Fair Rankings
Each of our reviews, scores, and rankings are derived from an aggregate score of five different home security company review sites; this was done to give our users an overall online sentiment of each home security company we review (overall score).
We do not have any relationships with companies that guarantee position, rank, or score…and we never will. Like many sites, we are compensated through affiliate relationships with each company we review; however, our averaged ranking system ensures we remain honest and unbiased.
Some review sites were given different weights than others, according to trustworthiness of the review sites themselves.
Additionally, company scores are also given small penalties or bonuses based on an expert analysis of company quality.
For example, Vivint Smart Home was given an overall score of 9.7 as a result of the following rankings:
- Review Site 1 — 9.4
- Review Site 2 — 9.2
- Review Site 3 — 9.0
- Review Site 4 — 9.0
- Review Site 5 — 9.5
- Expert Points for Company Quality
Each of the five review sites listed is trusted and attempts to rank each company fairly.
Our aggregate score is meant to measure the overall performance of each company and the customer sentiment regarding the companies.
Expert Reviews
The companies we review on BestHomeSecurityCompanys.com are also given scores based on five criteria points that are chosen by our resident home security expert.
The criteria points are:
- Cost
- Installation
- Contract Policy
- Technology
- Company Experience
Cost
There are three things to pay attention to when considering how much home security will cost you: equipment, monitoring, and cancellation fees.
You should know the exact equipment cost, monthly monitoring fee, and any cancellation fees that apply to each company you are considering.
Home security equipment generally costs around $500 - $1,000.
Monthly monitoring costs are around $35/month.
Cancellation fees are generally a ‘pay balance’ fee, where customers are required to pay out the rest of their contract. This is why — when looking at cancellation fees — it is important to take contract policies into account (we detail the ins and outs of contract policies below).
Installation
While the actual price of installation depends on whether the home security company you choose includes equipment or not, it generally ranges from around $300 to $1,200 to have your security system professionally installed.
However, when choosing a home security system or company, cost isn’t the only part of installation you’ll want to research — you should also consider wired vs wireless home security, smart alarm options, and the complexity of your unique home security system.
If you have a large, more complex layout in your home, we recommend that you hire a professional to install your home security system for you.
Simpler layouts, like those found in apartment complexes and small homes are good candidates for DIY home security installations.
Contract Policy
As we mentioned above, your contract can save or cost you thousands of dollars during cancellation; this is because most home security companies require customers to pay out the remaining balance of the contract in its entirety.
That means that if you still have 24 months on your contract and are paying $30 per month, you’d have to pay $600 to cancel your contract.
Fortunately, there are some companies that either do not require a contract to be signed (DIY home security) or offer month-to-month contracts.
BestHomeSecurityCompanys.com has made it a point to find out the exact details of the contract required by each home security company. We then rate each company depending on how good or bad the contract is.
Technology
We rate companies based on the superiority of the smart home devices and home protection technology they offer.
When it comes to home security devices, durability and accuracy are the most important qualities to consider. We’ll make sure each potential customer knows how effective the devices for each company are.
Company Experience
A straightforward criteria point, company experience is important for knowing how well a company can handle emergency situations and gives customers a good idea of what other customers think of the company in the form of customer reviews.
Newer home security companies can be difficult to gauge because of their lack of customer reviews.
This lack of experience is not a reason in and of itself to rate a company negatively, but it is important to consider.
