How Much Does a Home Security System Cost in 2027?
How much does a home security system cost? The answer depends less on the equipment than on what you pay every month, and for how many years.
Quick answer: A home security system costs $130 to $2,000 upfront and $0 to $80 a month. Most DIY starter kits cost $200 to $350, and professional monitoring usually runs $20 to $50 a month. Over five years that adds up to about $1,200 to $3,450 with monitoring, versus $200 to $350 in total for a self-monitored, pay-once system.
Key takeaways
- Equipment: $130 for a basic DIY kit, up to $2,000 or more for a large professionally installed system (NerdWallet, 2025).
- Monitoring: self-monitoring is usually free; professional monitoring costs about $20 to $80 a month (NerdWallet, 2025).
- Contracts: ADT’s professionally installed plans need a 36-month contract (24 months in California), and cancelling early can cost up to 75% of the remaining payments (Security.org and SafeWise, 2026).
- The real cost is the monthly fee: in our 10-year calculation, monitoring fees add up to 10 to 17 times the price of the starter kit.
- Pay-once systems like Alarm-Kit’s 4G models include a 10-year SIM, so the price you pay on day one is the total. The trade-off is that you monitor the alerts yourself.
How much does a home security system cost? The 4 parts of the price
The cost of a home security system has four parts: equipment, installation, monitoring and the contract. Equipment and installation are paid once. Monitoring is paid every month, and over several years it is usually the biggest part of the bill.
| Cost item | Typical range (US) | Paid | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Equipment (starter kit) | $130–$730 DIY; up to $2,000+ professionally installed | Once | NerdWallet (Oct 2025), SafeWise (May 2026) |
| Installation | $0 DIY; $99–$200 professional | Once | NerdWallet (Oct 2025), Security.org (Oct 2026) |
| Monitoring | $0 self-monitored; about $20–$80/month professional | Monthly | NerdWallet (Oct 2025) |
| Optional features (video storage, smart alerts) | About $4–$20/month | Monthly | NerdWallet (Oct 2025) |
| Contract | None to 36 months | — | Security.org (Oct 2026) |
So how much is a home security system for a typical home? According to NerdWallet, the average starter kit costs a little over $200, and professional monitoring averages about $25 a month. And how much is a house security system with more sensors, cameras or professional installation? More, as we show further down.
Home security monthly cost: what each plan charges
The monthly cost of home security ranges from $0 for self-monitoring to about $50 for a standard professional plan, and up to $99 for live video guarding. What home security monthly fees pay for is the main difference: a professional monitoring center that can call emergency services for you, cellular backup and video recording.
Two terms explain most of the price gap:
- Self-monitoring: the alarm sends alerts to your phone, and you decide what to do (call a neighbor, call 911). Usually no monthly fee.
- Professional monitoring: a 24/7 monitoring center receives the alarm, tries to reach you and can send police, fire or medical help. Always a monthly fee.
| Brand and plan | Monitoring type | Monthly fee | Contract |
|---|---|---|---|
| ADT Pro Install | Professional | From $49.99 | 36 months (24 in CA) |
| ADT Blu (DIY) | Self / professional | $14.99 / $24.99–$34.99 | None if equipment is paid upfront |
| SimpliSafe | Self (with camera recordings) | $9.99 | None |
| SimpliSafe Standard / Core / Pro / Pro Plus | Professional | $22.99 / $32.99 / $49.99 / $79.99 | None |
| Ring (Pro plan) | Professional | $19.99, or $199.99/year | None |
| Alarm-Kit (Wally, Standy, CUBE) | Self | $0 | None |
Prices as of October 2026, from Security.org on ADT, SafeWise on SimpliSafe and Security.org on Ring. Brands change prices often; check their own sites before you buy.
Alarm system monthly costs also hide a difference in features. According to SafeWise (2026), a SimpliSafe system without a paid plan loses cellular backup and video recording. According to Security.org (2026), Ring Alarm without a plan still sends app alerts, but it won’t contact emergency services for you.
The total cost over 1, 3, 5 and 10 years
Our calculation: to compare home security costs fairly, add the upfront cost to the monthly fees over the years you’ll own the system. Over 10 years, a professionally monitored system costs about $2,200 to $6,450, while a self-monitored, pay-once system costs about $200 to $350.
| System (entry-level setup) | Upfront | 1 year | 3 years | 5 years | 10 years |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ADT Pro Install: Security Starter ($349) + $100 installation + $49.99/mo | $449 | $1,049 | $2,249 | $3,448 | $6,448 |
| SimpliSafe Foundation kit ($250.96) + Standard plan $22.99/mo | $251 | $527 | $1,079 | $1,630 | $3,010 |
| Ring Alarm 5-piece ($199.99) + Pro plan $199.99/yr | $200 | $400 | $800 | $1,200 | $2,200 |
| SimpliSafe Foundation, self-monitored, no plan | $251 | $251 | $251 | $251 | $251 |
| Ring Alarm 5-piece, no plan | $200 | $200 | $200 | $200 | $200 |
| Alarm-Kit Wally Standard Kit ($199.99) + 10-year 4G SIM ($79.99) | $280 | $280 | $280 | $280 | $280 |
| Alarm-Kit Standy (10-year 4G SIM included) | $350 | $350 | $350 | $350 | $350 |
How we calculated it: total = equipment + installation + (monthly fee × months). Prices as of October 2026 from the sources above. Taxes, extra sensors, battery replacements and price increases are not included, so real totals for monitored plans are usually higher.
Keep in mind that these rows don’t buy the same service. The monitored plans pay for people who can send help when you can’t respond. The self-monitored rows rely on you. And the self-monitored rows differ too: without a plan, SimpliSafe drops cellular backup (SafeWise, 2026), whereas Alarm-Kit’s Wally and Standy hubs use their own 4G SIM, so they keep sending alerts if your home WiFi or internet goes down.
Hidden costs that raise the price
Most of the extra costs of a security system come from add-ons and contract terms, not from the starter kit. Check these before you sign or buy:
- Extra sensors. Starter kits cover one door and a few rooms. Each extra door or window sensor costs about $20 to $40, depending on the brand. For example, Alarm-Kit’s wireless door and window sensor costs $19.99.
- Professional installation. $99 to $200 (NerdWallet, 2025; Security.org, 2026). SimpliSafe charges from $124.99 (SafeWise, 2026).
- Features locked behind a plan. Cellular backup, video history and emergency dispatch often need a subscription.
- Equipment financing. According to Security.org (2026), ADT finances systems over $599 for up to 60 months, and financing comes with a monitoring contract.
- Early termination fees. According to SafeWise (2026), cancelling an ADT contract early can cost up to 75% of the remaining monthly payments, for example $1,034.78 with 30 months left on its entry plan.
- Batteries and replacements. Wireless sensors need new batteries every few years, and smoke alarms should be replaced every 10 years (NFPA).
Installer tip: ask any seller “What stops working if I stop paying?” The answer tells you what the monthly fee really buys.
How much does a home alarm system cost by property type?
A home alarm system costs about $200 to $350 for a small apartment and $300 to $750 for a typical house if you install it yourself. With professional installation, the same house can cost $350 to $1,600 or more upfront. The number of entry points (doors, ground-floor windows) decides most of the price.
| Property | What it usually needs | DIY equipment cost | Professionally installed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Studio or apartment | Hub, 1 door sensor, 1 motion sensor, siren | $200–$300 | Rarely needed |
| 3-bedroom house | Hub, 2–3 door sensors, 4–6 window or glass-break sensors, 2 motion sensors, keypad, outdoor siren | $300–$750 | $350–$1,600+ |
| Small business (shop, office) | 4G hub, sensors on every entry, motion sensors, keypad with access tags, loud siren | About $400–$900 (estimate) | $500–$2,000+ |
DIY range based on SimpliSafe kits ($250.96–$733.90, SafeWise 2026) and Ring Alarm kits ($199.99–$329.99, Security.org 2026). Professional range based on ADT packages ($349–$1,593.95, Security.org 2026).
Renters have a cheaper path: a wireless kit with no drilling and no contract can move with you. Businesses usually want a 4G hub, so the alarm works even if the internet is cut, and a keypad with RFID access tags so staff don’t share a code.
Is professional monitoring worth the monthly fee?
Professional monitoring is worth paying for if you often can’t respond to an alert yourself, or if your insurer requires a monitoring certificate. If you usually have your phone with you and someone nearby can check on the house, a self-monitored system protects you without a monthly fee.
Professional monitoring makes sense if:
- You travel often, work where you can’t use your phone, or live alone far from neighbors.
- You want fire and medical alerts sent to emergency services automatically.
- Your home insurer gives a discount only with a monitoring certificate. NerdWallet (2025) cites possible insurance discounts of 5% to 20% with a SimpliSafe certificate.
Self-monitoring makes sense if:
- You or a family member can react to an alert within minutes.
- You rent, move often, or don’t want a contract.
- Your budget is limited and you’d rather spend it on more sensors.
Quick check: if your home insurance premium is $1,500 a year, a 10% discount saves $150 a year. That is less than the $276 a year you’d pay for SimpliSafe’s cheapest professional plan. Run the same numbers with your own premium and your insurer’s discount.
How a pay-once, no-monthly-fee system works
A no-monthly-fee security system is one you buy once and monitor yourself through an app, with no subscription and no contract. Alarm-Kit is built around this one-time payment model.
Here is what you get with Alarm-Kit, and what you don’t:
- Alerts to you: intrusion alerts arrive by app notification and SMS. Alarm-Kit says they arrive in under 3 seconds.
- 4G, no WiFi needed: the Wally and Standy hubs work on WiFi and 4G. Their 10-year alarm SIM card includes 500 MB of data and 250 SMS. When it expires, a reload SIM costs $69.99.
- Room to grow: each system supports up to 96 wireless accessories.
- Warranty: 3 years on the hub, 10 years on the SIM.
- No call center: nobody calls the police for you. If you need that, a monitored plan is the better choice.
Entry points: the Wally Standard Kit at $199.99, or Standy at $349.99 with the 10-year SIM included. To compare the models, see our no monthly fee home security system range.
How to lower the cost of home security
You can lower the cost of home security a lot by avoiding long contracts, paying for equipment upfront and putting sensors only where they matter.
- Protect entry points first. Doors and ground-floor windows come first, then a motion sensor on the main path through the house.
- Pay for equipment upfront. Financing often comes with a multi-year contract.
- Pay yearly if you choose a plan. Ring’s Pro plan costs $199.99 a year instead of $239.88 paid monthly (Security.org, 2026).
- Use free trials. SimpliSafe includes 30 days of professional monitoring for new buyers (SafeWise, 2026). Test whether you need it.
- Make sure cellular backup is included. If the alarm stops working when WiFi goes down, you may end up paying for a plan just to get backup.
- Ask your insurer what discount you’d get, and what proof they need, before you pick a plan.
FAQ
Is there a home security system with no monthly fee?
Yes. Several DIY systems can be self-monitored for free, including SimpliSafe and Ring, but without a plan they lose some features such as video recording or cellular backup. Alarm-Kit’s systems are designed for no monthly fee: the 4G models include a 10-year SIM, so alerts keep working without WiFi and without a subscription.
How much does a security system cost per month?
A security system costs $0 a month if you monitor it yourself, and about $20 to $80 a month for professional monitoring (NerdWallet, 2025). As of October 2026, ADT’s professionally installed plans start at $49.99 a month, SimpliSafe’s professional plans at $22.99, and Ring’s Pro plan costs $19.99.
How much does it cost to install a home security system?
Installing a wireless DIY system yourself costs nothing. Professional installation costs about $99 to $200 (NerdWallet, 2025; Security.org, 2026), and SimpliSafe charges from $124.99. Some monitored providers include installation in the contract price. See can I install my own home security system?
Can I get a home security system without a subscription?
Yes. A home security system without a subscription sends alerts to your phone, and you decide how to respond. The trade-off is that no monitoring center calls emergency services for you. Look for a model with built-in cellular (4G) connectivity so it keeps working during internet outages.
Does a home security system lower insurance costs?
Often, yes. Many insurers give a discount for a security system, and NerdWallet (2025) cites possible discounts of 5% to 20% with SimpliSafe’s monitoring certificate. Some insurers require professional monitoring for the full discount, so ask yours before choosing a plan.
What happens if I cancel a security contract early?
You usually pay an early termination fee. According to SafeWise (2026), ADT charges up to 75% of the remaining monthly payments, which came to $1,034.78 with 30 months left on its entry plan. No-contract systems, such as SimpliSafe, Ring or Alarm-Kit, have no cancellation fee.
Is a one-time payment security system worth it?
A one-time payment security system is worth it if you can respond to alerts yourself and want to avoid $200 to $600 a year in monitoring fees. Over 10 years, our calculation shows pay-once systems at about $200 to $350 in total, versus $2,200 to $6,450 for monitored entry-level plans.
Ready to stop paying every month? Compare our wireless burglar alarm systems or read our guide to the best no-monthly-fee home security systems.
