Best Professionally Installed Home Security Systems of 2021

A critical distinction between home security systems is whether the equipment is installed by a professional technician or by you, the consumer, as a do-it-yourself project. While it’s highly possible these days to install wireless sensors and security cameras without professional help, many customers are willing to pay more for professional installation. Customers want to ensure that all the equipment is installed correctly, the system is customized to ensure an early-warning security perimeter is in place, the home’s alarm is monitored, and that the system continues to be maintained.

The information below will help you decide whether a professionally installed home security system is right for you. We also list our best and cheapest professionally installed home security systems, explain how much they cost, and tell you what to expect during the installation process.

What are the Best Professionally Installed Home Security Alarm Systems?

Choosing a top-rated professional installed home security system isn't easy, but we're here to help with our Best Professionally Installed Home Security Systems of 2021. They are:

#1 Vivint Smart Home
#2 Xfinity Home
#3 Brinks Home Security
#3 ADT Security

The Best Professionally Installed Home Security Systems in Detail

The best home security service for you depends on your needs, preferences, and budget. To help you choose, we've listed our top-rated professionally installed home security systems below. Following the links to individual company profiles for more information.

Vivint: Vivint Smart Home offers a full-featured, wireless system that integrates with many third-party home automation devices. You can pay for the equipment upfront or in installments over 60 months. Read More»

Check out our top Vivint coupons here.

Xfinity Home: Xfinity Home is unique in that it can integrate home security equipment with internet, voice/phone, and other Xfinity services, providing a one-stop-shop technology solution. Xfinity Home can also add devices like smart lights, door locks, and a garage door controller. Using Xfinity for your home security and home automation systems can save money through package deals that the company frequently offers. Read More»

Check out our top Xfinity Home promo codes here.

Brinks Home Security (tied for third): This company, which licensed the Brinks name, has more than 1 million customers, features a robust monitoring service, and offers an extensive selection of state-of-the-art security equipment. However, it requires a restrictive, expensive three-year contract. Read More»

ADT (tied for third): ADT Security is the largest security company in the U.S., with more than 7 million customers, 9 interconnected monitoring centers, about 300 local offices, and a vast network of authorized dealers. One benefit of its size is that ADT offers a huge variety of equipment. But local installers have varying track records for customer service, and you won't know exactly how much your system and monitoring fees under the required 24-, 36-, or 60-month contract will cost until a technician comes to your house. Read More»

Check out our top ADT security coupons here.

All of these home security companies are taking steps to protect customers and employees during the COVID-19 pandemic. Click on the company names above for more information. If you're concerned about contractors visiting your home right now, consider these DIY home security systems.

Should I Get a Professionally Installed Home Security Alarm System?

There are both pros and cons of getting a professionally installed home security system. The right choice for you will depend primarily on your budget, available time, and technical skill.

Reasons to Get a Professionally Installed Home Security System

You want a full-perimeter, early-warning home security alarm system that's professionally designed. It’s far better to have a DIY home alarm package with a handful of stick-on contact and motion sensors that you chose yourself than to have no security system at all. But according to experts, home security is not best handled by a one-size-fits-all approach.

A system to protect your entire home – one that gives the earliest possible warning about a potential threat – requires thought and planning. “Early warning equates to life safety,” says Jeffrey Zwirn, president of IDS Research and Development, which has conducted security surveys of thousands of residential, commercial, and industrial properties. It goes beyond telling you about an intrusion or fire after the fact.

A full-perimeter system requires an assessment of your unique security risks to create a customized plan. It’s best to have this evaluation completed by a home security company that has experience installing thousands of home alarms. “There are two things that an alarm contractor needs to do before selling a system,” Zwirn says. “One is called a security survey, which is an exhaustive search of risks and vulnerabilities. The second is called a needs analysis – understanding the motivation for why the person is getting an alarm system.”

Selecting the right set of sensors is about striking a balance between adequate coverage and practicality. Jordan Frankel, founder of Global Security Experts, which conducts home security inspections and invents products to prevent home invasions, says there's no standard formula for determining the number of sensors you need based on room size.

You're not tech-savvy and want to avoid the hassles of home security installation. The new breed of DIY systems, which come in a box with instructions and tutorials, can easily be set up by a tech-savvy consumer. According to Lee Walters, a former FBI security specialist, the systems are “dumbed down” so people can easily figure them out. The companies offer videos and tech support staff to help you resolve any issues. “You would have to be afraid of all types of technology to avoid these systems,” he says.

However, you should be realistic about your skill set. Do you enjoy DIY projects? Are you comfortable with all things high-tech? Are you willing to invest the necessary time to carefully plan which sensors are best suited to your home and where they should go, and then configure the settings and regularly test the system to make sure it’s working? If not, consider working with a professional installer. “People who have no background and experience in DIY are best served by a professional company, which can tell them what they recommend,” Walters says.

You expect a high degree of reliability from the equipment and around-the-clock professional monitoring. The primary product that’s being offered by a home security company isn't the sensors, security cameras, and control panels. It’s the multiyear contract for professional, remote monitoring and a home security services agreement to ensure that the installed equipment continues to operate as intended. “The initial alarm and the installation is a pittance compared to what you're going to pay in monitoring over a three-year contract or even longer,” Walters says.

If your contract includes a warranty for the full length of your monitoring contract – and you should negotiate the contract to make sure that it does – then fixing a faulty sensor or finding the cause of a false alarm becomes a matter of calling your security company to make a service visit to your home. With a professionally installed and monitored alarm, you can also enlist the help of the security company to regularly test the system, which is recommended about once a month.

Security experts advise against self-monitoring. For example, today’s home security systems can send you a text message or an app-based notification whenever an alarm is triggered, or even when it detects that a door was opened or motion detected. “For somebody on a budget, having a self-monitored alarm system is absolutely better than having nothing because it gives you a heads-up if somebody breaks into your home,” Frankel says. “But self-monitoring doesn't dial the police for you.”

Drawbacks of a Professionally Installed Home Security System

While there are a lot of advantages to a professionally installed home security system, there are disadvantages as well. In particular:

How to Choose a Professionally Installed Home Security System

Although selecting a top-rated home security system can be a daunting task, it doesn't have to be. When you compare home security systems, remember that there are always advantages and disadvantages regarding design, cost, and level of service. Answering these questions will help you get started.

For more information, see How to Buy a Home Security System.

Cheapest Professionally Installed Home Security Systems

If you're on a tight budget and shopping for a more affordable system, we're here to help. Below are the four cheapest professionally installed home security systems from our Best Home Security Systems of 2021, based on the 12-month cost of ownership.

#1 ADT – $870
#2 Xfinity Home – $900
#3 Vivint – $1,079
#4 Brinks Home Security – $1,416

For more information, see our Cheapest Home Security Systems.

How Much Does a Professionally Installed Home Security System Cost?

Our Best Professionally Installed Home Security Systems vary in cost and price structure. ADT and Protect America don't require payment upfront, but instead roll the equipment cost into the monthly fee. Among the companies in our ratings, the price of starter packages ranges from $199 for Brinks Home Security to $599 for Vivint. Monthly monitoring fees are $30 and up, depending on the company and level of service. Equipment levels and monitoring features vary, so be sure to read the fine print. See the table below for more information. Installation fees vary, but in general are $100 or more.

Professional Home Security Installation

When it's time to have your home security alarm system installed, it's important that you trust whoever is doing the work. After all, they'll be in your home for at least a few hours and learn everything about its security vulnerabilities, and they'll know exactly how your security system works. For this reason, most companies that provide home security services perform background checks on their installers.

However, don't take anything for granted. When you schedule the installation, ask whether background checks are conducted, what those checks include, whether the installer(s) underwent additional screening before beginning employment, what technical training they received, and how many installers there will be.

Prior to the installation, a technician will stop by to assess your home and suggest the most appropriate type and placement of equipment. You and the technician will review the plan to make sure it's what you want and select an installation date. The time required will depend on the type of security system and level of equipment; a complex system with cameras and smart home devices will take longer to install than a basic one with just a few sensors. However, planon about three to four hours for a wireless security system and double that for a wired system. The technician will explain how everything works once the installation is complete and make sure you're comfortable using the equipment.

Learn More

For more information about home security systems, see the following guides:

The Best Home Security Systems of 2021

Other Home Security Products to Consider

In addition to our rating of the Best Self-Monitored Home Security Systems, consider our ratings of the Best Home Security Cameras.

How U.S. News Evaluated Home Security Systems

We explain what matters most to home and apartment owners, experts and professional reviewers when it comes to Home Security Systems. Then we provide an unbiased evaluation of Home Security Systems. Our goal is to empower consumers with the information and tools they need to make informed decisions. More information about our 360 Reviews methodology for evaluating Home Security Systems is here.