before we dive into the numbers regarding Brink’s pricing, let’s talk about what our favorite things were while testing the security system. Check out our Brinks Home review for our full, expert take, but here are the highlights:

• Integrations with Alexa and Google Assistant: The Brinks security system fully integrated with our smart speakers and displays, including our Echo Show 8.
• 24/7 professional monitoring and cellular backup: All Brinks systems come with 24/7 protection even in a power outage, thanks to the system’s cellular backup and the alarm panel’s 24-hour battery backup.
• User-friendly app: The Brinks Home app, although not feature-rich, works well on iPhones and Androids alike.
• Residential and business security: Brinks fortifies homes and businesses alike. But if you run a company, see our roundup of the best business security systems.

>> Learn More: What To Look For In A Good Home Security System?

Pricing for Brinks Home

Now that we got that out of the way, let’s talk about how much a Brinks security system will cost you. It may not be the top security system, but if it’s affordable enough, maybe it can be your budget pick. Let’s start with the equipment.

Brinks Home Equipment Pricing

The first thing you should know is that shopping for a Brinks security system isn’t as easy as buying from SimpliSafe. The latter offers online packages that you can buy even from Amazon and set up yourself. On the other hand, Brinks offers custom systems that require professional installation. You can’t even find prices online. You’d need to get a quote and speak with a salesman eager to make a sale.

We went through that process to get you a realistic ballpark on what Brinks actually costs. Their quotes came in ranging from $360 to $899, which fits industry standards for a professionally installed system. For comparison, Vivint — which uses a similar sales process — quoted us anywhere from $599 to over $1,000.

In any case, here’s what you can expect from each Brinks equipment package:

>> Further Reading: How Much Do Security Systems Typically Cost?

Add-On Devices from Brinks Home

We went with the top-tier Smart Security Ultimate package, but even that wasn’t enough to satisfy us. We wanted to fully test out what a Brinks system is capable of, so we purchased additional components. All in all, we spent about $1,000 for the whole system, adding an indoor camera and glass break sensor to our base package.

You might need to do the same to fully cover your home, so here’s Brinks’ price list:

Brinks Home Professional Installation

After building out our package, professional installation came next. Brinks requires professional installation for all systems. It’s free if your system costs more than $500 and you sign up for the $49.99-per-month monitoring plan under a three-year contract. That’s not something you see often in this industry, which is why Brinks made our list of top security systems with professional installation.

If your system costs more than $500 and you sign up for the $49.99-per-month monitoring plan for three years, professional installation is free. Some of the best security systems with professional installation don’t offer this type of deal. We’ve only seen Vivint promote this option during sales.

>> Learn More: Vivint Hands-On Review

If your Brinks system comes in under $500, installation fees start at $99. Add security cameras and smart locks into the mix, and you could be looking at $199 or more for installation alone. That said, systems with that kind of equipment typically cross the $500 threshold anyway — which qualifies you for free installation.

Brinks Home Professional Monitoring

After installation, the technician also activated our security system. This linked the control panel to Brinks’ monitoring center for professional monitoring. That part, too, is required. Unlike security systems like SimpliSafe and abode, you can’t self-monitor Brinks.

Brinks’ professional monitoring plans range from $39.99 to $54.99 per month. That’s on the higher end compared to DIY-friendly options, but consistent with what you’d expect from premium providers like ADT and Vivint. Where your monthly fee falls in that range depends on your system’s equipment. Sensor-only systems cost $39.99 per month, adding smart home devices brings it up to $44.99 per month, and camera support costs the most at $54.99 per month.

Because we had security cameras installed, we paid the maximum $54.99 monthly fee. That’s more than we paid when we tested Frontpoint. However, Brinks can cost less if your system doesn’t have cameras. Frontpoint still charges $44.99 per month for basic monitoring, whereas Brinks can cost as little as $39.99 per month.

Since we tested the top-tier Brinks monitoring plan, let’s take a second to discuss the primary features we enjoyed.

• 24/7 professional monitoring: Brinks sent app notifications and emails when an alarm was triggered. If we didn’t respond, the Brinks monitoring center checks in. During our break-in simulations, we asked what would happen if we didn’t answer the call. The agent advised that they call the police.
• Cellular backup: The technician connected our control panel to our Wi-Fi network, but it worked even when our network went offline thanks to cellular backup. The SIM card-like chip inside the control panel kept it connected to the monitoring center when we pulled the fiber-optic cable from the modem.
• Smartphone control:We also had access to the Brinks app, which functioned like a mobile control panel. In addition to alerts, it gave us access to controls and management features from quickly arming and disarming the system to viewing security camera footage.

• Home automation: We have an existing smart thermostat and smart lock that both work with Brinks, and the technician happily paired them as well. After that, we were able to control those same devices – or at least their basic functions – using our Brinks app.
• LiveVoice Assist: In the event of an emergency, users can speak to the monitoring team through the control panel itself. It has two-way audio. Although we didn’t try it ourselves, we imagine it would be a good feature to use in the event someone stalks you on the way home or if someone in your household needs help but doesn’t have a phone to call 911 with.
• Cloud Video Storage: Lastly, with cloud storage, all cameras in our system recorded motion-triggered events and stored them in the cloud. They all shared the same storage, which is capable of safekeeping up to 1,000 clips.

We know, some of those features like home automation aren’t top-priority for many, but they made our Brinks experience so much better. And again, Brinks offers cheaper options starting at $39.99 that include the most important feature of all – professional monitoring. We believe it’s essential, and that belief of ours is backed by research and studies. For example:

• The FBI’s latest available data shows burglars steal over $61,000 worth of goods during daytime residential burglaries.1 Professional monitoring helps stop and deter these crimes and more, making the $39.99 to $54.99 monthly fee well worth it.
• When it comes to the effectiveness of security systems in deterring criminals, one study shows that the majority of burglars (83-percent) would first determine if an alarm system is present before breaking in. 60-percent of them said they would seek an alternative target if they see signs of increased security. 2
• The same study shows that for many burglars (up to 41-percent), breaking-in is a “spur of a moment” thing. They attack when there’s an opportunity, like when a home is empty. Having people watching your home while you’re away is a great way to avoid such crimes.

Bottom line? We don’t mind paying the monthly fee if it means having professional monitoring. If your budget allows, neither should you.

>> Alternatives: The Best Security Systems With Affordable Prices

Brinks Smart Home Integrations

Our Brinks sales representative went on and on about how great Brinks is as a smart home security system. And if you’re not up for the top-tier Brinks monitoring package with security cameras, you’re probably deciding between the entry-level Essential plan or the mid-level Complete plan with home automation. Let’s help you pick by talking about what Brinks really does as a smart home security system.

First of all, Brinks works with Alexa and Google Assistant. That gives you voice control. We were able to use the integration to arm Brinks with voice commands using either our Amazon Echo or Google Nest Hub. Those integrations also made it possible to view security camera footage on our smart screens, like the Nest Hub and Echo Show 8. We mostly used it to check who’s at the door or to check our backyard when we hear unusual noises (usually just a racoon).

Additionally, we were able to pair third-party smart devices like smart thermostats and smart locks to our Brinks system and control them using our app and touch screen control panel. We mentioned earlier the smart thermostat and smart lock, but here are other devices you can pair:

• Appliance module: Lets you remotely control plugged-in appliances like TVs, lamps, and coffee makers
• Smart bulbs: Remotely controlled bulbs that plug into traditional bulb sockets
• Smart switches/dimmer: Similarly, light switches and dimmers you can control via the app to turn on/off and adjust lights
• Garage door controllers: Lets you open/close your garage door using the app or a clicker

Brinks sells those types of devices, but if you have existing smart devices powered by Z-Wave, ask your Brinks technician if they are compatible. They might even integrate those devices for you like they did ours.

Are the smart home features worth it? We’d say yes. It’s only a $5 per month difference between the plan without home automation and the one with it. If you’re a part of the nearly 70 percent of homes with smart home devices,3 Brinks’ automation features can help you get more out of them.

How Brinks Home Compares

We think it’s safe to say that Brinks is affordable. It costs more than a $110 Cove package with a $22.99 per month monitoring fee, but we’d argue that Brinks offers things that Cove does not. If you read our Cove review, you’ll see that it lacks most home automation capabilities. There are also fewer equipment options with Cove.

That said, pricier security systems like Vivint and ADT deliver noticeably more advanced features. Vivint’s most expensive packages can run upwards of $2,500 and ADT’s costs over $1,500. However, those systems justify the price with features like video verification, which confirms emergencies before police are called. Plus, we ended up spending over $1,000 on our Brinks system.

Here’s how their pricing compares side-by-side.

Our recommendation? List out the things you need the most from your security system and see which options offer them at the best price points. Cove is affordable but a little too simple for some. Brinks is somewhere in the middle, but it still lacks more advanced features. ADT and Vivint are pricier options, but you get what you pay for.

>> Compare: Vivint vs. ADT

Is Brinks Home Worth It?

Ultimately, Brinks shows a ton of value. It’s not perfect – far from it – but it’s a solid security system if all you need is that. The equipment is high-quality but still affordable and the service plans include standard features we’d want to see like professional monitoring, video security, and some basic home automation. Now it all comes down to whether or not Brinks will work for you. To us, these are the biggest considerations:

Pros:

• Professional installation: If you want your security system installed by an expert, Brinks is an excellent choice. The free installation offer for qualifying orders doesn’t hurt as well.
• Professional monitoring with cellular backup: Brinks requires professional monitoring, and the included cellular backup makes it reliable and almost on par with the best cellular security systems.
• Touch screen control panel: Many companies, including Frontpoint and ADT, have moved away from including a touch screen panel as a standard component. Brinks remains one of the few options that still does.

Cons:

• Three-year contract: Not only are you required to sign up for a monitoring plan, but you’re also legally locked into the service for the next three years.
• Lack of advanced features: Video verification, live video monitoring, and other features that can actively deter crime are becoming standard, but Brinks is yet to catch up.
• Simple app: Brinks’ app is easy to use, but it’s not the most customizable nor functional security system app out there.

If the pros outweigh the cons for you, Brinks is a strong pick — and there’s a reason it lands on our top-10 list of the best security systems. But if you’re on the fence, check out our ADT review. ADT offers many of the same core features as Brinks, plus a few extras, at a comparable monthly monitoring price. You may spend a bit more upfront on equipment, but ADT’s partnership with Google Nest keeps it at the top when it comes to hardware quality.