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If you’re looking to invest in one of the best home security systems for your property, there are several factors to consider, such as professional monitoring subscriptions, installation and which components you need for your home. Price is another important factor, and the cost of home security systems can vary depending on how comprehensive you need the package to be. Luckily, there are lots of options for affordable systems that don’t disappoint on quality.
We’ve chosen the Hey! Smart Surveillance Kit as the best overall system for this list, and it also happens to be the cheapest overall out of the systems we’ve featured. However, this package only includes two components, and while this should be more than enough for most small homes or those on a budget, you might want to consider a more comprehensive package.
Hey! only offers self-monitoring as an option, with no option to add a professional-monitoring subscription for a monthly fee. But if you know you want to pay for a monitoring plan, the Abode Security Kit offers two subscription packages, and still ends up being a very affordable option.
Key specifications
The Hey! Smart Security Kit ticks several boxes, which is why we think it’s the best overall – firstly, the price is very reasonable, and the fact that there are no monthly fees means costs remain low. Plus, installation is a breeze, and there are detailed videos on the website and app that will guide you through the steps if you’re stuck.
The external camera allows you to view HD footage from the app on your phone, and automatically switches to night vision mode when it gets dark. It can detect motion up to 9 metres away and features two-way audio. Footage can easily be stored on the Cloud, and can also be viewed with Google Chromecast and Amazon Echo Show. The camera will last up to four months on a single charge before needing to be recharged.
When it comes to the video doorbell, several of the features are the same, such as the waterproof rating and the ability to view footage on the app, with the addition of a free plug-in chime and 10m of night vision in the pitch black. It’s worth noting that unlike other home security systems there’s no ‘hub’ or base station required – the Hey! app is all that’s needed, allowing you to monitor activity, speak to visitors through both devices and watch live footage.
Another factor that brings the price down for this option is that Hey!’s systems are entirely self-monitored, with no monthly fees to pay for a monitoring service. For some, this will be a negative, especially if features such as automatic police response are important to you. But for others, it means you don’t have to worry about committing to a long-term payment plan. Instead, this self-monitoring kit is easy to install, comes with plenty of great features, and the low price speaks for itself.
Read our full Hey! home security review.
Key specifications
Despite being a very affordable system, the Eufy 5-Piece Home Alarm Kit is suitable for homes of most sizes, with long-distance connectivity meaning that each component can be placed at a good distance from each other around the house. Having said this, if you do have a larger home, you might want to invest in another motion sensor – this kit only comes with one. But it does have two entry sensors, so you can mount these to your front and back door, and each part of the kit will connect to your HomeBase.
The HomeBase can easily be connected to any more Eufy sensors or cameras you decide to purchase, which will make future installation even easier. In the event of a break-in, a siren will sound on the HomeBase and you’ll also get a notification on the Eufy app, though as there are no professional monitoring subscriptions, notifying the police will be up to you should an incident occur.
Another pro is that the app can be used to arm and disarm the keypad, as well as turning sensors on and off, and adjusting the sensitivity levels so that, for example, your pets won’t constantly trigger the sensors. These sensors also have a battery life of up to two years, which will give you peace of mind.
Read our full Eufy home security review.
Key specifications
Simplisafe offers a number of packages, from those designed specifically for small homes and flats to more comprehensive bundles for larger homes. You can choose to monitor the system yourself, but to make the most of the features on offer, there’s two professional monitoring subscriptions: Pro and Pro Premium. These additional features include cellular backup for the system if your wifi goes down, which is available with both plans, and police and fire dispatch with the Pro Premium subscription.
However, even without professional monitoring, which might not be at the top of your priority list if you’re on a budget or are only going to be in the property temporarily, there’s still lots to enjoy here: a backup battery, motion alerts for the indoor camera, and a hidden panic button on the keypad. The keypad also has a button for ‘home’ and ‘away’ modes, and it will also send an alert to the monitoring system if an intruder tries to destroy the device. Plus, if you’re a renter who’s worried about causing potential damage to the property or are looking for a very simple DIY process, the peel-and-stick installation of the Simplisafe components here is ideal.
The base station, which is wireless and can sit anywhere you’d like in your home, has the capacity to connect to up to 100 motion sensors, so if you decide you want to upgrade your security system in the future, you won’t need to get a brand new package. With the Pro Premium monitoring plan, you also get a discount on future add-on devices like sensors, though we do think that The Foundation is already quite a comprehensive bundle., especially at such a reasonable price.
Read our full Simplisafe home security review.
Key specifications
For smaller homes and flats, users might not require a camera to monitor their property, but may still want to protect it with alarms and motion sensors. This basic package by Ring features a built-in siren, 24-hour backup battery and the benefits of the Ring app, which include arming and disarming of the alarm, as well as real-time notifications triggered by the sensors.
If you do want to add a monitoring plan, Ring Protect Plus is your best bet, as it’ll unlock features like cellular backup, and a call to your emergency contacts if your alarm is triggered and you’re uncontactable. Protect Plus also gives you an extended warranty for extra peace of mind, as well as discounts on future products; though Protect Plus is more expensive than the Protect plan, jumping from £3.49 per month to £8 per month, we found this to match the costs of plans offered by other companies, and the included features make it great value for money. While the Small Alarm Pack is ideal for smaller properties, the included alarm range extender (which plugs into a socket) will also ensure that your whole property is protected. The contact sensor can easily be mounted to a door or window to detect potential intruders.
One downside to the Ring kit is that it doesn’t have the best-looking design, but the positives definitely outweigh this negative – there’s an impressive amount of components included for the price.
Read our full Ring home security review.
If you know you want to include a monitoring plan and are prepared to pay a monthly fee for this, the Abode Smart Security Kit comes with two options: the Standard Plan, which is self-monitoring, and the Pro Plan, which offers professional monitoring. Neither have a contract involved, so you can switch between the two as you require, and the Standard Plan offers lots of the same features as its more expensive counterpart; including unlimited users on the system, integration with Apple HomeKit and the ability to view a ‘timeline’ in the app of activity.
This inexpensive kit comes with just one mini sensor, but it has a battery life of up to four years and can be mounted to whichever window, door or wall you like. The sensor pairs to the hub of the system, which is where the siren lives to deter possible intruders. There’s also the key fob, allowing you to arm and disarm the entire security system from up to 100 feet away from the hub – so if you need to disarm the alarm from the car, for example, this should be a breeze. On the key fob you’ll also find a panic button, discreetly notifying the Abode monitoring centre if you press it.
Another bonus of this kit is that it integrates with the most smart home systems we’ve seen: the site states that Abode is the only security system in the UK to integrate with Apple HomeKit, but it also connects to Nest, Phillips Hue lightbulbs, Amazon Alexa, IFTTT and more. While it’s a fairly simple bundle, with only three components involved, we think the various features you can get with the monitoring plans, as well as the ease of installation, single this pick out from the rest.
Read our full Abode home security review.
The cheapest home security system we’ve featured on this list is the Hey! Surveillance Kit, with an RRP of £149.99. That’s not to say you can’t get cheaper systems, though – but don’t expect the packages to be as comprehensive as more expensive ones. Generally, the more you pay, the more features and components you’ll get, but there are plenty of options that offer great value for money when you bundle several products. When taking an average of the security systems we’ve included here, we found the average cost was £202.38.
It’s also important to remember that some home security companies, such as ADT, don’t disclose any pricing on their sites, and only provide a quote once you’ve given them your information. So if you’re considering several different companies, it’s always worth getting a personalised quote where you can, to ensure you’re comparing the exact prices you’ll end up paying.
Home security systems don’t have to be expensive. As well as ensuring you’re getting the best value-for-money package, here are some other ways to cut costs:
Some companies, like Ring and Eufy, offer standalone indoor and outdoor cameras that allow you to view the footage and get real-time notifications with the accompanying app.
However, if you only purchase a camera, it’s unlikely that you’ll be able to use the full range of features that you will with a full home security system. In a comprehensive home security package, for example, the camera(s) will generally ‘speak’ to the base station, which connects to all components of the system and is able to control them.
The answer to this question depends on how committed you are to home security; if you want the most comprehensive package that it’s possible to have, you will probably want to benefit from the monitoring that’s available from a subscription service.
It’s also worth remembering that some professional monitoring subscriptions can be cancelled, and you will still be able to use all the components on your home security system, just without the professional monitoring aspects. So if you do start paying for a subscription and then realise that you don’t need it or no longer want it, you might still be able to cancel it easily enough.
Our pick for the best cheap home security system overall on this list – the Hey! Surveillance Kit – is also one of the best without a monthly fee. There are no monitoring systems on offer, which won’t be suited to some people, but if you would prefer the option for self-monitoring and don’t mind missing out on features such as police response, you should opt for a system like this.
