Best smart alarm systems in 2024

If you’re after the best home security setup, you can’t go wrong with this system. All the components in the box are pre-paired to the main hub, and all of its sensors are quick to trigger.

We love that it comes with internal and external sirens and that the 200m range of the system also makes it effective for garage and shed protection. The wide range means that this is a system ideal if you need to protect a larger property.

This kit doesn't include a camera, however, you can buy Yale cameras that work with the alarm as extras – or pick up the 9-piece kit with an indoor camera instead. Expansion is one of the benefits of the Yale ecosystem: you can add up to 40 accessories to a single hub, meaning you can add more sensors and plugs at your own pace.

Smart home compatibility is strong, with support for both Alexa and Google Assistant – alongside Philips Hue lighting. And even though the initial cost is quite high, we like that the system is usable without a subscription. Via the free smartphone app, you can arm, part-arm and disarm the alarm, and get quick notifications if a sensor is triggered.

One of the best-value home security systems is this five-piece Eufy kit, and it’s particularly good if you already have one of the brand’s doorbells or weatherproof cameras installed at your home.

Much like the Ring kit on our list, there’s no camera included in this package, but you get enough to get you started: a keypad, two entry sensors for windows or doors, one motion sensor and a tower-shaped base that includes built-in storage.

Installation is DIY, and you’ll pair the system with the Eufy Security App so you can get quick alerts and notifications when the sensors are triggered, or change the sensitivity so you don’t get lots of false alerts from your dog wandering around downstairs as you sleep.

This is an ideal system for smaller homes – a single motion sensor works up to nine metres – and there are no additional subscription fees for extra features. If you do add a camera and want to save footage, the base contains up to 16GB of internal storage.

All of the mounts that you need for installation are in the box and you don’t have to worry about setting it up beside a mains outlet as it uses batteries. According to Eufy, the keypad lasts for six months between charges, while the motion and contact sensors last for up to two years at a time.

If your home is already full of Alexa gadgets – such as the Ring Doorbell, Echo Show smart display or the compact Echo Dot speaker – it makes sense to stick with the brand for your home security system. Not only will pairing and communication between your products be seamless, but you’ll already know your way around the smartphone app, too.

We think this 5-piece kit contains everything you need to get started – it includes a Ring base station, a keypad, a contact sensor, a motion detector and a range extender – although you can get more sensors by opting for the seven-piece or the 10-piece instead. You can easily install this by yourself, and we love that there’s no wiring or screws involved.

With a range of about 76 meters, it’s well-suited to any smaller to medium-sized homes. It works best when paired with other Ring doorbells, cameras and sirens, and it’s worth noting that it’s available with a Ring Indoor Cam (usually £49.99) for no extra cost.

On test, we found the system was simple to install and sent speedy alerts when something triggered any of the sensors. It's impressive how loud the siren is, but most homes will need to buy extra window/door sensors to create a comprehensive system. If you want a mobile data connection to protect against wifi outages or notifications to chosen emergency contacts if you don’t respond to the alarm – you’ll need to pay for the £8 per month subscription.

This is an ideal security system for smaller homes that you can have up and running in a few minutes. The hub keeps a stable connection by plugging into your router, and the accessories instantly pair by scanning QR codes.

There’s no camera, keypad or fobs with the basic “Deter” package, but it has everything you need – a pet-friendly motion sensor, window sensor and two remotes alongside the hub. Go for the Alert, Defender and Guardian packages for more sensors, sirens and cameras.

On test, we liked the solid build of the components and how easy the app is to understand for beginners – it’s plastic-heavy but that keeps it all lightweight. The motion sensor can be set up using the supplied tape, so installation is simple and it’s also a good option if you’re renting. It did a fine job of detecting motion when we tested it at around 10m away, quickly blasting an alert to our phone.

Even without a big siren in the basic setup, the hub’s speaker is loud enough for indoor use, with a blaring sound that’ll wake even the heaviest of sleepers. You get three months of the ERA Protect Plus subscription for free – and although it costs £8 per month if you want to keep the extra features, it works just fine without paying for a monthly fee, too.

One of the most comprehensive security systems that you can buy, SimpliSafe’s 7-piece kit is an ideal starting point for most homes, coming with a base station, a keypad, a 1080p indoor camera, three entry sensors and a single motion sensor.

This system is simple to install and we liked its responsive and loud built-in siren. You can check video feeds via the phone app, although we find that most of the best features are locked behind a paywall.

Unlike the Ring and Eufy kits on our list, it's great that the system includes a security camera and we find that it only alerts you when it spots the same heat pattern as a human (so there are no false alerts from your pets). Expansion is also very well supported – you can add up to 100 official accessories and a total of 10 indoor security cameras to the base.

While you pay for the luxury, this is the best option if you need total peace of mind that your home is protected at all times. That’s because you can purchase an external monitoring service (from £15.99 per month).

That means if an alarm goes off a security expert (SimpliSafe is partnered with Securitas) will contact you, attempt to verify if a crime is taking place, and contact the police if necessary. You’ll need to pay for the Pro Premium plan (from £20.99 per month) if you want to add unlimited camera recording to the package, however.

While we’ve mostly focused on home security kits that have open/close or infrared sensors, it’s possible to set up a comprehensive system only using cameras and motion detection. If you want the best possible video resolution for your recordings – delivering crisp 4K footage – we recommend our pick for the top-quality wifi security camera, the Arlo Ultra 2.

You'll get sharp details during the day and night and if you opt for three or four cameras, you should have enough to cover all of the key indoor and outdoor areas around your property. It’ll send motion alerts to your phone and can identify whether a person, animal or car caused the movement. It's worth noting, though, that this feature is part of the one-year free trial of the cloud video storage plan (which usually costs £9.99 per month).

We like that it comes with a motion-activated spotlight, and has a few must-have features for video-based security – including 12x zoom and autofocus on moving subjects.

The subscription plan also lets you set activity zones and comes with camera theft protection insurance, plus 30 days of saved video history. If you don’t want to pay for the membership, you can view the stream from your cameras, get motion alerts and use two-way talk via your phone. This is compatible with Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant and HomeKit, too.

Abode's system is a good option for its compatibility with over 160 smart home products. You can connect it up to the likes of Yale's security cameras and locks to Lifx and Philips Hue smart lights, or connect a Sonos speaker to blast out sound effects – such as a barking dog – when the motion sensor is triggered. From there, you could set it up so that when you leave your home, the system arms itself and turns off your speakers and lights, too.

On test, the 93db siren built into the hub went off without a delay when anything triggered the window, door or motion sensors – as alerts are beamed to your smartphone. Like most of the kits on our list, installation is easy and mostly wireless, although the hub pairs via the ethernet port on your home wifi router to enable a secure connection.

To get the most of the Abode kit you’ll need to pay for a monthly subscription, though. The standard plan (£7.99 per month) gives you self-monitoring, unlimited users and access to home automation routines via the app, while the Pro Plan (£13.99 per month, first month free) gives you also opens up cellular backup in case of an internet outage, 10-day video storage instead of seven and all-day professional monitoring that contacts you if the alarm goes off.

Most of the best home security systems cost around £250 or more, so this kit that bundles up a video doorbell, motion sensor and two contact sensors for £130 is very good if you want to protect your home on a tighter budget. They all connect straight to your internet router too, so there’s no need for a separate hub, and footage is saved onto an SD card.

While this is the most basic setup on our list, it’s still perfectly suitable for smaller homes (and rentals) with easy installation. The brand says the doorbell lasts for four months between charges and includes two-way talk, while footage is streamed directly to the Hey app. The doorbell – which records in 1080p – also has night vision and motion detection.

It’s fairly affordable to expand the system, with extra contact sensors costing £14 each and motion sensors costing £16 each. The brand also sells an external camera for £89 or a floodlight camera for £124.99. While there’s nothing as fancy as professional monitoring or backups that you’ll find on high-end rivals, this is an ideal starter kit for beginners.