The best home security system is the one that matches who does the work. Self-install DIY kits let you build the system yourself, installer-led packages send someone to fit it, and monitoring-led services watch the alarm for you, with professional monitoring sold as a separate line on several pages. Decide that first, then compare sensors and smart home links.
Home security sites all promise peace of mind, and it's surprisingly hard to work out what you'd be signing up for.
This list covers ten home security providers, using only what each provider's own website says, read on 2 Nov 2026 (as of Nov 2026). It's alphabetical and in no particular order. It's about whole alarm systems and monitoring, not cameras on their own, and contract terms and response promises stay on the providers' pages.
Home alarm systems compared
| Tool | Type | Good for |
|---|---|---|
| Abode | DIY wireless home security system | Works with Apple HomeKit and Google Home |
| Ajax Systems | Alarms and smart systems, homes to businesses | Wired or wireless systems, Yale smart lock integration |
| Cove | Self-installed DIY home security systems | DIY or professional install, with monitoring |
| Frontpoint | Custom home security systems with DIY setup | A system designed with a security expert |
| Link Interactive | Home security and Z-Wave home automation | DIY home security plus Z-Wave automation |
| Scout Alarm | DIY Wi-Fi home security systems | Pick only the components you need |
| SimpliSafe | Wireless home security packages | Ready-made packages or Build My System |
| Verisure | UK: monitored home and business alarms | Monitoring with human intervention and guard response |
| Vivint | Installer-led smart home security | Professional installation and monitoring |
| Wyze | Home monitoring plan with a sense hub | Professional monitoring, or just the plan |
Ten home security system providers
Abode
Best for: Building a self-install system that starts with a kit, then adding sensors, locks and leak detection, with professional monitoring available.
Ajax Systems
Best for: Planning an alarm system from intrusion protection to fire and life safety, with a kit assembler and integration with Yale smart locks.
Cove
Best for: Choosing between DIY and professional installation, with an alarm panel and hub that connects by ethernet and comes with 4G cellular backup.
Frontpoint
Best for: Talking to a security expert about a custom system, then setting it up yourself, with professional monitoring and Alarm.com technology named on its page.
Link Interactive
Best for: Pairing DIY wireless home security with Z-Wave home automation, with business security on the same menu.
Scout Alarm
Best for: Buying only the parts you need, from a hub, door panel and access sensor to a keypad, with Pro Monitoring as a plan.
SimpliSafe
Best for: Taking a ready-made package or using Build My System to choose the cameras, sensors and sirens you want, with refurbished packages listed too.
Verisure
Best for: Having an alarm installed and monitored in the UK, with alarm services that include human intervention, SOS alarm response and guard response.
Vivint
Best for: Getting a system customised for your home, with professional installation, monitoring, sensors, safety alarms and smart home controls on its menu.
Wyze
Best for: Adding professional monitoring to a sense hub alarm setup, or taking just the plan if you already have the hardware.
Who does the work: you, an installer or a monitoring team
Here's the question that sorts this market faster than any feature list: who does the work? Some providers sell self-install kits you build yourself. Cove sells 'Self-Installed DIY Home Security Systems', Frontpoint lists 'DIY Setup', Scout Alarm sells 'DIY Wifi Home Security Systems', SimpliSafe has a 'Build My System' tool, and Abode says it 'Works with HomeKit'.
Others lead with someone else doing the job. Vivint lists professional installation and monitoring as services, and Verisure's UK alarm services include 'Human Intervention' and 'Guard Response'. Professional monitoring is a separate line on several pages, so on those pages you can pick the kit and the monitoring apart.
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- Self-install DIY kits: you choose the parts and set them up yourself.
- Installer-led packages: a system customised for your home and fitted for you.
- Monitoring-led services: an installed alarm watched by a monitoring team, with response services on top.
Smart home links and the parts you add later
The second thing to check is what the system talks to. Link Interactive pairs home security with 'Z-Wave Home Automation', Ajax Systems sells 'Alarms & Smart Systems' with integration for Yale smart locks, and other pages here list integrations with Apple HomeKit, Google Home, Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant.
Then think about the parts you'll want later: door and window sensors, motion sensors, glass break sensors, water leak detectors, smoke detectors and keypads all appear on these menus. Wyze also offers its monitoring as a plan on its own if you already have the hardware.
Questions before you choose a home security system
- Do I want to set it up myself, or have it installed?
- Do I want professional monitoring, and is it sold separately?
- Which sensors do I need now, and which might I add later?
- Does it work with the smart home apps or locks I already use?
- Is the provider available in my country?
- Would a refurbished package do the job?
Do you make home security systems? Tool makers can ask to be considered for a featured place on this list.
My advice on choosing a home security system
Decide who does the work before you compare a single sensor. If you're handy and want control, a self-install kit lets you start small and add parts as you go. If you'd rather not touch a screwdriver, look at the installer-led packages. If you want someone watching the alarm, check what the monitoring includes and whether it's a separate plan. And read any response or protection promise as the provider's own claim.
If you want cameras as well, see my guide to the best home security camera. And if you're upgrading the house more widely, here are home improvements that add value.
Want your tool on this list? Featured spots and reviews here are paid partnerships. Here's how to partner with me.
Frequently asked questions
Can I install a home security system myself?
Yes. Several providers here sell self-install DIY kits you build yourself, and one offers both DIY and professional installation. Check what the provider's own page says about setup for your home.
Is professional monitoring separate from the equipment?
On several pages here, yes. One provider lets you take just the monitoring plan, another lists Pro Monitoring as a plan, and others list professional monitoring as its own service.
Which of these systems work with smart home apps?
Pages here mention Apple HomeKit and Google Home, Z-Wave home automation, Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant integrations, and integration with Yale smart locks.
Which of these providers are in the UK?
One provider's page here is its UK site, offering monitored home and business alarms. Check each provider's own site for the countries it serves.
Can I buy refurbished security equipment?
Two providers here list refurbished packages or refurbished products on their menus. Check the provider's own page for what's included.
Is this a list of security cameras?
No. It covers whole alarm systems and monitoring. Several providers here sell cameras as part of a system, and my camera guide is linked in the advice above.
