Best Home Security Systems Without a Subscription
We surveyed over 11,000 security system owners to find the best options you can monitor yourself with no monthly fee
Home security systems can feel out of reach financially. Many of them require you to pay monthly for professional monitoring, where dispatchers keep an eye on your system and alert the authorities in the event of a break-in. The subscriptions can be pricey (up to $50 per month), though they also offer compelling perks like voice control and cloud video storage for security cameras.
Some of them, such as Ring and Wyze systems, even require a monthly fee to monitor the system yourself. Without the subscription, you won’t be able to arm and disarm the system from your smartphone or receive alerts when the alarm goes off.
But Consumer Reports’ survey of over 11,000 CR members who own security systems reveals a few solid security system brands that let you monitor your home from your smartphone for free—no subscription needed. (For more info on how we created the ratings, see our methodology.)
Best Home Security Systems Without a Subscription
All of the brands below let you monitor their systems yourself, but they also offer optional professional monitoring services. What’s nice about these optional services is that you can sign up for them when you need them, say when you go on a long vacation, and cancel them when you return. We also note whether each brand offers a cellular backup service (helpful if you live in an area prone to power outages) or requires a subscription to store security camera footage.
